Uttara Kanda, Sarga 29

Meaning

When darkness supervened, all the aforesaid gods and ogres, intoxicated as they were with their might, still continued to fight, killing one another. (1)

Meaning

Barely one-tenth of the huge army of the ogres was, however, eventually allowed by the celestial host to stand on the battlefield; the rest was dispatched by the gods to the abode of Death. (2)

Meaning

In that battle which was actually fought in darkness, none of the gods and the ogres, who took part in it, recognized one another while contending one with the other. (3)

Meaning

In that battlefield shrouded in a mass of darkness, Indra and Rāvaṇa as well as the exceedingly mighty Meghanāda (son of Rāvaṇa) the aforesaid three alone did not fall a prey to delusion. (4)

Meaning

Beholding his whole army destroyed in an instant, the aforesaid Rāvaṇa for his part flew into violent anger and emitted a great roar. (5)

Meaning

In his fury, they say, the ogre, who was so difficult to overcome, spoke as follows to his charioteer, who was still on the chariot: “Take me through the enemy ranks to the place where the other end exists. (6)

Meaning

“This very day through feats of valour I shall myself dispatch in combat all the gods to the abode of Death by thick showers of all kinds of weapons. (7)

Meaning

“I shall kill Indra, Kubera (the bestower of riches), Varuṇa (the god of water) and Yama (the god of retribution): nay, having destroyed the aforesaid gods in no time, I shall then abide in heaven myself. (8)

Meaning

“Despondency should not be had recourse to in any case; drive my chariot without loss of time; indeed I repeat it to you today, take me to the other end of the army. (9)

Meaning

“The place where we stand just now is a part of the Nandana grove, Indra’s pleasure-garden; take me today to the place where the Udaya (eastern) mountain is. (The celestial host extended from the Nandana grove to the Udaya mountain).” (10)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid command of Rāvaṇa, the said charioteer forthwith drove the horses, which were swift as thought, right through the enemy ranks. (11)

Meaning

Coming to know of this resolve of Rāvaṇa, Indra, the ruler of gods, seated in his chariot on the battlefield, forthwith spoke as follows on that occasion to the gods present on the battlefield: (12)

Meaning

“O gods, listen to my words; what finds favour with me just at this moment is that the ten-headed ogre had better be captured even while alive. (13)

Meaning

“In his chariot, which has the speed of the wind, this very mighty ogre will actually rush through our army like the sea with its swollen waves on the day of the full moon. (14)

Meaning

“He cannot be killed this day in that he has grown utterly fearless due to the conferment of a boon on him by Brahmā; hence we shall capture the ogre; be prepared for this on the field of battle. (15)

Meaning

“Even as the three worlds are being ruled over by me only because of the demon Bali having been taken captive by Lord Viṣṇu, the incarceration of this sinful ogre finds favour with me likewise.” (16)

Meaning

Having said so and leaving Rāvaṇa alone, and moving to a different place, Indra fought there causing terror to the ogres on the field of battle, O monarch. (17)

Meaning

Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster), who never retreated from the battlefield, penetrated into the army of gods from the northern side; while Indra (who is supposed to have performed a hundred horse-sacrifices in his past lives as a condition precedent for obtaining the office of Indra) made his way into the army of ogres from the southern side. (18)

Meaning

Having penetrated a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles) deep, the suzerain lord of ogres covered the entire army of gods with showers of arrows. (19)

Meaning

Surrounding Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster) on perceiving his own army completely destroyed, Indra for his part, who was not the least agitated, thereupon forthwith compelled Rāvaṇa to retreat. (20)

Meaning

In the meantime, on seeing Rāvaṇa overcome by Indra, an outcry was raised by the Dānavas and the ogres, saying: “Alas, we are all undone?” (21)

Meaning

Taking his seat in a chariot, Meghanāda, son of Rāvaṇa, who felt greatly enraged, nay, who was beside himself with anger, then penetrated deep into the fierce army of gods. (22)

Meaning

Taking cover under the mighty power of illusion obtained by him in the past as a boon from Lord Śiva, he penetrated deep into the army of gods in fury and completely dispersed the army of gods. (23)

Meaning

Leaving all the other gods alone, he rushed on Indra himself; but the mighty Indra, though endowed with extraordinary energy, could not perceive the enemy’s son. (24)

Meaning

His armour having fallen off on the battlefield, while he was being struck by the gods, who were endowed with exceptional prowess, the son of Rāvaṇa did not entertain the least fear. (25)

Meaning

Having hit Mātali, who was advancing, with the best of arrows, he then covered the mighty Indra with a shower of arrows. (26)

Meaning

Leaving the chariot, Indra thereupon dismissed the charioteer and, duly mounting the elephant, Airāvata, he began to search for Meghanāda (son of Rāvaṇa). (27)

Meaning

Confounding Indra by means of his Māyā (conjuring tricks) while remaining invisible and moving in the air, endowed as he was with the power of Māyā, the notorious Meghanāda assailed him with arrows. (28)

Meaning

Having bound Indra by dint of Māyā the moment he came to know of the former having been worn out, Meghanāda (son of Rāvaṇa) forthwith took him to the flank of his army. (29)

Meaning

Seeing him, the mighty Indra, being borne away by force from the great fight, all the gods for their part wondered what was actually going to happen. (30)

Meaning

“The notorious Meghanāda, the conqueror of Indra”, they added, “who is an adept in conjuring tricks and has come out victorious in battle and by whom Indra, though skilled in dispelling Māyā, has been borne away by force by dint of conjuring tricks, cannot be perceived.” (31)

Meaning

In the meantime, compelling Rāvaṇa to turn his face away (from the field of battle), all the hosts of gods, who were provoked to anger, then covered him with showers of shafts. (32)

Meaning

Having duly reached the twelve sons of Aditi and the eight Vasus on that occasion, Rāvaṇa failed to encounter them on the field of battle, hard pressed as he was by the enemies. (33)

Meaning

Seeing his father languid and shattered by blows in the encounter, Meghanāda (son of Rāvaṇa) spoke to him as follows, remaining invisible all the while: (34)

Meaning

“Come, dear father, we retire. Let the act of fighting come to an end. Let our victory be known to you. Be at ease and free from anxiety. (35)

Meaning

“Since the yonder Indra, who was till now the master of the army of gods as well as the lord of all the three worlds, has been captured from the midst of the army of gods, the vanity of the gods has thereby been crushed. (36)

Meaning

“Having captured the enemy by dint of your might, rule all the three worlds as you please; what will you gain by needlessly exerting yourself any more; fighting is now fruitless.” (37)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid observation of Meghanāda (son of Rāvaṇa), the hosts of gods thereupon desisted from the act of fighting and, deprived of Indra, left for heaven. (38)

Meaning

Listening with deference to that agreeable counsel of his son, Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres, that notorious enemy of gods, who was endowed with surpassing might, retired from the field of battle and spoke to his son as follows: (39)

Meaning

“You are the promoter of my race, my powerful son, in that the yonder ruler of gods, who was endowed with unequalled might, as well as the other gods, have been actually conquered by you today through exploits which were becoming of your superior might. (40)

Meaning

“Placing Indra in the chariot, take him to the city of Laṅkā and, surrounded by your army, depart you from this region. Accompanied by my ministers, I too will follow at your heels with all speed joyfully.” (41)

Meaning

Having reached his own abode followed by his army and conveyances and taking with him the ruler of gods, the powerful son of Rāvaṇa dismissed the ogres, who had carried on the operations. (42)