Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 55

Meaning

Hearing of Vajradaṁṣṭra having been killed by Aṅgada (son of Vālī), Rāvaṇa spoke as follows to the Commander-in-Chief of his army, who stood near him with folded hands: (1)

Meaning

“Placing at their head Akampana, who was conversant with the use of all weapons and missiles, ogres of terrible prowess, who are difficult to overpower, should speedily go forth. (2)

Meaning

“He is a tamer of foes, nay, the protector of his own people and a commander of his forces on the field of battle. He is the foremost of warriors, nay, ever desirous of my welfare and ever fond of war. (3)

Meaning

“This ogre, Akampana, will conquer Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa (the two scions of Kakutstha) as well as Sugrīva, and is endowed with extraordinary might, and will exterminate the other formidable monkeys too, there is no doubt about it.” (4)

Meaning

Accepting the aforesaid command of Rāvaṇa, the Commander-in-Chief of quick prowess, endowed as he was with extraordinary might, duly dispatched his army to fight with the monkeys. (5)

Meaning

Urged by the Commander-in-Chief, the principal ogres of fearful eyes and hideous aspect then rushed forward, armed with various weapons. (6)

Meaning

Mounting his huge chariot, which was decked with jewels and pure gold, Akampana, who had the colour of a cloud and resembled a cloud in size, and whose loud voice resembled thunder, then sallied forth, surrounded by dreadful ogres. He could not be shaken in a major conflict by gods. (7-8)

Meaning

Hence he was known as Akampana and resembled the sun in brilliance among the ogres. Even as he was sallying forth excited with intent to give fight, the mind of the horses drawing his chariot experienced depression all of a sudden. Nay, his left eye twitched even though he delighted in war. (9-10)

Meaning

The lustre of his countenance grew faint and his voice got choked. At a time which was marked by fine weather, the day became cloudy and marred by a rough wind. (11)

Meaning

All the birds and beasts uttered unkind and fearful cries. Not minding those evil portents, the ogre, whose shoulders were fully developed like those of a lion, and who equalled a tiger in prowess, sallied forth to the battlefield. Even as the aforesaid ogre was issuing forth with other ogres, an immense tumult arose, convulsing the sea, as it were. The huge army of the monkeys was frightened by that clamour. (12—14)

Meaning

An exceedingly fearful struggle ensued between those monkeys and ogres, who were getting ready to fight by dealing blows with trees and rocks and who had dedicated their souls to the cause of Śrī Rāma and Rāvaṇa, respectively. All the monkeys as well as the ogres were indeed endowed with exceeding might and valour and all closely resembled hills in size. The tremendous noise of the aforesaid warriors of exceeding impetuosity even as they thundered with intent to kill each one of his adversary, and bawled at one another, could be distinctly heard on the battlefield. Nay, there rose again and again an exceedingly terrible cloud of smoky dust raised by monkeys and ogres, and enveloped all the ten directions. Nay, the combatants could no longer discern the living beings on the battlefield, covered as they were by the dust raised by one another, which was whitish like a piece of silk shaken by the wind. Neither standard nor pennant, nor shield nor even horse, nor weapon, nor even chariot could be seen due to that dust. Although the terrific and tumultuous clamour of warriors roaring and rushing against one another was heard on the field of battle, no forms were visible. In the darkness on that occasion the monkeys, when extremely enraged, struck the monkeys themselves on the battle-field, while the ogres too killed the ogres. Exterminating the foes and friends too, the monkeys and ogres drenched the earth with blood on that occasion and covered it over with mud. Moistened with blood, the dust for its part now virtually settled and the earth was covered with dead bodies. The ogres and monkeys vigorously and rapidly struck each other with trees, javelins, maces and darts, rocks, iron bars and iron clubs. Contending with their arms resembling iron bars, the monkeys of terrible deeds assailed the ogres, who looked like mountains, on the field of battle. Highly enraged, the ogres on the other hand, who bore darts and iron clubs in their hands exterminated the monkeys with their most formidable weapons on the field of battle. Highly enraged, Akampana, the commander of the army of ogres, cheered all those ogres of terrible prowess. Assailing the ogres and snatching their weapons by dint of valour, the monkeys too mangled them with gigantic trees and huge rocks. In the meantime, filled with rage, the valiant monkeys, Kumuda, Nala, Mainda and Dwivida displayed unsurpassed impetuosity. All the aforesaid bulls among monkeys, for their part, who were exceedingly valiant, brought about in sport the terrible carnage of the ogres by means of trees in the van of the latter’s army, and repeatedly crushed the ogres with weapons of every kind. (15—32)