Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 57

Meaning

Enraged to hear of Akampana’s death, nay, with his face a bit downcast, too, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, intently looked at his well-known counsellors. (1)

Meaning

Having reflected awhile, and then deliberated with his counsellors, Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, for his part then actually proceeded in the forenoon to the city of Laṅkā in order to inspect all the fortified posts. (2)

Meaning

The king found that city guarded by detachments of ogres, encompassed with numerous defences and dressed with rows of flags and pennants. (3)

Meaning

Seeing the city besieged, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, for his part spoke as follows to Prahasta, who was skilled in warfare and wished well of him even at a critical time: (4)

Meaning

“I do not see any deliverance, through fighting carried on by anyone else, for the city, which stands beleaguered and is hard pressed by the enemy, O warrior skilled in warfare! (5)

Meaning

“Either myself or Kumbhakarṇa or you, my Commander-in-Chief, or Indrajit or Nikumbha can undertake such a burden. (6)

Meaning

“Therefore, taking a contingent with you and taking over its charge, speedily set you forth for conquest from this post to the place where all the monkeys stand gathered. (7)

Meaning

“Nay, unsettled in no time by your very sortie, the army of monkeys will take to flight on hearing the uproar of the thundering ogre chiefs. (8)

Meaning

“The monkeys, who are volatile, undisciplined and fickle-minded, will not be able to endure your roar any more than elephants would endure the roaring of a lion. (9)

Meaning

“And helpless and deprived of all support, when the said army of monkeys has fled, Rāma alongwith Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) will be held captive by you, O Prahasta! (10)

Meaning

“Uncertain death in an encounter is desirable and not that which comes as a matter of course without risk. Suggest that which you for your part consider to be to our advantage, no matter whether it is palatable or unpalatable to me.” (11)

Meaning

Commanded as above by Rāvaṇa, Prahasta, the Commander-in-Chief, for his part submitted as follows to the king of ogres even as Uśanā, the preceptor of demons, would speak to Bali, the king of demons: (12)

Meaning

“This topic has been discussed in the past with expert counsellors and a controversy too arose amongst us on our examining the viewpoint of one another, (and we could not come to a unanimous decision). (13)

Meaning

“It was my firm opinion that good would come to us only through restoration of Sītā; whereas war alone was foreseen as a result of our not restoring her. War has come upon us precisely as expected. (14)

Meaning

“I, for my part, have ever been honoured by you with gifts and honours too as well as with various kind words. How shall I not render service to you when the time for it comes? (15)

Meaning

“Neither life nor sons, wife and wealth are going to be spared by me at this juncture. You see me with your own eyes, willing to sacrifice my life for your sake in combat.” (16)

Meaning

Having submitted as aforesaid to his master, Rāvaṇa, Prahasta, the Commander-in-Chief, commanded as follows the troop leaders standing before him: (17)

Meaning

“Bring together before me at once a huge army of ogres. Let carnivorous birds be sated this day with the flesh of the monkeys (lit., denizens of the woods), struck down on the battlefield with the force of my arrows.” Hearing his aforesaid command, the commanders of the army, who were endowed with extraordinary might, mobilized an army near that palace of the ogre, Rāvaṇa. In less than an hour the aforesaid Laṅkā was thronged with redoubtable ogre champions of renown, resembling elephants and armed with weapons of every kind. A fragrant breeze bearing the scent of ghee blew past the ogres, who were propitiating the god of fire (who feeds on oblations) and bowing down to the Brāhmaṇas. Greatly rejoiced on that occasion, the ogres took hold of garlands of different shapes consecrated by reciting sacred texts and put on military accoutrements. Springing up with impetuosity on perceiving king Rāvaṇa, the ogres, who were armed with bows and clad in armour, stood round Prahasta on all sides. Taking leave of the king and causing a kettledrum of dreadful sound to be beaten, the active Prahasta ascended his chariot which was ready with all equipment and had been furnished with every kind of weapon, was drawn by horses endowed with great speed, driven by a skilled charioteer and fully controlled by him, which thundered like a mighty cloud, shone like the very sun and the moon, distinguished by its ensign, bearing the device of a serpent and was difficult to overpower, which was provided with a wooden fence or fender as a defence against collision and consisted of beautiful parts, (nay) which was covered with a net of gold and was laughing as it were in its splendour. Taking his seat in that chariot, Prahasta, to whom directions had been given by Rāvaṇa, thereupon immediately set out from Laṅkā, surrounded by a large army. Even as the Commander-in-Chief departed, a roll of kettledrums, which resembled the rumbling of clouds, as well as a blast of fanfares, which seemed to fill the earth, as also a blast of conches was forthwith heard. Emitting fearful cries, gigantic ogres of terrible aspect and marching in front of Prahasta proceeded in the van. Narāntaka, Kumbhahanu, Mahānāda and Samunnata—these four adjutants of Prahasta, also sallied forth, surrounding him on all sides. (18—30)

Meaning

Surrounded by a mighty force, which stood already disposed in battle-array and was exceedingly formidable, and which closely resembled a herd of elephants, he emerged from the eastern gate. (31)

Meaning

Surrounded by that army, consisting of a stream of ogres which resembled the sea in its vastness, Prahasta, who looked like Kāla (the Time-Spirit), Antaka (Death) and Yama (the god of retribution), sallied forth in rage. (32)

Meaning

At the sound of kettledrums etc., beaten at the time of his departure as also at the noise of the roaring ogres, all created beings in Laṅkā began to shriek in unnatural tones. (33)

Meaning

Rising in the air, birds subsisting on flesh and blood circled anti-clockwise round the chariot. (34)

Meaning

Vomiting forth tongues of fire, fearful she-jackals howled. A meteor fell from the heavens and a piercing wind blew. (35)

Meaning

Nay, knitted against one another, planets did not shine brightly. Again, making a sound resembling the braying of a donkey, clouds showered blood on the chariot of the ogre and drenched those marching in front of him. A croaking vulture, on the other hand, perched facing the south, on the top of its standard scratching both its sides and thereby snatched away his entire good fortune. Nay, the whip slipped again and again from the hand of his charioteer, a Sūta (the son of a Kṣatriya by a Brāhmaṇa woman), busy controlling the horses, even as he entered the battlefield. That rare resplendent lustre which clothed Prahasta at the time of his leaving, disappeared in a moment and his horses stumbled even on the level ground. Equipped with various weapons, the simian army actually went forward to meet in combat Prahasta, whose excellences and manliness were widely known, even as he sallied forth. (36—40)

Meaning

An exceedingly tumultuous clamour forthwith arose among the monkeys even as they tore up trees and seized hold of heavy rocks. (41)

Meaning

The loud noise of the yelling ogres and the roaring monkeys, who were both seized with impetuosity, and were powerful, nay, who sought the destruction of one another and challenged one another, was being heard. Both the armies, namely, those of the ogres and the monkeys (lit., dwellers in the woods) felt highly rejoiced. (42-43)

Meaning

Then Prahasta, whose mind was perverted, advanced towards the army of Sugrīva (the ruler of monkeys) for conquest and tried to force his way into that army, whose tempo had immensely grown, even as a moth would enter a flame. (44)