---
title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 66"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-66"
lang: "en"
---

# Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 66

> स लङ्घयित्वा प्राकारं गिरिकूटोपमो महान्।  
> निर्ययौ नगरात् तूर्णं कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः॥ १॥  
> ननाद च महानादं समुद्रमभिनादयन्।  
> विजयन्निव निर्घातान् विधमन्निव पर्वतान्॥ २॥

Stepping across the defensive wall, the gigantic Kumbhakarṇa, who resembled the peak of a mountain and was endowed with extraordinary might, rapidly issued out of the city and emitted a tremendous roar, making the sea reverberate, nay, causing mountains to quake and drowning thunder-claps, as it were. (1-2)

> तमवध्यं मघवता यमेन वरुणेन वा।  
> प्रेक्ष्य भीमाक्षमायान्तं वानरा विप्रदुद्रुवुः॥ ३॥

Perceiving that ogre of fierce eyes—who could not be killed by Indra (the ruler of gods), Yama (the god of retribution) or even by Varuṇa (the god of water)—approaching, the monkeys stampeded. (3)

> तांस्तु विप्रद्रुतान् दृष्ट्वा राजपुत्रोऽङ्गदोऽब्रवीत्।  
> नलं नीलं गवाक्षं च कुमुदं च महाबलम्॥ ४॥

Seeing them put to flight, Prince Aṅgada for his part spoke as follows to Nala, Nīla and Gavākṣa, as also to Kumuda, who was endowed with extraordinary might : (4)

> आत्मनस्तानि विस्मृत्य वीर्याण्यभिजनानि च।  
> क्व गच्छत भयत्रस्ताः प्राकृता हरयो यथा॥ ५॥

“Forgetting your well-known exploits and high pedigree, where are you fleeing panic-stricken like ordinary monkeys? (5)

> साधु सौम्या निवर्तध्वं किं प्राणान् परिरक्षथ।  
> नालं युद्धाय वै रक्षो महतीयं विभीषिका॥ ६॥

“Enough, O good fellows ! Please return. Why do you defend your lives? Surely this ogre is not capable of contending with us; he is a great bugbear. (6)

> महतीमुत्थितामेनां राक्षसानां विभीषिकाम्।  
> विक्रमाद् विधमिष्यामो निवर्तध्वं प्लवङ्गमाः॥ ७॥

“We shall dispel by our prowess this colossal nightmare of the ogres, come into being. Therefore, come back, O monkeys!” (7)

> कृच्छ्रेण तु समाश्वस्य संगम्य च ततस्ततः।  
> वृक्षान् गृहीत्वा हरयः सम्प्रतस्थू रणाजिरे॥ ८॥

Regaining confidence somehow and getting together once more from here and there, and seizing hold of trees, the monkeys for their part duly proceeded to the battlefield. (8)

> ते निवर्त्य तु संरब्धाः कुम्भकर्णं वनौकसः।  
> निजघ्नुः परमक्रुद्धाः समदा इव कुञ्जराः॥ ९॥  
> प्रांशुभिर्गिरिशृङ्गैश्च शिलाभिश्च महाबलाः।  
> पादपैः पुष्पिताग्रैश्च हन्यमानो न कम्पते॥ १०॥

Turning back extremely enraged and determined to fight, the aforesaid monkeys (lit., dwellers in the woods), who were endowed with extraordinary might and looked like elephants in rut, hit him with lofty mountain peaks and rocks as well as with trees whose crests were covered with blossom. Though being hit (as above), Kumbhakarṇa, however, was not shaken. (9-10)

> तस्य गात्रेषु पतिता भिद्यन्ते बहवः शिलाः।  
> पादपाः पुष्पिताग्राश्च भग्नाः पेतुर्महीतले॥ ११॥

Fallen on his limbs, numerous rocks got split asunder, and trees with blossomed crests fell shattered on the earth’s surface. (11)

> सोऽपि सैन्यानि संक्रुद्धौ वानराणां महौजसाम्।  
> ममन्थ परमायत्तो वनान्यग्निरिवोत्थितः॥ १२॥

Highly enraged and supremely active, Kumbhakarṇa too began to destroy the ranks of the monkeys, although they were endowed with extraordinary vigour, even as a forest fire burst into flames would consume forests. (12)

> लोहितार्द्रास्तु बहवः शेरते वानरर्षभाः।  
> निरस्ताः पतिता भूमौ ताम्रपुष्पा इव द्रुमाः॥ १३॥

Fallen like trees with coppery blossom when tossed up by the ogre, numerous bulls among monkeys lay senseless on the ground, bespattered with blood. (13)

> लङ्घयन्तः प्रधावन्तो वानरा नावलोकयन्।  
> केचित् समुद्रे पतिताः केचिद् गगनमास्थिताः॥ १४॥

Leaping while running fast, the monkeys did not look ahead or behind or sideways, so that some dropped into the sea while others remained sailing in the air. (14)

> वध्यमानास्तु ते वीरा राक्षसेन च लीलया।  
> सागरं येन ते तीर्णाः पथा तेनैव दुद्रुवुः॥ १५॥

Nay, while being struck by the ogre in mere sport, the monkey heroes for their part fled along the same route by which they had crossed the sea. (15)

> ते स्थलानि तदा निम्नं विवर्णवदना भयात्।  
> ऋक्षा वृक्षान् समारूढाः केचित् पर्वतमाश्रिताः॥ १६॥

They rushed towards the plains, taking a downward course, their faces rendered pale through fear. The bears climbed up trees, while others sought asylum on mountains. (16)

> ममज्जुरर्णवे केचिद् गुहाः केचित् समाश्रिताः।  
> निपेतुः केचिदपरे केचिन्नैवावतस्थिरे।  
> केचिद् भूमौ निपतिताः केचित् सुप्ता मृता इव॥ १७॥

Some monkeys and bears got drowned in the sea, while others took shelter in caves. Some others fell down, while others could not stand firmly. Some more fell flat on the ground, while others lay stretched as though they were dead. (17)

> तान् समीक्ष्याङ्गदो भग्नान् वानरानिदमब्रवीत्।  
> अवतिष्ठत युध्यामो निवर्तध्वं प्लवंगमाः॥ १८॥

Seeing them routed, Aṅgada spoke to them as follows: “Stay. We shall fight. Return, O monkeys ! (18)

> भग्नानां वो न पश्यामि परिक्रम्य महीमिमाम्।  
> स्थानं सर्वे निवर्तध्वं किं प्राणान् परिरक्षथ॥ १९॥

“I do not see any refuge for you, routed as you are, even if you range this entire globe. Therefore, come back. Why do you seek to preserve your life? (19)

> निरायुधानां क्रमतामसङ्गगतिपौरुषाः।  
> दारा ह्युपहसिष्यन्ति स वै घातः सुजीवताम्॥ २०॥

“O monkeys ! whose movement or valour knows no obstruction, your very wives will ridicule you if you run away abandoning your arms. That would be death indeed even for those leading an easy life. (20)

> कुलेषु जाताः सर्वेऽस्मिन् विस्तीर्णेषु महत्सु च।  
> क्व गच्छत भयत्रस्ताः प्राकृता हरयो यथा।  
> अनार्याः खलु यद्भीतास्त्यक्त्वा वीर्यं प्रधावत॥ २१॥

“Even though you are all born in widely spread and noble families, where are you fleeing panic-stricken like ordinary monkeys? You are indeed unworthy in that you are fleeing terrified, casting your prowess to the wind. (21)

> विकत्थनानि वो यानि भवद्भिर्जनसंसदि।  
> तानि वः क्व नु यातानि सोदग्राणि हितानि च॥ २२॥

“Where have those braggadocios of yours melted away, in which you indulged in a popular assembly, as also your tall claims of friendly acts done to your master? (22)

> भीरोः प्रवादाः श्रूयन्ते यस्तु जीवति धिक्कृतः।  
> मार्गः सत्पुरुषैर्जुष्टः सेव्यतां त्यज्यतां भयम्॥ २३॥

“Words of reproach are heard with reference to a coward, saying ‘Woe to him who lives even though censured by good men!’ Let the path trodden by the virtuous be followed and let fear be shaken off. (23)

> शयामहे वा निहताः पृथिव्यामल्पजीविताः।  
> प्राप्नुयामो ब्रह्मलोकं दुष्प्रापं च कुयोधिभिः॥ २४॥

“If, in the event of our span of life being brief, we lie down killed by the enemy, we shall attain the realm of Brahmā, which is difficult to attain for bad warriors, who are afraid of an encounter. (24)

> अवाप्नुयामः कीर्तिं वा निहत्वा शत्रुमाहवे।  
> निहता वीरलोकस्य भोक्ष्यामो वसु वानराः॥ २५॥

“Killing the enemy in combat, we shall acquire glory. If struck down, on the other hand, we shall enjoy the riches of Brahmaloka, the realm attained by heroes, O monkeys! (25)

> न कुम्भकर्णः काकुत्स्थं दृष्ट्वा जीवन् गमिष्यति।  
> दीप्यमानमिवासाद्य पतङ्गो ज्वलनं यथा॥ २६॥

“Kumbhakarṇa will never escape alive on coming face to face with Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) any more than a moth on approaching a blazing fire. (26)

> पलायनेन चोद्दिष्टाः प्राणान् रक्षामहे वयम्।  
> एकेन बहवो भग्ना यशो नाशं गमिष्यति॥ २७॥

“If, though distinguished in war, we preserve our life by fleeing, when routed by one, even though many, our glory will come to an end.” (27)

> एवं ब्रुवाणं तं शूरमङ्गदं कनकाङ्गदम्।  
> द्रवमाणास्ततो वाक्यमूचुः शूरविगर्हितम्॥ २८॥

To the said heroic Aṅgada, who was adorned with armlets of gold, even while he was speaking as aforesaid, the monkeys, who were still fleeing, made the following reply, which was condemned by the valiant: (28)

> कृतं नः कदनं घोरं कुम्भकर्णेन रक्षसा।  
> न स्थानकालो गच्छामो दयितं जीवितं हि नः॥ २९॥

“Terrible havoc has been made of us by the ogre Kumbhakarṇa. It is not the moment to stay. We are going; for life is dear to us.” (29)

> एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं सर्वे ते भेजिरे दिशः।  
> भीमं भीमाक्षमायान्तं दृष्ट्वा वानरयूथपाः॥ ३०॥

Having uttered only so many words, all the aforesaid commanders of monkey troops scattered in all directions on seeing the redoubtable ogre with frightful eyes coming. (30)

> द्रवमाणास्तु ते वीरा अङ्गदेन बलीमुखाः।  
> सान्त्वनैश्चानुमानैश्च ततः सर्वे निवर्तिताः॥ ३१॥

Though still fleeing, all the aforesaid heroic monkeys for their part were then caused to return from where they were by Aṅgada by means of heartening words and arguments too establishing the invincibility of Śrī Rāma. (31)

> प्रहर्षमुपनीताश्च वालिपुत्रेण धीमता।  
> आज्ञाप्रतीक्षास्तस्थुश्च सर्वे वानरयूथपाः॥ ३२॥

Nay, restored to their high spirits, by the sagacious Aṅgada (son of Vālī), all the (aforesaid) commanders of monkey troops stood awaiting his command. (32)

> ऋषभशरभमैन्दधूम्रनीलाः  
> कुमुदसुषेणगवाक्षरम्भताराः।  
> द्विविदपनसवायुपुत्रमुख्या-  
> स्त्वरिततराभिमुखं रणं प्रयाताः॥ ३३॥

Ṛṣabha, Śarabha, Mainda, Dhūmra and Nīla, Kumuda, Suṣeṇa, Gavākṣa, Rambha and Tāra headed by Dwivida, Panasa and Hanumān (son of the wind-god), marched ahead to the battle-field with quicker steps. (33)

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