Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 76

Meaning

While that appalling melee—which brought about the destruction of so many heroic warriors was in progress, Aṅgada, who was eager for an encounter, assailed the gallant Kampana. (1)

Meaning

Challenging Aṅgada and seized with impetuosity, Kampana furiously struck him with a mace in anticipation, so that, grievously hurt, Aṅgada reeled. (2)

Meaning

Regaining his consciousness, Aṅgada, who was full of energy, hurled the top of a mountain at him; and, wounded by the blow, Kampana fell dead to the ground. (3)

Meaning

Seeing Kampana made short work of in combat, Śoṇitākṣa for his part thereupon speedily darted in his chariot towards Aṅgada like a fearless warrior. (4)

Meaning

Seized with impetuosity, he then pierced Aṅgada with his sharp and piercing shafts, which tore the flesh and resembled the fire raging at the time of universal dissolution. (5)

Meaning

His limbs pierced with numerous sharp arrows known by the names of Kṣura,1 Kṣurapra,2 Nārāca,3 Vatsadanta,4 Śilīmukha,5 Karṇi,6 Śalya7 and Vipāṭha,8 the mighty and powerful Aṅgada, son of Vālī, crushed with his might the formidable bow, chariot and arrows of Śoṇitākṣa. (6-7)

Meaning

Śoṇitākṣa thereupon instantly took up his sword and shield. Full of impetuosity he then leapt down from his chariot in rage unhesitatingly. (8)

Meaning

Springing forward even more nimbly, nay, seizing hold of him and wresting his aforesaid sword with his hand, the mighty Aṅgada roared. (9)

Meaning

Aṅgada then dug the sword into the flat surface of his shoulder and the monkey chief cut him diagonally. (10)

Meaning

Tightly holding that huge sword and roaring at the top of his voice again and again, the son of Vālī darted in the direction of other enemies in the forefront of the battle. (11)

Meaning

Accompanied by Prajaṅgha, the heroic and mighty Yūpākṣa for his part then furiously drove in his chariot towards Aṅgada (son of Vālī), who was endowed with extraordinary might. (12)

Meaning

Recovering himself, and seizing his steel mace, the aforesaid Śoṇitākṣa for his part, who was adorned with gold armlets, rushed behind Aṅgada himself: so the tradition goes. (13)

Meaning

Accompanied by Yūpākṣa, the mighty Prajaṅgha for his part, who was an eminent hero, assailed furiously with his mace Aṅgada (son of Vālī), who was endowed with extraordinary might. (14)

Meaning

Between the two warriors, Śoṇitākṣa and Prajaṅgha, Aṅgada, the foremost of monkeys, shone like the full moon between the two asterisms known by the name of Viśākhā. (15)

Meaning

Protecting Aṅgada on all sides, Mainda and Dwivida too (maternal uncles of the prince) took up their position by his side with intent to exhibit each his own martial skill. (16)

Meaning

Bearing swords, arrows and maces, gigantic ogres, who were vigilant and were endowed with extraordinary might, assailed the monkeys on all sides in fury. (17)

Meaning

A momentous conflict, causing the hair to stand on end, was waged by the three monkey chiefs, who found themselves embroiled with the three bulls among the ogres. (18)

Meaning

Seizing hold of trees, the monkeys for their part steadily and violently hurled them against the ogre chiefs on the battlefield. Prajaṅgha, however, who was endowed with extraordinary might, cut them down with his sword. (19)

Meaning

The monkeys hurled trees and crags against the chariots and horses of the enemy in the course of the encounter. Yūpākṣa, however, who was endowed with extraordinary might, tore them off with volleys of his arrows. (20)

Meaning

The valiant and powerful Śoṇitākṣa smashed midway with his mace the trees which were hurled by Dwivida and Mainda after tearing them up. (21)

Meaning

Raising his huge sword, which was capable of splitting asunder the vital parts of the enemies, and seized with impetuosity, Prajaṅgha rushed towards the son of Vālī. (22)

Meaning

Seeing him arrived near, Aṅgada (the ruler of monkeys), who was endowed with extraordinary strength and was exceedingly mighty, then struck him with an Aśwakarṇa tree. He further struck with his fist the arm of his adversary, holding a sword, and the latter dropped on the ground under the impact of Aṅgada’s blow. (23-24)

Meaning

Seeing his aforesaid sword, which closely resembled a pestle in shape, fallen on the ground, Prajaṅgha, who was endowed with extraordinary might, clenched his fist, which was hard as adamant, (25)

Meaning

Śoṇitākṣa (who was endowed with extraordinary energy) struck in the forehead Aṅgada, the foremost of monkeys, who was endowed with extraordinary valour; and the latter staggered for a while; they say. (26)

Meaning

Regaining his consciousness, that energetic and powerful son of Vālī dashed the head of Prajaṅgha off his trunk with his fist. (27)

Meaning

Quickly alighting from his chariot, his eyes full of tears, on his uncle having been killed in an encounter, the notorious Yūpākṣa took up his sword, his stock of arrows having been exhausted. (28)

Meaning

Perceiving Yūpākṣa rushing towards him and marching quickly, the mighty Dwivida struck him in the bosom with fury and caught hold of him with force. (29)

Meaning

Seeing his brother made captive, Śoṇitākṣa, who was endowed with extraordinary might and was exceptionally energetic, thereupon struck Dwivida in the chest with his mace. (30)

Meaning

Though endowed with extraordinary strength, Dwivida forthwith reeled when struck by Śoṇitākṣa. He, however, snatched the latter’s mace when uplifted again. (31)

Meaning

Meanwhile the valiant Mainda arrived by the side of Dwivida and struck Yūpākṣa in the breast with his palm. (32)

Meaning

The aforesaid Śoṇitākṣa and Yūpākṣa, who were full of impetuosity, carried on with the two monkeys a keen contest on the battlefield in the form of violently pulling and overthrowing one another. (33)

Meaning

The valiant Dwivida for his part tore Śoṇitākṣa in the face with his nails and, dashing him against the ground, crushed him. (34)

Meaning

Getting highly enraged, Mainda, a veritable bull among the monkeys, pressed Yūpākṣa in his arms so that the latter fell down dead on the ground. (35)

Meaning

Feeling distressed on account of its principal heroes having been killed in the aforesaid manner, the said army of Rāvaṇa (the ruler of ogres) for its part moved with its face turned towards the region where Kumbha (son of Kumbhakarṇa) was fighting. (36)

Meaning

Kumbha, however, restored to confidence that army advancing with all speed towards him. Nay, seeing the army, whose eminent heroes had been struck down by monkeys who were endowed with extraordinary valour and had found a favourable opportunity, Kumbha, the eminent ogre, who was full of martial ardour, performed at that time a feat which was extremely difficult for others to perform on the battlefield. (37-38)

Meaning

Seizing hold of his bow, that prince of archers, who was fully composed, discharged arrows resembling venomous serpents and capable of tearing the flesh of the enemy. (39)

Meaning

Endowed with an arrow, that excellent bow of Kumbha shone brightly like a second bow of Indra (the rain-god) illumined by flashes of lightning and the splendour of Airāvata (the elephant bearing Indra on his back). (40)

Meaning

He struck Dwivida on that occasion with a golden-shafted plumed arrow, which was discharged after being pulled with the bow-string up to the ear. (41)

Meaning

Staggering when struck all of a sudden with the arrow, Dwivida, the foremost of monkeys, who resembled the Trikūṭa mountain in size, dropped down wriggling, his legs fully outstretched. (42)

Meaning

Seizing hold of a huge rock on seeing his brother, Dwivida, overthrown in that great combat, Mainda for his part rushed forward with impetuosity. (43)

Meaning

The monkey, who was endowed with extraordinary might, for his part violently hurled that rock at the ogre. Kumbha, however, shattered that rock with five whetted shafts. (44)

Meaning

Nay, putting another arrow with a beautiful head and resembling a venomous serpent, Kumbha, who was endowed with extra-ordinary energy, struck the elder brother of Dwivida in the breast. (45)

Meaning

Struck by the ogre in his vitals with that blow, the aforesaid leader of monkey hordes, Mainda, fell unconscious to the ground. (46)

Meaning

Seeing his two maternal uncles wounded, though endowed with extraordinary might, Aṅgada for his part rushed headlong towards Kumbha, who stood with his bow uplifted. (47)

Meaning

Kumbha pierced Aṅgada, even as he was advancing, with five steel arrows and three other penetrating shafts even as one would pierce an elephant with goads. The aforesaid Kumbha, who was full of valour, pierced Aṅgada with numerous shafts.(48)

Meaning

Though pierced all over his body with whetted steel arrows decked with gold, whose points were still sharp, Aṅgada, son of Vālī, remained unshaken. (49)

Meaning

He, in his turn, let fall showers of rocks and trees on the head of Kumbha: so the tradition goes. That glorious son of Kumbhakarṇa, however, tore asunder all those trees and rocks hurled by the son of Vālī. Nay, perceiving the leader of monkey hordes advancing towards him, Kumbha pierced his eyebrows with two arrows even as one would strike an elephant with a pair of firebrands. Blood flowed from his eyebrows and his eyes got veiled thereby. (50—52)

Meaning

Protecting his eyes, bathed in blood, with one hand, Aṅgada seized hold of a sal tree, standing near, with the other. (53)

Meaning

Propping it, branches and all, on his chest, nay, pressing it tightly with one hand and bending its twigs to some extent, he tore it up in that great combat. (54)

Meaning

He hurled with velocity the aforesaid tree—which was tall like the banner of Indra and closely resembled Mount Mandara in size—at Kumbha while all the ogres present there stood looking on. (55)

Meaning

Kumbha, however, tore it asunder with seven sharp arrows, capable of cleaving the body. Aṅgada felt greatly disturbed at this; he fell down and swooned. (56)

Meaning

Seeing Aṅgada, who was difficult to assail, fallen down and sinking into despondency as though in a sea, the leaders of the monkeys reported the matter to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (57)

Meaning

Hearing of Aṅgada (the son of Vālī) being seized with anguish in a major conflict, Śrī Rāma for his part thereupon sent out for his help the leaders of monkeys headed by Jāmbavān. (58)

Meaning

Hearing the command of Śrī Rāma, the aforesaid tigers among the monkeys rushed in great fury towards Kumbha, who stood with an uplifted bow. (59)

Meaning

Keen to protect Aṅgada, the leaders of monkeys thereupon darted towards Kumbha, bearing trees and rocks in their hands, their eyes blood-red through anger. (60)

Meaning

Full of fury, Jāmbavān and Suṣeṇa as also the monkey Vegadarśī assailed the heroic son of Kumbhakarṇa in a body. (61)

Meaning

Perceiving the aforesaid monkey chiefs, who were endowed with extraordinary might, advancing towards him, Kumbha for his part intercepted them with a volley of shafts even as one would obstruct the course of a torrent by means of a rock. (62)

Meaning

Reaching the range of his arrows, the gigantic monkey chiefs could not even look at him, much less advance towards him any more than an ocean would overstep its shores. (63)

Meaning

Seeing the aforesaid simian ranks tormented by hails of shafts, and placing his nephew, Aṅgada, in the rear, Sugrīva, the ruler of monkeys, for his part, assailed the son of Kumbhakarṇa on the battle-field even as an impetuous lion would pounce upon an elephant roaming on the slopes of a mountain. (64-65)

Meaning

Nay, tearing up numerous huge trees such as the Aśwakarṇa, as well as various other trees, that mighty monkey hurled them against the ogre. (66)

Meaning

The glorious son of Kumbhakarṇa, however, tore asunder with his sharp arrows that shower of trees, which covered the space and was difficult to approach. (67)

Meaning

Covered all over with arrows by the impetuous Kumbha, who was skilled in aiming at the target, those trees shone like so many formidable Śataghnīs (stones or cylindrical pieces of wood studded with iron spikes). The valiant and glorious Sugrīva, the suzerain lord of monkeys, for his part, who was highly courageous, did not feel the least tormented on seeing the aforesaid shower of trees dispersed by Kumbha. Snatching all at once (after springing to his chariot) the bow of Kumbha, which shone like a rainbow (the bow of Indra), while he was still being pierced by his arrows and was standing those arrows, Sugrīva for his part snapped the bow. Speedily leaping down from the chariot after performing the said feat, which was exceedingly difficult for others to perform, he angrily spoke as follows to Kumbha, who now resembled an elephant whose tusks have been broken: “Your well-known prowess, which lends impetus to your arrows, is wonderful, O elder brother of Nikumbha! Complaisance towards the ogres as well as majesty exist in you or in Rāvaṇa, O compeer of Prahrāda, Bali, Indra (the destroyer of the demon Vṛtra), Kubera (the god of riches) and Varuṇa (the god of water)! (68—72)

Meaning

“You alone have taken after your father, Kumbhakarṇa, who was exceedingly mighty. It is you alone, the mighty-armed tamer of your enemies, who bear a pike in your hand, that the gods are not able to overcome, any more than mental agonies would overwhelm a master of his senses. Therefore, exhibit your prowess, O highly intelligent prince, and witness my exploits. (73-74)

Meaning

“Your uncle, Rāvaṇa, is able to withstand the gods and the demons alike by virtue of the boon conferred on him by Brahmā and Lord Śiva, while Kumbhakarṇa, your father, was able to withstand the gods and the demons by virtue of his prowess. You are rich in both and excel in this respect your uncle as well as your father. (75)

Meaning

“You vie with Indrajit in archery and are a peer of Rāvaṇa in might. You are the foremost in point of strength and prowess in the world of ogres as on this day. (76)

Meaning

“Let created beings witness your prodigious and mighty encounter with me on the battlefield today, as they did the conflict between Indra and the demon Śambara.(77)

Meaning

“A feat which has no equal has been performed by you and skill in the use of mystic missiles exhibited. These monkey heroes of redoubtable prowess have also been struck down by you. (78)

Meaning

“And you, O champion, have not been made short work of by me only for fear of incurring reproach, inasmuch as you stand fully exhausted by the exploits performed by you. Therefore, having enjoyed well-earned rest, witness my strength.” (79)

Meaning

Kumbha felt flattered by the foregoing compliment of Sugrīva, though it was accompanied by disdain, with the result that his martial ardour was redoubled in the same way as the brightness of a fire fed with ghee. (80)

Meaning

Thereupon Kumbha for his part clasped Sugrīva in his arms. Then the two warriors, fastened by each other’s limbs, stood breathing heavily again and again like two elephants intoxicated with ichor, nay, rubbing each other and emitting flames mingled with smoke from their mouths due to exertion. (81-82)

Meaning

Nay, the earth sank under the trampling of their feet, while the sea (lit., the abode of Varuṇa) with its rolling waves became turbulent. (83)

Meaning

Lifting up Kumbha, Sugrīva then threw him with violence into the salt sea, showing him the bottom of the sea. (84)

Meaning

Due to the falling down of Kumbha there rose a mass of water as high as the Vindhya and Mandara mountains and spread on all sides. (85)

Meaning

Springing up and throwing down Sugrīva, Kumbha thereupon furiously struck him on the bosom with his adamantine fist. (86)

Meaning

The armour of the monkey was split asunder and blood too gushed forth from his chest. The fist of the ogre, which descended with great ferocity struck against the framework of bones of Sugrīva. (87)

Meaning

Due to the force exerted by the fist shot forth in that region a mighty flame resembling the fire that bursts up on Mount Meru from a stroke of lightning. (88)

Meaning

Struck on the bosom by Kumbha, that bull among the monkeys, Sugrīva, who was endowed with extraordinary might, clenched his fist, which was hard as adamant. (89)

Meaning

The powerful Sugrīva brought the fist, which shone like the solar disc encircled by a thousand rays, down on the breast of Kumbha. (90)

Meaning

Severely tormented by that blow, Kumbha, for his part, who was out of his wits, forthwith collapsed like a fire whose brightness had disappeared. (91)

Meaning

Struck with his fist by Sugrīva, the ogre instantly fell down even as the planet Mars of brilliant rays would drop down from the heavens by the will of Providence. (92)

Meaning

The body of Kumbha, while he was falling when wounded in the chest by the fist of Sugrīva, shone like the form of the sun-god overpowered by Rudra, the god of destruction. (93)

Meaning

When he was killed in an encounter by Sugrīva (the foremost of monkeys) of terrible prowess, the earth with its mountains and forests shook and fear seized the ogres all the more. (94)