---
title: "Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 78"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/yuddha-kanda/sarga-78"
lang: "en"
---

# Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 78

> निकुम्भं निहतं श्रुत्वा कुम्भं च विनिपातितम्।  
> रावणः परमामर्षी प्रजज्वालानलो यथा॥ १॥

Filled with extreme indignation on hearing of Nikumbha having been killed and Kumbha laid low, Rāvaṇa flared up as fire. (1)

> नैर्ऋतः क्रोधशोकाभ्यां द्वाभ्यां तु परिमूर्च्छितः।  
> खरपुत्रं विशालाक्षं मकराक्षमचोदयत्॥ २॥

Overcome by anger and grief both, the ogre for his part commanded Makarākṣa, the large-eyed son of Khara as follows: (2)

> गच्छ पुत्र मयाऽऽज्ञप्तो बलेनाभिसमन्वितः।  
> राघवं लक्ष्मणं चैव जहि तौ सवनौकसौ॥ ३॥

“Enjoined by me and accompanied by an army, go, my son, and make short work of the two brothers alongwith the monkeys (lit., the dwellers in the woods).” (3)

> रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शूरमानी खरात्मजः।  
> बाढमित्यब्रवीद्धृष्टो मकराक्षो निशाचरम्॥ ४॥

Rejoiced to hear the command of Rāvaṇa, Khara’s son, Makarākṣa who accounted himself a hero, answered to the night-ranger, “Amen!” (4)

> सोऽभिवाद्य दशग्रीवं कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम्।  
> निर्जगाम गृहाच्छुभ्राद् रावणस्याज्ञया बली॥ ५॥

Having greeted Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster) and also walked clockwise round him as a mark of submission, the mighty warrior emerged from the shining palace of Rāvaṇa in obedience to his command. (5)

> समीपस्थं बलाध्यक्षं खरपुत्रोऽब्रवीद् वचः।  
> रथमानीयतां तूर्णं सैन्यं त्वानीयतां त्वरात्॥ ६॥

The son of Khara spoke as follows to the Commander-in-Chief standing near: “Let my chariot be brought at once and let the army be mobilized expeditiously.” (6)

> तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा बलाध्यक्षो निशाचरः।  
> स्यन्दनं च बलं चैव समीपं प्रत्यपादयत्॥ ७॥

Hearing his aforesaid command, the night-stalker in command of the army of Laṅkā placed his chariot as well as a contingent by his side. (7)

> प्रदक्षिणं रथं कृत्वा समारुह्य निशाचरः।  
> सूतं संचोदयामास शीघ्रं वै रथमावह॥ ८॥

Walking clockwise round the chariot and duly ascending it, the prowler of the night urged the charioteer in the following words: “Take the chariot with all speed to the battlefield.” (8)

> अथ तान् राक्षसान् सर्वान् मकराक्षोऽब्रवीदिदम्।  
> यूयं सर्वे प्रयुध्यध्वं पुरस्तान्मम राक्षसाः॥ ९ ॥

Makarākṣa then commanded all those ogres, who marched with him, as follows: “Fight you all vehemently, remaining ahead of me, O ogres! (9)

> अहं राक्षसराजेन रावणेन महात्मना।  
> आज्ञप्तः समरे हन्तुं तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ १०॥

“I have been commanded by the high-souled Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres, to kill both the princes, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, in combat. (10)

> अद्य रामं वधिष्यामि लक्ष्मणं च निशाचराः।  
> शाखामृगं च सुग्रीवं वानरांश्च शरोत्तमैः॥ ११॥

“I shall make short work with my excellent shafts today of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa as well as of the monkey, Sugrīva and the other monkeys, O prowlers of the night! (11)

> अद्य शूलनिपातैश्च वानराणां महाचमूम्।  
> प्रदहिष्यामि सम्प्राप्तां शुष्केन्धनमिवानलः॥ १२॥

“Nay, hurling pikes, I shall exterminate today the huge army of monkeys the moment it has duly arrived, even as a fire would consume dry wood.” (12)

> मकराक्षस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं ते निशाचराः।  
> सर्वे नानायुधोपेता बलवन्तः समाहिताः॥ १३॥  
> ते कामरूपिणः क्रूरा दंष्ट्रिणः पिङ्गलेक्षणाः।  
> मातंगा इव नर्दन्तो ध्वस्तकेशा भयावहाः॥ १४॥  
> परिवार्य महाकाया महाकायं खरात्मजम्।  
> अभिजग्मुस्ततो हृष्टाश्चालयन्तो वसुन्धराम्॥ १५॥

Rejoiced to hear the aforesaid braggadocio of Makarākṣa and surrounding the colossal son of Khara, all those mighty, cruel and gigantic rangers of the night, who were armed with all sorts of weapons, were steadfast and able to change their form at will, had protruding teeth, reddish brown eyes and dishevelled hair and as such inspired terror, then joyously marched forward roaring as elephants and shaking the earth. (13—15)

> शङ्खभेरीसहस्राणामाहतानां समन्ततः।  
> क्ष्वेलितास्फोटितानां च तत्र शब्दो महानभूत्॥ १६॥

There arose on that occasion a great tumult as thousands of conches and kettledrums sounded on all sides, as well as of leonine roars and the clapping of arms. (16)

> प्रभ्रष्टोऽथ करात् तस्य प्रतोदः सारथेस्तदा।  
> पपात सहसा दैवाद् ध्वजस्तस्य तु रक्षसः॥ १७॥

The long whip slipped all of a sudden at that moment from the hands of Makarākṣa’s charioteer and the standard of that ogre also suddenly fell down by the will of Providence. (17)

> तस्य ते रथसंयुक्ता हया विक्रमवर्जिताः।  
> चरणैराकुलैर्गत्वा दीनाः सास्रमुखा ययुः॥ १८॥

Proceeding with faltering steps, the well-known horses yoked to the chariot of Makarākṣa, who had given up their diversified gait, trudged along dolefully with tears in their eyes. (18)

> प्रवाति पवनस्तस्मिन् सपांसुः खरदारुणः।  
> निर्याणे तस्य रौद्रस्य मकराक्षस्य दुर्मतेः॥ १९॥

At the time of the aforesaid departure of that fierce and evil-minded Makarākṣa, a violent and fearful dust-storm raged. (19)

> तानि दृष्ट्वा निमित्तानि राक्षसा वीर्यवत्तमाः।  
> अचिन्त्य निर्गताः सर्वे यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ॥ २०॥

Seeing those portents, yet ignoring them, all the ogres, who were exceedingly valiant, set out to the region where the aforesaid princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, were. (20)

> घनगजमहिषाङ्गतुल्यवर्णाः  
> समरमुखेष्वसकृद्गदासिभिन्नाः।  
> अहमहमिति युद्धकौशलास्ते  
> रजनिचराःपरिबभ्रमुर्मुहुस्ते ॥ २१॥

Saying again and again: “I shall take the lead!”, those notorious prowlers of the night, who resembled clouds, elephants and buffaloes in hue, and who had been wounded more than once by maces and swords in the forefront of battle and who were skilled in fighting, moved to and fro on the battlefield. (21)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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