Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 86

Meaning

In that situation Vibhīṣaṇa, the youngest brother of Rāvaṇa, forthwith tendered to Lakṣmaṇa an advice, which was conducive to his interest and detrimental to the enemies. (1)

Meaning

“Let this army of ogres, which is seen here, dark as a cloud, be quickly engaged in battle by the monkeys, using rocks as their weapon. (2)

Meaning

“Nay, make an effort in the direction of overthrowing that mighty army, O Lakṣmaṇa! When the yonder army is destroyed, Indrajit, son of the ruler of ogres, too will become visible here. (3)

Meaning

“Therefore, so long as this undertaking of Indrajit is not actually carried through, promptly assail you the enemies, covering them with your arrows resembling the thunderbolt of Indra, the ruler of gods. (4)

Meaning

“Destroy, O hero, the evil-minded and unrighteous Indrajit, son of Rāvaṇa, of cruel deeds, who is given up to conjuring tricks and is the terror of all the worlds.” (5)

Meaning

Hearing the counsel of Vibhīṣaṇa, Lakṣmaṇa, who was endowed with auspicious bodily marks, began to cover the army of ogres with a rain of shafts in order that it may descend on Indrajit, son of the ruler of ogres. (6)

Meaning

Bears and monkeys, too, who fought with big trees in this hands, rushed together towards that army drawn up in battle-array. (7)

Meaning

Eager to exterminate the simian army, ogres too launched a counter-attack on the battlefield with their sharp arrows, swords, javelins and lances. (8)

Meaning

That encounter between the monkeys and ogres proved to be a tumultuous one, rendering Laṅkā noisy, as it did on all sides with its mighty uproar. (9)

Meaning

The sky on that battlefield was covered with weapons of various shapes as well as with sharp arrows and uplifted trees and formidable mountain-peaks. (10)

Meaning

Directing their weapons towards the monkey-chiefs, ogres of mis-shapen faces and arms created great terror. (11)

Meaning

The monkeys, too, likewise, wounded and struck down all the ogres on the battlefield with full trees and mountain-peaks. (12)

Meaning

A great fear was caused among the ogres, fighting as they did with the foremost of bears and monkeys endowed with gigantic forms and extraordinary might. (13)

Meaning

Hearing of his own army being dispirited, assailed as it was heavily by the enemy, Indrajit, who was difficult to overpower, got up even while the ritual had not yet been carried through. (14)

Meaning

Emerging from the darkness occasioned by the trees in whose shade he was pouring oblations into the sacred fire, the aforesaid Indrajit (son of Rāvaṇa), whose indignation was aroused by the disconcerting report, mounted his firmly equipped chariot, to which horses had already been harnessed and stood ready. (15)

Meaning

With his coppery face and red eyes, the redoubtable ogre, who was armed with a formidable bow and arrow and resembled a heap of black collyrium, looked like the all-destroying Death. (16)

Meaning

Immediately on seeing him seated in his chariot, the aforesaid army of ogres of terrible impetuosity, who were eager to fight with Lakṣmaṇa, ranged round Indrajit. (17)

Meaning

At that time the celebrated Hanumān, the tamer of his enemies, for his part, who resembled a mountain, uprooted a huge tree, which was difficult to wield. (18)

Meaning

Consuming that army of ogres like the fire of universal destruction, the aforesaid monkey, Hanumān, rendered it unconscious on the battlefield by battering it with numerous trees. (19)

Meaning

Immediately on perceiving the son of the wind-god playing havoc with his might, thousands of ogres pounded Hanumān with a hail of weapons. (20)

Meaning

Approaching Hanumān, who looked like a mountain, ogres bearing pointed pikes struck him on all sides with pikes, those carrying swords in their hands, with swords; those carrying javelins in their hands, with javelins; those armed with sharp-edged spears, with spears; and others with iron bludgeons and maces as also with bright-looking spears and Śataghnīs (stones or cylindrical pieces of wood studded with iron spikes and used as a missile) in their hundreds, as also with steel hammers and even so with formidable axes and Bhindipālas (a kind of sling for throwing stones) as also with their fists, which descended like lightning, and slaps, which fell like the thunderbolt. Seized with a fury, Hanumān played great havoc even among them. (21—24)

Meaning

The notorious Indrajit beheld Hanumān (sprung from the loins of the wind-god), the foremost of the monkeys, who resembled a mountain, fearlessly destroying his adversaries. (25)

Meaning

He spoke to his charioteer as follows: “Drive to the spot where the yonder monkey is seen. If ignored, he will undoubtedly compass the destruction of all of us, ogres.” (26)

Meaning

Transporting Indrajit, who was exceedingly difficult to overcome, seated as he was in the chariot, when commanded as aforesaid by him, the charioteer drove in his chariot to the place where that son of the wind-god was. (27)

Meaning

Going near, that ogre, who was difficult to overpower, let fall arrows, swords, sharp-edged spears and axes on the head of the monkey, Hanumān. (28)

Meaning

Being attacked with those deadly weapons on his own head, they say, that son of the wind-god was seized with great fury and spoke as follows: (29)

Meaning

“Fight if you are a hero, O evil-minded Indrajit (sprung from the loins of Rāvaṇa)! Having met the son of the wind-god in me, you shall not be able to return alive. (30)

Meaning

“Strive with me with your arms, if you enter into a duel with me on the field of battle. Withstand my impetuosity, O evil-minded one! Then only will you be accounted as the foremost of the ogres.” (31)

Meaning

Vibhīṣaṇa pointed out Indrajit (sprung from the loins of Rāvaṇa) to Lakṣmaṇa in the following words, while, with bow upraised, Indrajit was seeking to make short work of Hanumān. (32)

Meaning

“Having taken his seat in a chariot, the yonder son of Rāvaṇa, Indrajit, who is the reputed conqueror of Indra (the ruler of gods), seeks to kill Hanumān. (33)

Meaning

“Pray, make short work, O son of Sumitrā, of that son of Rāvaṇa with your formidable arrows of incomparable workmanship, capable of repulsing the enemy and putting an end to one’s life.” (34)

Meaning

Spoken to in these words at that time by Vibhīṣaṇa, the terror of his enemies, the high-souled Lakṣmaṇa for his part gazed on that ogre of terrific might, who, seated in his chariot, closely looked like a mountain and was difficult to approach. (35)