SECTION LV.
Hearing Vajradanshtra slain by the son of Vāli, Rāvana said unto the general of his forces, standing before him with joined hands,—"Let invincible Rākshasas of dreadful prowess, march forth, placing before them Akampana, skilled in all weapons and arms. He is capable of chastising foes as well as of protecting his own and leading them; and he is excellent in warfare. And he is always desirous of my prosperity, and always loveth warfare. He will conquer the Kākutsthas, as well as Sugriva endowed with exceeding strength, and, without doubt, slay all the other dreadful monkeys". Taking Rāvana’s command, that highly powerful one endowed with fleet vigor, marshalled those forces. Then equipped with various arms, the foremost of Rākshasas, having dreadful eyes (in their heads), and of dreadful forms, marched forth, urged on by their general. And, ascending a large car, adorned with burnished gold, Akampana, possessed of the splendour of clouds,¹⁷⁰ and cloud-hued, and furnished with a voice resembling the roar of clouds, went out, environed by Rākshasas of terrific forms. And Akampana, resembling the sun in power, was incapable¹⁷¹ of being shaken in fight by the very gods, and of being beheld by them.¹⁷² And as, burning for battle, he rushed out in wrath, the steeds drawing his car suddenly lost their energy. And the left eye of that one delighting in encounter, began to throb. And his countenance grew pale, and his voice faltered. And in a fair day, it looked foul with the wind breathing roughly. And fierce and frightful beasts and birds began to emit cries. And that lion-shouldered one like a tiger in prowess, without heeding these ominous occurences, marched forth into the field. And as that Rākshasa was setting out along with the Rākshasas, he set up mighty roars as if agitating the deep. And the mighty army of monkeys was seized with trepidation at that sound. And then there took place a mighty encounter of the Rākshasas and the monkeys equipped staying in fight with trees and rocks; who had given up all concern for their selves in behalf of Rāma and Rāvana. And each side desirous of slaying the other, the monkeys and the Rākshasas were exceedingly strong and heroic and like unto mountains. And each party storming at the other, in that conflict were heard loud cries emitted by those swift-speeding ones in anger. And fearful was the dust red-hued that was raised incessantly by the monkeys and the Rakshas; and it enveloped the ten cardinal points. And in the field of battle, each enveloped with that dust raised, pale as silk, could not be discovered by the other. And in consequence of that dust arising, neither standard, nor ensign, nor shield, nor steed, nor weapon, nor car could be seen. And the fierce cries alone of those roaring and rushing were heard in that dreadful battle; but their forms were not visible to the sight. And in that conflict in the dark then monkeys enraged slew monkeys, and Rākshasas Rakshsasas. And monkeys and Rākshasas slaying (indiscriminately) friends and foes, made the earth wet with blood, and miry. And then with showers of blood the dust was layed; and the earth was covered with corpses. And Rākshasas and monkeys fast slew each other vigorously with trees and darts, maces and prācas, rocks, bludgeons and tomaras, and by means of their arms resembling bludgeons, coped with their adversaries appearing like hills. And in the encounter monkeys slew Rākshasas of dreadful deeds. And in their turn Rākshasas, wrought up with passion, bearing in their hands prāças and tomaras destroyed monkeys wielding dire arms. And that leader of the force—Akampana—growing wroth, inspired with cheerfulness all the Rākshasas endowed with dreadful vigor. And the monkeys forcibly snatching away the weapons (of the Rākshasas), began to rive the Rākshasas with mighty trees and giant crags. In the meanwhile those heroes among the monkeys—Kumuda, Nila and the exceedingly exasperated Mainda, summoned the utmost impetuosity they were masters of. And those foremost of monkeys and redoubtable able warriors without much ado began to spread quite a carnage in the van of the Rākshasa army, and by means of various arms terribly beat the Rākshasas.
¹⁷⁰ There is a pun here on the word Akampana—lit.—one incapable of
being shaken.—T.
¹⁷¹ Possessed of a person measuring, according to the commentator, a
mass of clouds. I give the apparent sense, which answers.—T.
¹⁷² Monkeys.