¹²⁴ Rākshasas.
¹²⁵ The commentator, however, would make dadarça—saw—understood. "Angada saw that the palace was high like a hill, etc". This is unnecessary.—T.
¹²⁶ For protecting the entire army, as well as for procuring information of the movements of the enemy.—T.
¹²⁷ A translator cannot help a feeling of disappointment at the difference—to the disadvantage of English—between Sanskrit and English. The original for ’thronging with monkeys’ is a verbal attributive—vānarikrita—lit. monkeyed.—T.
SECTION XLII.
Then those Rākshasas, going to that subduer of enemies, Rāvana, informed him that Rāma along with the monkeys had laid seige unto the city. Hearing the city beseiged, the night-ranger was enraged. And, hearing that double arrangements had been made (by Rāma) in guarding the gateways, (Rāvana) ascended the palace. He saw Lankā with her hills, woods, and forests, covered everywhere with innumerable monkeys eager for encounter. And he saw the entire Earth tawneyed with the monkeys; and he reflected within himself how he could destroy these. And reflecting for long, Rāvana having expansive eyes, assuming patience, gazed at Rāghava and the leader of monkeys. Rāghava with his host was fast approaching (the wall); and Rāvana saw Lankā defended on all sides by Rākshasas. And Daçaratha’s son, seeing Lankā crowned with variegated ensigns and standards, mentally went to Sitā, with a sad heart. "For my sake, here that one, Janaka’s daughter, having eyes resembling those of a young deer,—is undergoing affliction; and lieth down on the ground". And aggrieved at the thought of Vaidehi, the righteous Rāma speedily commanded the monkeys to compass the destruction of the enemies. As Rāma of untiring deeds said this, the monkeys, filling (the air) with leonine roars, began to press forward furiously. "We shall cleave Lankā with mountain-peaks, or with our blows"—thus thought the leaders within themselves. And the monkey-leaders stood, raising up gigantic mountain-peaks and tops of mountains, and rooting up various trees. And for doing what was dear unto Rāma, that army, divided into separate parties, in the presence of the Rākshasa-chief commenced scaling Lankā. And those copper-faced ones of golden sheen, who had consecrated their lives to the service of Rāma, equipped with trees and rocks, began to throng upon Lankā. And the monkeys with trees and hill-tops and blows crushed countless gates and tops of walls; and they filled the moat containing crystal water with dust, tops of crags, straw, and wood. Then leaders of thousands and kotis and hundreds of kotis began to scale Lankā. And the monkeys crushed golden gateways; and, breaking down gates resembling the tops of the summits of Kailāça, bounded roaring, some towards the wall and some all around. And resembling gigantic elephants, they rushed towards Lankā. "Victory to the mighty Rāma, and Victory to the exceedingly powerful Lakshmana, and Victory to king Sugriva, who is protected by Rāghava". Thus shouting, those monkeys, wearing forms at will, sending up roars, rushed amain towards the wall of Lankā. And Viravāhu, Suvāhu, Nala and Panaça—leader of monkeys—breaking (a portion of) the wall, took up their post there. In the meantime, (they) arranged the forces in order of battle. And the strong Kumuda, surrounded by ten kotis of victorious monkeys, stood obstructing the Eastern gate. And for backing him, there remained the monkey, Prasabha, as also the long-armed Panaça, surrounded by monkeys. And obstructing the Southern entrance stood the strong and gallant monkey, Satavali, surrounded by twenty kotis. And the strong sire of Tārā, the powerful Sushena, obstructed the Western gate, backed by kotis upon kotis (of monkeys). And obstructing the Northern gate, remained the puissant Rāma himself along with Sumitrā’s son, as well as the king of monkeys—Sugriva. And that huge-bodied and dreadful Golāngula—the mighty and powerful Gavāksha—surrounded by a koti, remained by the side of Rāma. And that destroyer of foes—the exceedingly mighty Dhumra of the bears of terrific wrath, remained by the side of Rāma—where, surrounded by vigilant counsellors, and bearing a mace in his hand, stood the exceedingly strong Bibhishana, endowed with wonderful powers, in complete panoply. And Gaya, and Gavāksha, and Gavaya, and Sarabha, and Gandhamadana, protected the monkey-army, coursing all around. And then, his soul wrought up with wrath, Rāvana—lord of Rākshasas—speedily ordered the whole host to sally out. Hearing those words, which came out from Rāvana’s mouth, all of a sudden the night-rangers sent up a dreadful yell. Then awoke the kettle-drums, having moon-like pale faces,—sounded by means of golden sticks. And conchs by hundreds and by thousands, capable of producing loud blares, filled with air proceeding from the mouths of dreadful Rākshasas,—were winded. And with conchs placed in their mouths, those night-rangers, having bodies blue like those of Cukas, resembled masses of clouds, with lightning and cranes. And, commanded by Rāvana, the troops cheerfully issued forth like the onrushing of the mighty main filling all at the time of the universal dissolution. And then the monkey-army gave a roar, spreading all around; and it seemed as if the sound filled all Malaya with its sides and caves. And sounds of conchs, and drums, as well as the leonine shouts of the impetuous (warriors); made the earth, air, and ocean, resound; and these mixed with the roars of elephants, the neighing of steeds, the rattle of the car-wheels, and the tread of the Rākshasas’ feet. And in the meantime there commenced a mighty encounter between the Rākshasas and the monkeys, like that which took place of yore between the gods and the Asuras. And displaying their prowess, they¹²⁸ began to slaughter monkeys with maces, and darts, and adzes. And the vehement monkeys (on their side) slaughtered Rākshasas with trees and tops of crags as well as with their nails and teeth. And a mighty sound arose of ’Victory unto king Sugriva!’ and ’Victory unto thee, O king,’—each army taking the name of its king. And then other dreadful Rākshasas that were stationed upon the wall, dropping down, pierced the monkeys with darts and bhindipālas. And (thereat) the monkeys, flying into fury, descending to the earth and bounding, brought down the Rākshasas with their arms. And that encounter of the Rākshasas and the monkeys was mighty and wonderful, and the ground became wet with flesh and gore.
¹²⁸ Rākshasas.
SECTION XLIII.
And as the high-souled monkeys and Rākshasas fought on, their wrath vastly increased at sight of each other’s forces. And furnished with steeds in golden trappings; and elephants resembling flames of fire; and cars appearing like (so many) suns; and shining armour,—the valiant Rākshasas issued, making the ten cardinal points resound. The Rākshasas of terrific exploits were burning for victory on behalf of Rāvana.—And the mighty monkey-army also, eager for victory, darted against the host of the Rakshas of dreadful deeds. And in the meanwhile, as either party assailed the other, there took place single combats between the Rākshasas and the monkeys. And as Andhaka had combated with the Three-eyed (deity)¹²⁹ that Rākshasa, the exceedingly energetic Indrajit, fought with Angada, son unto Vāli. Sampati, hard to bear, engaged with Prajangha; and the monkey, Hanumān, entered into conflict with Jambumāli. And Rāvana’s younger brother, Bibhishana, fired with wrath, encountered Satrughna, endowed with exceeding impetuosity. And the highly powerful Nila engaged with Nikumbha. And Sugriva—lord of monkeys—undertook Praghasa, and the graceful Lakshmana was engaged with Virupāksha. And the exceedingly irrepressible Agniketu and the Rākshasa—Raçmiketu—and Mitraghna and Yajnakopa, were engaged with Rāma. And Vajramubhthi encountered Mainda, and Açaniprabha, Dwivida. And those foremost of monkeys fought with those dreadful Rākshasas,—the heroic and terrible Pratapana, incapable of being overcome in battle, was combating with Nala of terrific force; and that lusty son of Righteousness, well-known as Sushena,—a mighty monkey—battled with Vidyunmāli. And other fearful monkeys encountered other Rākshasas; and many were the encounters that took place. And great and fierce was the engagement that took place between the heroic Rākshasas and monkeys burning for victory, capable of making people’s hair stand on end. And from the persons of the Rākshasas and the monkeys there flowed a river of gore, having hair for grass (growing on its banks), and the bodies of the warriors for pieces of planks floating (adown the current). Indrajit, growing enraged, with his mace dealt a blow at that tearer of hostile ranks, Angada,—like him of an hundred sacrifices striking with his thunderbolt. Thereat, that graceful monkey, Angada, gifted with vehemence, with his mace crushed his car decked in gold, together with the steeds and the charioteer. Sampāti was pierced with three arrows by Prajangha; and the former (in his turn) slew Prajangha on the edge of battle with an Açwakarna.¹³⁰ And Jambumāli, mounted on a car, possessed of prodigious strength, fired with wrath, with all the access of force derived from his car, wounded Hanumān between his paps. Thereat, getting at his car, Hanumān—son unto the Wind-god—with a slap speedily crushed his adversary’s vehicle along with the Raksha. Then the terrific Pratapana, roaring, rushed at Nala; and thereat Nala, with his body pierced with sharp shafts by that swift-handed Raksha, plucked out Pratapana’s eyes, and cast them to the earth. And that lord of monkeys, Sugriva, with a _Saptaparna_¹³¹ swiftly slew Praghasa, who appeared to be devouring up the troops. And, tormenting the Rākshasa of dreadful form with a shower of shafts, Lakshmana slew Virupāksha with a single arrow. And the irrepressible Agniketu, the Rākshasa Ragmiketu, Mitraghna and Yajnakopa, with their arrows rendered Rāma aflame. Thereat, Rāma, growing wroth, in battle severed the heads of those four by means of four shafts, dreadful, and resembling the tongues of a flame. And Vajramushti was slain in conflict by Mainda with a clenched fist; and down came he to the ground along with his car and horses, like a turret toppling (headlong). And Nikumbha in fight wounded Nila resembling a mass of blue collyrium, with sharpened shafts,—as the Sun pierceth clouds with his rays. Again with an hundred arrows, that light-handed night-ranger pierced Nila in the field; and Nikumbha laughed thereat. At this, even as Vishnu did in battle, Nila with a wheel of his¹³² car, cut off in conflict Nikumbha’s head together with that of his charioteer. And Dwivida, possessed of the touch of the Vajra and thunder-bolt, in the presence of the entire Rākshasa host hurled a mountain-peak at him that was endowed with the splendour of the thunder-bolt. And Açaniprabha in encounter pierced that foremost of monkeys, Dwivida, with shafts resembling thunder-bolts. Thereat, beside himself with wrath, with his entire body wounded with arrows, Dwivida with a sāla destroyed Açaniprabha along with his car and horses. And Vidyunmali, mounted on a car, assailed Sushena with shafts decked with gold, and began to shout momentarily. Seeing him mounted on his car, Sushena—best of monkeys—taking up a huge crag, swiftly brought his car down to the ground. Thereat, endowed with lightness, that night-ranger, Vidyunmāli, at once extricating himself from his car, stood on the ground with a mace in his hand. Thereupon, that foremost of monkeys, Sushena, growing furious, taking up a gigantic crag, rushed at the night-ranger. And as he was descending, the night-ranger, Vidyunmāli, with his mace swiftly hit at the breast of Sushena—greatest of monkeys. Thereat, without thinking at all of the terrific hit of the mace, that best of monkeys in mighty conflict brought down that¹³³ upon his¹³⁴ head. And, assailed with the crag, the night-ranger, Vidyunmāli, having his chest crushed, fell down to the earth, deprived of life. And, like the celestials warring against the Daityas, the heroic monkeys warred on and confounded the valiant rangers of the night. And frightful was the field of battle, with darts, and other arms; and clubs, and javelins, and lances, and other weapons; and with broken cars, and war-horses, and mad horses slain, and monkeys and Rākshasas; and wheels and akshas,¹³⁵ and yokes and standards,—broken and scattered over the ground; and swarms of jackals began to range on all sides of the monkeys and the Rākshasas; and _Kavandhas_¹³⁶ began to rise in that terrific encounter, resembling the encounter of the gods and the Asuras. Thus destroyed by the foremost of monkeys, the rangers of night, beyond themselves with the smell of blood,—eagerly wishing for the setting of the Sun,¹³⁷ again made active preparations for a renewal of the fight.
¹²⁹ Siva, fabled to have three eyes.—T.