¹⁶⁸ The asterisms so called.
¹⁶⁹ What could this weapon be like?—T.
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.
SECTION LVI.
And witnessing that mighty exploit of the foremost of the monkeys, Akampana waxed furious with wrath. And transported with passion, he, twanging his mighty bow, seeing that feat of his foe, addressed his charioteer saying,—"O charioteer, swiftly conduct thou the car to that same place. These powerful ones are slaying innumerable Rākshasas in fight. And all those vigorous monkeys of dreadful deeds stay before me, armed with trees and rocks. Those, pluming themselves overmuch on their martial worth, I intended to slay in battle. And all this Rākshasa force appeared to be harassed by these". Then on a car drawn by moving steeds, Akampana from a distance attacked the monkeys with showers of arrows. And thereat the monkeys could not so much as maintain their ground in the field,—and how could they fight? And broken by the arrows of Akampana, they began to fly. And the exceedingly strong Hanumān, seeing his kindred come under the masterdom of Death and follow the course pursued by the shafts of Akampana, advanced (to the conflict). And seeing that mighty monkey, all those heroic prime monkeys together surrounded (Hanumān) in the field. And those best of monkeys, seeing Hanumān stay, grew strong by relying on that strong one. And even as the great Indra showereth down rain, Akampana showered shafts on Hanumān resembling a mountain-summit in grandeur. And without casting a thought on the showers of arrows poured on his person, that monkey gifted with exceeding strength, set his heart on compassing the death of Akampana. And laughing, that exceedingly energetic offspring of the Wind-god rushed after that Raksha, as if making the Earth herself tremble. And the form of that one roaring and flaming up in energy, was irresistible, like unto the appearance of a flaming fire. And thinking that he was unfurnished with any arms, that foremost of monkeys, waxing wroth, vehemently rooted up a hill. And taking that huge hill, the Wind-god’s son endowed with prowess, sending up a tremendous roar, began to whirl it with a single arm. And as of yore Purandara had in encounter pursued Namuchi with the thunder-bolt, (Hanumān) pursued that best of Rākshasas—Akampana. And Akampana, seeing that uplifted crag, from a distance cut it off with mighty crescent-shaped shafts. And finding that mountain-top severed by the shafts of the Raksha and scattered in pieces, Hanumān was seized with a mighty wrath. And that monkey, wrought up with rage and pride, grasping an Açwakarna elevated like unto a hill, at once uprooted it. And taking that broad-shouldered Açwakarna, that one furnished with high splendour, with great glee whirled it above the ground. And thereat rushing amain vehemently, (Akampana) speedily broke the trees.¹⁷³ And (seeing this), Hanumān, transported with passion, rived the earth with his kicks. And Hanumān slaughtered elephants, and the riders thereof, and cars with their riders, and dreadful Rākshasas, and footmen. And seeing the enraged Hanumān resembling the Finisher armed with trees and destructive, the Rākshasas began to fly fast. And seeing that one enraged, terrific unto the Rākshasas, the heroic Akampana was agitated greatly and sent up shouts. And Akampana pierced Hanumān endowed with exceeding prowess with four and ten shafts, sharpened and capable of cleaving the bodies of people. And thus covered with iron arrows and whetted darts, that hero—Hanumān—looked like a hill covered with trees. And that huge-bodied one endowed with wondrous prowess and great strength, appeared like a flowering Açoka or a fire without smoke. And then uprooting another tree, (Hanumān) summoning up his best impetuosity, swiftly hit Akampana—foremost of Rākshasas—on the head. And slain with that tree by that high-souled monkey-chief wrought up with passion, that Rākshasa fell down and died.¹⁷⁴ And seeing that foremost of Rākshasas—Akampana—slain (and lying) on the ground,—the Rākshasas were extremely aggrieved, and (appeared) like trees in an earthquake. And those Rākshasas defeated, leaving their arms behind, made for Lankā in fear, pursued by the monkeys. And with their hair flowing loosely, (the Rākshasas), afflicted with affright, and despirited and beaten, fled fast, with the water of fatigue running down their persons. And crushing down each other, they entered the city in a panic, momentarily casting their looks behind them. When the Rākshasas had entered Lankā, the exceedingly mighty monkeys, assembled together, paid homage unto Hanumān. And Hanumān, gifted with strength, honored the seniors each as he deserved in consideration of his lineage. And the monkeys eager for victory shouted with might and main, and began to drag the Rākshasas with the view of taking their lives. And that mighty monkey—son unto the Wind god—having destroyed the Rākshasas and arrived (in the midst of the host), attained heroic glory,—even as did Vishnu, having slain that destroyer of enemies—the mighty and dreadful Asura possessed of exceeding strength,—stationed in the van of the forces. And then the deities and Rāma himself and the highly powerful Lakshmana, and also the monkeys headed by Sugriva, and Bibhishana endowed with great strength, honored that monkey.
¹⁷³ Why plural? So it is, however, in the text.—T.