Entering his court, the king, distressed, and exceedingly aggrieved, sat him down on the foremost seat sighing like an enraged lion. And stricken with grief in consequence of his son’s death, that highly powerful Rāvana, with folded hands, addressed all the heroic Rākshasas, saying:—"Do ye all proceed to battle with elephants, horses and cars. And encircling Rāma only and discharging shafts at him, delightedly, like unto clouds, in the rainy season, pouring water, do ye slay him. Or I shall slay him to-morrow in the presence of all, wounded by you in the mighty encounter with sharpened arrows". Hearing the speech of their lord the Rākshasas, with a huge army and a host of cars, speedily issued out for battle. And they all threw at the monkeys life-destroying Parighas, Pattiças, arrows, daggers and Paraskwadhas. And the monkeys too threw crags and trees at the Rākshasas. Thus on the eve of sun set there arose a terrible conflict between the Rākshasas and the monkeys. And they struck each other in the conflict with clubs, chitras, Prasas, daggers and Paraskwadhas. The conflict being thus carried on, there arose a mighty dust which was again destroyed by the current of blood gushing out of the persons of the Rākshasas and the monkeys. Elephants and cars were like the banks of that river of blood, the arrows were like the fishes, and the flags were the trees on their banks and the corpses were like planks afloat there. Being thus wounded and assailed by the Rākshasas, those heroic monkeys leaped and broke down the flags, armours, cars, horses and other weapons. And with their sharp teeth and nails they scratched the hair, ears, foreheads and the noses of the Rākshasas. Like unto vultures falling upon a felled tree, hundreds of monkeys fell upon one Rākshasa in that encounter. And the Rākshasas resembling mountains, with huge clubs, prāsas, daggers and parāshwadhas, struck the monkeys (in their turn). Being thus assailed by the Rākshasas, the mighty host of monkeys took refuge of Rāma, the son of Daçaratha, the worthy refuge of all creatures. Thereupon the highly effulgent and powerful Rāma, taking up his bow, entered the Rākshasa host and began to make a downpour of arrows. And Rāma entering the field, those terrible Rākshasas, being burnt with the fire of his arrows, could not stand before him like unto clouds disappearing before the Sun in the welkin. And the night-rangers only espied the dreadful feats performed by Rāma and which were above the power of others. Except when guiding the huge army or driving the cars they could not see Rāma like unto the wind invisible in a forest. They all beheld the Rākshasa force scattered, wounded, burnt down with arrows, broken and assailed with weapons, by Rāma, but none could see the quick-moving Rāma. As people cannot see the soul which governs all objects of sense so they could not see Rāma, who was thus inflicting wounds on them. "It is he who is destroying the soldiers riding the elephants, it is he who is breaking down the mighty cars, and it is he who with sharp arrows is slaying the cavalry—rider and horse". Thus saying those Rākshasas, in that conflict and in the very presence of Rāma, highly enraged, began to slay each other. They were all bewildered by the huge Gandharba weapon discharged by the high-souled Rāma and so they could not see Rāma, who was thus burning down their force. And the Rākshasas sometimes beheld thousands of Rāma in the battle field and again saw one Rāma only. They at times saw the quick-moving golden end of the bow of that high-souled one, resembling a circular fire brand but they did not behold Rāghava. And he looked like kāla chakra, having his middle body as its navel, his own strength as its lustre, the arrow for its radius or spoke, the bow for the circumference, the twang of the bow for its sound, his power and intelligence for its brightness, and the aim of the celestial weapons for its limit. And in the eighth division of the time by Rāma alone with arrows resembling the flame of fire were destroyed ten thousands swift-coursing cars, eighteen thousand elephants fourteen thousands horses and riders and two million Rākshasa infantry assuming shapes at will. And those night-rangers, who were still left, having their horses killed, cars and flags broken, fled in fear of life to the city of Lankā. And the battle field, filled with slain horses elephants and infantry, looked like the high-souled and enraged Rudra’s arena of sports. Thereupon the celestials with Gandharbas, Siddhas and the great ascetics glorified the wonderful feat of Rāma. And the virtuous-souled Rāma addressed Sugriva, Bibhishana the monkey Hanumān, the leading monkey Jāmbavān, Mainda and Divida who were near him, saying—"This is the power of my weapons and as well as that of Rudra". The high-souled Rāma, equalling Sakra in prowess, thus slaying the huge host of the lord of Rākshasas and assailing them with shafts and weapons—the celestials, delighted, sang his praises.
SECTION LXLV.
By Rāma, of unwearied actions, with flaming arrows feathered in burning gold, were destroyed thousands of elephants—many horses with their riders, many a car crested with flaming banners; thousands of heroic Rākshasas assuming shapes at will, engaged by Rāvana, and armed with clubs and parighās; and golden pennons. Beholding and hearing of this the remaining night-rangers assembled and were greatly bewildered, poorly and stricken with anxiety. The widows and those who had lost their children or kinsmen approached those Rākshasas and overwhelmed with grief, bewailed piteously,—"Alas! why did the aged and grim-visaged Surpanakhā, having her belly extending down-ward, behold in the forest Rāma graceful like Kandarpa. And beholding him of great beauty and prowess, ever engaged in the welfare of all creatures, that ugly one, worthy of being slain by people, was excited with lust. Why did that ugly-faced she-demon, devoid of all qualities, address Rāma, having a beautiful countenance, gifted with many virtues and great effulgence? Alas for the misfortune of the Rākshasas, the aged Rākshasee brought before him such a vile proposal, hated of all and worthy of creating laughter. For the destruction of Khara, Dushana and other Rākshasas that ugly one approached Rāghava with such a vile intention. It was for her that Rāvana created enmity (with Rāma) and Sitā was carried away by the Ten-necked Rākshasa. But he could not spread his influence upon Sitā the daughter of king Janaka and deep rooted and eternal became the enmity with the highly powerful Rāghava. And beholding the Rākshasa Birādha slain by Rāma alone—(Rāvana) wishing Vaidehi should have regarded that as a sufficient proof of his prowess. And fourteen thousand Rākshasas of terrible deeds were slain by him in Janasthāna with shafts resembling the flame of fire. Khara, Dushana as well as Triçirā were slain by him in conflict with arrows resembling the Sun—this was a sufficient proof (of his power). Yoyanabāhu and Kavandha, drinking blood, were slain by him, roaring with wrath—this too was a sufficient proof of his power. Rāma slew the powerful Vāli, the son of the thousand eyed one, resembling the cloud—that too was the sufficient proof of his prowess. By him Sugriva, poorly and living in the mount Rishyamukha, having all his desires frustrated, was placed on the throne—that too even was the sufficient proof of his power. He (Rāvana) from foolishness did not like the becoming speech of Bibhishana conducive to the acquirement of piety and wealth and securing the welfare of the Rākshasas. Had the younger brother of the lord of wealth (Rāvana) observed the words of Bibhishana, Lankā would not have been overwhelmed with grief and reduced to the state of a cremation ground. Hearing of the destruction of the highly powerful Kumbhakarna by Rāma. of the irrepressible Atikaya by Lakshmana as well as of his beloved son Indrajit, Rāvana did not come to his senses.³⁸⁴ There is audible in every house of the Rākshasas, the cry,—’My son, my brother, my husband is slain in battle.’ In conflict have been destroyed by the heroic Rāma, thousand cars, horses, serpents and infantry. Perhaps Rudra, Vishnu, Mahendra or the performer of hundred sacrifices, or even Death, in the shape of Rāma, is slaying us. By Rāma all the heroes have been slain—despair has taken possession of our minds—we do not behold the end of our terror and are bewailing being deprived of our lords. Does not the Ten-necked hero, who has obtained boons (from Brahmā) perceive that a mighty disaster shall befall him from Rāma? Neither the celestials, Gandharbas, Piçachas nor Rākshasas shall be able to save him from Rāma in conflict. In every battle many an accident befalls Rāvana—this bespeaks of his destruction at the hands of Rāma. The great Patriarch, being pleased, conferred upon Rāvana the boon that no fear would proceed unto him from the celestials, the Dānavas or the Rākshasas—but he did not beg of him, security from men. Forsooth, he is that fearful man who shall slay Rāvana and the Rākshasas. The celestials, being thus oppressed by Rāvana, who had obtained the boon, worshipped the great Patriarch with severe austerities. And being propitiated with them, the high-souled Patriarch, for their welfare, addressed the celestials, with the following pregnant speech. "From to-day shall the Rākshasas and Dānavas roam for ever, afraid of the celestials". Thereupon the celestials headed by Indra engaged in propitiating Mahādeva, the slayer of Tripura, and who rides upon a bull. And being pleased, Mahadeva addressed them, saying,—"For your welfare there will be born a woman who shall be the cause of the destruction of the Rākshasas". As hunger, being engaged by the celestials, did destroy in olden time, all the Dānavas, so shall she (Sitā) the root of the extinction of Rākshasa race destroy us all with Rāvana. Alas! for the foolishness of the vicious-minded and insolent Rāvana destruction has faced us and we are overwhelmed with grief. We do not see any such being in the world who can afford us shelter. Rāghava has attacked us like unto the fire of dissolution. There is no refuge for us who have been stricken with fear as no help reaches the elephants in a forest beset with fire. The high-souled Bibhishana did the just thing in proper time—he took shelter of him from whom he expected danger". Thus bewailed piteously and loudly—the she-demons holding each other by the neck and being stricken with fear and grief.
³⁸⁴ One sloka has been omitted here by some of the editors, which when translated stands thus:—When one monkey only Hanumān killed the prince Akshaya and reduced the whole city to ashes with the fire of his tail. Rāvana should have come to his senses.
SECTION LXLVI.
Whereupon Rāvana heard in every house of Lankā the piteous cries of the she-demons possessed by sorrow. And sighing hard he engaged in meditation for some time. And terrible-looking as he was, Rāvana was greatly worked up with ire. Having his eyes reddened with anger, and gnashing his teeth and biting the lips, that one, irrepressible by other Rākshasas, looked like the fire of dissolution incarnate. Thereupon the lord of Rākshasas in anger as if burning down everything with his look, addressed the Rakshas who were near him—Mahodara, Mahāpārsha, Birupāksha—"Do ye speedily speak to the soldiers that they should sally out for battle at my command. Hearing his speech—those Rakshas, possessed by fear, asked by the command of the king, the Rākshasa soldiers to be ready. And thereat all those grim-visaged Rākshasas saying ’so be it’ and performing benedictory ceremonies proceeded to the battle-field. And those mighty car-warriors, worshipping Rāvana, and desiring the victory of their lord, stood before them with folded hands. Thereupon Rāvana, beside himself with anger, laughing, adddressed those Rākshasas, Mahodara, Mahāpārsha, and Birupāksha, saying—"To-day shall I despatch both Rāma and Lakshmana to the abode of Death with arrows resembling the sun at the time of dissolution, discharged off my bow. And slaying the enemies I shall repair the loss of Khara, Kumbhakarna, Prahasta and Indrajit. The atmosphere, the quarters the sky and the deep being enveloped with the cloud of arrows shall become invisible. I shall slay to-day all the heroic monkeys with my winged arrows. Ascending my car gifted with the velocity of the wind shall I churn to day the monkey host with arrow-like waves coming from the ocean-like bow. I shall like an elephant distress to-day the monkey-like pools having their countenances for the blown lotuses, and the lustre of their bodies for the filaments. To-day in the encounter, the leaders of the monkey hosts, with their heads transfixed with arrows, shall cover the earth, like unto lotuses with their stalks. I shall to-day with a single arrow, cleave hundreds of heroic monkeys fighting with trees in their hands. I shall wipe to-day the tears of those whose brother or son has been slain by destroying their foe. In the encounter to-day I shall, with the monkeys deprived of their breath and clept with my arrows, so cover the earth that it may not be seen by any. I shall satisfy to-day with the flesh of the enemies slain by my shafts, the crows, vultures and others who live upon flesh. Get ready soon my car and bring my bow. And let the remaining night-rangers follow me in battle". Hearing his words Mahāpārsha addressed the leaders of the army who were near him, saying,—"Get your soldiers ready". And the commanders too quickly went round all the houses in Lankā and asked the Rākshasas to be ready soon. Thereupon began to issue out in a moment terrible-looking Rākshasas, emitting roars, having dreadful faces and with various weapons in their hands—daggers, Pattiças, maces, clubs, furrows, sharpened saktis, traps, various rods, sharpened chakra, parashwadhas, vindipalas, satāghnis and various other excellent weapons. Thereupon at the command of Rāvana the commanders brought one Nijuta (a hundred thousand) cars, three Nijuta elephants, sixty million horses, asses and camels and numberless infantry. They arranged the soldiers before the king and in the interval the charioteer brought the car—filled with excellent celestial weapons—richly adorned, containing many an armour, girt with a network of tinkling ornaments, crested with various jewels, having jewelled pillars and a thousand golden jars. Beholding the car the Rākshasas were greatly astonished. And Rāvana, the lord of Rākshasas, rising up all on a sudden, ascended that car, brilliant like the flaming fire and the aggregate rays of a million sun, quick-coursing, having a charioteer, drawn by eight horses, huge and shining in its native lustre. Thereupon proceeded Rāvana, encircled by many a Rākshasa as if rending the earth with the excess of his prowess. There arose a huge sound of bugles accompanied with that of Mridangas, drums, conchs, and kalāpas. The lord of the Rakshas—wicked, the slayer of the Brahmins—the thorn of the celestials, and who hath brought away Sitā by stealth, has come with his umbrellas and chowries to fight with the foremost of Raghus—this cry was heard everywhere. And with his tremendous roar the earth shook. And hearing all on a sudden that sound, the monkeys fled away in fear. And the highly effulgent Rāvana, having huge arms and surrounded by his ministers, came there being certain of gaining victory. Being commanded by Rāvana, Mahāpārsha, Mahodara and the irrepresible Birupāksha ascended the car. They, desirous of winning victory, issued out emitting dreadful roars in delight and as if rending the earth therewith. Thereupon the highly effulgent (Rāvana) resembling Death, with uplifted bow, sallied out for battle along with the army of Rakshas. And that mighty car-warrior, went out in his chariot drawn by quick-coursing steeds by that gate which led to where Rāma and Lakshmana were. Thereat the sun lost its brilliance—the quarters were enshrouded with darkness; the birds sent forth dreadful cries and the earth shook. The celestials poured down bloody rains—the course of the horses was slackened—the vultures sat on the banners and jackals emitted inauspicious cries, his left eye and the left arm began to shake—his countenance became pale and his voice grew harsher. The Ten-necked Rākshasa thus going out for battle there appeared many bad omens indicating his destruction. From the sky fell a fire-brand accompanied with the sound of thunder; vultures and crows emitted inauspicious cries. Disregarding these dreadful omens which appeared then, Rāvana, incited by death, foolishly went out to slay his (enemies). And by the wheel-sound of the chariots of the great Rākshasas the host of monkeys calling each other, excited with anger and willing to gain victory, addressed themselves for fight. Thereupon the Ten-necked one, enraged, with his arrows feathered in gold, made a dreadful slaughter of the army of monkeys. And some of those heroic monkeys were beheaded by Rāvana—some had their hearts rent and others were shorn of their ears. Some had their breath choked, some were killed and others had their sides broken. Some had their hands cut off and others had their eyes put out. And wherever in the encounter, the Ten-headed Rākshasa, whirling his eyes in ire, went in his car—the monkey leaders could not stand the vehemence of his arrows.
SECTION LXLVII.
There the earth was covered with monkeys whose bodies were rent with the arrows of the Ten-necked (Rāvana). As the flies cannot stand before the flaming fire so they could not bear the vehemence of Rāvana’s shafts. Being thus assailed with pointed arrows they fled away crying, like unto elephants being burnt by fire. And Rāvana with his arrows pursued in conflict the course of clouds. Thus slaughtering the monkeys the lords of Rākshasas speedily reached in the encounter where Rāghava was. And beholding the monkeys assailed and afraid Sugriva placing Sushena in charge of a _gulma_³⁸⁵ addressed himself for the battle. And placing that heroic monkey, his equal in prowess, in that command Sugriva sallied out with a tree in his hand to meet the enemy. And followed him on all sides the leaders of the monkeys with huge crags and various trees. The heroic Sugriva emitted terrible roars in the conflict and assailed the heroic Rākshasas and many others. The huge-bodied monkey-chief crushed the Rākshasas like unto the wind uprooting the trees at the time of dissolution. He began to make a downpour of crags at the Rākshasa host like unto the cloud pouring down hailstorms at the birds in the forest. And being beheaded by the crags discharged by that monkey chief the Rākshasas fell down like unto mountains cleft. The Rākshasas being thus attacked and shattered by Sugriva and roaring and falling down on all sides, an irrepressible Rākshasa, skilled in archery, by name Birupāksha, pronouncing his own name, got down from the car and mounted an elephant. And mounted on the elephant that highly powerful Birupāksha sent forth leonine roars and dashed against the monkeys. Exciting the joy of the Rākshasas and removing their anxiety he discharged dreadful shafts at Sugriva and his army. And being assailed by the pointed arrows of that Rākshasa that lord of monkeys roared in anger and made up his mind to destroy him. Thereupon uprooting a tree the heroic monkey, skilled in warfare, leaped and struck that huge elephant down in his presence. And being assailed greatly by Sugriva that huge elephant proceeded a little within the range of the bow and roared and died. And being; greatly enraged on the destruction of that elephant the highly powerful Rākshasa dashed forward to face the enemy. That one of quick movements took up his dagger and armour and viling, approached Sugriva. And beholding his movement Sugriva took up a huge crag resembling a cloud and hurled it against Birupāksha. That highly powerful leading Rākshasa, finding the crag about to fall, turned a little away and struck the monkey with his dagger. And being assailed with dagger by that powerful Rākshasa the monkey remained senseless for sometime on the ground. And rising up all on a sudden he, clenching his fist, struck that Rākshasa in the mighty encounter on his breast and got him down. Being struck with the fist the night-ranger Birupāksha greatly enraged cut down with his dagger Sugriva’s armour and tumbled him down with his feet. And the monkey rising up again was about to deal him a blow, hard as a thunder-bolt, with a dreadful sound. And receding a little, he baffled its aim and returned one on Sugriva’s breast. Finding his aim baffled and himself struck in return by the Rākshasa, Sugriva, the lord of monkeys, was excited with anger. And the monkey-chief was now on the look-out for an opportunity to strike Birupāksha. And immediately in anger he struck him down with a blow on his forehead. And being thus assailed with the fist resembling the thunder-bolt of Mahendra, he fell down on the earth bathed in a pool of blood. And blood gushed out of the person of Birupāksha like unto water issuing out of a fountain. And the monkeys beheld their enemy (Birupāksha) with his eyes disfigured in anger, bathed in a foam of blood, his whole body discoloured, trembling, rolling and crying piteously. Thereupon those two armies of the monkeys and Rākshasas, being ready to engage in the encounter, began to roar like unto two mighty oceans having their banks broken. And observing that highly powerful Rākshasa, of discoloured eyes, slain by the king of monkeys, the monkeys and Rākshasa forces engaged in fight and looked like the rising Ganges.
³⁸⁵ The division of an army; a body of troops consisting of nine platoons or nine elephants, nine chariots, twenty seven horses and forty-five foot.