Struck by the rakshasa’s arrow, the great ape was enraged. Next to him, he saw a large and extremely huge boulder. The powerful one used his strength to uproot it and hurled it with force. Angrily, the rakshasa struck him back with ten arrows. Hanumat, fierce in his valour, saw that his attempt had been futile. The valiant one uprooted a giant sala tree and whirled it around. The immensely strong ape was whirling around that sala tree. On seeing this, the extremely strong Jambumali shot many arrows at him. He severed the sala tree with four arrows and struck the ape’s arms with five. He pierced him with one arrow in the chest and ten between the breasts. His body covered in arrows, he was filled with great rage. He seized a club and whirled it around with force. Endowed with immense strength, he whirled it around with great force and even greater force. He flung down the club on Jambumali’s broad chest. He224 no longer possessed a head, arms or thighs. His bow, chariot, horses and arrows could no longer be seen. Using force, he killed maharatha Jambumali. With his limbs and ornaments shattered, he was killed and fell down on the ground. Jambumali was killed and so were the extremely strong kimkaras. Hearing this, Ravana was angry and his eyes turned red with rage. His coppery red eyes rolled around in anger. Prahasta’s immensely strong son had been killed. The lord of those who roam around in the night quickly commanded the extremely brave and valiant sons of his advisers.
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At this, the Indra among rakshasas urged the sons of his ministers. Seven of them emerged from the residence, as radiant as the one with the seven rays.225 They were extremely strong and were surrounded by extremely strong archers. They were accomplished in the use of weapons. They were best among those who knew about weapons and in their rivalry, sought to outdo each other. Their large chariots were embellished with nets made out of gold and had pennants and flags. These were yoked to horses and thundered like clouds. The infinitely valorous ones had colourful bows that were plated with molten gold. They twanged them cheerfully, like lightning amidst the clouds. On knowing that the kimkaras had been killed, their mothers, relatives and well-wishers were filled with grief and scared. Rivalling each other, adorned in ornaments made out of molten gold, they226 rushed to fight Hanumat, who was stationed near the gate. They released showers of arrows and their chariots thundered and roared. The bulls among the nairittas roamed around and showered down like clouds filled with rain. Hanumat was enveloped by that shower of arrows. His form became invisible, like that of a king of mountains because of the rain. Swift in his movements, the ape, roaming around in the sparkling sky, evaded those arrows and the speedy chariots of those brave ones. The brave one could be seen in the sky, toying with those archers. He was like the wind god in the sky and the archers were like clouds. He roared in a terrible voice and terrified that large army. Hanumat roamed around and attacked the valiant rakshasas with force. The scorcher of enemies killed some with slaps and some with his feet. He killed some with his fists and tore some others with his nails. The ape crushed some with his chest and some others with his thighs. Because of his roars, some others fell down on the ground. Some were killed. Others fell down on the ground. Seeing this, all the soldiers were afflicted by fear and fled in the ten directions. Elephants shrieked in broken voices. Horses fell down on the ground. The seats, standards and umbrellas fell down on the ground, which was strewn with shattered chariots. He killed those prosperous rakshasas. The ape was extremely strong and fierce in his valour. He again wished to fight against some other rakshasas. Therefore, the brave one again went to the gate.
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Having got to know that the sons of the ministers had been killed by the great-souled ape, Ravana concealed his thoughts and thought of an excellent means. There were five foremost leaders of the soldiers—Virupaksha, Yupaksha, the rakshasa Durdhara, Praghasa and Bhasakarna. These brave ones were skilled in good policy and Dashagriva commanded them. He was eager to seize Hanumat, who possessed Vayu’s speed in battle. ‘All of you advance in front of the army. Take a large army with you, with horses, chariots and elephants. Chastise the ape. When you approach the one whose residence is in the forest, you must be attentive. The action that you undertake must not be contrary to the time and the place. Debating about his deeds, I do not think that he is an ape. He possesses great strength. In every way, he must be a great creature. Using the strength of his austerities, perhaps Indra has created him for some objective of his. With all of you, I have vanquished the serpents, the yakshas, the gandharvas, the gods, the asuras and the maharshis. To invade us in some way, they must have created him. There is no doubt about this and he must be seized. The ape is cruel in his valour and you must not disrespect him. I have seen apes earlier, who were quick and extensive in their valour—Vali, Sugriva, the immensely strong Jambavat, the commander Nila and others like Dvivida. But their terrible speed, energy, prowess, intelligence, strength, enterprise and capacity to change form was not like his. It is thus known that this is a great creature in the form of an ape. Resort to great efforts and seek to capture him. You are sufficient in the field of battle. If they so wish, the three worlds, with Indra, the gods, the asuras and humans are incapable of standing before you. Nevertheless, someone who desires victory in a battle must know about good policy. Make efforts to protect yourselves. Success in a battle is fickle.’ All those greatly energetic ones accepted the words spoken by their master.
Like the fire in their energy, they attacked with great force. There were chariots, crazy elephants and extremely swift steeds. There were many kinds of sharp weapons. All of them had every kind of force. The giant ape saw those brave and radiant ones. Garlanded by the rays of his own energy, he was like the rising sun. Near the gate, he possessed great force, great spirit and great strength. He was immensely intelligent, immense in his enterprise, gigantic in size and immense in strength. Stationed in all the directions, all of them looked at him. Here and there, they used terrible weapons to strike at him. Durdhara used five sharp and sparkling arrows, yellow at the tip and with the complexion of lotuses, to strike him in the chest. The ape was pierced in the chest with those five arrows. He leapt up into the sky and roared, the sound echoing in the ten directions. On his chariot, the brave Durdhara readied his bow. The immensely strong one showered him with many hundreds of arrows. From the sky, the ape countered these showers of arrows, like the wind dispels a cloud filled with rain at the end of the rainy season. The son of the wind god was oppressed by Durdhara. The powerful one roared loudly and again extended his size. From a distance, the ape violently descended on Durdhara’s chariot. He descended with great force, like a mass of lightning on a mountain. The eight horses were crushed. The chariot, the wheel and the kubara227 were shattered. Giving up his life, Durdhara fell down on the ground. Virupaksha and Yupaksha saw that he had fallen down on the ground. Filled with rage, those two invincible scorchers of enemies leapt up. When they suddenly leapt up, stationed in the sparkling sky, the mighty-armed ape struck them in the chests with two clubs. The forceful and immensely strong one struck them with force. He was like Suparna in his valour and they fell down on the ground again. The ape uprooted a sala tree. Using this, the son of the wind god slew those two brave rakshasas. Knowing that those three had been killed by the spirited ape, Praghasa attacked with great force and struck the ape powerfully. The valiant Bhasakarna angrily seized a spear in his hand. The illustrious tiger among apes was alone and there were two of them. Praghasa pierced him with a spear that was sharp at the tip. The rakshasa Bhasakarna struck that supreme ape with a javelin. Pierced by those two on the body, his body hair became smeared with blood. Angry, the ape assumed a radiance that was like that of the rising sun. He uprooted the summit of a mountain, with the animals, serpents and the trees. With that, Hanumat, elephant among apes, killed those two brave rakshasas. When those five leaders had been killed, the soldiers were disheartened and the ape destroyed what remained of the army. Like the one with the thousand eyes against the asuras, the ape struck horses with horses, elephants wi
th elephants, warriors with warriors and chariots with chariots, destroying them. Elephants and horses were killed. Wheels and giant chariots were shattered. Rakshasas were slain. Everywhere on the ground, the paths were obstructed with these. In the battle, he killed the brave ones with their soldiers, standards, leaders and mounts. After this, the brave ape again stood by the gate. He was like Death, having made up his mind about the destruction of the subjects.
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Hanumat crushed the five commanders, with their followers and their mounts. At this, the king228 looked at Prince Aksha, who was not wounded and was ready and eager to fight in the battle. He urged him with his eyes and the powerful one229 picked up a colourful and golden bow and leapt up, like a sacrificial fire when oblations have been offered into it by the best of brahmanas. The valiant one ascended a gigantic chariot that was like the rising sun in complexion and was armoured with a plate made out of molten gold. The bull among the nairittas ventured forth against the large ape. It230 was fashioned out of the store of austerities he had accumulated and won for himself. It was decorated with armour that was made out of molten gold. The flag and the standard were decorated with jewels. It was yoked properly to eight excellent horses that possessed the speed of thought. It moved without obstructions and gods and asuras could not assail it. With a complexion like that of the sun, it could be controlled and could move around in the sky. A quiver, eight swords and bells were fixed to it. In due order, spears and javelins were arranged in the designated places. He ascended the chariot, which was like the sun in complexion. Filled with all the required objects, it was resplendent. There were ropes that dazzled like the sun and the moon. He emerged, like an immortal in his valour. The noise of horses, elephants and large chariots filled the sky and the earth, with its mountains. With the army, he approached the gate. The capable ape was standing there, waiting.
Having reached the ape, Aksha, the one with the tawny eyes, saw him standing there, like the fire of destruction at the end of a yuga, ready to destroy subjects. He was astonished and was filled with respect. He looked at him, with a lot of respect in his eyes. The immensely strong son of the king231 weighed the force and valour of the enemy, the great-souled ape, and his own strength and increased his own size, like the sun at the end of the winter. Having considered the valour, stability and invincibility of Hanumat, though he was filled with rage in the battle, he controlled himself and provoked him232 with three sharp arrows. He saw that the ape was proud and had conquered his exhaustion, having defeated the enemy. Aksha looked at him with an agitated mind and picked up a bow and arrow in his hand. His necklace and armlets were made out of gold and his earrings were beautiful. Swift in his valour, he approached the ape. Their unmatched encounter generated respect even among the gods and the asuras. Witnessing the battle between the ape and the prince, the earth shrieked. The sun did not radiate heat. The wind did not blow and the mountain quaked. The sky screamed and the ocean was agitated. The brave one who knew the truth about affixing, aiming and releasing, struck the ape on the head with three arrows that were excellent at the tips and with golden tufts. These were like venomous serpents. When those arrows struck him on the head, blood started to flow from the wounds and he dilated his eyes. With the arrows like rays, he was like the sun when it has just arisen. He was as radiant as the sun, with its garland of rays. In the battle, the supreme adviser of the lord of the apes glanced at the excellent and eager son of the king, with his wonderful weapon and his wonderful bow. He was filled with delight and was keen to fight in the battle. Filled with strength and energy, his rage increased, like the one with the rays in front of Mandara. Using his eyesight, which were like the flames of a fire, he burnt down Prince Aksha’s soldiers and mounts. The rakshasa’s bow was like Shakra’s bow.233 In the encounter, he showered down arrows like a cloud. The lord of the apes was like a mountain and he swiftly showered down arrows on him, like a cloud showering down on an excellent mountain. The ape saw him in the battle, terrible in his valour and with increasing energy, strength, valour and arrows. On seeing Prince Aksha in the encounter, like a cloud in his valour, he roared in joy. Because of his childish nature, he234 was brave and insolent in the battle. His anger increased, with his eyes like wounds. He approached the ape, who was unmatched in fights, like an elephant approaches a giant pit that is covered with grass. When those forceful arrows descended on him, he roared like the thundering of a cloud. The son of the wind god, terrible to behold, swiftly leapt up into the sky, extending his arms and his thighs. The supreme and powerful one among the rakshasas was supreme among all charioteers. When the powerful one leapt up, he too leapt up and enveloped him with arrows, like a cloud raining down hail on a mountain. The brave ape followed Vayu’s path and like the wind, sought out gaps in between the arrows that were released. Terrible in his valour, he moved around, with the speed of thought. Using his eyes, he glanced at Aksha with a great deal of respect. With the bow and arrows, he was eager in the battle and shrouded the sky with many kinds of excellent arrows. The son of the wind god thought. The arrows pierced the ape between the arms. Struck by the noble prince, the great-souled one roared. The mighty-armed one knew the truth about what should be done in specific situations.
He thought about his adversary’s prowess in the encounter. ‘He is not acting like a child and his radiance is like that of the young sun. The extremely strong one is accomplishing this great deed. He is one who displays deeds in all kinds of encounters. But the idea of killing him does not appeal to me. This great-souled one is great and brave. He is controlled and can withstand a lot in an encounter. Because of the deeds and qualities he has exhibited, there is no doubt that he is revered by the serpents, the yakshas and the sages. He is stationed in front of me and is looking at me, with enhanced valour, enterprise and will. The valour of the one who acts fast will make the minds of even the gods and asuras tremble. If he is ignored, he will certainly overpower me. In this encounter, his valour is increasing. The idea of killing him appeals to me, because if an expanding fire is ignored, that cannot be tolerated.’ He thus debated the enemy’s force. Accordingly, the valiant one determined his own course of action. The immensely strong one, the great ape, made up his mind to kill him. Using slaps from his palms, the brave ape who was the son of the wind god and was following Vayu’s path, slew the eight extremely swift horses. The great chariot was struck by the palm of the minister of the lord of the apes and destroyed. The seat was shattered and the kubara broke. Slain, the eight horses fell down from the sky on to the ground. The maharatha abandoned his chariot. Wielding a bow and a sword, he leapt up from the ground into the sky. His body took to the air, like the wind in its own abode. The ape also wandered around in the sky, frequented by the king of the birds,235 the wind and the siddhas. The son of the wind god, forceful and valiant, used his austerities, like a brave and fierce rishi. He seized him by the feet, slowly and firmly. The ape whirled him around one thousand times, like the lord of the birds does to a large serpent. Though he was like his father236 in valour, the excellent ape hurled him down on the ground with great force. His arms, thighs, waist and head were shattered. Blood started to flow from his wounds. His bones and eyes were crushed. His joints were fragmented and his entrails strewn around. The rakshasa was slain and Vayu’s son felled him on the ground. The great ape crushed him down on the ground and generated a great fear in the lord of the rakshasas. On seeing that the prince had been killed by the ape, the maharshis who are great in their vows and move around unimpeded, the assembled creatures, the yakshas, the serpents and the gods, with Indra, were filled with wonder. Prince Aksha, with eyes like wounds, was as resplendent as the son of the wielder of the vajra. Having killed him, the brave one237 again went to the gate. He was like Death, when the time arrives for the destruction of subjects.
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When Prince Aksha was killed by Hanumat, the great-souled lord of the rakshasas was enraged. However, he controlled himself and commanded Indrajit, who w
as like a god. ‘You are supreme among those who know about weapons and can cause grief to gods and asuras. The gods, with Indra, have witnessed your deeds. Having worshipped the grandfather,238 you have obtained weapons. When you resort to that strength of weapons, the asuras, the large number of Maruts and all those in the three worlds are unable to overcome their exhaustion against you in a battle. You are protected by the valour in your arms. You are also protected by your austerities. You know about the time and the place. You are supreme among intelligent ones. In a battle, there is nothing that you cannot accomplish. If you make up your mind and think about it, there is no deed you cannot accomplish. There is no one in the three worlds who does not know about the strength of your weapons and about your own strength. Your austerities and strength and the valour and power of your weapons in a battle are like mine. There is no one who can withstand you in the field of battle. Having thought about this, I am certain that I need suffer no exhaustion in my mind. All the kimkaras and the rakshasa Jambumali have been killed. So have the five brave commanders who were the sons of the advisers. Your beloved brother, Prince Aksha, has been killed. O destroyer of enemies! They did not possess the essence that you and I have. O intelligent one! I have witnessed the great strength, power and valour of this ape. Therefore, look towards your own essence and powerfully do something that is worthy of your own strength. Act so that the affliction of our soldiers can end and so that they find peace, when the enemy has been quietened. Consider your own strength and that of the enemy. O supreme among those who know about weapons! Prepare. Sending someone like you will not be recommended by the best among intelligent ones. But it is my view that this is what a kshatriya should do and is also in accordance with the dharma of kings. O destroyer of enemies! You will know how to use many kinds of weapons in the encounter. You will certainly know how to bring about the desired victory in the battle.’
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 84