The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Seeing this, the brave Akampana became angry and roared. He used fourteen sharp arrows that could tear the body apart. Using these, the immensely valiant Akampana pierced Hanumat. He was pierced with many showers of arrows. The brave Hanumat could be seen, like a tall mountain. Using supreme speed, he uprooted another tree and used this to quickly strike Akampana, Indra among rakshasas, on the head. In rage, the great-souled Indra among apes struck the rakshasa and he died and fell down in the battle. Akampana, Indra among rakshasas, was slain and lay down on the ground. On seeing this, all the rakshasas were pained, like trees during an earthquake. All the rakshasas were defeated and cast aside their weapons. Terrified and pursued by the apes, they fled towards Lanka. Their hair was dishevelled and they were scared. They were defeated and their pride was destroyed. Sweat dripped from their limbs. As they fled, they sighed. As they entered the city in their fright, they trampled over each other. Confounded, they repeatedly looked back towards the rear. Those immensely strong rakshasas entered Lanka. All the apes assembled together and worshipped Hanumat. He was also delighted and worshipped all the apes back, as they respectively deserved. Hanumat was spirited and kindly disposed towards them. Desiring victory, according to their capabilities, the apes roared. They again dragged away the rakshasas who were still alive.

  Maruti killed the assembled rakshasas. The great ape dazzled in his valour. In the field of battle, he was like the powerful Vishnu, when he destroyed the terrible enemy that was in the form of the great asuras. The large number of gods worshipped the god. So did Rama himself and the extremely strong Lakshmana. So did Sugriva, foremost among the apes, and the immensely strong Vibhishana.

  Chapter 6(45)

  Hearing that Akampana had been killed, the Indra among the rakshasas became angry. With a slightly crestfallen face, he glanced towards his advisers. He thought for a while and consulted with his ministers. He went all around Lanka and inspected all the battalions. He saw the city of Lanka, with garlands of flags and standards. It was protected by large numbers of rakshasas and many battalions covered it. Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, saw that the city was barricaded. At that time, intolerant, he spoke to Prahasta, who was skilled in fighting. ‘O one who is accomplished in fighting! The city will be suddenly besieged and attacked. I do not see any other means of escaping from a battle. With the exception of I, Kumbhakarna, you, my general, Indrajit and Nikumbha, there is no one else who can bear a burden like this. Therefore, quickly collect some forces and gather them together. For the sake of victory, advance to the spot where the residents of the forest are. When you advance, it is certain that the army of the apes will prove to be fickle. Hearing the roars of the Indras among the rakshasas, they will run away. Apes are fickle and insolent, their minds waver. They will not be able to tolerate the roar, like elephants can’t stand the sound of lions roaring. O Prahasta! When those soldiers run away, Rama and Lakshmana will be helpless and without a support, easily subjugated. It is better to make certain a danger that is uncertain.156 Whether favourable or unfavourable, what do you think is a better course of action for us?’ Thus addressed by Ravana, the general, Prahasta, replied to the Indra among the rakshasas, the way Ushanas spoke to the Indra among the asuras. ‘O king! Earlier, we have held consultations with the skilled ministers on this. After consulting with each other, there was a dispute among us about what should be done. I think that the best course of action is to return Sita. If she was not returned, we foresaw that there would be a battle. I have always been honoured by you, with gifts, respect and many kinds of conciliation. When the time arrives, why will I not do what is agreeable to you? I will not protect my life, sons, wives or riches. For your sake, behold. I will give up my life in the battle and offer it as an oblation.’ The general spoke in this way to Ravana, his master.

  Having said this, Prahasta spoke to the commanders who were standing in front of him. ‘Quickly assemble a large army of rakshasas. In the field of battle, I will use arrows that possess the force of the vajra to kill the residents of the forest and satisfy birds with their flesh.’ In the rakshasa’s157 residence, the immensely strong commanders heard his words. They swiftly readied an army. In a short while, there were brave rakshasas, armed with various kinds of sharp weapons, and elephants in Lanka. Some satisfied the fire with oblations. Others bowed down before brahmanas. A fragrant breeze started to blow, carrying the smell of clarified butter. There were many kinds of garlands. With mantras, oblations were offered. Cheerfully, the rakshasas prepared many kinds of equipment required for the battle. Speedily, the rakshasas brought bows and armour. While King Ravana looked on, they surrounded Prahasta. With the king’s permission, terrible battledrums were sounded. Prahasta ascended a divine chariot that had been prepared. It was yoked to swift horses and there was a well-trained charioteer. It roared like a large cloud and was as radiant as the sun and the moon. There was an invincible standard with the mark of a serpent. There were excellent bumpers and excellent wheels. There were nets of gold and it seemed to smile in its prosperity. Commanded by Ravana, he ascended this chariot. Surrounded by a large army, he quickly emerged from Lanka. Battledrums were sounded, with a sound like that of clouds. As the commanders of the army departed, the sounds of conch shells could be heard. With the sound of these terrible roars, the rakshasas advanced towards the front. They were terrible in form and gigantic in size. Prahasta was at the front. Arrayed in an extremely terrible formation, he emerged through the eastern gate, surrounded by a large army that was like a herd of elephants. He was surrounded by an army that resembled waves in the ocean. Like an enraged Death, Prahasta quickly emerged. There was the sound of his departure and the rakshasas roared. All the creatures in Lanka howled in hideous voices. In a sky that was devoid of clouds, birds that fed on flesh and blood circled the chariot in a counterclockwise direction.158 Horrible jackals vomited fires with flames. Meteors descended from the sky. Harsh winds started to blow. The planets seemed to clash against each other and lost their lustre. Blood showered down and sprinkled those who were towards the front. A vulture descended on the standard and faced the southern direction. The charioteer had taken part in several clashes. However, when he was urging the horses, the goad fell down from the suta’s159 hand. As he emerged, there was a radiance and prosperity that was extremely difficult to obtain. However, this vanished in an instant and though the ground was even, the horses lost their footing.

  Prahasta, famous for his strength and manliness, emerged. With many kinds of weapons, the soldiers of the apes countered him in the battle. An extremely tumultuous sound arose among the apes. They uprooted heavy trees and seized boulders. The soldiers on both sides, large numbers of rakshasas and residents of the forest, rejoiced. They were forceful and capable and desired to slay each other. A large sound of their challenging each other was heard. For the sake of victory, the evil-minded Prahasta headed in the direction of the army of the king of the apes. He entered that army with great force, like an insect that is about to die heads towards the fire.

  Chapter 6(46)

  The terrible Prahasta, terrible in his valour, emerged. He was surrounded by extremely large rakshasas who roared. The large army of the apes saw him and, filled with anger, roared back at Prahasta. The rakshasas, desiring victory, seized glittering weapons—swords, spikes, daggers, spears, clubs, maces, bludgeons, javelins, many kinds of battleaxes and different kinds of bows—and rushed against the apes. Desiring to fight, the bulls among the apes seized flowering trees and long and large boulders. As they rushed against each other, there was an extremely great encounter. There were many showers of rocks, and showers of arrows also rained down. In the battle, many rakshasas killed many leaders among the apes. Many apes also killed many rakshasas. Some were crushed through spears, some through supreme weapons. Some were struck with clubs, some were severed with battleaxes. Some lost all enterprise and fell down on the ground. The hearts of some were shattered, pierced by arrows aimed at them. Some were sliced into two with swords and,
writhing, fell down on the ground. The rakshasas used spears to rip apart the sides of the apes. Angry, hordes of apes surrounded the rakshasas from all directions. Using trees and the summits of mountains, they crushed them down on the ground. They severely struck them with palms, hands and fists that were like the vajra to the touch. They160 vomited blood from their mouths and their teeth and eyes were smashed. As the apes and the rakshasas fought in the battle, there was a tumultuous sound. There was the sound of those in distress and roars, like the roaring of lions. Enraged, apes and rakshasas followed the path meant for heroes. They dilated their eyes and fearlessly performed these cruel deeds.

  Narantaka, Kumbhahanu, Mahanada and Samunnata—these advisers of Prahasta killed the residents of the forest. They descended swiftly and killed the apes. With a single strike of the summit of a mountain, Dvivida killed Narantaka. Swift in the use of his hands, the ape Durmukha uprooted a large tree and brought down the rakshasa Samunnata. The wrathful Jambavat seized a large boulder and used this to strike the energetic Mahanada on the chest and bring him down. Tara clashed against the valiant Kumbhahanu and struck him on the head with a tree. The rakshasa lost his life. Prahasta was astride his chariot and could not tolerate these deeds. With a bow in his hand, he created terrible carnage among the residents of the forest. There was turbulence in both the armies. They roared like the immeasurable ocean, when it is agitated. Prahasta was skilled in fighting. In that great battle, he wrathfully used a great flood of arrows to afflict the apes. The earth was covered with the bodies of apes and rakshasas, like terrible mountains that had fallen down. The earth was seen to be covered with floods of blood, as if it was covered with flowering palasha trees in the month of Madhava.161 The bodies of slain warriors were like banks. The shattered weapons were like large trees.162 There was a large river with waves of blood that headed for the ocean that was Yama. Livers and spleens were its great mire. The scattered entrails were the moss. The severed heads and torsos were the fish, the flesh was the lichen. The vultures were like large numbers of swans. The herons were like geese. The fat was the foam, the shrieks of the afflicted were its roar. There was such a river in the field of battle and it was impossible for cowards to cross. It was like a river at the end of the summer, frequented by swans and cranes. The best among the rakshasas and apes found that river extremely difficult to cross. They were like devastated lotuses in a lotus pond when a herd of elephants has crossed over it.

  Stationed on his chariot, Prahasta shot floods of arrows. Nila saw that the spirited one was slaying the apes. As Prahasta, the extremely invincible one, descended, the great and valiant ape uprooted a tree and struck him with this. Struck by this, the enraged bull among the rakshasas roared. He rained down showers of arrows on the commanders of the apes. He163 was unable to counter these and received them with closed eyes, like a bull receives a sudden and swift autumn downpour. In that way, Nila closed his eyes and received the extremely terrible shower of Prahasta’s arrows, which were very difficult to resist. But this shower of arrows enraged him. The great Nila seized an extremely large sala tree and slew Prahasta’s horses, which were as swift as thought, with this. Prahasta, the commander of the army, found that his bow had been shattered. He seized a terrible club and leapt down from his chariot. Those two leaders of the respective armies were spirited and angry. Though there were wounds on all their limbs, they stood there, like elephants with shattered temples. They tore at each other like a lion and a tiger attacking each other with their extremely sharp teeth. They were like a lion and a tiger in their efforts. Those two brave and valiant ones desired victory and did not retreat from the field of battle. Desiring fame, they were like Vritra and Vasava. With supreme ease, Prahasta struck Nila on the forehead with the club and blood started to flow from this blow. Blood covered the great ape’s limbs. He seized an extremely large tree and angrily hurled it towards Prahasta’s chest. This blow was unthinkable. However, the strong one seized the giant club and rushed towards Nila, the strong ape. He descended with great force and anger. On seeing this, the great ape, extremely swift, seized a large boulder. Prahasta desired to fight and in the encounter, was ready to fight with the club. However, Nila quickly brought the boulder down on his head. Nila, the foremost ape, released this giant boulder and it shattered the terrible Prahasta’s head into many fragments. He lost his life. He lost his beauty. He lost his spirits. He lost his senses. He suddenly fell down on the ground, like a tree severed at the roots. With his head shattered, a lot of blood started to flow and ooze out from his body, like a waterfall from a mountain.

  When Prahasta was killed by Nila, that large army of rakshasas was distressed and wavered. It left for Lanka. With the leader killed, they were incapable of remaining there, like water is driven back on confronting a dam. With the leader of the army killed, the rakshasas lost their enterprise. They were benumbed and went to the residence of the lord of the rakshasas. The immensely strong Nila was victorious. He met Rama and Lakshmana and was praised for his own deeds. The leader of the herd was delighted.

  Chapter 6(47)

  In the battle, the protector of the rakshasa soldiers was slain by the bull among the apes. Armed with terrible weapons, the army of the king of the rakshasas was like the ocean in its force. But they ran away. They went to the lord of the rakshasas and told him that the commander had been killed by the son of the fire god.164 Hearing their words, the lord of the rakshasas was filled with rage. He heard that Prahasta had been killed in the battle. He was afflicted by grief and his senses were overcome by anger. Like Indra speaking to the foremost warriors of the immortals, he spoke to the foremost warriors among the nairittas. ‘My commander165 has killed Indra’s forces. However, he, with his companions and his elephants, has been killed. This enemy should not be taken lightly. I will not hesitate. For the sake of victory and to destroy the enemy, I will myself go to the wonderful field of battle. With a flood of arrows, I will burn down that army of apes, together with Rama and Lakshmana, like a blazing fire burns down a forest.’

  Having said this, the enemy of the king of the immortals, with a dazzling and shining form, ascended a radiant and blazing chariot which was yoked to excellent steeds. Conch shells, drums and cymbals were sounded. Palms were slapped and there were leonine roars. The foremost king of the rakshasas departed, worshipped with auspicious benedictions. The foremost king of the rakshasas was surrounded, like the Rudra, the lord of the immortals, by demons.166 They were like dark clouds in their forms. They subsisted on flesh and their eyes blazed like the fire. The immensely energetic one suddenly emerged from the city and saw that the army of the apes was stationed in front. He saw that it was roaring like the giant ocean or like a cloud. There were upraised trees and boulders in their hands.

  The army of the rakshasas was extremely terrible. Seeing this, Rama, followed by the soldiers and extensive in his prosperity, with arms resembling an Indra among serpents, spoke to Vibhishana, supreme among those who knew how to use weapons. ‘There are many flags, standards and weapons. There are spikes, swords, spears, chakras and other weapons. The army possesses elephants that are as large as mountains. It cannot be agitated and is full of fearless ones. Whom does it belong to?’ Vibhishana was Shakra’s equal in valour. Hearing the words Rama had spoken, he told him about this excellent army, which consisted of great-souled bulls among the rakshasas. ‘There is a great-souled one astride that elephant. He is like a sun that has just arisen and his face is coppery red in complexion. His being astride it is making the elephant’s head tremble. O king! Know him to be Akampana.167 There is one on a chariot, with a standard bearing a lion on it. He is stretching a bow that is as radiant as Shakra’s bow. He is as radiant as a fierce elephant with extended tusks. He is named Indrajit, supreme among excellent ones.168 There is an archer astride that chariot. He is like Vindhya, Asta or Mahendra. He is the atiratha Atikaya. He is drawing a bow that is unmatched in size. He is name Atikaya because his body is exceedingly large.169 There is one whose eyes are
coppery red and he resembles the newly risen sun. Astride an elephant with jangling bells, that great-souled one is roaring harshly. He is the brave one named Mahodara. He is astride a chariot with a colourful and golden harness. He resembles an evening cloud or a mountain. He has raised a spear that is blazing in its rays. This is Pishacha and he is like the lightning in his speed. That one has seized a sharp spear. He is astride an Indra among bulls that is like a mountain. This kimkara170 is like thunder in his speed and his radiance is like that of lightning. That one who is advancing is the illustrious Trishira.171 That one has the form of a cloud. His chest is broad, firm and formed well. His standard has the king of the serpents. Controlled, he is twanging his bow. He is Kumbha. That one has seized a blazing and smoking club encrusted with molten gold and diamonds. He is advancing with the standard of the army of the rakshasas. That is Nikumbha, the performer of terrible and extraordinary deeds. That one is on a chariot that is shining brightly, as dazzling in form as the fire. There are bows, swords, masses of arrows and flags on the chariot. That one is Narantaka and he fights with the summits of mountains.172 That one can assume many kinds of terrible forms. He is surrounded by large-eyed and radiant demons173 with faces like tigers, camels, large serpents and lions. He is the one who destroyed the pride of even the gods. His lustre is like that of the moon. A white umbrella with slender spokes is held above his head. This is the great-souled lord of the rakshasas. He is advancing like Rudra surrounded by bhutas. He wears a diadem and his earrings are moving. His terrible form is like that of Vindhya, Indra among mountains. He is the one who destroyed the pride of the great Indra and of Vaivasvata. As radiant as the sun, the lord of the rakshasas is advancing.’