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Distressed and extremely miserable, the king entered the assembly hall. He sat down on his excellent seat and sighed like an angry lion. The extremely strong one spoke to all the commanders of the force. He was afflicted by hardship on account of his son. Ravana joined his hands in salutation and spoke these words. ‘All of you surround yourselves with all the elephants and the horses. Emerge with hordes of chariots and surround yourselves with foot soldiers. In the battle, you should only surround Rama and kill him. Like clouds during the monsoon, cheerfully shower down arrows. Otherwise, in the great battle tomorrow, while all the worlds look on, I will pierce Rama’s body with sharp arrows and kill him.’ The Indra among rakshasas said this and the rakshasas accepted his words. They quickly emerged on chariots, surrounded by armies of elephants.
There was an extremely terrible battle just before sunrise. There was a tumultuous clash between the rakshasas and the apes. In the battle, the apes and the rakshasas struck each other with colourful clubs, spears, swords and battleaxes. Rivers of blood started to flow. The elephants and chariots were the banks, the horses were the fish and the standards were the trees. Large number of bodies were borne along. In the battle, the Indras among the apes leapt up and leapt down. They shattered the standards, armour, chariots, horses and many kinds of weapons. With their sharp teeth and nails, the apes tore out the hair, ears, foreheads and noses of the rakshasas. In the encounter, one hundred bulls among apes rushed towards a single rakshasa, like birds rush towards a tree with fruits. The terrible rakshasas were like mountains and slew the apes with heavy clubs, spears, swords and battleaxes. The large army of apes was slaughtered by the rakshasas and sought succour with Rama, Dasharatha’s son, the one who provides refuge.
At this, the immensely energetic and valiant Rama seized his bow. He entered the army of the rakshasas and showered down floods of arrows. When the extremely terrible Rama entered, he was like the sun in the sky. He burnt them down with the flames of his arrows and they could not approach him. To the roamers in the night, the extremely terrible Rama was like Death. In the battle, they saw Rama perform deeds that were extremely difficult to achieve. He drove away that large army and shattered the giant chariots. They could not see Rama, just as one cannot see the wind in the forest. Rama was swift in his deeds. He severed, mangled and routed the army, afflicting them with his weapons and scorching them with his arrows. But they could not see him. Though they were struck in their bodies, they could not see Raghava, just as creatures are unable to see the inner soul that is established in the senses. ‘This is he, he is slaying the army of elephants. This is he, he is destroying the giant chariots. This is he, he is devastating the foot soldiers and horses with his sharp arrows.’ In the encounter, all the rakshasas saw Rama’s likeness everywhere. Finding Raghava’s resemblance in each other, they angrily slew each other. The great-souled one had confounded them with the supreme gandharvastra330 and scorched the army of the enemy. That is the reason they saw Rama everywhere. In the battle, the rakshasas saw thousands of Ramas. And, in the great battle, they next saw a single Kakutstha. The great-souled one was roaming around with a bow with a golden handle. He brandished it like a circle of fire and they could not see Raghava. The bow was like the rim of a wheel, with the arrows as spokes. The body was like a navel and emitted sparks as the breath of life. There was the roar of the palm slapping against the bowstring. The plucking of the bowstring was full of energy and intelligence. Applying divine weapons to the bowstring, he slaughtered the rakshasas in the encounter. They saw Rama’s wheel, like the subjects see the wheel of time. There was an army of ten thousand chariots that were as fleet as the wind. There were eighteen thousand spirited elephants. There were fourteen thousand horses with riders. There was a complete complement of two hundred thousand rakshasa foot soldiers. The rakshasas could assume any form at will. Using arrows that were like the flames of the fire, within the eighth part of a day,331 Rama destroyed all these. The horses were killed. The chariots were destroyed. They were exhausted and their standards were shattered. The remaining roamers in the night returned to the city of Lanka. The field of battle was full of slain elephants, foot soldiers and horses. It looked like a pleasure ground for the enraged Rudra, the wielder of the Pinaka. The gods, the gandharvas, the siddhas and the supreme rishis praised Rama’s deeds and worshipped him.
Rama spoke to Sugriva, who was near him. ‘The strength of such divine weapons exists in me, or in Tryambaka.’ The great-souled Rama, who was Shakra’s equal and had cleansed all sins, slaughtered the army of the rakshasas, using his astras and his shastras.332 He was praised by the large numbers of delighted gods.
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There were thousands of elephants and horses with riders. There were chariots with the complexion of the fire. There were thousands of standards. There were thousands of rakshasas who fought with clubs and maces. There were golden and colourful standards. There were brave ones who could assume any form at will. They were slain with sharp arrows decorated with gold. Rama, the performer of unblemished deeds, did this to the army sent by Ravana. The remaining roamers in the night heard about, and saw, this devastation. They were distressed and overcome by thoughts.
The rakshasis had become widows. Their sons had been killed. They shrieked because their relatives had been killed. They met the rakshasas and lamented in their sorrow. ‘Shurpanakha is aged and ugly. Her stomach hangs down. Rama is like Kandarpa333 in his beauty. How could she have approached him in the forest? He is delicate and great in spirit. He is engaged in the welfare of all creatures. She should be killed by people. She is inferior in beauty. But she saw him and was smitten with desire. She is devoid of all the qualities. He possesses the qualities and is greatly energetic. His face is beautiful, her face is ugly. How could the rakshasi have desired Rama? These people are limited in their fortune. She is wrinkled and has grey hair. She committed a ridiculous misdeed, condemned by all the worlds. That led to the destruction of the rakshasas and Khara and Dushana. That ugly woman oppressed Raghava. Ravana contracted this great enmity because of her. The rakshasa Dashagriva brought Sita for his own destruction. Dashagriva will not get Sita, Janaka’s daughter. However, he has been bound in an eternal enmity with the powerful Raghava. Rama single-handedly killed the rakshasa Viradha, who craved for Vaidehi. That spectacle is sufficient proof.334 There were fourteen thousand rakshasas who were terrible in their deeds. He killed them in Janasthana, using arrows that were like the flames of fire. In the encounter, he used arrows that were like the sun to kill Khara, Dushana and Trishira. That is sufficient proof. Kabandha fed on blood and his arms were one yojana long. He was killed, while he was roaring in anger and suffering. That is sufficient proof. Vali was like a cloud and he was the son of the one with one thousand eyes. Rama killed Vali. That is sufficient proof. With his wishes destroyed, the distressed Sugriva resided on Mount Rishyamuka and he was established in the kingdom. That is sufficient proof. For the welfare of all the rakshasas, Vibhishana spoke words that were full of dharma and artha. However, because of his confusion, those did not appeal to him. Had the younger brother of the lord of treasure acted in accordance with Vibhishana’s words, this city of Lanka wouldn’t have become afflicted with grief and wouldn’t have become a cremation ground. Despite hearing that Kumbhakarna had been killed by the immensely strong Raghava and about his beloved son, Indrajit, Ravana did not understand. Wails can be heard in family after family of the rakshasas. ‘My son, my brother, my husband, has been killed in the battle.’ Hundreds and thousands of chariots, horses and elephants have been killed and destroyed by the brave Rama in the battle, and so have rakshasa foot soldiers. Assuming Rama’s form, Rudra, Vishnu, the great Indra Shatakratu, or Death himself is killing us. With the best among brave ones killed by Rama, there is no hope of our remaining alive. We do not see an end to our fears. Therefore, we are lamenting. The brave Dashagriva has obtained boons for the field of battle. Therefore, he does not comprehend this ext
remely terrible fear that has arisen from Rama’s hands. When he engages in a battle against Rama and is attacked, the gods, the gandharvas, the pishachas and the rakshasas will not be able to save him. In every battle that Ravana engages in, evil portents are seen. They are telling us about Rama destroying Ravana. Pleased, the grandfather granted Ravana freedom from fear through gods, danavas and rakshasas. However, he did not ask about humans. Therefore, we335 are certain that there is a fear from humans. A terrible destruction of life will occur for the rakshasa Ravana. Powerful because of the boon he had obtained, the rakshasa caused oppression. Blazing in their austerities, the gods worshipped the grandfather. Satisfied, for the welfare of the gods, the great-souled grandfather addressed all the gods in these great words. “From today, in the three worlds, the danavas and the rakshasas will always be full of fear and will wander around till eternity.” All the gods, with Indra at the forefront, went and propitiated Mahadeva, the one with the bull on his banner, the destroyer of the city of Tripura. Mahadeva was pleased and addressed the gods in these words. “For your welfare, a woman will be born and she will ensure the destruction of the rakshasas.” Earlier, hunger consumed the danavas. Like that, Sita has been engaged by the gods. She is the slayer of rakshasas and will devour us, together with Ravana. The evil-minded and insolent Ravana has brought this about through his misdeeds. This terrible misfortune has occurred and we are immersed in grief. We do not see anyone in the world who can offer us protection from what Raghava has unleashed, like Death at the time of the destruction of a yuga.’ All the women of the roamers in the night said this and embraced each other in their arms. They sorrowed and grieved, afflicted by fear. They shrieked in these extremely terrible voices.
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In every family in Lanka, there were the screams of the rakshasis. Ravana heard the piteous sounds of these lamentations. He sighed deeply and thought for a while. Ravana, terrible to behold, was extremely angry. He bit his lips with his teeth and his eyes were red with rage. He was like the fire of destruction. Even the rakshasas found him difficult to look at and lost their senses. The lord of the rakshasas spoke to the rakshasas who were near him. He seemed to burn them down with his eyes and because of their fear, they could not clearly make out what he said. ‘Tell Mahodara, Mahaparshva and the rakshasa Virupaksha to obey my commands and ask the soldiers to swiftly depart.’336 Hearing his words, the rakshasas were afflicted by fear. Following the king’s orders, they urged the rakshasas who were still not agitated. All the rakshasas, terrible to behold, agreed to what he had said. All of them performed acts of benediction and advanced towards Ravana. As is proper, all the maharathas worshipped Ravana. They joined their hands in salutation and stood there, wishing for the victory of their master. Ravana was senseless with rage.
He laughed and spoke to Mahodara, Mahaparshva and the rakshasa Virupaksha. ‘From my bow, I will today shoot arrows that are like the sun at the time of the destruction of a yuga. I will convey Raghava and Lakshmana to Yama’s abode. By slaying the enemy, I will extract revenge for Khara, Kumbhakarna, Prahasta and Indrajit. The net of my arrows will go and cover everything and the firmament, the directions, the rivers and the ocean will no longer be seen. My arrows will be waves that arise from the bow that is the ocean. I will use these to crush the herds of apes, in their respective divisions and subdivisions. Their faces are like blooming lotuses and their complexions are like the filaments of lotuses. Those herds are like lotus ponds and I will crush them like an elephant. In the encounter, the leaders of the herds will have arrows embedded in their faces today. They will be strewn around the earth, like lotuses with stalks. Today, there will be a terrible fight against the apes who use trees as weapons. Shooting a single arrow in the battle, I will pierce hundreds. Husbands have been killed. Brothers have been killed. Sons have been killed. By slaying their enemies today, I will perform the act of wiping away their tears. They will be mangled by my arrows today. They will be scattered around, senseless. In the battle today, I will make efforts to cover the earth with apes, so that the ground cannot be seen. Today, I will use my arrows to cause affliction. I will satisfy jackals, vultures and all the others that survive on flesh with the flesh of the enemy. Swiftly prepare my chariot. Swiftly bring me my bow. Let the roamers in the night who remain follow me into the battle.’
Hearing his words, Mahaparshva spoke to the commanders who were present there. ‘Let all the forces be readied.’ The angry commanders went around, from one house of a rakshasa to another house. Light in their valour, they went all around Lanka and urged the soldiers. In a short while, the rakshasas, terrible in their valour, emerged. With horrible faces, they roared. They wielded many kinds of weapons in their arms. There were swords, spears, javelins, clubs, maces, ploughs, sharp-edged spikes and large and heavy bludgeons. There were staffs, sparkling chakras, sharp battleaxes, bhindipalas, shataghnis and many other excellent weapons. Following Ravana’s command, the commanders quickly brought a chariot. They urged the charioteer to hurry and yoke eight horses to this chariot. Blazing in his own energy, he ascended this divine chariot. Ravana’s spirit was deep and he seemed to shatter the earth. Obtaining Ravana’s permission, Mahaparshva, Mahodara and the invincible Virupaksha climbed on to their chariots. They roared cheerfully and seemed to shatter the earth. Desiring victory, they emitted terrible roars and emerged. The energetic one337 was like Yama, the Destroyer. Advancing into battle, he held aloft his bow and emerged, surrounded by an army of large numbers of rakshasas. The maharatha’s chariot was yoked to swift horses. He emerged through the gate where Rama and Lakshmana were.
The sun lost its radiance. The directions were covered in darkness. Birds shrieked in terrible tones. The earth trembled. Blood showered down from the sky. The horses stumbled. A vulture descended on the top of the standard. Jackals howled in inauspicious tones. His left eye throbbed. His left arm twitched. His face turned pale. His voice was slightly distorted. The rakshasa Dashagriva proceeded to fight and these evil portents, signifying his death in the battle, manifested themselves. A meteor fell down from the sky, with a sound like that of a storm. Vultures called out in hideous tones. Crows cawed. These terrible portents manifested themselves, but he paid no heed to them. Ravana was confounded. He was urged by destiny, for the sake of his own destruction. He emerged.
Hearing the clatter of the chariots of the great-souled rakshasas, the apes returned and a clash commenced between the two armies. There was a tumultuous battle between the apes and the rakshasas. Desiring victory, they angrily slaughtered each other. Dashagriva was angry. He used arrows decorated in gold to cause great carnage in the army of the apes. Ravana sliced off the heads of the foremost ones in the army. Some were breathless and were killed. Some were shattered along the flanks. The heads of some were severed. Some lost their eyes. Dashanana dilated his eyes in rage. On his chariot, he wandered around here and there in the battle. Wherever he went, the leaders of the apes were unable to withstand the force of his arrows.
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The earth was strewn with apes whose bodies had been mangled by Dashagriva’s arrows. They were incapable of tolerating the descent of Ravana’s arrows, just as insects are incapable of tolerating a blazing fire. They were afflicted by those sharp arrows. They screamed and fled in different directions. They were like elephants, consumed and surrounded by the flames of a fire. As Ravana advanced in the battle and pierced them with his arrows, he drove away the army of the apes, like the wind dispelling large clouds. The Indra among the rakshasas created carnage among the residents of the forest. In the battle, he then swiftly approached Raghava. Sugriva saw that the apes were routed in the encounter and were running away. He quickly urged Sushena to take care of the divisions and made up his mind to fight. The brave ape338 was just like him and he put him in charge. Using a tree as a weapon, Sugriva himself then marched in the direction of the enemy. With large boulders and many kinds of large trees, all the leaders of the herds followed him, staying by his side or
at the rear. In the encounter, Sugriva roared in a loud voice. He brought down and killed many excellent rakshasas. Gigantic in size, the lord of the apes crushed the rakshasas. He was like the wind at the time of the destruction of a yuga, devastating large trees. He showered down innumerable boulders on the rakshasa army, just as a cloud showers down hail stones on a flock of birds in a grove. Showers of boulders were hurled by the king of the apes. The heads of the rakshasas were crushed. Mangled, they fell down like mountains. In every direction, the rakshasas were devastated and brought down. Shattering them, Sugriva roared.
The archer rakshasa, Virupaksha, announced his name. The invincible one leapt down from his chariot and climbed astride an elephant. The maharatha Virupaksha mounted that elephant. He uttered a terrible roar and rushed towards the apes. At the head of the army, he shot terrible arrows towards Sugriva. He cheered up the anxious rakshasas and urged and assured them. The Indra among the apes was severely pierced by the rakshasa’s sharp arrow. He was angry. In great rage, he made up his mind to kill him. The brave ape held aloft a tree. He advanced in front of that large elephant and struck it. Sugriva’s blow struck that giant elephant. It retreated the distance of a bow and trumpeted loudly. The valiant rakshasa descended from the injured elephant. He quickly advanced towards his enemy, the ape. Dextrous in his valour, he seized a shield made of oxhide and a sword. He approached Sugriva, who stood there, censuring him. Sugriva was angry. He seized a giant boulder that was like a cloud and hurled it towards Virupaksha. The bull among the rakshasas saw that the boulder was descending. Extremely brave, he struck him back with the sword. In front of the army, he angrily struck Sugriva with the sword. Struck by the sword, his armour was shattered and it fell down. The ape let go of what had fallen down. He leapt up and slapped him with his palm, making a terrible sound that was like that of thunder. Using his skills, the rakshasa freed himself from the blows Sugriva was ready with. He raised his fist and struck him in the chest. At this, Sugriva, lord of the apes, became angrier. He saw that the rakshasa had freed himself from his blows. The ape discerned an opportunity to strike Virupaksha. With his huge palm, he angrily struck him on the region around his temple. That blow of the palm was like the force of the great Indra’s vajra and he fell down on the ground. He fell down, covered in blood, and vomited blood. His angry eyes were dilated and he was covered in froth and blood. Virupaksha was seen to have become even more disfigured.339 He writhed and trembled, his sides were covered with blood. The apes saw that their enemy was roaring piteously. The spirited apes and the rakshasas engaged with each other properly. The two terrible armies were like two thundering oceans. They were like two oceans that had crossed their shorelines. They saw that the immensely strong one, with the disfigured eyes, had been killed by the king of the apes. All the soldiers of the apes and the rakshasas became as turbulent as the Ganga.
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 114