निर्गतं मकराक्षं ते दृष्ट्वा वानरपुङ्गवाः। आप्लुत्य सहसा सर्वे योद्धकामा व्यवस्थिताः॥
Beholding Makarākṣa out for battle, those foremost monkeys leaping on a sudden, addressed themselves for fight.
ततः प्रवृत्तं सुमहत्तद्युद्धं लोमहर्षणम्। निशाचरैः प्लवंगानां देवानां दानवैरिव ॥
Thereupon ensued a terrible conflict, capable of making one's down stand on end, between the right-rangers and the monkeys like to one between the celestials and Dänavas.
वृक्षशूलनिपातैश्च गदापरिघपातनैः। अन्योन्यं मर्दयन्ति स्म तदा कपिनिशाचराः।३।।
Those monkeys and night-rangers crushed each other down with trees, darts, maces and parighas.
शक्तिखङ्गादाकुन्तैस्तोमरैश्च निशाचराः। पट्टिशैभिन्दिपालैश्च बाणपातैः समन्ततः॥ पाशमुद्गरदण्डैश्च नितिश्चापरैस्तथा। कदनं कपिसिंहानां चक्रुस्ते रजनीचराः॥
Those night-rangers began to assail those foremost of monkeys with sakti.' swords, maces, kuntas, tomaras, pattisas, Bhindipālas, arrows, nooses and clubs. 1. A short arrow thrown from the hand or shot through a tube. 2. An Iron spear or dart.
बाणौरर्दिताश्चापि खरपुत्रेण वानराः। संभ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे दुद्रुवुर्भयपीडिताः॥
Being thus assailed with fearful arrows by Khara's son, those monkeys, stricken with fear, fled away.
तान्दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाः सर्वे द्रवमाणान्वनौकसः। नेदुस्ते सिंहवहुप्ता राक्षसा जितकाशिनः॥
Beholding those monkeys fly away, all the victorious Rakşasas began to roar like excited lions.
विद्रवत्सु तदा तेषु वानरेषु समन्ततः। रामस्तान्वारयामास शरवर्षेण राक्षसान् ॥
The monkeys thus flying away to all quarters, Rāma with a downpour of shafts assailed the Räkşasas.
वारिताराक्षसान्दृष्ट्वा मकराक्षो निशाचरः। कोपानलसमाविष्टो वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥
Beholding the Rākşasas thus overpowered, the night-ranger Makarākşa, excited with the flame of ire, said.
तिष्ठ राम मया साधं द्वन्द्वयुद्धं भविष्यति। त्याजयिष्यामि ते प्राणान्धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैः शरैः॥
Stay, O Rama, let us both fight with each other; I shall take your life with sharp arrows discharged off my bow.
यत्तदा दण्डकारण्ये पितरं हतवान्मम। तदग्रतः स्वकर्मस्थं स्मृत्वा रोषोऽभिवर्धते॥
You did slay my father in the forest of Dandaka. Remembering your action and finding you before, my ire is excited.
दह्यन्ते भृशमङ्गानि दुरात्मन्मम राघव। यन्मयासि न दृष्टस्त्वं तस्मिन्काले महावने॥
O Raghava! O Vicious souled one! My limbs are being burnt (with wrath) for I did not see you then in that mighty forest.
दिष्ट्यासि दर्शनं राम मम त्वं प्राप्तवानिह। काशितोऽसि क्षुधार्तस्य सिंहस्येवेतरो मृगः॥
O Rāma, by my good luck, I have got you today, like to a hungry lion desiring to have other animals.
अद्य मद्वाणवेगेन प्रेतराविषयं गतः। ये त्वया निहताः शूराः सह तैश्च वसिष्यसि ॥
Being despatched by my arrows to the world of devils, you shall live with those heroes, who had been killed by you before.
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन शृणु राम वचो मम। पश्यन्तु सकला लोकात्स्वां मां चैव रणाजिरे॥
What is the use of speaking more, O Rāma, do you hear my words. Let all the people behold your as well as my prowess in the battle-field.
अस्त्रैर्वा गदया वापि बाहुभ्यां वा रणाजिरे। अभ्यस्तं येन वा राम वर्ततां तेन वा मृधम्॥
Either with weapon or with clubs, in whatever you are expert, do you fight .with me in the battle-field, O Rāma.
मकराक्षवचः श्रुत्वा रामो दशरथात्मजः। अब्रवीत्प्रहसन्वाक्यमुत्तरोत्तरवादिनम्॥
Hearing the words of Makarākşa, Rāma, Dasaratha's son, smiling, replied to the words of the babbler.
कत्थसे किं वृथा रक्षो बहून्यसदृशानि ते। न रणे शक्यते जेतुं विना युद्धेन वाग्बलात्॥
O Rākşasa, what is the use of idle prating? None can achieve success in a battle with idle words—but with fighting.
त्ततुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां त्वत्पिता च यः। विपि. दूषणाश्चापि दण्डके निहतो मया॥ स्वाशिताश्चापि मांसेन गृध्रगोमायुवायसाः। भविष्यन्त्यद्य वै पाप तीक्ष्णतुण्डनखाङ्कुशाः॥
I slew in the forest of Dandaka your father with fourteen thousand Räksasas, Trisira and Duşana. O vile one, you being slain to day, with your flesh, vultures and crows, having sharp beaks and nails, and jackals shall be satisfied.* [*Here is another śloka, which is to be found in all N.W.P. texts and in one or two texts published in Bengal-but it has been omitted by many for it conveys the same meaning as the previous ſloka; the meaning is-And the birds drinking your blood shall fly away to various quarters.]
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु मकराक्षो महाबलः। बाणौधानमुचत्तस्मै राघवाय रणाजिरे॥
Being thus addressed by Rāghava, the mighty Makarākşa, began to dart sharp arrows towards him in the battle-field.
ताञ्छराञ्छरवर्षेण रामाश्चिच्छेद नैकधा। निपेतुर्भुवि विच्छिन्ना रुक्मपुङ्खाः सुवाससः॥
And Rāma, with his shafts, sundered into several pieces, those arrows. And being thus rendered useless those arrows, feathered in gold, fell down on the earth.
तद्युद्धमभवत्तत्र समेत्यान्योन्यमोजसा। खरराक्षसपुत्रस्य सूनोर्दशरथस्य च॥
Then there arose a terrible conflict between the Raksasa Khara's son and Dasaratha's son.
जीमूतयोरिवाकाशे शब्दो ज्यातलयोरिव। धनुर्मुक्तः स्वनोऽन्योन्यं श्रूयते च रणाजिरे॥
There were audible in that battle-field, the outcry of the heroes and the twang of the bows stretched by their hands, like to the muttering of the clouds in the sky.
देवदानवगन्धर्वाः किंनराश्च महोरगाः। अन्तरिक्षगताः सर्वे द्रष्टकामास्तदद्भुतम्॥
To see that wondrous conflict, the celestials, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras and the mighty serpents stationed themselves in the sky.
विद्धमन्योन्यगात्रेषु द्विगुणं वर्धते बलम्। कृतप्रतिकृतान्योन्यं कुरुतां तौ रणाजिरे॥ राममुक्तांस्तु बाणौघाराक्षसस्त्वच्छिनद्रणे। रक्षोमुक्तांस्तु रामो वै नैकधा प्राच्छिनच्छरैः॥
They were wounded with the discharged by each other and their strength was doubled. And they began to fight in that battlefield one attacking and the other withstanding the attack. And in that conflict the Rākşasa artOWS sundered the shafts discharged by Räma. And likewise Rāma severed into several pieces the arrows shot by the Räksasa.
बाणौघवितताः सर्वा दिशश्च प्रदिशस्तथा। संछना वसुधा चैव समन्तान प्रकाशते॥
All the quarters were covered with arrows and nothing on earth or in the sky was visible.
ततः क्रुद्धो महाबाहुर्धनुश्चिच्छेद संयुगे। अष्टाभिरथ नाराचैः सूतं विव्याध राघवः॥
Thereupon being excited with ire, Rāghava of long arms sundered his (Raksasa's) bow in conflict and with eight Näräcas pierced the charioteer.
भित्त्वा रथं शरै रामो हत्वा अश्वानपातयत्। विरथो वसुधास्थः स मकाराक्षो निशाचरः॥
And with arrows Rāma sundered the chariot and killing the horses brought them down. And the night-ranger Makarākṣa was brought down on the earth from the chariot.
तत्तिष्ठद्वसुधां रक्षः शूलं जग्राह पाणिना। त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां युगान्ताग्निसमप्रभम्॥ दुरवापं महच्छूलं रुद्रदत्तं भयंकरम्। जाज्वल्यमानमाकाशे संहारास्त्रमिवापरम्॥
He then again rose up with a dart in his hand creating terror to all creatures and resembling the Fire of Dissolution in resplendence. It was a terribly huge dart conferred on him by Śiva, shining in the sky in its native brilliance and like to another weapon of destruction.* *This refers to the weapon used by Śiva for destruction-for Siva, according to the Hindu Mythology is the God of destruction.
यं दृष्ट्वा देवताः सर्वा भयार्ता विद्वता दिशः। विभ्राम्य च महच्छूलं प्रज्वलन्तं निशाचरः॥ स क्रोधात्प्राहिणोत्तस्मै राघवाय महात्मने।
Beholding which dart even the celestials fly away in fear to different quarters. And taking up that huge flaming dart, the night-ranger, being excited with ire, hurled it at the high-souled Rāghava.
तमापतन्तं ज्वलितं खरपुत्रकराच्च्युतम्॥ बाणैश्चतुर्भिराकाशे शूलं चिच्छेद राघवः।
Rāghava, with four shafts, sundered that dart, in the sky, flaming and hurled at him by the son of Khara.
स भिन्नो नैकधा शूलो दिव्यहाटकमण्डितः।। व्यशीर्यत महोल्केव रामबाणादितो भुवि॥
That flaming dart, feathered in gold, being splintered into several pieces by Rāma's arrows fell down on earth like a huge fire-brand.
तच्छूलं निहतं दृष्ट्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा। साधु साध्विति भूतानि व्याहरन्ति नभोगताः॥
Beholding that dart beffled thus by Rāma of unwearied actions all those, stationed in the welkin began to shout, “Well done! Well done!"
तं दृष्ट्वा निहतं शूलं मकराक्षो निशाचरः। मुष्टिमुद्यम्य काकुत्स्थं तिष्ठ तिष्ठेति चाब्रवीत्॥
Beholding his dart thus sundered, the nightranger Makarākșa clenching his fist spoke to Kakutstha, saying, "Stay! Stay!"
स तं दृष्ट्वा पतन्तं तु प्रहस्य रघुनन्दनः। पावकास्त्रं ततो रामः संदधे तु शरासने॥
Seeing him advance thus, the descendant of Raghu, smiling, fixed a fiery arrow on his bow.
तेनास्त्रेण हतं रक्षः काकुत्स्थेन तदा रणे। सच्छिन्नहृदयं तत्र पपात च ममार च॥
With that arrow the Räksa was slain by Kākutstha in battle. And having his heart pierced he fell down and died.
दृष्ट्वा ते राक्षसाः सर्वे मकराक्षस्य पातनम्। लङ्कामेव प्रधावन्त रामबाणभयार्दिताः॥
Beholding Makarākṣa thus slain all the Rāks asas, being afraid of Rama's arrows, proceeded towards Lankā.
दशरथनृपसूनुबाणवेगै रजनिचरं निहतं खरात्मजं तम्। प्रददृशुरथ देवताः : प्रहृष्टा गिरिमिव वज्रहतं यथा विकीर्णम् ॥
Seeing that night-ranger, the son of Khara, slain by Rāma's arrows, like to a mountain clept by a thunder-bolt, the celestials were greatly delighted.