Hari Om.
Let us begin the fifty ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The vAnara army was making huge gains. After vanquishing three front liner demon warriors in a row, rAvaNa got really desperate and made another rash decision. He cast his own commander in chief into the battle. The one warrior who was to marshal the troops through the battle and plan for the strategic offensives was forced to enter the battle, thanks to rAvaNa’s thoughtless move. Despite suffering successive losses and watching the enemy steadily move towards lanka, rAvaNa still thought he could win this with brute force. He was still counting on the past heroics of his generals, little appreciating the fact that the enemy he was facing was entirely different and led by the most gentle yet fierce rAma. His general prahasta went to the battle, fought valiantly but in the end succumbed to the offensives of his counterpart nIla. Now rAvaNa’s options of brute force were running out and it would be interesting to see whose end he had scripted next, even if unwittingly! Onwards…
As the commander in chief of the rAkshasa army fell in the battle with the best of the vAnara warriors, the demon king’s well equipped army that had the fury of ocean had to flee the battlefield. They ran away to the king’s palace and narrated to him the fall of their chief, prahasta at the hands of the son of the fire god, nIla. The demon king was infuriated to learn about the death of his chief and yelled in anger and addressing his key warriors said –
“This vanquishing of my chief, who had suppressed the might of indra, along with his army and elephants cannot be taken lightly. Without thinking twice, I shall myself head to that ravaging battlefront to vanquish my enemy, rAma and win the battle.
सोऽहं रिपुविनाशाय विजयायाविचारयन् ।
स्वयमेव गमिष्यामि रणशीर्षं तदद्भुतम् ॥
Today I shall annihilate the entire vAnara army along with rAma and lakshmaNa with my barrage of arrows like a forest is consumed by the rampaging fire”.
Saying so, the king of the demons, the enemy of the gods boarded his glorious chariot that was glowing brilliantly and yoked to the best breed of horses. Blasts of conches, blows of trumpets, war drums and loud lionlike roars rent the air. Holy hymns were chanted invoking victory for the demon king. The demon king with his complexion glowing like the dark mountains and the clouds, with his eyes blood red was accompanied by his warriors and the army and looked like the god of gods surrounded by all the beings. Then heading out of the city, he beheld the vAnara army that resembled an ocean and equipped with trees and mountain peaks. Then rAma, the leader of his army, the king, his arms strong and resembling the king of the serpents, beheld the huge rAkshasa army that was terrifying and asked the great weapon-wielder vibhIshaNa about the warrior who was coming for the battle with such fanfare accompanied by an indomitable army that was displaying banners and flags and equipped with barbed missiles, swords, javelins and various other weapons. The army seemed to be made up of soldiers who were not cowards. It seemed like a huge hoard of elephants were coming led by their king.
Hearing rAma’s question, vihIshaNa whose valour was equal to that of indra, began to profile the great army made of the best of the demons and said –
योऽसौ रथस्थो मृगराजकेतुः धुन्वन्धनुः शक्रधनुःप्रकाशम् ।
करीव भात्युग्रविवृत्तदंष्ट्रः स इन्द्रजिन्नाम वरप्रधानः ॥
“This great warrior whose face is in copper color resembling the rising sum, riding an elephant and making its head weighed down and heading to the battle is akampana (there seem to be more than one demon with this name).
That warrior on the chariot with its flag bearing a lion as its mascot, wielding a glorious bow like that of indra, his canines menacing like that of an angry elephant is indrajit who is endowed with boons.
That overgrown and huge demon who resembled the vindhyAs and the mahEndra mountains, a supreme warrior, twanging his majestic bow is famous by the name atikAya.
That demon with eyes copper like the rising sun, riding this elephant with bells that make sound like the clouds is the warrior known as mahOdara.
The agile like lighting warrior piSAcha is riding the horse decked with gold and resembling the clouds at sunset. He is equipped with the barbed missiles.
The famous triSirA glowing with moon like complexion, is riding a bull and is holding a spear on which he has complete control and which strikes like the thunderbolt. (again this triSIrA must be different from the one killed in janasthAna in the araNya kAnDam.)
That is kumbha who is approaching with the twangs of his bow, shining like the clouds and with a broad chest and riding a chariot which has the king of the serpents as its mascot.
Nikumbha known for accomplishing amazing and terrifying feats who is the flagbearer among the rAkshasas us approaching with a flaming iron beam shining like the golden thunderbolt.
That infuriated narAntaka who is of mountainous proportions, is seated in a chariot that is glowing like flame and has a fluttering flag and is wielding a majestic bow and innumerable arrows.
There you see the one who is surrounded by many demons whose heads are of terrifying forms of tiger, camel, serpent, horse and deer and scary eyes. That one is the repressor of the pride of even the gods. He is under that white parasol with the thin beam which is shining like the moon. He is shining like the rudra who is surrounded by all the beings. He is crowned and his ear studs are dangling. His body is huge like the mountain. He is the great king of the demons who has vanquished the pride of indra and yama and is shining like the sun”.
यश्चैष नानाविधघोररूपैः व्याघ्रोष्ट्रनागेन्द्रमृगाश्ववक्त्रैः ।
भूतैर्वृतो भाति विवृत्तनेत्रैः सोऽसौ सुराणामपि दर्पहन्ता ।
यत्रैतदिन्दुप्रतिमं विभातिः छत्रं सितं सूक्ष्मशलाकमग्र्यम् ।
अत्रैष रक्षोधिपतिर्महात्मा भूतैर्वृतो रुद्र इवावभाति ॥
Then rAms replied to vibhIshaNa and said –
“Oh wow, how effulgent and luminous is this king of the demons, rAvaNa. He is hard to behold like the shining sun. Let me behold his form which is splendorous. The way his body is shines, it outdoes that of gods and other demons. All the warriors around him are gigantic and mountainous in proportion, all wield flaming and brilliant weapons. With all these brilliant warriors around him, this demon king resembles the lord yama surrounded by all the beings.
Fortunately, this sinner has fallen in my line of sight today. I shall unleash the wrath caused by the abduction of sItA today”!
दिष्ट्याऽयमद्य पापात्मा मम दृष्टिपथं गतः ।
अद्य क्रोधं विमोक्ष्यामि सीताहरणसम्भवम् ॥
With those words, rAma, followed by lakshmaNa, took his bow and the best of the arrows.
Then the great demon king addressed the accompanying warriors and the armies and instructed them to take positions at the thresholds, towers and high rises. He said if the vAnaras come to know that they have accompanied him, they will breach and ransack the city. Thus dismissing the army that followed him and ensuring they took positions, the demon king waded into the battle field and tore into the vAnara army on his chariot like a mighty whale cuts its way through the ocean.
Beholding this sudden activity on part of the demon king and his entry into the vAnara army, the vAnara king sugrIva grabbed a mountain peak and hurled it at rAvaNa. The demon king noticed the oncoming mountain peak and setting sharp arrows into action, pulverized the peak mid air and it fell down powdered on the earth. Then he set another arrow that was hissing like a menacing serpent and aiming at sugrIva, released it. The arrow travelled with the speed of thunder and brilliance of fire and hit sugrIva on his body making a hole that was reminiscent of a hole made on the krauncha mountain by lord kArtikEya with his Sakti weapon. Hit by that arrow, sugrIva fell down moaning on the ground unconscious and the demons celebrated his fall.
Then the vAnaras gavAksha, gavaya, sudanshTra, Rshabha, jyOtimukha and nabha grabbed mountains and hurled them at the king of the demons. He not only mitigated all the oncoming projectiles but also hit all the warriors with his sharp golden arrows and they fell off. Then he wreaked havoc on the vAnara army and terrified them with his arrows. The tree-dwellers (vAnaras), tormented by the arrows of rAvaNa, ran away to rAma and sought refuge in him. Then, at once rAma took up his bow and readied to take rAvaNa on. Then lakshmaNa folded his hands and spoke very meaningful words –
“O noble one, O lord, I may well be adequate to vanquish this wicked demon, kindly permit me to go to the battle”.
rAma, with truth as his valour, said to lakshmaNa in response –
“O lakshmaNa, go and put your efforts in the battle. rAvaNa is a great warrior with wonderful prowess. Even the wrath of the three worlds can’t harm him, there is no doubt. Identify his weaknesses by keen observation, make efforts to be aware of your own weaknesses and put efforts to protect yourself with your bow”.
गच्छ यत्नपरश्चापि भव लक्ष्मण संयुगे ।
रावणो हि महावीर्यो रणेऽद्भुतपराक्रमः ।
त्रैलोक्येनापि सङ्क्रुद्धो दुष्प्रसह्यो न संशयः ॥
तस्य च्छिद्राणि मार्गस्व स्वच्छिद्राणि च लक्षय ।
चक्षुषा धनुषात्मानम् गोपायस्व समाहितः ॥
Taking rAghava’s words to his heart, lakshmaNa circumambulated and embraced him and then headed for the battle. He saw the elephant trunk like arms of rAvaNa that was wielding a glittering and majestic bow with which he was raining arrows and was slaughtering the vAnara army.
The illustrious hanumAn. Son of the wind god, saw the mayhem that was being caused by rAvaNa and mitigating his barrage of arrows, reached near his chariot, raised his right hand and said causing anxiety in rAvaNa –
रथं तस्य समासाद्य भुजमुद्यम्य दक्षिणम् ।
त्रासयन् रावणं धीमान् हनुमान् वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः यक्षैश्च सह राक्षसैः ।
अवध्यत्वं त्वया प्राप्तम् वानरेभ्यस्तु ते भयम् ॥
“You have the boon of invincibility in the hands of gods, demons, gandharvas and yakshas. But you have good reason to be afraid of the vAnaras. Here is my right hand with five fingers which shall free up your life that has been inhabiting your body for a long time”.
The mighty and valorous rAvaNa heard hanumAn’s words and with eyes turning red angrily retorted –
“Sure, come on, be quick. Without hesitation hit me and earn unshakeable fame. Then having known your valour, I will destroy you”.
Responding to rAvaNa’s words, hanumAn sledged him further –
“Remember, I have smashed and slain your son aksha earlier (5.47)”.
Spoken to thus, the mighty rAvaNa slapped hanumAn hard. By that slap, hanumAn lost his balance for a moment. The very smart hanumAn regained his composure and balance in a trice and slapped the enemy of the gods hard. Slapped thus, the ten headed demon shook like a mountain in an earthquake. The Rshis, vAnaras, sidhhas, gods and other demons who were watching this combat yelled in joy! Then acknowledging the hard hit, rAvaNa said –
“Well done, O vAnara, I must praise my enemy’s valour”!
Responding to his words, mAruti said –
“Fie on my heroism rAvaNa, you are alive! You wicked fellow, why are you blabbering. Come hit me once and then my fist shall take you to the abode of yama”.
Livid at the words of mAruti, rAvaNa’s eyes turned red with anger, he made a fist and with that struck a mighty blow on the chest of hanumAn. By the impact that blow, hanumAn reeled and was dazed. Seeing hanumAn in a perturbed state, the atiratha, rAvaNa headed to engage with nIla. The powerful demon king began to rain fury on nIla with his serpentine and menacing arrow and tormented him. The chief of the vAnaras, with a single hand took a mountain peak and hurled it at the demon king.
In the meanwhile, the principled hanumAn recovered and saw rAvaNa engaged with nIla and angrily told rAvaNa that it was not proper on his part to fight with someone who was engaged in a fight with another.
The heroic rAvaNa shot seven arrows and pulverized the oncoming mountain mid-air and it fell on the earth. Watching the mountain he hurled mitigated thus, the vAnara chief nIla was infuriated and hurled in a row many trees on the demon king. The aSwakarna, dhava, Sala, chUta, all the trees with blooms that were hurled on him were negated by rAvaNa with his arrows and then he rained arrows on nIla. Arrows hitting him like clouds hitting a huge mountain, nIla then assumed a smaller form and leapt on to the flag of rAvaNa’s chariot. Seeing this the demon king was annoyed and yelled and nIla delightfully roared. The vAnara jumped from the flag to the top of his bow and on to his crown and then again leapt on to the flag. Beholding this, hanumAn, rAma and lakshmaNa were amused! All the vAnaras around made quite a din and rAvaNa was unable to do anything for a while, confused in that cacophony.
Then the luminous demon king pulled out the fiery AgnEya astra and aiming at nIla who was at the top of his flag said –
“O vAnara, you are quite agile by your tricks. If you are capable, save your life. You are creating many forms of yourself. But try saving yourself from this AgnEya astra that I am hurling at you, this shall take your life”.
Saying so, rAvaNa, aimed a the flag top and hit the vAnara chief on his chest with his AgnEya astra. Hit with that astra on his chest, nIla fell down on the earth and landed on his knees. Thanks to the greatness of his father (the fire god) and his own greatness, he just fell on the ground unconscious but didn’t lose his life.
The ten headed demon was much enthused to see the vAnara swoon thus and with renewed vigour, approached lakshmaNa on his chariot with the speed of a cloud. Stopping him on his tracks with twangs of his bow on unimaginable prowess, lakshmaNa said –
“Come to me, O king of the night rangers, you ought not fight the vAnaras”. That demon king heard the challenge thrown by lakshmaNa and the twang of his bow. He accosted lakshmaNa and sneered –
“O rAghava (lakshmaNa), fortunately you have fallen in my line of sight since your time is up and your sanity has been compromised. Right now you shall be caught in the snare of my arrows and head to the abode of death”.
Quite amused, lakshmaNa retorted with a roar –
“O king, the worst of the sinners, great people do not simply blabber loudly. I am quite aware of your might, valour and ability to fight. I am standing in front of you wielding my bow and why do waste time in blabbering”?
Livid at him, rAvaNa shot seven arrows at him which lakshmaNa mitigated with his golden arrows. Seeing his arrows shot down thus like serpents with severed heads, rAvaNa got very angry and rained arrows on saumitri. Standing unfazed, the brother of rAma, shot back arrows of various shapes like the half moon, karNi and bhalla and cut them all mid air. Seeing the felicity of lakshmaNa is unleashing arrows, the demon king was stunned and shot back many arrows at him. Then lakshmaNa swiftly picked an arrow that was potent like the thunderbolt of indra and set it on his bow, intent on taking the life of the demon king. However, rAvaNa cut down that arrow and with a flaming arrow that resembled the fire of dissolution, given to him by lord brahma and hit lakshmaNa on his forehead. Momentarily lakshmaNa lost grip on his bow but regained senses and composure with some effort. And then attacking rAvaNa, he broke the bow of indra’s enemy with three arrows. Hit thus by lakshmaNa, rAvaNa fumbled for once and then again swiftly regained his stance.
With his bow broken , body badly hit by lakshmaNa’s arrows, blood flowing all over him, rAvaNa grabbed his weapon Sakthi that was very powerful and given to him by lord brahma. Then he hurled that flaming Sakthi which terrified the vAnara army aiming lakshmaNa. The younger brother of Bharata tried to shoot down the Sakthi that was spitting fire with his arrows but the weapon cut his arrows and finally came and hit the broad chest of the son of daSaratha.
स शक्तिमान् शक्तिसमाहतः सन् जज्वाल भूमौ स रघुप्रवीरः ।
तं विह्वलन्तं सहसाऽभ्युपेत्य जग्राह राजा तरसा भुजाभ्याम् ॥
That powerful scion of the Raghu dynasty although he was hit by that Sakthi and fallen on the ground glowed brilliantly. Reaching him at once, rAvaNa tried to grab him by his shoulders. But lo! His mighty arms that could shake and lift the mountains himavAn, mandara or mEru or even the three worlds along with the gods but they couldn’t lift the younger brother of bharata!
हिमवान् मन्दरो मेरुः त्रैलोक्यं वा सहामरैः ।
शक्यं भुजाभ्यामुद्धर्तुम् न शक्यो भरतानुजः ॥
Although saumitri was struck that by that weapon Sakthi given by lord brahma, he remembered that he was actually a part of lord vishNu. And due to that reason the thorn of the gods, rAvaNa was unable to lift saumitri who was the repressor of the demons and flee.
At that moment, hanumAn who was watching this became livid and approaching rAvaNa landed a mighty thunderous blow on his chest with his fist. Under the impact of that blow, the demon king went down on his knees, reeled and fell on the ground with blood gushing out of his eyes and ears!
ततः वायुसुतः क्रुद्धो रावणं समभिद्रवत् ।
आजघानोरसि क्रुद्धो वज्रकल्पेन मुष्टिना ॥
Unable to gather himself, he sat on his chariot and lost his senses. Watching the mighty demon king rAvaNa losing his senses in the battle field, Rshis, vAnaras and the gods along with indra rejoiced. The splendorous hanumAn, lifted lakshmaNa in his arms and took him to rAma. By virtue of his being a well wisher and his great devotion, lakshmaNa who couldn’t be shaken by the enemies became lighter for hanumAn! Immediately the weapon Sakthi left lakshmaNa and was restored in its place on the chariot. lakshmaNa also recalling his divine nature and being a part of vishNu, became hale and healthy at once.
In the meanwhile, the powerful rAvaNa regained his senses and began to torment the vAnara army again. Seeing this rAma approached him to fight. hanumAn request rAma to mount on his back and fight with the demon king like lord vishNu rides the powerful garuDa. Acknowledging the words of the son of the wind god, rAma mounted on his back and lifting his bow twanged it mightily which resounded like the sound of the thunderbolt! In a very serious tone, rAma said to the demon king –
“Wait, O best among the demons, having done such disfavour to me, where will you escape? Even if you flee and seek shelter in indra or yama or sUrya or agni or brahma or lord Siva or anywhere else in the ten directions, you cannot escape me today. The one who fell to your Sakthi today shall rise in no time and mean death for your sons and kin.
यश्चैष शक्त्या निहतस्त्वयाऽद्य गच्छन्विषादं सहसाऽभ्युपेत्य ।
स एष रक्षोगणराज मृत्युः सपुत्रपौत्रस्य तवाद्ययुद्धे ॥
With these very arrows, in the janasthana, fourteen thousand demons who wielded a variety of weapons were vanquished”.
Hearing the words of rAma, rAvaNa looked at the mighty hanumAn who was carrying rAma. Remembering the earlier encounters with him, he shot arrows at him. However being naturally effulgent and splendorous, hanumAn only shone more brightly when he was hit by those arrows and was not harmed. Seeing hanumAn take a hit thus, rAma was livid and stepping up, he destroyed the wheels, horses, flag, parasol, chariot and the swords with his unerring arrows that had lovely tails. Then rAma struck arrows on the broad chest in between the arms of the enemy of the gods like indra unleashed his vajra on the mEru mountain.
यो वज्रपाताशनिसन्निपातात् न चुक्षुभे नापि चचाल राजा ।
स रामबाणाभिहतो भृशार्तः चचाल चापं च मुमोच वीरः ॥
That demon king who was unfazed, unshakeable and was never troubled by the
impact of the thunderbolt was tormented badly by the arrows of rAma, was
distressed and his bow slipped off from his hand.
Beholding the depressed demon king, the benevolent rAma took an arrow with head of the crescent moon and with that flaming arrow, destroyed the crown of rAvaNa.
तं विह्वलन्तं प्रसमीक्ष्य रामः समाददे दीप्तमथार्धचन्द्रम् ।
तेनार्कवर्णं सहसा किरीटं चिच्छेद रक्षोधिपतेर्महात्मा ॥
Then addressing that demon king whose crown was smashed, who stood there like a snake whose venom is neutralized, like a doused flame, like a dim sun, rAma said –
कृतं त्वया कर्म महत् सुभीमं हतप्रवीरश्च कृतस्त्वयाऽहम् ।
तस्मात्परिश्रान्त इव व्यवस्य न त्वां शरैर्मृत्युवशं नयामि ॥
“You have indeed accomplished a lot and killed many of my warriors. So I consider that you are tired and I shall spare you with life today. You are weighed down by the battle of today and so I let you go to lanka tonight. Go, gather yourself, recoup and come back on your chariot with your bow and then you shall see my might being in your chariot”.
Thus spared by rAma, with both his pride and joy destroyed, without his bow, chariot, horses or the charioteer, badly hit by the arrows, having lost his crown, at once the king entered lanka. As the demon king retreated to his abode, rAma ensured that along with lakshmaNa all the vAnara warriors were treated for their injuries.
As the demon king, the enemy of the gods beat a retreat, the gods, the beings, the quarters, the oceans, the Rshis, great serpents and all the dwellers of the earth and water rejoiced.
Here we conclude the fifty ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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