Chapter XLIII: Section XLIII

And as the high-souled monkeys and Rakshasas fought on, their wrath vastly increased at sight of each other's forces. And furnished with steeds in golden trappings; and elephants resembling flames of fire; and cars appearing like (so many) suns; and shining armour,--the valiant Rakshasas issued, making the ten cardinal points resound. The Rakshasas of terrific exploits were burning for victory on behalf of Ravana.--And the mighty monkey-army also, eager for victory, darted against the host of the Rakshas of dreadful deeds. And in the meanwhile, as either party assailed the other, there took place single combats between the Rakshasas and the monkeys. And as Andhaka had combated with the Three-eyed (deity)[129] that Rakshasa, the exceedingly energetic Indrajit, fought with Angada, son unto Vali. Sampati, hard to bear, engaged with Prajangha; and the monkey, Hanuman, entered into conflict with Jambumali. And Ravana's younger brother, Bibhishana, fired with wrath, encountered Satrughna, endowed with exceeding impetuosity. And the highly powerful Nila engaged with Nikumbha. And Sugriva--lord of monkeys--undertook Praghasa, and the graceful Lakshmana was engaged with Virupaksha. And the exceedingly irrepressible Agniketu and the Rakshasa--Racmiketu--and Mitraghna and Yajnakopa, were engaged with Rama. And Vajramubhthi encountered Mainda, and Acaniprabha, Dwivida. And those foremost of monkeys fought with those dreadful Rakshasas,--the heroic and terrible Pratapana, incapable of being overcome in battle, was combating with Nala of terrific force; and that lusty son of Righteousness, well-known as Sushena,--a mighty monkey--battled with Vidyunmali. And other fearful monkeys encountered other Rakshasas; and many were the encounters that took place. And great and fierce was the engagement that took place between the heroic Rakshasas and monkeys burning for victory, capable of making people's hair stand on end. And from the persons of the Rakshasas and the monkeys there flowed a river of gore, having hair for grass (growing on its banks), and the bodies of the warriors for pieces of planks floating (adown the current). Indrajit, growing enraged, with his mace dealt a blow at that tearer of hostile ranks, Angada,--like him of an hundred sacrifices striking with his thunderbolt. Thereat, that graceful monkey, Angada, gifted with vehemence, with his mace crushed his car decked in gold, together with the steeds and the charioteer. Sampati was pierced with three arrows by Prajangha; and the former (in his turn) slew Prajangha on the edge of battle with an Acwakarna.[130] And Jambumali, mounted on a car, possessed of prodigious strength, fired with wrath, with all the access of force derived from his car, wounded Hanuman between his paps. Thereat, getting at his car, Hanuman--son unto the Wind-god--with a slap speedily crushed his adversary's vehicle along with the Raksha. Then the terrific Pratapana, roaring, rushed at Nala; and thereat Nala, with his body pierced with sharp shafts by that swift-handed Raksha, plucked out Pratapana's eyes, and cast them to the earth. And that lord of monkeys, Sugriva, with a _Saptaparna_[131] swiftly slew Praghasa, who appeared to be devouring up the troops. And, tormenting the Rakshasa of dreadful form with a shower of shafts, Lakshmana slew Virupaksha with a single arrow. And the irrepressible Agniketu, the Rakshasa Ragmiketu, Mitraghna and Yajnakopa, with their arrows rendered Rama aflame. Thereat, Rama, growing wroth, in battle severed the heads of those four by means of four shafts, dreadful, and resembling the tongues of a flame. And Vajramushti was slain in conflict by Mainda with a clenched fist; and down came he to the ground along with his car and horses, like a turret toppling (headlong). And Nikumbha in fight wounded Nila resembling a mass of blue collyrium, with sharpened shafts,--as the Sun pierceth clouds with his rays. Again with an hundred arrows, that light-handed night-ranger pierced Nila in the field; and Nikumbha laughed thereat. At this, even as Vishnu did in battle, Nila with a wheel of his[132] car, cut off in conflict Nikumbha's head together with that of his charioteer. And Dwivida, possessed of the touch of the Vajra and thunder-bolt, in the presence of the entire Rakshasa host hurled a mountain-peak at him that was endowed with the splendour of the thunder-bolt. And Acaniprabha in encounter pierced that foremost of monkeys, Dwivida, with shafts resembling thunder-bolts. Thereat, beside himself with wrath, with his entire body wounded with arrows, Dwivida with a _sala_ destroyed Acaniprabha along with his car and horses. And Vidyunmali, mounted on a car, assailed Sushena with shafts decked with gold, and began to shout momentarily. Seeing him mounted on his car, Sushena--best of monkeys--taking up a huge crag, swiftly brought his car down to the ground. Thereat, endowed with lightness, that night-ranger, Vidyunmali, at once extricating himself from his car, stood on the ground with a mace in his hand. Thereupon, that foremost of monkeys, Sushena, growing furious, taking up a gigantic crag, rushed at the night-ranger. And as he was descending, the night-ranger, Vidyunmali, with his mace swiftly hit at the breast of Sushena--greatest of monkeys. Thereat, without thinking at all of the terrific hit of the mace, that best of monkeys in mighty conflict brought down that[133] upon his[134] head. And, assailed with the crag, the night-ranger, Vidyunmali, having his chest crushed, fell down to the earth, deprived of life. And, like the celestials warring against the Daityas, the heroic monkeys warred on and confounded the valiant rangers of the night. And frightful was the field of battle, with darts, and other arms; and clubs, and javelins, and lances, and other weapons; and with broken cars, and war-horses, and mad horses slain, and monkeys and Rakshasas; and wheels and _akshas_,[135] and yokes and standards,--broken and scattered over the ground; and swarms of jackals began to range on all sides of the monkeys and the Rakshasas; and _Kavandhas_[136] began to rise in that terrific encounter, resembling the encounter of the gods and the Asuras. Thus destroyed by the foremost of monkeys, the rangers of night, beyond themselves with the smell of blood,--eagerly wishing for the setting of the Sun,[137] again made active preparations for a renewal of the fight.

[129] Siva, fabled to have three eyes.--T.

[130] A kind of tree.

[131] A tree.

[132] _Nikumbha's._

[133] The crag, which he had at first hit.--T.

[134] _Vidyunmali's._

[135] A part of a wheel.

[136] Spectres having bodies without heads.

[137] This was because, as intelligently remarks Ramanuja, night-rangers
grow powerful _at night_.--T.