Chapter LIV: Section LIV

Finding his own army destroyed by the might of Angada, the exceedingly powerful Rakshasa--Vajradanshtra--was overcome with rage. And stretching his dreadful bow of the splendour of Sakra's thunder-bolt, he began to shower shafts among the monkey-ranks. And the foremost among the heroic Rakshasas also, stationed on cars, furnished with various arms, warred on in the encounter. And the heroic monkeys also--foremost of their kind--with rocks in their hands, fought around in united strength. And in that conflict, the Rakshasas began to incessantly shower _ayutas_ among the flower of the monkey-army. And the monkeys,--pre-eminently valiant, and resembling mad elephants, kept showering over the Rakshasas mountain-trees and mighty rocks. And then took place a hot contest among heroic warring monkeys and Rakshasas, eager for encounter. And some, with their heads unbroken, had their arms and legs torn; and their bodies pierced with weapons, and laved with blood. And monkeys and Rakshasas lay down in the dirt,--thronged with numbers of Kankas, and vultures; and swarming with flocks of jackals. And striking affright to the timid, on the earth started up (spectral) headless trunks,--with their arms and heads torn, and their bodies torn all over. And monkeys and Rakshasas began to drop down to the earth. And the army of night-rangers, being brutally handled by the monkey-hosts, broke up at every point at the very sight of Vajradanshtra. And seeing the Rakshasas, distressed with fright and harassed by the monkeys, the powerful Vajradanshtra, with his eyes crimson-hued with choler, entered the arena, bow in hand,--frightening the monkey-forces. And he began to pierce the monkeys with straight-speeding shafts winged with Kanka feathers; And he pierced simultaneously seven, eight, nine, five, monkeys (in the field). And the exceedingly powerful Vajradanshtra, sported into a towering passion, began to cleave the docile ranks. And thereat terrified, the monkeys, with their bodies cut with arrows, rushed towards Angada, like vultures resorting to the Creator. And finding the monkey-ranks disordered, Vali's son in a rage cast his eyes on Vajradanshtra, who also was eying him. And Vajradanshtra and Angada fought fiercely with each other over and over again; ranging the field like a tiger and a mad elephant[167]. Then (Vajradanshtra) with hundreds and thousands (of shafts) resembling tongues of flames, pierced the powerful son of the monkey in the vitals. Thereupon Vali's son of mighty strength and tremendous prowess, with his body covered all over with blood, hurled a tree at Vajradanshtra. And seeing the tree in full career, the Rakshasa without betraying any agitation, severed it in pieces; and the tree, thus assailed, fell to the earth. And seeing that feat of Vajradanshtra, that foremost of monkeys, taking up a huge crag, hurled it (at his foe) and sent up shouts. And seeing this descend upon him, that powerful one, calmly leaping down from his vehicle, stood on his feet on the ground. And the crag discharged by Angada, coursing on in the field, dashed to pieces the car along with the wheels and the _Kuvara_ as well as the horses. And then the monkey, taking up another prodigious peak crowned with trees, let it alight on Vajradanshtra's head. Thereat vomitting blood, Vajradanshtra, deprived of his senses, for a moment overcome with stupor, stood embracing his mace, sighing. And then the night-ranger, recovering his senses, with his mace, in high rage hit at the breast Vali's son staying in the field. And thereupon, giving up his mace, he entered into a boxing encounter (with Angada). And hitting each other there, they both--the monkey and the Rakshasa,--began to vomit blood, and were overcome with fatigue consequent on the thrashing each sustained; and they endowed richly with prowess, appeared like Angaraka and Budha.[168] Then the exceedingly energetic Angada--best of monkeys--uprooting a tree, stood there, covered with flowers and leaves. And (Vajradanshtra) took a shield composed of ass's hide,[169] and a sword broad and sightly, covered with bells, and graced with a leathern sheath. And the monkey and the Rakshasa displayed curious and graceful movements. And attacking each other, they gave shouts, eager for victory. And with blood flowing from their wounds, they looked beautiful like blossoming Kincukas. And warring, both, overcome with fatigue, went to the ground on their knees. Anon in the twinkling of an eye, that powerful monkey--Angada--started up, with his eyes glowing,--like unto a serpent that hath been smitten with a rod. And (at length) with his stainless and sharpened sword, Vali's son, endeued with exceeding strength severed Vajradanshtra's huge head. And the graceful head of that one having his body covered with blood, cut off by the sword, falling to the ground with its eyes rolling, was severed in twain. Seeing Vajradanshtra slain, the Rakshasas, overwhelmed with fear and exceedingly agitated, in pitiful plight, with woe-begone faces and heads hung in shame,--fled towards Lanka, attacked (all the while) by the monkeys. Having compassed Vajradanshtra's destruction, the powerful son of Vali, endowed with exceeding strength, in the midst of the monkey-army experienced great joy on being honored by the monkeys, like the wielder of the thunder-bolt--the thousand-eyed (Deity)--surrounded by the celestials.

[167] _Harimattagajaviva--lit_, like a lion and a mad elephant. The
commentator however, remarks, that the contest of a lion with an
elephant is incompatible in the nature of things, for even an
elephant _dreaming_ of a lion, gives up the ghost!--T.

[168] The asterisms so called.

[169] What could this weapon be like?--T.