Chapter LXXVIII: Section LXXIX

Beholding Makaraksha out for battle, those foremost monkeys, leaping on a sudden, addressed themselves for fight. Thereupon ensued a terrible conflict, capable of making one's down stand on end, between the night-rangers and the monkeys like unto one between the celestials and Danavas. And those monkeys and night-rangers crushed each other down with trees, darts, maces and _parighas_. And those night-rangers began to assail those foremost of monkeys with _sakti_,[329] swords, maces, _kuntas_, _tomaras_, _patticas_, _Vindipalas_,[330] arrows, nooses and clubs. Being thus assailed with fearful arrows by Khara's son, those monkeys, stricken with fear, fled away. And beholding the monkeys fly away, the victorious Rakshasas began to roar like excited lions. The monkeys thus flying away to all quarters, Rama with a downpour of shafts assailed the Rakshasas. And beholding the Rakshasas thus overpowered, the night ranger Makaraksha, excited with the flame of ire, said,--"Stay, O Rama, let us both fight with each other; I shall take thy life with sharp arrows discharged off my bow. Thou didst slay my father in the forest of Dandaka. Remembering thy action and finding thee before, my ire is excited. O Raghava! Vicious souled one! My limbs are being burnt (with wrath) for I did not see thee then in that mighty forest. O Rama, by my good luck, I have got thee to-day, like unto a hungry lion desiring to have other animals. Being despatched by my arrows to the world of devils, thou shalt live with those heroes, who had been killed by thee before. What is the use of speaking more, O Rama, do thou hear my words. Let all the people behold thy as well as my prowess in the battlefield. Either with weapon or with clubs, in whatever thou art expert, do thou fight with me in the battle-field, O Rama". Hearing the words of Makaraksha, Rama, Dacaratha's son, smiling, replied to the words of the babbler. "O Raksha, what is the use of idle prating? None can achieve success in battle with idle words--but with fighting. I slew in the forest of Dandaka thy father with fourteen thousand Rakshasas, Tricira and Dushana. O vile one, thou being slain to day, with thy flesh, vultures and crows, having sharp beaks and nails, and jackals shall be satisfied.[331] Being thus addressed by Raghava, the mighty Makaraksha, began to dart sharp arrows towards him in the battle-field. And Rama, with his shafts, sundered into several pieces, those arrows. And being thus rendered useless those arrows, feathered in gold, fell down on the earth. Then there arose a terrible conflict between the Rakshasa Khara's son and Dacaratha's son. And there were audible in that battle-field, the outcry of the heroes and the twang of the bows stretched by their hands, like unto the muttering of the clouds in the sky. And to beheld that wondrous conflict, the celestials, Danavas, Gandharbas, Kinnaras and the mighty serpents stationed themselves in the sky. They were wounded with the arrows discharged by each other and their strength was doubled. And they began to fight in that battle-field one attacking and the other withstanding the attack. And in that conflict the Rakshasa sundered the shafts discharged by Rama. And likewise Rama severed into several pieces the arrows shot by the Rakshasa. All the quarters were covered with arrows and nothing on earth or in the sky was visible. Thereupon being excited with ire, Raghava of long arms sundered his (Rakshasa's) bow in conflict and with eight _Narachas_ pierced the charioteer. And with arrows Rama sundered the chariot and killing the horses brought them down. And the night-ranger Makaraksha was brought down on the earth from the chariot. He then again rose up with a dart in his hand creating terror unto all creatures and resembling the Fire of Dissolution in resplendence. It was a terribly huge dart conferred on him by Siva, shining in the sky in its native brilliance and like unto another weapon of destruction.[332] And 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 Raghava. And Raghava, with four shafts, sundered that dart, in the sky, flaming and hurled at him by the son of Khara. And that flaming dart, feathered in gold, being splintered into several pieces by Rama's arrows fell down on earth like a huge fire-brand. And beholding that dart baffled thus by Rama of unwearied actions all those, stationed in the welkin began to shout, "Well done! Well done!!" And beholding his dart thus sundered, the night-ranger Makaraksha clenching his fist spoke unto Kakutstha, saying, "Stay! Stay!" And seeing him advance thus, the descendant of Raghu, smiling, fixed a fiery arrow on his bow. And with that arrow the Raksha was slain by Kakutstha in battle. And having his heart pierced he fell down and died. And beholding Makaraksha thus slain all the Rakshasas, being afraid of Rama's arrows, proceeded towards Lanka. And seeing that night-ranger, the son of Khara, slain by Rama's arrows, like unto a mountain clept by a thunder-bolt, the celestials were greatly delighted.

[329] A short arrow thrown from the hand or shot through a tube.--T.

[330] An Iron spear or dart.--T.

[331] Here is another sloka, 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 thy blood shall fly
away to various quarters.--T.

[332] This refers to the weapon used by Siva for destruction--for Siva,
according to the Hindu Mythology is the God of destruction.--T.