मुसलालातनाराचतोमरासिपरश्वथैः। अन्विताश्चशतघ्नीभिः समधूच्छिष्टमुद्गराः
Armed with clubs, spears, iron rods, javelins, axes, and also equipped with machines for hurling hundreds of missiles, they stood ready with heavy maces.
पुरद्वारेषु सर्वेषु गुल्माः स्थावरजङ्गमाः। बभूवुः पत्तिबहुलाः प्रभूतगजवाजिनः
At all the city gates, battalions—both stationary and mobile—were stationed, filled with infantry, and abundant with elephants and horses.
अङ्गदस्त्वथ लङ्कायां द्वारदेशमुपागतः। विदितो रराक्षसेन्द्रस्य प्रविवेशगतव्यथः
Then Angada, arriving at the gate of Lanka, recognized and fearless, entered, known to the king of the Rakshasas.
मध्ये राक्षसकोटीनां बह्वीनां सुमहाबलः। शुशुभे मेघमालाभिरादित्य इव संवृतः
In the midst of countless, mighty Rakshasas, he shone like the sun veiled by masses of clouds.
ससमासाद्य पौलस्त्यममात्यैरभिसंवृतम्। रामसंदेशमामन्त्र्य वाग्मी वक्तुं प्रचक्रमे
Approaching the descendant of Pulastya, surrounded by his ministers, the eloquent one began to speak, delivering Rama’s message.
आह त्वां राघवो राजन्कोसलेन्द्रो महायशाः। प्राप्तकालमिदं वाक्यं तदादत्स्व सुदुर्मते
"Raghava, the illustrious king of Kosala, speaks to you, O king: Accept these timely words, O one of evil mind.
अकृतात्मानमासाद्य राजानमनये रतम्। विनश्यन्त्यनयाविष्टा देशाश्च नगराणि च
When a king, devoted to unrighteousness, is approached by one lacking self-control, both the land and its cities, seized by misrule, are destroyed.
त्वयैकेनापराद्धं मे सीतामाहरता बलात्। वधायानपराद्धानामन्येषां तद्भविष्यति
By you alone, through the forceful abduction of Sita, you have wronged me; for this, the destruction of the innocent will be upon you.
ये त्वया बलदर्पाभ्यामाविष्टेन वनेचराः। ऋषयोहिंसिताः पूर्वंदेवाश्चाप्यवमानिताः
Those forest-dwellers whom you, intoxicated by power, have harmed before—sages and even gods whom you have insulted—
राजर्षयश्च निहता रुदत्यश्चाहृताः स्त्रियः। तदिदं समनुप्राप्तं फलंतस्यानयस्य ते
Royal sages have been slain, women have been seized weeping; now, the fruit of that wrongdoing has come upon you.
हन्तास्मि त्वां सहामात्यैर्युध्यस्व पुरुषो भव। पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्यं मानुषस् निशाचर
I will slay you along with your ministers; fight, be a man! Witness the strength of my bow, O night-wanderer.
मुच्यतां जानकी सीता न मे मोक्ष्यमसि कर्हिचित्। अराक्षसमिमं लोकंकर्ताऽस्मि निशितैः शरैः
Release Janaki, Sita; otherwise, you will never be freed by me. With sharp arrows, I will make this world free of Rakshasas.
इतितस् ब्रुवाणस् दूतस् परुषं वचः। श्रुत्वा न ममृषे राजा रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः
As the messenger spoke these harsh words, the king Ravana, overcome by anger, could not endure it.
हङ्गितज्ञास्ततो भर्तुश्चत्वारो रजनीचराः। चतुर्ष्वङ्गेषु जगृहुः शार्दूलमिव पक्षिणः
Then, four night-wanderers, skilled in their master’s signals, seized Angada by his four limbs, as birds seize a tiger.
तांस्तथाङ्गेषु संसक्तानङ्गदो रजनीचरान्। आदायैव खमुत्पत्य प्रासादतलमाविशत्
Thus seized by the night-wanderers at his limbs, Angada, taking them with him, leapt into the sky and entered the top of a palace.
वेगेनोत्पततस्तस्य पेतुस्ते रजनीचराः। भुवि संभिन्नहृदयाः प्रहारवरपीडिताः
As he sprang up with speed, the night-wanderers fell to the ground, their hearts shattered, afflicted by his mighty blows.
संसक्तोहर्म्यशिखरात्तस्मात्पुनरवापतत्। लङ्घयित्वा पुरं लङ्कां सुवेलस्य समीपतः
Clinging to the palace peak, from there he descended again, leaping over the city of Lanka to the vicinity of Suvela.
कोसलेन्द्रमथागम्य सर्वमावेद्य वानरः। विशश्राम स तेजस्वी राघवेणाभिनन्दितः
Then, coming to the king of Kosala, the heroic vanara reported everything, and, welcomed by Raghava, he rested.
ततः सर्वाभिसारेण हरीणां वातरंहसाम्। भेदयामास लङ्कायाः ग्राकारं रघुनन्दनः
Then, with the full force of the swift-moving monkeys, Raghunandana broke through the gate of Lanka.
विभीषणर्क्षाधिपती पुरस्कृत्याथ लक्ष्मणः। दक्षिणं नगरद्वारमवामृद्गाद्दुरासदम्
Thereafter, Lakshmana, with Vibhishana, lord of the bears, at his side, approached the southern city gate, which was difficult to assail.
करभारुणगात्राणां हरीणां युद्धशालिनाम्। कोटीशतसहस्रेण लङ्कामभ्यपतत्तदा
At that time, a hundred thousand crores of monkeys, strong as elephants and bears, skilled in battle, attacked Lanka.
प्रलम्बबाहूरुकरजङ्घान्तरविलम्बिनाम्। ऋक्षाणआं धूम्रवर्णानां तिस्रः कोठ्यो व्यवस्थिताः
Three crores of bears, smoke-colored, with long arms, thighs, and legs hanging down, took their positions.
उत्पतद्भिः पतद्भिश्च निपतद्भिश्च वानरैः। नादृश्यत तदा सूर्यो रजसा नाशितप्रभः
As the monkeys leapt, flew, and fell, the sun was not visible, its light destroyed by the dust.
शालिप्रसूनसदृशैः शिरीपकुसुमप्रभैः। तरुणादित्यसदृशैः शणगौरैश्च वैनरैः
There were monkeys like ripe rice-blossoms, those shining like Shirisha flowers, those resembling the young sun, and tawny ones like flax.
प्राकारं ददृशुस्ते तु समन्तात्कपिलीकृतम्। राक्षसा विस्मिता राजन्सस्त्रीवृद्धाः समन्ततः
O King, the Rakshasas, women, and elders all around saw the rampart entirely covered with monkeys and were astonished.
बिभिदुस्ते मणिस्तम्भान्कर्णाट्टशिखराणि च। भग्नोन्मथितशृङ्गाणि यन्त्राणि च विचिक्षिपुः
They broke the jeweled pillars and the peaks of the gates, and scattered the broken, uprooted battlements and machines.
परिगृह्य शतघ्नीश्च सचक्राः सगुडोपलाः। चिक्षिपुर्भुजवेगेन लङ्कामध्येमहास्वनाः
Seizing engines of war, with wheels and stone balls, they hurled them with the force of their arms into the middle of Lanka, making a great sound.
प्राकारस्थाश्चये केचिन्निशाचरगणास्तथा। प्रदुद्रुवुस्ते शतशः कपिभिः समभिद्रुताः
Those Rakshasa troops stationed on the ramparts, attacked by the monkeys, fled by the hundreds.
ततस्तु राजवचनाद्राक्षसाः कामरूपिणः। निर्ययुर्विकृताकाराः सहस्रशतसङ्घशः
Then, by the king’s command, the Rakshasas, masters of illusion, emerged in thousands and hundreds, taking on terrible forms.
शखवर्षाणि वर्षन्तो द्रावयित्वा वनौकसः। प्राकारं शोभयन्तस्ते परं विस्मयमास्थिताः
Pouring showers of branches, they drove away the forest-dwellers, and, amazed, adorned the rampart.