आचक्ष्व मे महाबाहो वीर्यवन्तं निशाचरम्। राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच विभीषणः
Tell me, mighty-armed one, who is this powerful night-wanderer? Hearing Rāghava's words, Vibhīṣaṇa replied:
एष सेनापतिस्तस्य प्रहस्तो नाम राक्षसः। लङ्कायां राक्षसेन्द्रस्य त्रिभागबलसंवृतः। वीर्यवानस्त्रविच्छूरः सुप्रख्यातपराक्रमः
This is his commander, the Rakshasa named Prahasta, in Lanka, endowed with a third of the king's strength; he is powerful, skilled in weapons, and renowned for his prowess.
ततः प्रहस्तं निर्यान्तं भीमं भीमपराक्रमम्। गर्जन्तं सुमहाकायं राक्षसैरभिसंवृतम्
Then Prahasta, terrifying and of immense might, roaring and surrounded by Rakshasas, set out.
ददर्श महती सेना वानराणां बलीयसाम्। अभिसंजातघोषाणां प्रहस्तमभिगर्जताम्
A great army of powerful monkeys, whose war cries had arisen, saw Prahasta roaring as he advanced.
खड्गशक्त्यृष्टिशूलाश्च बाणानि मुसलानि च। गदाश्च परिघाः प्रासा विविधाश्च परश्वधाः
Swords, spears, lances, arrows, clubs, maces, iron rods, javelins, and various axes
धनूंषि च विचित्राणि राक्षसानां जयैषिणाम्। प्रगृहीतान्यराजन्त वानरानभिधावताम्
And also diverse bows, seized by the Rakshasas eager for victory, shone as they rushed toward the monkeys.
जगृहुः पादपांश्चापि पुष्पितांस्तु गिरींस्तथा। शिलाश्च विपुला दीर्घा योद्धुकामाः प्लवंगमाः
The monkeys, eager for battle, seized blossoming trees, mountains, and also huge, long rocks.
तेषामन्योन्यमासाद्य संग्रामः सुमहानभूत्। बहूनामश्मवृष्टिं च शरवर्षं च वर्षताम्
As they met each other, a great battle arose among them, with many hurling showers of stones and arrows.
बहवो राक्षसा युद्धे बहून् वानरपुङ्गवान्। वानरा राक्षसांश्चापि निजघ्नुर्बहवो बहून्
Many Rakshasas slew many foremost monkeys in battle, and many monkeys likewise slew many Rakshasas.
शूलैः प्रमथिताः केचित् केचित् तु परमायुधैः। परिघैराहताः केचित् केचिच्छिन्नाः परश्वधैः
Some were crushed by spears, some by mighty weapons; some were struck by iron rods, and some were cut down by axes.
निरुच्छ्वासाः पुनः केचित् पतिता जगतीतले। विभिन्नहृदयाः केचिदिषुसंधानसाधिताः
Some, breathless, had fallen to the ground; others, their hearts pierced by arrows, lay split open.
केचिद् द्विधा कृताः खड्गैः स्फुरन्तः पतिता भुवि। वानरा राक्षसैः शूरैः पार्श्वतश्च विदारिताः
Some, cut in two by swords, writhed and fell to the earth; the valiant rakshasas tore the vanaras apart at the sides.
वानरैश्चापि संक्रुद्धै राक्षसौघाः समन्ततः। पादपैर्गिरिशृङ्गैश्च सम्पिष्टा वसुधातले
And the furious vanaras, too, crushed the hosts of rakshasas all around with trees and mountain peaks upon the ground.
वज्रस्पर्शतलैर्हस्तैर्मुष्टिभिश्च हता भृशम्। वमन् शोणितमास्येभ्यो विशीर्णदशनेक्षणाः
Struck hard by fists with the force of thunderbolts, some vomited blood from their mouths, their ten eyes shattered.
आर्तस्वनं च स्वनतां सिंहनादं च नर्दताम्। बभूव तुमुलः शब्दो हरीणां रक्षसामपि
A tumultuous sound arose from the cries of pain and the roaring lion-shouts of both the vanaras and rakshasas.
वानरा राक्षसाः क्रुद्धा वीरमार्गमनुव्रताः। विवृत्तवदनाः क्रूराश्चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत्
The enraged vanaras and rakshasas, devoted to the path of valor, with faces turned and fierce, performed deeds without fear.
नरान्तकः कुम्भहनुर्महानादः समुन्नतः। एते प्रहस्तसचिवाः सर्वे जघ्नुर्वनौकसः
Narantaka, Kumbhahan, Mahanada, and the exalted ones—all these, the counselors of Prahasta, struck down the forest-dwellers.
तेषां निपततां शीघ्रं निघ्नतां चापि वानरान्। द्विविदो गिरिशृङ्गेण जघानैकं नरान्तकम्
As they swiftly fell and struck down vanaras, Dvivida slew Narantaka with a mountain peak.
दुर्मुखः पुनरुत्थाय कपिः सविपुलद्रुमम्। राक्षसं क्षिप्रहस्तं तु समुन्नतमपोथयत्
Then Durmukha, the monkey, rising again with a great tree, struck down the rakshasa with the swift hand, who stood exalted.
जाम्बवांस्तु सुसंक्रुद्धः प्रगृह्य महतीं शिलाम्। पातयामास तेजस्वी महानादस्य वक्षसि
Jambavan, greatly enraged, seized a massive rock and hurled it upon the chest of Mahanada, radiant in his might.
अथ कुम्भहनुस्तत्र तारेणासाद्य वीर्यवान्। वृक्षेण महता सद्यः प्राणान् संत्याजयद् रणे
Then Kumbhahan, mighty in valor, approached Tara and, with a great tree, instantly took his life in battle.
अमृष्यमाणस्तत्कर्म प्रहस्तो रथमास्थितः। चकार कदनं घोरं धनुष्पाणिर्वनौकसाम्
Unable to bear that deed, Prahasta mounted his chariot and, bow in hand, wrought a terrible slaughter among the forest-dwellers.
आवर्त इव संजज्ञे सेनयोरुभयोस्तदा। क्षुभितस्याप्रमेयस्य सागरस्येव निःस्वनः
Then, like a whirlpool, a tumult arose between the two armies, sounding like the immeasurable, agitated ocean.
महता हि शरौघेण राक्षसो रणदुर्मदः। अर्दयामास संक्रुद्धो वानरान् परमाहवे
With a great shower of arrows, the rakshasa, mad with battle, fiercely tormented the vanaras in that supreme conflict.
वानराणां शरीरैस्तु राक्षसानां च मेदिनी। बभूवातिचिता घोरैः पर्वतैरिव संवृता
The earth became heaped with the bodies of vanaras and rakshasas, covered with ghastly mounds like mountains.
सा मही रुधिरौघेण प्रच्छन्ना सम्प्रकाशते। संछन्ना माधवे मासि पलाशैरिव पुष्पितैः
That ground, concealed by streams of blood, shone forth as if covered in blossoming palasha flowers in the month of spring.
हतवीरौघवप्रां तु भग्नायुधमहाद्रुमाम्। शोणितौघमहातोयां यमसागरगामिनीम्
With heaps of slain heroes, shattered weapons, and great trees, with a flood of blood for its waters, it seemed to flow toward the sea of Yama.
यकृत् प्लीहमहापङ्कां विनिकीर्णान्त्रशैवलाम्। भिन्नकायशिरोमीनामङ्गावयवशाद्वलाम्
With great swamps of liver and spleen, scattered entrails like seaweed, and limbs and heads of broken bodies like grass on its banks.
गृध्रहंसवराकीर्णां कङ्कसारससेविताम्। मेदःफेनसमाकीर्णामार्तस्तनितनिःस्वनाम्
Crowded with vultures, swans, and cranes, frequented by herons and ducks, filled with froth and fat, echoing with the cries of the distressed.
तां कापुरुषदुस्तारां युद्धभूमिमयीं नदीम्। नदीमिव घनापाये हंससारससेविताम्
That river, formed from the battlefield, impossible for cowards to cross, was like a river frequented by swans and ducks after the clouds have departed.