समीपस्थं बलाध्यक्षं खरपुत्रोऽब्रवीद् वचः। रथमानीयतां तूर्णं सैन्यं त्वानीयतां त्वरात्
He spoke to the nearby commander of the army: 'Quickly bring my chariot, and swiftly assemble the troops.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा बलाध्यक्षो निशाचरः। स्यन्दनं च बलं चैव समीपं प्रत्यपादयत्
Hearing his command, the night-dwelling commander brought both the chariot and the army near.
प्रदक्षिणं रथं कृत्वा समारुह्य निशाचरः। सूतं संचोदयामास शीघ्रं वै रथमावह
Having circumambulated the chariot, the night-dweller mounted it and urged the charioteer, 'Drive the chariot swiftly!'
अथ तान् राक्षसान् सर्वान् मकराक्षोऽब्रवीदिदम्। यूयं सर्वे प्रयुध्यध्वं पुरस्तान्मम राक्षसाः
Then Makarākṣa addressed all the rakshasas: 'All of you, rakshasas, fight ahead of me!'
अहं राक्षसराजेन रावणेन महात्मना। आज्ञप्तः समरे हन्तुं तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
'I have been ordered by the great-souled king of the rakshasas, Rāvaṇa, to slay both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa in battle.'
अद्य रामं वधिष्यामि लक्ष्मणं च निशाचराः। शाखामृगं च सुग्रीवं वानरांश्च शरोत्तमैः
'Today I will kill Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Sugrīva the monkey-king, and the monkeys with excellent arrows, O night-dwellers!'
अद्य शूलनिपातैश्च वानराणां महाचमूम्। प्रदहिष्यामि सम्प्राप्तां शुष्केन्धनमिवानलः
'Today I will burn up the great army of monkeys with showers of spears, as fire consumes dry fuel.'
मकराक्षस्य तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं ते निशाचराः। सर्वे नानायुधोपेता बलवन्तः समाहिताः
Hearing Makarākṣa's words, all those powerful and resolute night-dwellers, equipped with various weapons, prepared themselves.
ते कामरूपिणः क्रूरा दंष्ट्रिणः पिङ्गलेक्षणाः। मातंगा इव नर्दन्तो ध्वस्तकेशा भयावहाः
Those fierce, shape-shifting, sharp-toothed, tawny-eyed rakshasas, roaring like elephants, with disheveled hair, struck terror.
परिवार्य महाकाया महाकायं खरात्मजम्। अभिजग्मुस्ततो हृष्टाश्चालयन्तो वसुन्धराम्
The mighty-bodied ones, encircling the powerful son of Khara, advanced joyfully, shaking the earth as they went.
शङ्खभेरीसहस्राणामाहतानां समन्ततः। क्ष्वेलितास्फोटितानां च तत्र शब्दो महानभूत्
There arose a great sound there, from thousands of conches and drums being struck all around, and from shouts and clashing noises.
प्रभ्रष्टोऽथ करात् तस्य प्रतोदः सारथेस्तदा। पपात सहसा दैवाद् ध्वजस्तस्य तु रक्षसः
Then, the whip slipped from his charioteer's hand, and by fate, the banner of that demon suddenly fell.
तस्य ते रथसंयुक्ता हया विक्रमवर्जिताः। चरणैराकुलैर्गत्वा दीनाः सास्रमुखा ययुः
The horses yoked to his chariot, deprived of their vigor, went off with faltering steps, their faces downcast and tearful.
प्रवाति पवनस्तस्मिन् सपांसुः खरदारुणः। निर्याणे तस्य रौद्रस्य मकराक्षस्य दुर्मतेः
At the departure of that fierce and evil-minded Makaraksha, a harsh wind blew there, filled with dust and gravel.
तानि दृष्ट्वा निमित्तानि राक्षसा वीर्यवत्तमाः। अचिन्त्य निर्गताः सर्वे यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
Seeing these omens, all the most valiant rakshasas, without a second thought, went out to where Rama and Lakshmana were.
घनगजमहिषाङ्गतुल्यवर्णाः समरमुखेष्वसकृद्गदासिभिन्नाः। अहमहमिति युद्धकौशलास्ते रजनिचराः परिबभ्रमुर्मुहुस्ते
Their bodies dark as clouds, elephants, or buffaloes, repeatedly struck by maces and spears in the battle's front, those night-wandering warriors, skilled in combat, roamed about, each proclaiming his own prowess.
thumb|एकोनाशीतितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे एकोनाशीतितमः सर्गः ॥६-
Hear now the seventy-ninth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa.
निर्गतं मकराक्षं ते दृष्ट्वा वानरपुंगवाः। आप्लुत्य सहसा सर्वे योद्धुकामा व्यवस्थिताः
Seeing Makaraksha come forth, all the foremost of the monkeys leapt up at once, ready and eager to fight.
ततः प्रवृत्तं सुमहत् तद् युद्धं लोमहर्षणम्। निशाचरैः प्लवंगानां देवानां दानवैरिव
Then began a great and hair-raising battle between the night-stalkers and the monkeys, like that of gods and demons.
वृक्षशूलनिपातैश्च गदापरिघपातनैः। अन्योन्यं मर्दयन्ति स्म तदा कपिनिशाचराः
With trees, spears, clubs, and iron bars hurled down, the monkeys and night-demons crushed each other in that fight.
शक्तिखड्गगदाकुन्तैस्तोमरैश्च निशाचराः। पट्टिशैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च बाणपातैः समन्ततः
The night-demons attacked on all sides with spears, swords, maces, lances, javelins, and arrows, as well as with pattiśas and slings.
पाशमुद्गरदण्डैश्च निर्घातैश्चापरैस्तथा। कदनं कपिसिंहानां चक्रुस्ते रजनीचराः
With nooses, clubs, and other crushing weapons, the night-demons wrought slaughter among the lion-like monkeys.
बाणौघैरर्दिताश्चापि खरपुत्रेण वानराः। सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे दुद्रुवुर्भयपीडिताः
The monkeys, struck by a torrent of arrows from Khara's son, became bewildered in mind and all fled, overcome by fear.
तान् दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाः सर्वे द्रवमाणान् वनौकसः। नेदुस्ते सिंहवद् दृप्ता राक्षसा जितकाशिनः
Seeing the forest-dwellers fleeing, all the rakshasas, proud and victorious, roared like lions.
विद्रवत्सु तदा तेषु वानरेषु समन्ततः। रामस्तान् वारयामास शरवर्षेण राक्षसान्
As the monkeys fled in all directions, Rama checked the rakshasas with a shower of arrows.
वारितान् राक्षसान् दृष्ट्वा मकराक्षो निशाचरः। कोपानलसमाविष्टो वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Seeing the rakshasas checked, Makaraksha, the night-demon, blazing with the fire of anger, spoke these words:
तिष्ठ राम मया सार्धं द्वन्द्वयुद्धं भविष्यति। त्याजयिष्यामि ते प्राणान् धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैः शरैः
"Stand, Rama! Fight with me in single combat. I will take your life with sharp arrows loosed from my bow."
यत् तदा दण्डकारण्ये पितरं हतवान् मम। तदग्रतः स्वकर्मस्थं स्मृत्वा रोषोऽभिवर्धते
Whenever I remember how you killed my father in the Dandaka forest, and see you now standing before me, intent on your own deeds, my anger grows ever stronger.
दह्यन्ते भृशमङ्गानि दुरात्मन् मम राघव। यन्मयासि न दृष्टस्त्वं तस्मिन् काले महावने
My limbs burn intensely, wicked Rāghava, because I did not see you at that time in the great forest.
दिष्ट्यासि दर्शनं राम मम त्वं प्राप्तवानिह। कांक्षितोऽसि क्षुधार्तस्य सिंहस्येवेतरो मृगः
By fortune, Rāma, you have now come into my sight here; you are as eagerly desired by me, hungry for vengeance, as another animal is by a starving lion.