नानारत्नपरिक्षिप्तं रत्नस्तम्भैर्विराजितम्। जाम्बूनदमयैश्चैव सहस्रकलशैर्वृतम्
Encircled with various gems, shining with jewel-encrusted pillars, and covered with a thousand golden pitchers.
तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाः सर्वे विस्मयं परमं गताः। तं दृष्ट्वा सहसोत्थाय रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः
Seeing it, all the rakshasas were struck with utmost wonder; and seeing it, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, rose up at once.
कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम्। द्रुतं सूतसमायुक्तं युक्ताष्टतुरगं रथम्। आरुरोह तदा भीमं दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा
He mounted that formidable chariot, blazing with his own splendor, resembling a million suns, shining like fire, yoked with eight horses and joined with the charioteer.
ततः प्रयातः सहसा राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्वृतः। रावणः सत्त्वगाम्भीर्याद् दारयन्निव मेदिनीम्
Then Ravana, suddenly setting out, surrounded by many rakshasas, advanced with such gravity of spirit as if he were rending the earth.
ततश्चासीन्महानादस्तूर्याणां च ततस्ततः। मृदङ्गैः पटहैः शङ्खैः कलहैः सह रक्षसाम्
There arose a great tumult of drums, again and again, with mridangas, patahas, conches, and the clamor of the rakshasas.
आगतो रक्षसां राजा छत्रचामरसंयुतः। सीतापहारी दुर्वृत्तो ब्रह्मघ्नो देवकण्टकः। योद्धुं रघुवरेणेति शुश्रुवे कलहध्वनिः
The king of the rakshasas arrived, attended by parasol and fans—he who stole Sita, wicked in conduct, slayer of Brahmins, affliction of the gods; and the tumultuous sound was heard: 'He comes to fight with the best of the Raghus!'
तेन नादेन महता पृथिवी समकम्पत। तं शब्दं सहसा श्रुत्वा वानरा दुद्रुवुर्भयात्
By that great noise the earth trembled; and hearing that sound suddenly, the monkeys fled in fear.
रावणस्तु महाबाहुः सचिवैः परिवारितः। आजगाम महातेजा जयाय विजयं प्रति
But Ravana, mighty-armed and surrounded by his counselors, came forth, blazing in splendor, seeking victory in battle.
रावणेनाभ्यनुज्ञातौ महापार्श्वमहोदरौ। विरूपाक्षश्च दुर्धर्षो रथानारुरुहुस्तदा
Then, at Ravana's command, Mahaparsva and Mahodara, and the formidable Virupaksha, mounted their chariots.
ते तु हृष्टाभिनर्दन्तो भिन्दन्त इव मेदिनीम्। नादं घोरं विमुञ्चन्तो निर्ययुर्जयकाङ्क्षिणः
Those, exulting, roaring, as if splitting the earth, uttering dreadful sounds, sallied forth, eager for victory.
ततो युद्धाय तेजस्वी रक्षोगणबलैर्वृतः। निर्ययावुद्यतधनुः कालान्तकयमोपमः
Then he, radiant, surrounded by the forces of the rakshasa hosts, went out to battle, bow raised, resembling Death at the end of time.
ततः प्रजविताश्वेन रथेन स महारथः। द्वारेण निर्ययौ तेन यत्र तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
Then that great chariot-warrior, with his swift horses, went out by the gate where Rama and Lakshmana were.
ततो नष्टप्रभः सूर्यो दिशश्च तिमिरावृताः। द्विजाश्च नेदुर्घोराश्च संचचाल च मेदिनी
Then the sun lost its brilliance, the quarters were enveloped in darkness, the twice-born uttered ominous cries, and the earth trembled.
ववर्ष रुधिरं देवश्चस्खलुश्च तुरंगमाः। ध्वजाग्रे न्यपतद् गृध्रो विनेदुश्चाशिवं शिवाः
Blood rained from the sky, the horses stumbled, a vulture fell upon the banner's crest, and jackals howled inauspiciously.
नयनं चास्फुरद् वामं वामो बाहुरकम्पत। विवर्णवदनश्चासीत् किंचिदभ्रश्यत स्वनः
His left eye throbbed, his left arm quivered, his face became pale, and his voice faltered slightly.
ततो निष्पततो युद्धे दशग्रीवस्य रक्षसः। रणे निधनशंसीनि रूपाण्येतानि जज्ञिरे
Then, as the ten-headed rakshasa went forth to battle, these omens appeared, foretelling death in the fight.
अन्तरिक्षात् पपातोल्का निर्घातसमनिःस्वना। विनेदुरशिवा गृध्रा वायसैरभिमिश्रिताः
A meteor fell from the sky with a thunderous sound; vultures, mingled with crows, howled ominously.
एतानचिन्तयन् घोरानुत्पातान् समवस्थितान्। निर्ययौ रावणो मोहाद् वधार्थं कालचोदितः
Disregarding these terrible omens that had arisen, Ravana, deluded and impelled by fate, went out to his death.
तेषां तु रथघोषेण राक्षसानां महात्मनाम्। वानराणामपि चमूर्युद्धायैवाभ्यवर्तत
At the sound of the chariots of those great rakshasas, the army of monkeys also advanced for battle.
तेषां तु तुमुलं युद्धं बभूव कपिरक्षसाम्। अन्योन्यमाह्वयानानां क्रुद्धानां जयमिच्छताम्
Then there was a tumultuous battle between the monkeys and rakshasas, as they, enraged and eager for victory, challenged each other.
ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः शरैः काञ्चनभूषणैः। वानराणामनीकेषु चकार कदनं महत्
Then the ten-headed one, enraged, wrought great slaughter among the ranks of the monkeys with his arrows adorned with gold.
निकृत्तशिरसः केचिद् रावणेन वलीमुखाः। केचिद् विच्छिन्नहृदयाः केचिच्छ्रोत्रविवर्जिताः
Some, their heads severed by Rāvaṇa at the front lines; some, their hearts cut asunder; some, deprived of their ears—
निरुच्छ्वासा हताः केचित् केचित् पार्श्वेषु दारिताः। केचिद् विभिन्नशिरसः केचिच्चक्षुर्विनाकृताः
Some lay dead, their breath gone; some were torn at the sides; some, their heads split open; some, deprived of their eyes—
दशाननः क्रोधविवृत्तनेत्रो यतो यतोऽभ्येति रथेन संख्ये। ततस्ततस्तस्य शरप्रवेगं सोढुं न शेकुर्हरियूथपास्ते
Wherever the ten-headed one, his eyes wide with rage, advanced in his chariot on the battlefield, there the monkey chiefs could not withstand the force of his arrows.
thumb|षण्णवतितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे द्विनवतितमः सर्गः ॥६-
Hear now the ninety-sixth sarga (canto) in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa.
तथा तैः कृत्तगात्रैस्तु दशग्रीवेण मार्गणैः। बभूव वसुधा तत्र प्रकीर्णा हरिभिस्तदा
Thus, with their bodies wounded by the arrows of the ten-necked one, the earth there became strewn with monkeys.
रावणस्याप्रसह्यं तं शरसम्पातमेकतः। न शेकुः सहितुं दीप्तं पतङ्गा ज्वलनं यथा
The monkeys could not endure, even for a moment, the fierce, unstoppable shower of Rāvaṇa’s arrows, just as moths cannot withstand blazing fire.
तेऽर्दिता निशितैर्बाणैः क्रोशन्तो विप्रदुद्रुवुः। पावकार्चिः समाविष्टा दह्यमाना यथा गजाः
Struck by sharp arrows, they cried out and fled in all directions, like elephants set ablaze by a mass of flames.
प्लवंगानामनीकानि महाभ्राणीव मारुतः। संययौ समरे तस्मिन् विधमन् रावणः शरैः
Rāvaṇa, scattering the monkey battalions with his arrows in that battle, moved among them like the wind dispersing great clouds.
कदनं तरसा कृत्वा राक्षसेन्द्रो वनौकसाम्। आससाद ततो युद्धे त्वरितं राघवं रणे
Having swiftly wrought carnage among the forest-dwellers, the lord of the rākṣasas then hastened in battle to confront Rāghava.