03.268
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
prabhūtānnodake tasmin bahu-mūla-phale vane। senāṃ niveśya kākutstho vidhivatparyarakṣata ॥03-268-1॥
In that forest, which was rich in many roots and fruits and had abundant food and water, Kākutstha stationed his army and guarded it properly. (03-268-1)
rāvaṇaś ca vidhiṁ cakre laṅkāyāṁ śāstranirmitam। prakṛtyaiva durādharṣā dṛḍhaprākāratoraṇā ॥03-268-2॥
Rāvaṇa made arrangements in Laṅkā according to the treatises. By nature, it was indeed difficult to assail, having strong ramparts and gateways. (03-268-2)
agādhatojāḥ parikhā mīnanakrasamākulāḥ। babhūvuḥ sapta durdharṣāḥ khādiraiḥ śaṅkubhiśchitāḥ ॥03-268-3॥
There were seven impregnable moats of unfathomable water, filled with fish and crocodiles, planted with stakes made of khadira-wood. (03-268-3)
karṇāṭṭayantra-durdharṣā babhūvuḥ sahuḍopalāḥ। sāśīviṣaghaṭāyodhāḥ sasarjarasapāṃsavaḥ ॥03-268-4॥
They became unassailable by the machines of Karnataka, with piles of stones, with warriors wielding pots containing venomous snakes, and with powder of resin and sap. (03-268-4)
musalālatanārācatomarāsiparaśvadhaiḥ। anvitāśca śataghnībhiḥ samadhūcchiṣṭamudgarāḥ ॥03-268-5॥
Clubs, pestles, firebrands, iron arrows, javelins, swords, and battle-axes, along with machines for slaying hundreds and maces mixed with various remnants, were present. (03-268-5)
puradvāreṣu sarveṣu gulmāḥ sthāvarajaṅgamāḥ। babhūvuḥ pattibahulāḥ prabhūtagajavājinaḥ ॥03-268-6॥
At all the city gates there were various troops, both stationary and moving, rich in foot soldiers, and filled with many elephants and horses. (03-268-6)
aṅgadas tv atha laṅkāyā dvāradeśam upāgataḥ। vidito rākṣasendrasya praviveśa gatavyathaḥ॥03-268-7॥
But then Aṅgada, having come to the gate region of Laṅkā, known to the king of the rākṣasas, entered without anxiety. (03-268-7)
madhye rākṣasakoṭīnām bahvīnām sumahābalaḥ। śuśubhe meghamālābhir āditya iva saṁvṛtaḥ॥03-268-8॥
In the midst of the many hordes of rākṣasas, the mighty warrior shone, enveloped by masses of clouds, like the sun. (03-268-8)
sa samāsādya paulastyam-amātyair-abhisaṁvṛtam। rāma-saṁdeśam-āmantrya vāgmī vaktuṁ pracakrame॥03-268-9॥
He, having come before Paulastya (Rāvaṇa) amidst his ministers, invoked Rāma's message and, being eloquent, began to speak. (03-268-9)
āha tvāṃ rāghavo rājan kosalendro mahāyaśāḥ। prāptakālam idaṃ vākyaṃ tad ādatsva kuruṣva ca ॥03-268-10॥
Rāghava, the lord of Kosala and a king of great fame, said to you: "This statement is timely; accept it and act upon it." (03-268-10)
akṛtātmānam āsādya rājānam anaye ratam। vinaśyanti anaya-āviṣṭā deśāḥ ca nagarāṇi ca॥03-268-11॥
When countries and cities come under a king who has not mastered himself and delights in injustice, overwhelmed by unrighteousness, they perish. (03-268-11)
tvayāikena aparāddhaṃ me sītām āharatā balāt। vadhāya anaparādhdhānām anyeṣāṃ tad bhaviṣyati॥03-268-12॥
It was you alone who wronged me by carrying away Sītā by force; for the killing of those others, innocent of wrongdoing, the blame will be upon you. (03-268-12)
ye tvayā baladarpa-ābhyām āviṣṭena vane-carāḥ | ṛṣayaḥ hiṁsitāḥ pūrvaṁ devāś ca api avamānitāḥ ॥03-268-13॥
Those forest-dwelling sages who were harmed before, and the gods who also were insulted, were afflicted by you when possessed by power and arrogance. (03-268-13)
rājarṣayaś ca nihatā rudantyaś cāhṛtāḥ striyaḥ। tad idaṁ samanuprāptaṁ phalaṁ tasy ānayasya te॥03-268-14॥
Royal sages have been slain, and women, weeping, have been carried away; thus, this is the result that has fully come to you for that misdeed of yours. (03-268-14)
hantāsmi tvāṃ sahāmātyaṃ yudhyasva puruṣo bhava। paśya me dhanuṣo vīryaṃ mānuṣasya niśācara ॥03-268-15॥
I shall slay you together with your ministers; fight and show yourself a man. Behold the strength of my bow, O night-roaming demon in human form. (03-268-15)
mucyatāṃ jānakī sītā na me mokṣyasi karhi cit। arākṣasam imaṃ lokaṃ kartāsmi niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ॥ 03-268-16॥
Let Jānakī Sītā be released; you will never be released by me. I will make this world devoid of rākṣasas with sharp arrows. (03-268-16)
iti tasya bruvāṇasya dūtasya paruṣam vacaḥ। śrutvā na mamṛṣe rājā rāvaṇaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ॥03-268-17॥
Hearing those harsh words spoken by the messenger, King Rāvaṇa, overcome by anger, could not tolerate it. (03-268-17)
iṅgitajñās tato bhartuś catuvāro rajanīcarāḥ। caturṣvaṅgeṣu jagṛhuḥ śārdūlam iva pakṣiṇaḥ॥03-268-18॥
Then, four night-wanderers who understood gestures of their master seized him by his four limbs like birds seize a tiger. (03-268-18)
tāṃs tathāṅgeṣu saṃsaktānaṅgado rajanīcarān। ādāyaiva kham utpatya prāsādatalaṃ āviśat॥03-268-19॥
Thus, Aṅgada seized those night-wanderers clinging to his body, sprang up into the sky, and entered the palace terrace. (03-268-19)
vegenotpatatas tasya petus te rajanī-carāḥ। bhuvi sambhinna-hṛdayāḥ prahāra-paripīḍitāḥ॥03-268-20॥
As he swiftly rose up, those night-wanderers fell to the ground, their hearts shattered and afflicted by the blows. (03-268-20)
sa mukto harmyaśikharāttasmāt punar avāpatat। laṅghayitvā purīṃ laṅkāṃ svabalasya samīpataḥ ॥03-268-21॥
He, freed from that palace rooftop, again descended, and after crossing the city of Laṅkā, arrived near his own army. (03-268-21)
kosalendram athābhyetya sarvam āvedya cāṅgadaḥ। viśaśrāma sa tejasvī rāghaveṇābhinanditaḥ॥03-268-22॥
Then, Aṅgada, having approached the lord of Kosala and reported everything, rested, honored by Rāghava. (03-268-22)
tataḥ sarvābhisāreṇa harīṇāṃ vātaraṃhasām। bhedayāmāsa laṅkāyāḥ prākāraṃ raghunandanaḥ ॥03-268-23॥
Then Raghu's descendant (Rama), with the full force of the monkeys swift as the wind, broke through Lanka's rampart. (03-268-23)
vibhīṣaṇarkṣādhipatī puraskṛtyātha lakṣmaṇaḥ। dakṣiṇaṃ nagaradvāram avāmṛdnād durāsadam ॥03-268-24॥
Then Lakṣmaṇa, with Vibhīṣaṇa and the lord of the bears in the lead, broke through the southern city gate, which was hard to approach. (03-268-24)
karabhāruṇagātrāṇāṃ harīṇāṃ yuddhaśālinām. koṭīśatasahasreṇa laṅkām abhyapatat tadā ॥03-268-25॥
Then, a crore hundred thousand monkeys with bodies reddish like elephants, skilled in battle, descended upon Lanka. (03-268-25)
utpatadbhih patadbhiś ca nipatadbhiś ca vānaraiḥ। nādṛśyata tadā sūryo rajasā nāśitaprabhaḥ॥03-268-26॥
Because of the leaping, flying, and descending monkeys, the sun then was not visible, its brilliance destroyed by the dust. (03-268-26)
śāliprasūnasadṛśaiḥ śirīṣakusumaprabhaiḥ। taruṇādityasadṛśaiḥ śaragauraiś ca vānaraiḥ ॥03-268-27॥
By monkeys who were like rice-flowers, radiant as śirīṣa blossoms, shining like the young sun, and white as arrows. (03-268-27)
prākāraṃ dadṛśus te tu samantāt kapilī-kṛtam। rākṣasā vismitā rājan sa-strī-vṛddhāḥ samantataḥ ॥03-268-28॥
O king, the rakṣasas, together with women and elders, saw the rampart reddened on all sides, everywhere, and were astonished. (03-268-28)
bibhidus te maṇistambhān karṇāṭṭaśikharāṇi ca। bhagnonmathitavegāni yantrāṇi ca vicikṣipuḥ ॥03-268-29॥
They split the jewel pillars and the spires of Karṇāṭṭa, and with force they shattered and toppled the machines, scattering them. (03-268-29)
parigṛhya śataghnīś ca sacakrāḥ sahuḍopalāḥ। cikṣipur bhujavegena laṅkāmadhye mahābalāḥ॥03-268-30॥
The mighty warriors, having seized spiked missiles with wheels, along with clods and stones, hurled them into the midst of Lanka with the force of their arms. (03-268-30)
prākārasthāś ca ye kecin niśācaragaṇās tadā। pradudruvus te śataśaḥ kapibhiḥ samabhidrutāḥ॥03-268-31॥
The night-dweller groups who stood on the ramparts, some of them, then fled in hundreds, thoroughly pursued by the monkeys. (03-268-31)
tatastu rājavacanādrākṣasāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ। niryayurvikṛtākārāḥ sahasraśatasaṅghaśaḥ ॥03-268-32॥
Then, in response to the king's command, the rākṣasas, able to take any form, went out in hordes of hundreds and thousands with distorted appearances. (03-268-32)
śastravarṣāṇi varṣanto drāvayanto vanaukasaḥ। prākāraṃ śodhayantaste paraṃ vikramamāsthitāḥ ॥03-268-33॥
Pouring showers of weapons, driving away the forest-dwellers, and clearing the rampart, they acted with great valor. (03-268-33)
sa māṣarāśisadṛśair babhūva kṣaṇadācaraiḥ। kṛto nirvānaro bhūyaḥ prākāro bhīmadarśanaiḥ ॥03-268-34॥
He, by the night-wanderers who resembled heaps of black gram, became (a rampart) once again void of monkeys, formed by those of fearsome appearance. (03-268-34)
petuḥ śūla-vibhinna-aṅgā bahavo vānararṣabhāḥ। stambha-toraṇa-bhagnāś-ca petus-tatra niśācarāḥ॥03-268-35॥
Many of the foremost monkeys, their bodies pierced by spears, fell; and there also fell night-wanderers, broken by pillars and arches. (03-268-35)
keśākeśyabhavadyuddhaṃ rakṣasāṃ vānaraiḥ saha। nakhairdantaiś ca vīrāṇāṃ khādatāṃ vai parasparam ॥03-268-36॥
A hair-to-hair combat arose between the rākṣasas and the vānaras together, as the heroes bit each other with their nails and teeth. (03-268-36)
niṣṭananto hyubhayatastatra vānararākṣasāḥ। hatā nipatitā bhūmau na muñcanti parasparam॥03-268-37॥
Groaning on both sides, there, the monkeys and demons, though killed and fallen on the ground, do not release each other. (03-268-37)
rāmas tu śarajālāni vavarṣa jalado yathā। tāni laṅkāṃ samāsādya jaghnus tān rajanīcarān ॥03-268-38॥
But Rama poured forth showers of arrows like a cloud; those arrows, reaching Lanka, killed those night-roaming beings. (03-268-38)
saumitrir api nārācair dṛḍha-dhanvā jita-klamaḥ। ādiśyādiśya durga-sthān pātayām āsa rākṣasān॥03-268-39॥
The son of Sumitra too, wielding his strong bow and overcoming fatigue, repeatedly aimed his iron arrows at the demons stationed in fortress positions and brought them down. (03-268-39)
tataḥ pratyavahāro'bhūtsainyānāṃ rāghavājñayā। kṛte vimarde laṅkāyāṃ labdhalakṣo jayottaraḥ ॥03-268-40॥
Then, by Rāghava's order, the armies retreated. After the battle was fought in Laṅkā, with the objective accomplished, victory was the outcome. (03-268-40)
