After Mahodara had been killed, Mahaparshva was staring at Sugreeva with eyes red from anger. With his arrows he then created a commotion among the ranks of Angada’s army. He severed the heads from the bodies of stalwart monkeys, as the wind would knock a fruit from its branch. With his arrows, he cut off the arms of some monkeys and slit open the sides of other monkeys. Tormented by the shower of Mahaparshva’s arrows, the monkeys’ faces looked despondent and they all became bewildered. Seeing his army frightened and tormented by the rakshasa, Angada exhibited his impetuosity like the ocean on a full moon day. Grabbing an iron cudgel gleaming like sunbeams, Angada threw it at Mahaparshva. Stunned by the impact, Mahaparshva and his charioteer fell unconscious from the chariot onto the ground.
Then the piqued Jambavan dashed out of his own troop, which resembled a cloud. Grabbing a huge stone as big as a mountain peak, he angrily killed the horses and then smashed the chariot of Mahaparshva. When Mahaparshva regained consciousness after a while, he once again pierced Angada with many arrows and struck Jambavan in the chest with three arrows. He also hit Gavaaksha with many arrows. Seeing Gavaaksha and Jambavan wounded by arrows, Angada angrily picked up a formidable iron bludgeon. Grasping it firmly, he brandished it fiercely with both hands, his eyes red from anger. Then he hurled that iron bludgeon, which was shining like the sun, in order to kill Mahaparshva, who was standing at a distance.
Thrown violently by Angada, that bludgeon knocked the bow and arrows from the hands of Mahaparshva, and the helmet off from his head. Quickly approaching the rakshasa, Angada angrily punched him under the ear, which was adorned with an earring. Outraged by this, the splendorous Mahaparshva grabbed with his hand a tremendous axe. The rakshasa angrily hurled that sharpened solid steel axe at Angada’s left shoulder blade. Angada in his anger dodged the axe. Angada, who was equal to his father in prowess, clenched his fist hard as a thunderbolt. Knowing the vulnerable parts of the body, Angada punched Mahaparshva in the center of the chest over the heart. Because of the impact of that fist, the rakshasa’s heart burst open and he fell down dead on the battleground. After Mahaparshva had been slain, the rakshasa army became perplexed. Meanwhile, Ravana was beside himself with rage. A very loud roar rose up from among the monkeys, who were overjoyed. Then there arose a loud clamor, like that of the gods led by Indra, which seemed to shake the city of Lanka with its rooftop patios and archways. Hearing the loud cheers of the residents of the heavenly planets and of the monkeys, Ravana, the enemy of Indra, became furious and faced the battlefield once more for an encounter.
Thus completes 98th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
