Summary
Ravana sends Vajradamshtra, another demon to kill Rama, Sugreeva and his monkeys. Vajradamshtra and his army emerge from the southern gate where Angada, the General of the Monkeys is stationed. The monkeys had a tough fight with the demons. Angada, the leader of the monkeys strikes the terrible strong demons, chopping off their heads.
Chapter [Sarga] 53 in Detail
dhuumraaksam nihatam dristvaa raavano raaksaseshvarah |
krodhena mahataavisto nihshvasannurago yathaa || 6-53-1
diirghamustam vinihshvasya krodhena kalusiikritah |
abraviidaaksasam kruuram vajradamstram mahaabalam || 6-53-2
Hearing the death of Dhumraksha, Ravana the King of demons was possessed of anger and began to hiss like a serpent. Polluted by anger, with long and burning sighs, he addressed the cruel and mighty Vajradamshtra, a demon (as follows)
gachchhatvam viira niryaahi raaksanaih parivaaritah |
jahi daasharathim raamam sugriivam vaanaraih saha || 6-53-3
"O, warrior! Go ahead as the head of the demons and slay Rama the son of Dasaratha, as also Sugreeva and his monkeys!"
tathetyuktvaa krutataram maayaavii raaksaseshvarah |
nirjagaama balaih saartham bahubhih parivaaritah || 6-53-4
naagairashvaih kharairustraih samyuktah susamaahitah |
pataakaadhvajachitraishcha rathaishcha samalamkritah || 6-53-5
"So it be" answered the leader of the demons who was a conjurer and departed with many divisions of the army that surrounded him. With the utmost attention, he assembled teams of elephants, horses’ mules’ camels and chariots adorning them with conspicuous flags and banners and he himself was well-prepared.
tato vichitrakeyuuramukutena vibhuusitah |
tanutram cha samaavritya sadhanurniryayau drutam || 6-53-6
Adorned with colorful bracelets and a diadem, Vajradamshtra set out immediately, wielding a bow and well-covered by an armor.
pataakaalamkritam diiptam taptakaajnchanabhuusitam |
ratham pradaksinam kritvaa samaarohachchamuupatih || 6-53-7
That army-general circumambulated and ascended his chariot, duly decorated with flags and shiningly adorned with purpose.
yastibhistomaraishchitraih shlakslaishcha musalairapi |
bhindipaalaishcha chaapaishcha shaktibhih pattishairapi || 6-53-8
khadgaishchakrairgadaabhishcha nishitaishcha parashvadhaih |
padaatayashcha niryaanti vividhaah shastrapaanayah || 6-53-9
Infantry of every kind issued forth, furnished in their hands with weapons such as clubs, excellent javelins, smooth pestles, harpoons, bows, lances, spears, swords, discus, maces and sharp axes.
vichitravaasasah sarve diiptaa raaksasapungavaah |
gaja madotkataah shuuraashchalanta iva parvataa || 6-53-10
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and colored uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
te yuddhakushalaa ruudhaastomaraankuvaah |
anye laksanasamyuktaah shuuraaruudhaa mahaabalaah || 6-53-11
All those excellent demons in their resplendent and colored uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains.
tadraaksasabalam sarvam viprasthitamashobhata |
praavritkaale yathaa meghaa nardamaanaah savidyutah || 6-53-12
nihsritaa daksinadvaaraadangado yatra yuuthapah |
That whole army of demons paraded, looking as brilliant as the clouds, with lightning and sound in the rainy season. They emerged from the southern gate where the General Angada is stationed.
tesaam niskramamaanaanaamashubham samajaayata || 6-53-13
aakaashaadvighanaattiivraadulmukaa nyapatamstadaa |
vamantah paavakajvaalaah shivaa ghoraa vavaashire || 6-53-14
While those demons set forth, inauspicious portents appeared. From a cloudless yet burning sky, meteors fell. Fearful jackals, emitting their howls, belched forth flames and fire.
vyaaharanta mrigaa ghoraa raksasaam nidhanam tadaa |
samaapatanto yodhaastu praaskhalamstatra daarunam || 6-53-15
The dreadful beasts then foretold destruction of demons, who while entering the combat, stumbled miserably.
etaanautpaatikaan dristvaa vajradamstro mahaabalah |
dhairyamaalambya tejasvii nirjagaama ranotsukah || 6-53-16
Ever after seeing these portents Vajradamshtra of exceeding prowess and sharpness, shored up courage and being fond of battle, set out for the combat.
taamstu niskramato dristvaa vaanaraa jitakaashinah |
praneduh sumahaanaadaan puurayamshcha disho dashah || 6-53-17
The monkeys, burning for victory, seeing their enemies advancing, made tremendous shouts which echoed every quarter.
tatah pravrittam tumulam hariinaam raaksasaih saha |
ghoraanaam bhiimaruupaanaamanyonyavadhakaanksinaam || 6-53-18
Thereafter, a tumultuous battle ensured between the monkeys and the demons, who were cruel, of ferocious form and desirous of each other's destruction.
nispatanto mahotsaahaa bhinnadehashorodharaah |
rudhiroksitasarvaangaa nyapatandharaniitale || 6-53-19
Some warriors of great energy, coming for war, their necks, and bodies severed, fell to the surface of the earth, their entire bodies bathed in blood.
kechidanyonyamaasaadya shuuraah parighapaanayah |
chiksipurvividhaan shastraansamaresvanivartinah || 6-53-20
Some other warriors, who did not turn back in battle, with arms resembling steel, approached one another, attacking with various kinds of weapons.
drumaanaam cha shilaanaam cha shastraanaam chaapi nihsvanah |
shruuyate sumahaamstatra ghoro hridayabhedanah || 6-53-21
An extremely great and terrible noise, breaking the hearts, was heard there from trees, rocks and weapons.
rathanemi svanastatra dhanusashchaapi ghoravat || 6-53-22
shankhabheriimridanganaam babhuuva tumulah svanah |
A terrific noise of the wheel-rims of chariots and the bow, along with the tumultuous sounds of couches, kettle-drums and tabours arose there.
kechidastraani samtyajya baahuyuddhamakurvata || 6-53-23
talaishcha charanaishcaapi mustibhishcha drumairapi |
jaanubhishcha hataah kechidbhagnadehaashca raaksasaah || 6-53-24
shilaabhishchuurnitaah kechidvaanarairyuddhadurmadaih |
Some demons, leaving weapons, performed battle with their arms. The demons were beaten and their bodies made fragmented by the monkeys of fighting arrogance, with their palms, feet, fists, trees and knees. Some demons were crushed to powder with rocks.
vajradamstro bhrisham baanai rane vitraasayan hariin || 6-53-25
chchaara lokasamhaare paashahasta ivaantakah |
Tremendously frightening the monkeys in the battle by his arrows, Vajradamshtra moved himself in the battle-field like Yama the God of Death moving at the time of dissolution of the worlds, wielding a noose in his hand.
balavanto.astraviduso naanaapraharanaa rane || 6-53-26
jaghnarvaanarasainyaani raaksasaah krodhamuurchitaah |
The strong demons skilled in weaponry and wielding various kinds of weapons, killed the army of monkeys in that battle, with their increased anger.
jaghne taan raaksasaan sarvaan dhristo vaalisuto rane || 6-53-27
krodhena dvigunaavistah samvartaka ivaanalah |
The courageous Angada the son of Vali, twice possessed of anger, killed all those demons in the battle, like a world-destroying fire.
taan raaksasaganaan sarvaanvariksamudyamya viiryavaan || 6-53-28
angadah krodhataamraaksah simhah ksudramrigaaniva |
chakaara kadanam ghoram shakratulyaparaakramah || 6-53-29
The valiant Angada with his raging red eyes lifted a tree and killed all those troop of demons, like a lion killing small animals. Angada, with his prowess resembling that of Indra the Lord of celestials, brought about a terrific destroyer of the enemies.
angadaabhihataastatta raaksasaa bhiimavikramaah |
vibhinnashirasah peturnikrittaa iva paadapaah || 6-53-30
The terribly strong demons, struck by Angada there, had their heads shattered and fell down like chopped off trees.
rathaishchitrairdhyajairashvaih shariirhairariraksasaam |
rudhiraughena samchannaa bhuumirbhayakaraa tadaa || 6-53-31
The earth then appeared fearful, it being covered with chariots, conspicuous flags, horses, bodies of monkeys and demons with streams of blood flowing there.
haarakeyuuravastraishcha chatraishcha samalamkritaa |
bhuumirbhaati rane tatra shaaradiiva yathaa nishaa || 6-53-32
That battle-field, decorated with necklaces, bracelets worn on upper arm, garments and umbrellas looked like an autumnal night.
angadasya cha vegena tadraaksasabalam mahat |
praakampata tadaa tatra pavanenaambudo yathaa || 6-53-33
By the swiftness of Angada, that great army of demons there trembled then, like a cloud by the swiftness of wind.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddha kaande tripajnchashah sargah
Thus completes 53rd Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate