Summary
Akampana enters the battle-field and assails the monkeys with his bow and arrows. Then, Hanuman comes to the rescue of the monkeys. A great fight ensued between Akampana and Hanuman. Hanuman strikes the head of Akampana with a huge tree and Akampana dies. All the demons take to their heels and return to Lanka.
Chapter [Sarga] 56 in Detail
tad dristvaa sumahat karma kritam vaanara sattamaih |
krodham aahaarayaam aasa yudhi tiivram akampanah || 6-56-1
Seeing that very great exploit executed by the chiefs of monkeys in the battle, Akampana was seized with a fierce anger.
krodha muurchita ruupas tu dhnuvan parama kaarmukam |
dristvaa tu karma shatruunaam saarathim vaakyam abraviit || 6-56-2
Witnessing that work of the enemies, his features were distorted by anger and brandishing his powerful bow, Akampana addressed his charioteer in these words.
tatra eva taavat tvaritam ratham praapaya saarathe |
ete atra bahavo ghnanti subahuun raaksasaan rane || 6-56-3
"Drive the chariot quickly to that place, for, those monkeys are killing innumerable demons on the battle field."
ete atra balavanto hi bhiima kaayaash ca vaanaraah |
druma shaila praharanaas tisthanti pramukhe mama || 6-56-4
"Those arrogant monkeys of terrific ferocity, armed with trees and rocks, dare to affront [confront] me here."
etaan nihantum icchaami samara shlaaghino hy aham |
etaih pramathitam sarvam drishyate raaksasam balam || 6-56-5
"I wish to kill those audacious [adventurous] monkeys, who are seen harassing all the army of demons."
tatah prajavita ashvena rathena rathinaam varah |
hariin abhyahanat krodhaat shara jaalair akampanah || 6-56-6
Thereafter, in his chariot, drawn by fast-moving horses, Akampana the most skillful of chariot-warriors, with a hail of darts, assailed the monkeys from a distance.
na sthaatum vaanaraah shekuh kim punar yoddhum aahave |
akampana sharair bhagnaah sarva;eva pradudruvuh || 6-56-7
The monkeys were no longer able to maintain their formation, much less fight in the battle. All of them were crushed under the shifts of Akampana and took to their heels.
taan mrityu vasham aapannaan akampana vasham gataan |
samiiksya hanumaan jnaatiin upatasthe mahaa balah || 6-56-8
Seeing those companions, getting under the sway of death pursued by Akampana's darts, the mighty Hanuman went to their rescue.
tam mahaa plavagam dristvaa sarve plavaga yuuthapaah |
sametya samare viiraah sahitaah paryavaarayan || 6-56-9
Seeing Hanuman their great leader, all those valiant and the best of the monkeys together rallied and grouped themselves boldly round him.
vyavasthitam hanuumantam te dristvaa hari yuuthapaah |
babhuuvur balavanto hi balavantam upaashritaah || 6-56-10
Observing Hanuman's courage, those excellent monkeys took shelter in his powerfulness and became powerfulness and became powerful indeed.
akampanas tu shaila aabham hanuumantam avasthitam |
mahaa indra;iva dhaaraabhih sharair abhivavarsa ha || 6-56-11
Akampana, like Mahendra the Lord of celestials, assailed a hail of arrows on Hanuman, who remained as firm as a rock.
acintayitvaa baana oghaan shariire patitaan shitaan |
akampana vadha arthaaya mano dadhre mahaa balah || 6-56-12
Heedless of the flood of weapons that fell upon his body, the mighty Hanuman resolved in his mind to slay Akampana.
sa prahasya mahaa tejaa hanuumaan maaruta aatmajah |
abhidudraava tad raksah kampayann iva mediniim || 6-56-13
Laughing heartily, that Hanuman, the son of Maaruta the wind-god and possessing a great splendor, leapt on the demon, causing the earth to shake as it were.
tasya abhinardamaanasya diipyamaanasya tejasaa |
babhuuva ruupam durdharsam diiptasya iva vibhaavasoh || 6-56-14
As he roared burning with energy, the form of Hanuman became difficult to overpower, like a blazing fire.
aatmaanam tv apraharanam jnaatvaa krodha samanvitah |
shailam utpaatayaam aasa vegena hari pumgavah || 6-56-15
Knowing himself to be bereft of any weapon, Hanuman the excellent monkey, with a rage, uplifted a mountain quickly.
tam grihiitvaa mahaa shailam paaninaa ekena maarutih |
vinadya sumahaa naadam bhraamayaam aasa viiryavaan || 6-56-16
That valiant Hanuman, seizing a very great mountain with one hand and letting up a roar, began to spin it rapidly.
tatas tam abhidudraava raaksasa indram akampanam |
yathaa hi namucim samkhye vajrena iva puram darah || 6-56-17
Thereafter, as formerly in an encounter Indra the Lord of celestials hurled his thunderbolt at Namuchi, Hanuman rushed towards Akampana.
akampanas tu tad dristvaa giri shringam samudyatam |
duuraad eva mahaa baanair ardha candrair vyadaarayat || 6-56-18
Beholding that crag flying towards him, Akampana shattered it even from a distance by means of his great crescent-shaped arrows.
tat parvata agram aakaashe rakso baana vidaaritam |
vikiirnam patitam dristvaa hanuumaan krodha muurchitah || 6-56-19
Seeing that rocky peak shattered in the air by the demon's arrows and falling in pieces, Hanuman became mad with anger.
so ashva karnam samaasaadya rosa darpa anvito harih |
tuurnam utpaatayaam aasa mahaa girim iva ucchritam || 6-56-20
Approaching an Ashwakarna tree as large as a mountain, in the transport of rage that possessed him, that Hanuman uprooted it speedily.
tam grihiitvaa mahaa skandham so ashva karnam mahaa dyutih |
pragrihya parayaa priityaa bhraamayaamaasa bhuutale || 6-56-21
Taking hold of that Ashwakarna tree with large branches, in his great strength, Hanuman with immense delight spun it, while standing on the ground.
pradhaavann uru vegena prabhanjams tarasaa drumaan |
hanuumaan parama kruddhash caranair daarayat ksitim || 6-56-22
Then, the highly enraged Hanuman began to run with great strides, breaking down the trees by his strength and tearing up the earth with his feet.
gajaamsh ca sagaja aarohaan sarathaan rathinas tathaa |
jaghaana hanumaan dhiimaan raaksasaamsh ca padaatikaan || 6-56-23
Hanuman struck down elephants as also who rode upon them and charioteers with their chariots and the terrific infantry of demons.
tam antakam iva kruddham samare praana haarinam |
hanuumantam abhipreksya raaksasaa vipradudruvuh || 6-56-24
Seeing that Hanuman, like unto Yama the Destroyer of vital Breaths, full of wrath armed with a tree and taking off lives, the demons took of flight.
tam aapatantam samkruddham raaksasaanaam bhaya aavaham |
dadarsha akampano viirash cukrodha ca nanaada ca || 6-56-25
The valiant Akampana, beholding that Hanuman who was enraged and rushing on, sowing terror among his soldiers, was greatly perturbed and set up a mighty shout.
sa caturdashabhir baanaih shitair deha vidaaranaih |
nirbibheda hanuumantam mahaa viiryam akampanah || 6-56-26
With fourteen sharp arrows that tore the flesh, that Akampana pierced the highly valiant Hanuman.
sa tathaa pratividdhas tu bahviibhih shara vristibhih |
hanuumaan dadrishe viirah praruudha;iva saanumaan || 6-56-27
Riddled with sharp-pointed shafts, that warrior Hanuman appeared like a mountain on which a number of plants shot up.
viraraaja mahaaviiryo mahaakaayo mahaabalah |
puspitaashokasamkaasho vidhuuma iva paavakah || 6-56-28
That mighty Hanuman of great strength with a large body shone like a fire without smoke and resembled a blooming Ashoka tree.
tato anyam vriksam utpaatya kritvaa vegam anuttamam |
shirasy abhijaghaana aashu raaksasa indram akampanam || 6-56-29
Thereafter, showing a great haste in uprooting another tree, Hanuman struck the head of Akampana the General of demons.
sa vriksena hatas tena sakrodhena mahaatmanaa |
raaksaso vaanara indrena papaata sa mamaara ca || 6-56-30
Struck with a tree by that high-souled and enraged Hanuman, that demon fell down and died.
tam dristvaa nihatam bhuumau raaksasa indram akampanam |
vyathitaa raaksasaah sarve ksiti kampa;iva drumaah || 6-56-31
Seeing their leader Akampana lying lifeless on earth, all the demons trembled as the trees do during an earthquake.
tyakta praharanaah sarve raaksasaas te paraajitaah |
lankaam abhiyayus trastaa vaanarais tair abhidrutaah || 6-56-32
All those defeated warriors, throwing their arms, escaped in the direction of Lanka, terrified, pursued by those monkeys.
te mukta keshaah sambhraantaa bhagna maanaah paraajitaah |
sravat shrama jalair angaih shvasanto vipradudruvuh || 6-56-33
Their hair loosened, bewildered, their pride broken by defeat, their limbs dripping with sweat, those demons fled, blowing out their breaths.
anyonyam pramamantus te vivishur nagaram bhayaat |
pristhatas te susammuudhaah preksamaanaa muhur muhuh || 6-56-34
Mad with fear, looking back again and again and crushing each other in haste, they entered the city.
tesu lankaam pravistesu raaksasesu mahaa balaah |
sametya harayah sarve hanuumantam apuujayan || 6-56-35
When those demons had entered Lanka, all the mighty monkeys approached Hanuman and paid homage to him.
so api prahristas taan sarvaan hariin sampratyapuujayat |
hanuumaan sattva sampanno yathaa arham anukuulatah || 6-56-36
That Hanuman, of noble nature honored all those delighted monkeys, in accord with their rank and the occasion.
vinedush ca yathaa praanam harayo jita kaashinah |
cakarsush ca punas tatra sapraanaan eva raaksasaan || 6-56-37
The triumphant monkeys shouted in accord with their might and once again dragged the demons who were still alive there on the battle-field.
sa viira shobhaam abhajan mahaa kapih |
sametya raksaamsi nihatya maarutih |
mahaa asuram bhiimam amitra naashanam |
yathaiva visnur balinam camuu mukhe || 6-56-38
That great monkey, born of Maaruta having encountered and killed the demons, enjoyed the same renown as Vishnu when he overcame the mighty and terrific demon of immense power destroying his enemies in the forefront of the battle.
apuujayan deva ganaas tadaa kapim |
svayam ca raamo atibalash ca laksmanah |
tathaiva sugriiva mukhaah plavam gamaa |
vibhiisanash caiva mahaa balas tadaa || 6-56-39
Then, the troops of deities along with Rama himself, the exceedingly strong Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other monkeys and the mighty Vibhishana paid homage to Hanuman.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande satpajnchaashah sargah
Thus completes 56th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate