Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 76

76. Monkey Chiefs Exterminate Rākṣasa Heroes

[In a great war, Angada kills Kampana and Prajangha, Dvividha kills Sonithaksha, Maindha kills Yupaksha and Sugrīva kills Kumbha.]

When that horrifying war in which very many valorous warriors were killed was continuing, Angada who was eager to fight in a war attacked the valorous Kampana. 76.1

Kampana invited Angada for a war with him and hit him with speed with a mace with great anger before he was ready for a battle and Angada reeled. 76.2

Getting back his consciousness the lustrous Angada hurled a mountain peak and receiving that hit Kampana fell down on the ground. 76.3

After noticing that Kampana was killed in the battle, the fearless Sonitaksha rushed riding a chariot towards Angada. 76.4

He then speedily struck Angada with sharp pointed arrows which can tear up the limbs and with fire- like forms which can destroy the world. He struck with many sharp arrows by the names of Kṣura, Kshurapra, Naaraacha, Vatsatanta, Shilimukha, Karni, Shalya and Vipatha. 76.5-76.6

The famous Angada who was the son of Vali who was wounded in his limbs with his great strength crushed his terrific bow, chariot and arrows. 76.7

Then the very angry Sonitaksha holding a sword and a shield jumped from the chariot without hesitation. 76.8

When he with great speed jumped towards him, the strong Angada held him by his hand, snatched his sword and made a roar like lion. 76.9

Then that Angada cut the shoulders of that Rākṣasa with that sword from left to right. 76.10

Angada holding that large sword in his hand again and again roared and rushed towards other surviving enemies. 76.11

Then the greatly angry Yupaksha along with Prajangha attacked Angada riding on a chariot. 76.12

Meanwhile that greatly valorous Sonitaksha who was wearing golden armlets regained his consciousness and holding an iron mace rushed towards Angada. 76.13

The great hero Prajangha, along with the strong Yupaksa, with great anger rushed towards Angada with a mace. 76.14

In the middle of Sonitaksha and Prajangha, that great monkey shined like the full moon in between the two constellations of Viśākhā. 76.15

Then Mainda and Dvividha stood near Angada to protect him and also to show their skill in war. 76.16

The strong Rākṣasas with their colossal bodies retaliated and rushed in anger, wielding swords, arrows and maces, towards the monkeys. 76.17

Those three great monkey chiefs met the three Rākṣasa lords and engaged in a great war which made the hairs to stand erect. 76.18

The monkeys collected huge trees and hurled them towards the Rākṣasas but Prajangha cut all of them with his sword. 76.19

The monkeys hurled trees and rocks on the chariots and horses towards the Rākṣasas but Yupaksha chopped all of them with his flood of arrows. 76.20

The famous and valorous Sonitaksha cut off the trees hurled at him by Dvividha and Mainda by his sword in the midway itself. 76.21

Holding a huge sword capable of cutting away the vital parts of the enemy Prajangha rushed towards the son of Vali. 76.22

Then that very strong lord of monkeys seeing him coming nearby struck him with a very strong Aśvakarṇa tree. 76.23

Angada hit that hand that was holding the sword with his fist and by that blow of the son of Vali that sword fell down. 76.24

Seeing that sword fell on the ground like a pebble, the very strong Prajangha tightened his thunderbolt like fist. 76.25

When he struck the very valorous monkey chief Angada on his forehead. Angada rocked there itself for a moment. 76.26

That lustrous and famous son of Vali, after he regained consciousness using his fist made the head of Prajangha fall from his trunk. 76.27

Then Yupaksha seeing that his father's brother has been killed, with tearful eyes got down from the chariot with a sword as his arrows were exhausted. 76.28

Seeing Yupaksha rushing towards him Dvividha quickly struck him on his chest with great anger and strong one also caught hold of him. 76.29

Sonithaksha seeing that his strong brother has been caught struck the very lustrous Dvividha on his chest. 76.30

That very strong Dvividha tottered when struck but pulled off the mace of Sonithaksha and lifted him. 76.31

When this was going on the powerful Maidha came nearer to Dvividha struck Sonithaksha with his palm on his chest. 76.32

Then those violent Rākṣasas Sonithaksha and Yupaksha carried on a keen contest with those two monkeys in the battle field by pulling and over throwing them in a severe manner. 76.33

Using his nails Dvividha scratched the face of Sonithaksha and threw him on the flow with all his strength and crushed him. 76.34

Mainda the monkey chief was greatly enraged and crushed Yupaksha with his arms and Yupaksha fell down on the ground. 76.35

The army of the king of Rākṣasas was greatly perturbed when their great warriors were killed and they then turned their faces towards the son of Kumbhakarṇa. 76.36

Kumbha restored the confidence of his army which came speedily towards him and seeing the great monkeys who could succeed in their aim had thrown the chief warriors of the Rākṣasas, Kumbha did a feat which was difficult to do in the battle. 76.37-76.38

Then Kumbha who the best among archers taking his bow released several well composed serpentine arrows which can split opens the bodies. 76.39

His exceedingly great bow fitted with those arrows shined like a second bow of Indra with the illumination and splendour of Airāvata. 76.40

Drawing that arrow up to the ears he released those arrows with the golden shaft and feathers and struck Dvividha. 76.41

When Dvividha the great monkey chief having the splendour of Trikūṭa Mountain, was suddenly struck by that arrow, with feet swaying here and there he fell down throbbing. 76.42

Seeing that his brother was defeated in that great battle Mainda took a very large stone and rushed with speed to attack that Rākṣasa. 76.43

When that stone was thrown at him by the strong one, that Rākṣasa Kumbha broke it in to pieces by five shining arrows. 76.44

Then Kumbha selected another arrow resembling a serpent and having a good tip and struck the chest of the brother of Dvividha. 76.45

When that monkey chief was hit by that arrow on his vital parts, he fainted and fell on the ground unconscious. 76.46

Angada seeing that both his very strong uncles have fallen down rushed with speed towards Kumbha who lifted his bow. 76.47

Using five steel arrows and with three other sharp arrows Kumbha pierced Angada who was coming towards him, like a elephant is pierced by the goad. 76.48

Then again that valorous Kumbha pierced Angada with many more sharp arrows decked in gold with sharp and harsh tips. 76.49

That Angada the son of Vali though he was wounded with sharp arrows did not bother much and rained rocks and trees aimed at head of Kumbha. 76.50

The glorious son of Kumbhakarṇa then cut off all those trees thrown by the son of Vali and broke the stones. 76.51

Noticing that Angada was rushing towards him, Kumbha pierced his brows with his arrows, just like an elephant is attacked by flaming torches. 76.52

Since blood which was flowing covered one of his eyes, he covered his eyes dampened with blood and caught hold of a great Sāla tree which was nearby with another hand. 76.53

In the battle field he bend a little uprooted that huge tree along with his branches and held it with his hand. 76.54

While all the Rākṣasas were staring at it Angada with great speed hurled that tree which was like Mandāra mountain and was as tall as flag of Indra. 76.55

With seven sharp arrows which were capable of splitting the body Kumbha chopped of that tree and greatly perturbed Angada fell down unconscious. 76.56

Seeing that Angada had fallen down and sunk in the ocean of depression the monkey chiefs in formed the matter to Rāma. 76.57

Hearing that Angada was in great pain in that great battle, Rāma sent out monkeys under leadership of Jambavan. 76.58

Those valorous monkeys hearing the order of Rāma rushed towards Kumbha who was holding a bow in his hand. 76.59

Holding trees and stones in their hand and with blood red eyes due to great anger desirous of defending of Angada they rushed. 76.60

The enraged Jambavan, Suṣeṇa and Vegadarshi, the monkey ran up towards Kumbha the son of Kumbhakarṇa to attack him. 76.61

Seeing those very strong monkeys nearer to him Kumbha flooded and covered them with very sharp arrows similar to one stops the stream by use of a rock. 76.62

When the great monkeys reached within the ambit of his arrows, they were not able to even see him, just like a ocean cannot overstep its shore. 76.63

Seeing those troops of monkeys being tormented by a flood of arrows, Sugrīva the king of monkeys, keeping Angada his brother's son in the rear, rushed headlong towards Kumbha in the battle, as a swift as a lion would pounce upon an elephant walking along the slopes of a mountain. 76.64-76.65

Uprooting many large trees including an Aśvakarṇa tree that king of monkeys hurled them on Kumbha. 76.66

That Kumbha the son of Kumbhakarṇa cut off all those which were raining from the sky which was very difficult job using very sharp arrows. 76.67

Kumbha, who was skilled in hitting the target, with his sharp arrows like the like the horrifying Śataghni [pieces of iron spikes]. 76.68

The very strong and famous Sugrīva who saw that Kumbha had chopped off the rain of trees was not bothered. 76.69

Tolerating those arrows which hit him Sugrīva took away Kumba's bow which was shining like a rain bow and broke it all once. 76.70

Then bouncing after doing this difficult job, the very angry Sugrīva spoke to Kumbha who was looking like an elephant whose tusk is broken. 76.71

"Oh valorous elder brother of Nikumbha, your valour and speed with which you send the arrow are astounding. Both Rāvaṇa and you are equal in subjugating the Rākṣasa force and in majesty." 76.72

"Oh Kumbha who is similar to Prahlāda, Mahabali, Indra, Kubera and Varuṇa, you alone were born as strong as your father." 76.73

"Even Devas cannot win over you even when you are alone and holding a spear, Oh destroyer of enemies with long arms. Since worries cannot upset a person who has subdued his senses, exhibit your valour and see my actions in return." 76.74-76.75

"Rāvaṇa the brother of your father due to boons received by him, used to attack devas and Dānavas but Kumbhakarṇa on his part used to tolerate devas and Asuras." 76.76

"In use of bow you are equal to Indrajit and in fame equal to Rāvaṇa and so in the world of Rākṣasas you are the best in strength and valour." 76.77

"Let all the beings witness the great and wonderful fight between you and me, which would be like the fight which took place between Indra and the Rākṣasa called Śambara. 76.78

"You have already done a matchless act and due to your mastery in arrows great monkey heroes who had terrific valour have fallen down." 76.79

"Oh valorous Rākṣasa, due to your being tired after your engagement in war, you were not killed by me, due to the fear that the world would find fault with me. So after taking rest find out about my strength." 76.80

Recognizing those insulting words of Sugrīva Kumbha's luster increased like the lustre of the sacrificial fire increases when Ghee is offered to it. 76.81

Then Kumbha caught hold of the arms of Sugrīva and breathing heavily again and again like elephants in rut, they fastened their body with each other and releases flame and smoke from their faces due to their tiresomeness. 76.82-76.83

By the trampling of their feet, the earth sank down and due to their whirling movements the ocean became turbulent. 76.84

Then Sugrīva tossed Kumbha in to the salty ocean and by the swift fall there Kumbha was able to see the bottom of the sea. 76.85

Due to the falling of Kumbha in it the waters in the ocean rose equal to the height of Vindhya mountains spreading on all sides. 76.86

The very irritated Kumbha jumped up from there, threw down Sugrīva and struck him on his chest with his fist which was like a thunder bolt. 76.87

Sugrīva's armour was broken and even some blood oozed out and his cage of bones gave a counter strike to that awfully forceful fist. 76.88

The hit by the force of the fist, the pain resembled the fire bursts on the top of Mount Meru born out of burst of lightning. 76.89

Then the very strong Sugrīva, who was the foremost of all monkeys who was struck by Kumbha tightened his fist which was like a thunderbolt. 76.90

Then that valorous Sugrīva brought down his clenched fist, which shined like Sun surrounded by thousand rays on the chest of Kumbha. 76.91

Due to the forceful hit by the fist that Rākṣasa fell down exhausted, like a fire whose flame was exhausted. 76.92

That Rākṣasa who was hit by the fist of Sugrīva dropped down like the planet Mars with splendid rays falling from the sky accidentally. 76.93

When Kumbha was killed by the king of all monkeys who had very great valour, the earth, mountains and the forests trembled and Rākṣasas were greatly fear struck. 76.94

This is the end of Seventy Sixth Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.