Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 96

96. Sugrīva Kills Virūpākṣa

[When Virūpākṣa the powerful minister of Rāvaṇa starts attacking the monkeys, Sugrīva with his monkey chiefs fights with him and after a horrific battle kills him.]

There the earth became strewn with the bodies of monkeys killed by the arrows of the ten necked one. 96.1

The monkeys could not tolerate the shower of arrows that were sent by Rāvaṇa just like moths cannot bear the burning fire. 96.2

They who were hit by those sharp arrows started running away just as the elephants would run away if enveloped by fire in the forest. 96.3

Rāvaṇa was marching ahead in the battle field blowing away the monkeys, similar to wind blowing away large clouds. 96.4

After destroying monkeys by his great strength in the battle, Rāvaṇa speedily approached Rāma in the battle field. 96.5

Noticing that the monkeys were running away, after putting his army in charge of Sushena, Sugrīva started taking interest in the fight. 96.6

Keeping Sushena the valorous monkey who was equal to himself, in charge of his army, taking a tree as his weapon Sugrīva marched towards his enemy. 96.7

Taking hold of huge mountains and various kinds of trees those monkey chiefs followed Sugrīva by his side and also behind him. 96.8

That Sugrīva roared in the battle field creating a huge sound, striking blows, he crushed various chief of Rākṣasas. 96.9

The huge bodied Sugrīva smashed several Rākṣasas similar to grown up trees are smashed by wind at time of deluge. 96.10

Sugrīva rained stones on the army of Rākṣasas similar to clouds showering hail stones on the birds in the forest. 96.11

While those Rākṣasas who were defeated by Sugrīva, fell on the floor and then roared and got diminished in number from all sides, the indomitable Virūpākṣa the Rākṣasa, holding a bow, pronouncing his name by himself, descended from his chariot and mounted the on back of an elephant. 96.12-96.14

Virūpākṣa who was a great hero ascended on an elephant and roared with huge sound and then rushed towards the monkeys. 96.15

He then attacked Sugrīva who was in the front with various horrible arrows and established himself as one encouraging the Rākṣasas. 96.16

When Sugrīva was struck severely with sharp arrows of that Rākṣasa, he roared loudly and with great anger decided to kill that Rākṣasa. 96.17

That valorous monkey who was great fighter, uprooted a huge tree and going near to the Rākṣasa and hit that huge elephant with it on its face. 96.18

When Sugrīva hit that huge elephant it receded to a distance of the length of a bow, sank down and also roared. 96.19

That valorous Rākṣasa, got down quickly from that wounded elephant and advanced speedily towards that monkey Sugrīva who was his enemy holding a sword and a shield made of hide of a bull but Sugrīva in spite of being threatened stood firm. 96.20-96.21

He who became greatly enraged and took a very huge rock which was as big as a cloud and threw it on Virūpākṣa. 96.22

Seeing that rock was falling on him that great and valorous Rākṣasa receded away and struck Sugrīva with his sword. 96.23

When that angry Sugrīva was wounded by that sword in the battle, he fell down unconscious for a moment in that battle field. 96.24

Then getting up suddenly that Sugrīva tightened his fist and with great speed brought it down on that Rākṣasa in that great battle. 96.25

When that Rākṣasa Virūpākṣa was struck by the fist, he became angry and using his sword and the armour made Sugrīva fall in the battle field. Sugrīva then fell down. 96.26

Getting up after he has fallen down that monkey gave a huge slap to the Rākṣasa which gave a sound like thunder. 96.27

Freed of the effects of that great slap of Sugrīva, that Rākṣasa with great skill Struck him on the chest with his fist. 96.28

That king of the monkeys Sugrīva became greatly angry seeing that Rākṣasa had escaped the effect of his slap. 96.29

That monkey then found out an opportunity to hit Virūpākṣa and then gave another great slap on his temple-bone. 96.30

Stuck down by the slap which was similar to thunder of Lord Indra, Virūpākṣa fell on the ground with blood oozing out of all his nine apertures, just like water rushes out of a spring. 96.31-96.32

The monkeys saw that very angry Virūpākṣa, completely coated with blood and transformed in to one with very ugly eyes. 96.33

The monkeys saw their enemy drenched in blood and turning to and fro and throbbing on his sides. He was also roaring pitiably. 96.34

Confronting together in that battle-field in that way, those two violent and terrific armies which were as broad as oceans, of monkeys and Rākṣasas and both roared like two large oceans which had burst their bounds. 96.35

Seeing that Rākṣasa with ugly eyes killed by the very strong king of monkeys, the army of monkeys and Rākṣasas together looked like the river Ganga which is agitated. 96.36

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