Sugriva's Duel with Ravana

Shloka 1 (yuddha.40.1)

ततो रामः सुवेलाग्रं योजनद्वयमण्डलम्। उपारोहत् ससुग्रीवो हरियूथैः समन्वितः ॥ 40.1 ॥

tato rāmaḥ suvelāgraṃ yojanadvayamaṇḍalam| upārohat sasugrīvo hariyūthaiḥ samanvitaḥ || 40.1 ||

Then Rama, together with Sugriva and attended by the monkey troops, climbed to the summit of Suvela, whose crest spanned two leagues around.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.40.2)

स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं तत्रैव दिशो दश विलोकयन्। त्रिकूटशिखरे रम्ये निर्मितां विश्वकर्मणा ॥ 40.2 ॥

sthitvā muhūrtaṃ tatraiva diśo daśa vilokayan| trikūṭaśikhare ramye nirmitāṃ viśvakarmaṇā || 40.2 ||

Standing there a moment, surveying the ten directions, he beheld the city that Vishvakarma had built upon the lovely peak of Trikuta --

Shloka 3 (yuddha.40.3)

ददर्श लङ्कां सुन्यस्तां रम्यकाननशोभिताम्। तस्य गोपुरशृङ्गस्थं राक्षसेन्द्रं दुरासदम् ॥ 40.3 ॥

dadarśa laṅkāṃ sunyastāṃ ramyakānanaśobhitām| tasya gopuraśṛṅgasthaṃ rākṣasendraṃ durāsadam || 40.3 ||

-- he saw Lanka, well laid out, graced with lovely groves; and there, upon the pinnacle of a gate-tower, stood the unassailable lord of the rakshasas --

Shloka 4 (yuddha.40.4)

श्वेतचामरपर्यन्तं विजयच्छत्रशोभितम्। रक्तचन्दनसंलिप्तं रत्नाभरणभूषितम् ॥ 40.4 ॥

śvetacāmaraparyantaṃ vijayacchatraśobhitam| raktacandanasaṃliptaṃ ratnābharaṇabhūṣitam || 40.4 ||

-- fanned on either side with white yak-tail whisks, shaded by a parasol of victory, smeared with red sandal-paste, adorned with jeweled ornaments --

Shloka 5 (yuddha.40.5)

नीलजीमूतसंकाशं हेमसंछादिताम्बरम्। ऐरावतविषाणाग्रैरुत्कृष्टकिणवक्षसम् ॥ 40.5 ॥

nīlajīmūtasaṃkāśaṃ hemasaṃchāditāmbaram| airāvataviṣāṇāgrairutkṛṣṭakiṇavakṣasam || 40.5 ||

-- resembling a dark blue cloud, his robes overlaid with gold, his chest still scarred where the tips of Airavata's tusks had once gored him --

Shloka 6 (yuddha.40.6)

शशलोहितरागेण संवीतं रक्तवाससा। संध्यातपेन संछन्नं मेघराशिमिवाम्बरे ॥ 40.6 ॥

śaśalohitarāgeṇa saṃvītaṃ raktavāsasā| saṃdhyātapena saṃchannaṃ megharāśimivāmbare || 40.6 ||

-- wrapped in a red robe the color of a hare's blood, he looked like a mass of clouds in the sky, tinged with the glow of evening twilight.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.40.7)

पश्यतां वानरेन्द्राणां राघवस्यापि पश्यतः। दर्शनाद् राक्षसेन्द्रस्य सुग्रीवः सहसोत्थितः ॥ 40.7 ॥

paśyatāṃ vānarendrāṇāṃ rāghavasyāpi paśyataḥ| darśanād rākṣasendrasya sugrīvaḥ sahasotthitaḥ || 40.7 ||

While the monkey chieftains looked on, and Rama himself watched, the moment Sugriva laid eyes on the rakshasa-king, he sprang up at once.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.40.8)

क्रोधवेगेन संयुक्तः सत्त्वेन च बलेन च। अचलाग्रादथोत्थाय पुप्लुवे गोपुरस्थले ॥ 40.8 ॥

krodhavegena saṃyuktaḥ sattvena ca balena ca| acalāgrādathotthāya pupluve gopurasthale || 40.8 ||

Charged with fury, courage, and strength, he leapt up from the mountain-peak and bounded onto the platform of the gate-tower.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.40.9)

स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य निर्भयेनान्तरात्मना। तृणीकृत्य च तद् रक्षः सोऽब्रवीत् परुषं वचः ॥ 40.9 ॥

sthitvā muhūrtaṃ samprekṣya nirbhayenāntarātmanā| tṛṇīkṛtya ca tad rakṣaḥ so'bravīt paruṣaṃ vacaḥ || 40.9 ||

Pausing a moment to look him over, his heart utterly fearless, treating that rakshasa as no more than a blade of grass, he spoke these harsh words:

Shloka 10 (yuddha.40.10)

लोकनाथस्य रामस्य सखा दासोऽस्मि राक्षस। न मया मोक्ष्यसेऽद्य त्वं पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तेजसा ॥ 40.10 ॥

lokanāthasya rāmasya sakhā dāso'smi rākṣasa| na mayā mokṣyase'dya tvaṃ pārthivendrasya tejasā || 40.10 ||

‘I am the friend and servant of Rama, lord of the world, O rakshasa! By the might of that prince among kings, you shall not escape me today.’

Shloka 11 (yuddha.40.11)

इत्युक्त्वा सहसोत्पत्य पुप्लुवे तस्य चोपरि। आकृष्य मुकुटं चित्रं पातयामास तद् भुवि ॥ 40.11 ॥

ityuktvā sahasotpatya pupluve tasya copari| ākṛṣya mukuṭaṃ citraṃ pātayāmāsa tad bhuvi || 40.11 ||

So saying, he sprang up at once and bounded upon Ravana; snatching off his splendid crown, he hurled it down to the earth.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.40.12)

समीक्ष्य तूर्णमायान्तं बभाषे तं निशाचरः। सुग्रीवस्त्वं परोक्षं मे हीनग्रीवो भविष्यसि ॥ 40.12 ॥

samīkṣya tūrṇamāyāntaṃ babhāṣe taṃ niśācaraḥ| sugrīvastvaṃ parokṣaṃ me hīnagrīvo bhaviṣyasi || 40.12 ||

Seeing him rushing swiftly on, the night-roaming demon said to him: ‘You were Sugriva, the fair-necked, only while you stayed out of my sight -- now you shall become the neckless one.’

Shloka 13 (yuddha.40.13)

इत्युक्त्वोत्थाय तं क्षिप्रं बाहुभ्यामाक्षिपत् तले। कन्दुवत् स समुत्थाय बाहुभ्यामाक्षिपद्धरिः ॥ 40.13 ॥

ityuktvotthāya taṃ kṣipraṃ bāhubhyāmākṣipat tale| kanduvat sa samutthāya bāhubhyāmākṣipaddhariḥ || 40.13 ||

So saying, he rose up and swiftly hurled Sugriva down to the ground with both his arms. But the monkey bounced back up like a ball and flung Ravana down in turn.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.40.14)

परस्परं स्वेदविदिग्धगात्रौ परस्परं शोणितरक्तदेहौ। परस्परं श्लिष्टनिरुद्धचेष्टौ परस्परं शाल्मलिकिंशुकाविव ॥ 40.14 ॥

parasparaṃ svedavidigdhagātrau parasparaṃ śoṇitaraktadehau| parasparaṃ śliṣṭaniruddhaceṣṭau parasparaṃ śālmalikiṃśukāviva || 40.14 ||

Their bodies drenched in each other's sweat, reddened with each other's blood, their movements locked as they grappled together -- they looked like a silk-cotton tree and a flame-of-the-forest tree grown into one.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.40.15)

मुष्टिप्रहारैश्च तलप्रहारै- ररत्निघातैश्च कराग्रघातैः। तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धमसह्यरूपं महाबलौ राक्षसवानरेन्द्रौ ॥ 40.15 ॥

muṣṭiprahāraiśca talaprahārai- raratnighātaiśca karāgraghātaiḥ| tau cakraturyuddhamasahyarūpaṃ mahābalau rākṣasavānarendrau || 40.15 ||

With blows of the fist, slaps of the open palm, strikes of the forearm, and jabs of the fingertips, those two mighty lords -- of the rakshasas and of the monkeys -- fought a battle terrible to behold.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.40.16)

कृत्वा नियुद्धं भृशमुग्रवेगौ कालं चिरं गोपुरवेदिमध्ये। उत्क्षिप्य चोत्क्षिप्य विनम्य देहौ पादक्रमाद् गोपुरवेदिलग्नौ ॥ 40.16 ॥

kṛtvā niyuddhaṃ bhṛśamugravegau kālaṃ ciraṃ gopuravedimadhye| utkṣipya cotkṣipya vinamya dehau pādakramād gopuravedilagnau || 40.16 ||

Wrestling fiercely and with terrible speed for a long while there upon the gate-tower's platform, again and again lifting one another and bending their bodies, they stayed locked together, shifting step by step across the terrace.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.40.17)

अन्योन्यमापीड्य विलग्नदेहौ तौ पेततुः सालनिखातमध्ये। उत्पेततुर्भूमितलं स्पृशन्तौ स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं त्वभिनिःश्वसन्तौ ॥ 40.17 ॥

anyonyamāpīḍya vilagnadehau tau petatuḥ sālanikhātamadhye| utpetaturbhūmitalaṃ spṛśantau sthitvā muhūrtaṃ tvabhiniḥśvasantau || 40.17 ||

Grappling and crushing each other, their bodies locked together, they fell between the rampart and the moat; touching the earth, they sprang up again after pausing an instant to catch their breath.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.40.18)

आलिङ्ग्य चालिङ्ग्य च बाहुयोक्त्रैः संयोजयामासतुराहवे तौ। संरम्भशिक्षाबलसम्प्रयुक्तौ सुचेरतुः सम्प्रति युद्धमार्गैः ॥ 40.18 ॥

āliṅ‍gya cāliṅ‍gya ca bāhuyoktraiḥ saṃyojayāmāsaturāhave tau| saṃrambhaśikṣābalasamprayuktau suceratuḥ samprati yuddhamārgaiḥ || 40.18 ||

Embracing each other again and again, they bound themselves together with the ropes of their arms in that fight; skilled in the ways of combat through fury, training, and strength, they now moved through every stratagem of battle.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.40.19)

शार्दूलसिंहाविव जातदंष्ट्रौ गजेन्द्रपोताविव सम्प्रयुक्तौ। संहत्य संवेद्य च तौ कराभ्यां तौ पेततुर्वै युगपद् धरायाम् ॥ 40.19 ॥

śārdūlasiṃhāviva jātadaṃṣṭrau gajendrapotāviva samprayuktau| saṃhatya saṃvedya ca tau karābhyāṃ tau petaturvai yugapad dharāyām || 40.19 ||

Like a tiger and a lion with fangs bared, like two young tusker-elephants locked in combat, striking and gripping each other with their hands, the two of them fell to the ground together in the same instant.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.40.20)

उद्यम्य चान्योन्यमधिक्षिपन्तौ संचक्रमाते बहु युद्धमार्गे। व्यायामशिक्षाबलसम्प्रयुक्तौ क्लमं न तौ जग्मतुराशु वीरौ ॥ 40.20 ॥

udyamya cānyonyamadhikṣipantau saṃcakramāte bahu yuddhamārge| vyāyāmaśikṣābalasamprayuktau klamaṃ na tau jagmaturāśu vīrau || 40.20 ||

Hoisting each other up and hurling one another down, they ranged through many turns of the fight; so well-trained in strength and exercise were those two heroes that they did not tire quickly.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.40.21)

बाहूत्तमैर्वारणवारणाभै- र्निवारयन्तौ परवारणाभौ। चिरेण कालेन भृशं प्रयुद्धौ संचेरतुर्मण्डलमार्गमाशु ॥ 40.21 ॥

bāhūttamairvāraṇavāraṇābhai- rnivārayantau paravāraṇābhau| cireṇa kālena bhṛśaṃ prayuddhau saṃceraturmaṇḍalamārgamāśu || 40.21 ||

Warding off each other's blows with mighty arms like elephants' trunks, each of them himself like a great tusker, having fought on fiercely for a long while, they now circled swiftly around the arena.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.40.22)

तौ परस्परमासाद्य यत्तावन्योन्यसूदने। मार्जाराविव भक्षार्थेऽवतस्थाते मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ 40.22 ॥

tau parasparamāsādya yattāvanyonyasūdane| mārjārāviva bhakṣārthe'vatasthāte muhurmuhuḥ || 40.22 ||

Closing upon each other, each intent on the other's destruction, they stood facing off again and again, like two cats crouched over a piece of meat.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.40.23)

मण्डलानि विचित्राणि स्थानानि विविधानि च। गोमूत्रकाणि चित्राणि गतप्रत्यागतानि च ॥ 40.23 ॥

maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi sthānāni vividhāni ca| gomūtrakāṇi citrāṇi gatapratyāgatāni ca || 40.23 ||

Wondrous circling maneuvers, varied stances, curious zigzagging paths, advances and retreats --

Shloka 24 (yuddha.40.24)

तिरश्चीनगतान्येव तथा वक्रगतानि च। परिमोक्षं प्रहाराणां वर्जनं परिधावनम् ॥ 40.24 ॥

tiraścīnagatānyeva tathā vakragatāni ca| parimokṣaṃ prahārāṇāṃ varjanaṃ paridhāvanam || 40.24 ||

-- sidelong steps and twisting turns, the launching of blows, the dodging of them, and running circles around one another --

Shloka 25 (yuddha.40.25)

अभिद्रवणमाप्लावमवस्थानं सविग्रहम्। परावृत्तमपावृत्तमपद्रुतमवप्लुतम् ॥ 40.25 ॥

abhidravaṇamāplāvamavasthānaṃ savigraham| parāvṛttamapāvṛttamapadrutamavaplutam || 40.25 ||

-- charging forward, leaping, standing braced for the clash, wheeling about, turning aside, falling back, and springing down --

Shloka 26 (yuddha.40.26)

उपन्यस्तमपन्यस्तं युद्धमार्गविशारदौ। तौ विचेरतुरन्योन्यं वानरेन्द्रश्च रावणः ॥ 40.26 ॥

upanyastamapanyastaṃ yuddhamārgaviśāradau| tau viceraturanyonyaṃ vānarendraśca rāvaṇaḥ || 40.26 ||

-- feinting a blow and withdrawing it -- skilled as they both were in every stratagem of combat, the king of monkeys and Ravana circled and countered each other in every one of these ways.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.40.27)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रक्षो मायाबलमथात्मनः। आरब्धुमुपसम्पेदे ज्ञात्वा तं वानराधिपः ॥ 40.27 ॥

etasminnantare rakṣo māyābalamathātmanaḥ| ārabdhumupasampede jñātvā taṃ vānarādhipaḥ || 40.27 ||

Meanwhile, the rakshasa resolved to resort to his own power of illusion; but the lord of the monkeys, perceiving this,

Shloka 28 (yuddha.40.28)

उत्पपात तदाऽऽकाशं जितकाशी जितक्लमः। रावणः स्थित एवात्र हरिराजेन वञ्चितः ॥ 40.28 ॥

utpapāta tadā''kāśaṃ jitakāśī jitaklamaḥ| rāvaṇaḥ sthita evātra harirājena vañcitaḥ || 40.28 ||

then sprang up into the sky at once, triumphant and free of all fatigue; and Ravana was left standing there alone, outwitted by the king of monkeys.

Shloka 29 (yuddha.40.29)

अथ हरिवरनाथः प्राप्तसंग्रामकीर्ति- र्निशिचरपतिमाजौ योजयित्वा श्रमेण। गगनमतिविशालं लङ्घयित्वार्कसूनु- र्हरिगणबलमध्ये रामपार्श्वं जगाम ॥ 40.29 ॥

atha harivaranāthaḥ prāptasaṃgrāmakīrti- rniśicarapatimājau yojayitvā śrameṇa| gaganamativiśālaṃ laṅghayitvārkasūnu- rharigaṇabalamadhye rāmapārśvaṃ jagāma || 40.29 ||

Then that foremost lord of monkeys, his fame won in the encounter, having worn down the lord of the night-wanderers with fatigue -- the Sun's own son -- crossed the vast expanse of sky and came to Rama's side amid the ranks of the monkey host.

Shloka 30 (yuddha.40.30)

इति स सवितृसूनुस्तत्र तत् कर्म कृत्वा पवनगतिरनीकं प्राविशत् सम्प्रहृष्टः। रघुवरनृपसूनोर्वर्धयन् युद्धहर्षं तरुमृगगणमुख्यैः पूज्यमानो हरीन्द्रः ॥ 40.30 ॥

iti sa savitṛsūnustatra tat karma kṛtvā pavanagatiranīkaṃ prāviśat samprahṛṣṭaḥ| raghuvaranṛpasūnorvardhayan yuddhaharṣaṃ tarumṛgagaṇamukhyaiḥ pūjyamāno harīndraḥ || 40.30 ||

Thus the Sun's own son, having accomplished that great feat, swift as the wind, entered the army full of delight, kindling still further the battle-eagerness of the noblest prince of Raghu's line -- that lord of monkeys, honored by the chiefs of the monkey and bear hosts.