The Slaying of Dhumraksha

Shloka 1 (yuddha.52.1)

धूम्राक्षं प्रेक्ष्य निर्यान्तं राक्षसं भीमविक्रमम्। विनेदुर्वानराः सर्वे प्रहृष्टा युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ 52.1 ॥

dhūmrākṣaṃ prekṣya niryāntaṃ rākṣasaṃ bhīmavikramam| vinedurvānarāḥ sarve prahṛṣṭā yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ || 52.1 ||

Beholding that demon of terrible prowess, Dhumraksha, advancing, all the monkeys, longing for battle, roared aloud in joy.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.52.2)

तेषां सुतुमुलं युद्धं संजज्ञे कपिरक्षसाम्। अन्योन्यं पादपैर्घोरैर्निघ्नतां शूलमुद्गरैः ॥ 52.2 ॥

teṣāṃ sutumulaṃ yuddhaṃ saṃjajñe kapirakṣasām| anyonyaṃ pādapairghorairnighnatāṃ śūlamuda‍garaiḥ || 52.2 ||

Then a wildly tumultuous battle broke out between the monkeys and the demons, each side slaying the other with terrible trees, spears, and hammers.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.52.3)

राक्षसैर्वानरा घोरा विनिकृत्ताः समन्ततः। वानरै राक्षसाश्चापि द्रुमैर्भूमिसमीकृताः ॥ 52.3 ॥

rākṣasairvānarā ghorā vinikṛttāḥ samantataḥ| vānarai rākṣasāścāpi drumairbhūmisamīkṛtāḥ || 52.3 ||

The fearsome monkeys were being cut down on every side by the demons, while the demons in turn were being leveled to the earth by the monkeys wielding trees.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.52.4)

राक्षसास्त्वभिसंक्रुद्धा वानरान् निशितैः शरैः। विव्यधुर्घोरसंकाशैः कङ्कपत्रैरजिह्मगैः ॥ 52.4 ॥

rākṣasāstvabhisaṃkruddhā vānarān niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ| vivyadhurghorasaṃkāśaiḥ kaṅkapatrairajihmagaiḥ || 52.4 ||

The furious demons, for their part, pierced the monkeys with sharp, dreadful arrows, fledged with heron feathers, flying straight to their mark.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.52.5)

ते गदाभिश्च भीमाभिः पट्टिशैः कूटमुद्गरैः। घोरैश्च परिघैश्चित्रैस्त्रिशूलैश्चापि संश्रितैः ॥ 52.5 ॥

te gadābhiśca bhīmābhiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ kūṭamuda‍garaiḥ| ghoraiśca parighaiścitraistriśūlaiścāpi saṃśritaiḥ || 52.5 ||

Torn asunder by the demons’ terrible maces, pikes, hammers, dreadful iron bars, and richly wrought tridents,

Shloka 6 (yuddha.52.6)

विदार्यमाणा रक्षोभिर्वानरास्ते महाबलाः। अमर्षजनितोद्धर्षाश्चक्रुः कर्माण्यभीतवत् ॥ 52.6 ॥

vidāryamāṇā rakṣobhirvānarāste mahābalāḥ| amarṣajanitoddharṣāścakruḥ karmāṇyabhītavat || 52.6 ||

those mighty monkeys, roused to fierce excitement by their fury, fought on undaunted.

Shloka 7 (yuddha.52.7)

शरनिर्भिन्नगात्रास्ते शूलनिर्भिन्नदेहिनः। जगृहुस्ते द्रुमांस्तत्र शिलाश्च हरियूथपाः ॥ 52.7 ॥

śaranirbhinnagātrāste śūlanirbhinnadehinaḥ| jagṛhuste drumāṃstatra śilāśca hariyūthapāḥ || 52.7 ||

Their bodies pierced by tridents, their limbs shattered by arrows, those chieftains of the monkey host seized trees and boulders there to continue the fight.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.52.8)

ते भीमवेगा हरयो नर्दमानास्ततस्ततः। ममन्थू राक्षसान् वीरान् नामानि च बभाषिरे ॥ 52.8 ॥

te bhīmavegā harayo nardamānāstatastataḥ| mamanthū rākṣasān vīrān nāmāni ca babhāṣire || 52.8 ||

Those monkeys of terrible swiftness, roaring here and there, battered the valiant demons and shouted out their own names in challenge.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.52.9)

तद् बभूवाद्भुतं घोरं युद्धं वानररक्षसाम्। शिलाभिर्विविधाभिश्च बहुशाखैश्च पादपैः ॥ 52.9 ॥

tad babhūvādbhutaṃ ghoraṃ yuddhaṃ vānararakṣasām| śilābhirvividhābhiśca bahuśākhaiśca pādapaiḥ || 52.9 ||

That astonishing and terrible battle between monkeys and demons raged on, fought with rocks of every kind and trees thick with branches.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.52.10)

राक्षसा मथिताः केचिद् वानरैर्जितकाशिभिः। प्रवेमू रुधिरं केचिन्मुखै रुधिरभोजनाः ॥ 52.10 ॥

rākṣasā mathitāḥ kecid vānarairjitakāśibhiḥ| pravemū rudhiraṃ kecinmukhai rudhirabhojanāḥ || 52.10 ||

Some demons were crushed by the triumphant monkeys; others, the blood-drinking rakshasas, began vomiting blood from their mouths.

Shloka 11 (yuddha.52.11)

पार्श्वेषु दारिताः केचित् केचिद् राशीकृता द्रुमैः। शिलाभिश्चूर्णिताः केचित् केचिद् दन्तैर्विदारिताः ॥ 52.11 ॥

pārśveṣu dāritāḥ kecit kecid rāśīkṛtā drumaiḥ| śilābhiścūrṇitāḥ kecit kecid dantairvidāritāḥ || 52.11 ||

Some were torn open at the flanks, some heaped into piles by the trees, some pulverized by boulders, and some rent apart by teeth.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.52.12)

ध्वजैर्विमथितैर्भग्नैः खड्गैश्च विनिपातितैः। रथैर्विध्वंसितैः केचिद् व्यथिता रजनीचराः ॥ 52.12 ॥

dhvajairvimathitairbhagnaiḥ khaḍgaiśca vinipātitaiḥ| rathairvidhvaṃsitaiḥ kecid vyathitā rajanīcarāḥ || 52.12 ||

Their banners crushed and broken, their swords cut down, their chariots wrecked, some of those night-rangers fell into great distress.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.52.13)

गजेन्द्रैः पर्वताकारैः पर्वताग्रैर्वनौकसाम्। मथितैर्वाजिभिः कीर्णं सारोहैर्वसुधातलम् ॥ 52.13 ॥

gajendraiḥ parvatākāraiḥ parvatāgrairvanaukasām| mathitairvājibhiḥ kīrṇaṃ sārohairvasudhātalam || 52.13 ||

With mountainous tusker elephants and horses, riders and all, crushed by the monkeys’ rock-like blows, the surface of the earth lay strewn with the fallen.

Shloka 14 (yuddha.52.14)

वानरैर्भीमविक्रान्तैराप्लुत्योत्प्लुत्य वेगितैः। राक्षसाः करजैस्तीक्ष्णैर्मुखेषु विनिदारिताः ॥ 52.14 ॥

vānarairbhīmavikrāntairāplutyotplutya vegitaiḥ| rākṣasāḥ karajaistīkṣṇairmukheṣu vinidāritāḥ || 52.14 ||

Bounding and leaping with terrible speed and force, the monkeys tore open the demons’ faces with their sharp claws.

Shloka 15 (yuddha.52.15)

विषण्णवदना भूयो विप्रकीर्णशिरोरुहाः। मूढाः शोणितगन्धेन निपेतुर्धरणीतले ॥ 52.15 ॥

viṣaṇṇavadanā bhūyo viprakīrṇaśiroruhāḥ| mūḍhāḥ śoṇitagandhena nipeturdharaṇītale || 52.15 ||

With dejected faces, their hair torn loose and scattered, maddened by the reek of blood, they collapsed senseless to the ground.

Shloka 16 (yuddha.52.16)

अन्ये तु परमक्रुद्धा राक्षसा भीमविक्रमाः। तलैरेवाभिधावन्ति वज्रस्पर्शसमैर्हरीन् ॥ 52.16 ॥

anye tu paramakruddhā rākṣasā bhīmavikramāḥ| talairevābhidhāvanti vajrasparśasamairharīn || 52.16 ||

Yet other demons, of terrible prowess, in utmost fury, charged straight at the monkeys with bare palms that struck like thunderbolts.

Shloka 17 (yuddha.52.17)

वानरैः पातयन्तस्ते वेगिता वेगवत्तरैः। मुष्टिभिश्चरणैर्दन्तैः पादपैश्चावपोथिताः ॥ 52.17 ॥

vānaraiḥ pātayantaste vegitā vegavattaraiḥ| muṣṭibhiścaraṇairdantaiḥ pādapaiścāvapothitāḥ || 52.17 ||

Those demons who charged with great speed were beaten down by monkeys of even greater swiftness, felled with blows of fist, foot, tooth, and tree.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.52.18)

सैन्यं तु विद्रुतं दृष्ट्वा धूम्राक्षो राक्षसर्षभः। रोषेण कदनं चक्रे वानराणां युयुत्सताम् ॥ 52.18 ॥

sainyaṃ tu vidrutaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhūmrākṣo rākṣasarṣabhaḥ| roṣeṇa kadanaṃ cakre vānarāṇāṃ yuyutsatām || 52.18 ||

Seeing his army routed, Dhumraksha, that bull among the rakshasas, in his fury began to slaughter the monkeys still eager to fight.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.52.19)

प्रासैः प्रमथिताः केचिद् वानराः शोणितस्रवाः। मुद्गरैराहताः केचित् पतिता धरणीतले ॥ 52.19 ॥

prāsaiḥ pramathitāḥ kecid vānarāḥ śoṇitasravāḥ| muda‍garairāhatāḥ kecit patitā dharaṇītale || 52.19 ||

Some monkeys, pierced through by javelins, streamed with blood; others, struck down by hammers, fell to the earth.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.52.20)

परिघैर्मथिताः केचिद् भिन्दिपालैश्च दारिताः। पट्टिशैर्मथिताः केचिद् विह्वलन्तो गतासवः ॥ 52.20 ॥

parighairmathitāḥ kecid bhindipālaiśca dāritāḥ| paṭṭiśairmathitāḥ kecid vihvalanto gatāsavaḥ || 52.20 ||

Some were crushed by iron bars, others torn open by javelins; some, battered by pikes, grew faint and gave up their lives.

Shloka 21 (yuddha.52.21)

केचिद् विनिहता भूमौ रुधिरार्द्रा वनौकसः। केचिद् विद्राविता नष्टाः संक्रुद्धै राक्षसैर्युधि ॥ 52.21 ॥

kecid vinihatā bhūmau rudhirārdrā vanaukasaḥ| kecid vidrāvitā naṣṭāḥ saṃkruddhai rākṣasairyudhi || 52.21 ||

Some monkeys, slain in battle by the raging demons, fell blood-drenched upon the ground; others, driven off in rout, vanished from sight.

Shloka 22 (yuddha.52.22)

विभिन्नहृदयाः केचिदेकपार्श्वेन शायिताः। विदारितास्त्रिशूलैश्च केचिदान्त्रैर्विनिःसृताः ॥ 52.22 ॥

vibhinnahṛdayāḥ kecidekapārśvena śāyitāḥ| vidāritāstriśūlaiśca kecidāntrairviniḥsṛtāḥ || 52.22 ||

Some, their hearts pierced through, lay stretched upon one side; others, torn open by tridents, had their entrails spill out.

Shloka 23 (yuddha.52.23)

तत् सुभीमं महद्युद्धं हरिराक्षससंकुलम्। प्रबभौ शस्त्रबहुलं शिलापादपसंकुलम् ॥ 52.23 ॥

tat subhīmaṃ mahadyuddhaṃ harirākṣasasaṃkulam| prababhau śastrabahulaṃ śilāpādapasaṃkulam || 52.23 ||

That vast and terrible battle, thronging with monkeys and demons, blazed forth, crowded thick with weapons, boulders, and trees.

Shloka 24 (yuddha.52.24)

धनुर्ज्यातन्त्रिमधुरं हिक्कातालसमन्वितम्। मन्दस्तनितगीतं तद् युद्धगान्धर्वमाबभौ ॥ 52.24 ॥

dhanurjyātantrimadhuraṃ hikkātālasamanvitam| mandastanitagītaṃ tad yuddhagāndharvamābabhau || 52.24 ||

Sweet with the twang of bowstrings like the strings of a lute, keeping rhythm with the death-hiccoughs as its beat, that battle, resounding with its low, deep-toned music, seemed a very symphony of the Gandharvas.

Shloka 25 (yuddha.52.25)

धूम्राक्षस्तु धनुष्पाणिर्वानरान् रणमूर्धनि। हसन् विद्रावयामास दिशस्ताञ्छरवृष्टिभिः ॥ 52.25 ॥

dhūmrākṣastu dhanuṣpāṇirvānarān raṇamūrdhani| hasan vidrāvayāmāsa diśastāñcharavṛṣṭibhiḥ || 52.25 ||

Dhumraksha, bow in hand, laughing at the head of the battle, sent the monkeys fleeing in every direction beneath his shower of arrows.

Shloka 26 (yuddha.52.26)

धूम्राक्षेणार्दितं सैन्यं व्यथितं प्रेक्ष्य मारुतिः। अभ्यवर्तत संक्रुद्धः प्रगृह्य विपुलां शिलाम् ॥ 52.26 ॥

dhūmrākṣeṇārditaṃ sainyaṃ vyathitaṃ prekṣya mārutiḥ| abhyavartata saṃkruddhaḥ pragṛhya vipulāṃ śilām || 52.26 ||

Seeing the army tormented and shaken by Dhumraksha, Hanuman, filled with rage, seized a massive boulder and turned upon him.

Shloka 27 (yuddha.52.27)

क्रोधाद् द्विगुणताम्राक्षः पितुस्तुल्यपराक्रमः। शिलां तां पातयामास धूम्राक्षस्य रथं प्रति ॥ 52.27 ॥

krodhād dviguṇatāmrākṣaḥ pitustulyaparākramaḥ| śilāṃ tāṃ pātayāmāsa dhūmrākṣasya rathaṃ prati || 52.27 ||

Hanuman, matching his father’s own prowess, his eyes doubled in redness with fury, flung that boulder down upon Dhumraksha’s chariot.

Shloka 28 (yuddha.52.28)

आपतन्तीं शिलां दृष्ट्वा गदामुद्यम्य सम्भ्रमात्। रथादाप्लुत्य वेगेन वसुधायां व्यतिष्ठत ॥ 52.28 ॥

āpatantīṃ śilāṃ dṛṣṭvā gadāmudyamya sambhramāt| rathādāplutya vegena vasudhāyāṃ vyatiṣṭhata || 52.28 ||

Seeing that boulder hurtling toward him, Dhumraksha snatched up his mace in alarm, leapt swiftly down from his chariot, and stood upon the ground.

Shloka 29 (yuddha.52.29)

सा प्रमथ्य रथं तस्य निपपात शिला भुवि। सचक्रकूबरं साश्वं सध्वजं सशरासनम् ॥ 52.29 ॥

sā pramathya rathaṃ tasya nipapāta śilā bhuvi| sacakrakūbaraṃ sāśvaṃ sadhvajaṃ saśarāsanam || 52.29 ||

That boulder, shattering his chariot to pieces, crashed down to the earth, together with its wheels, its pole, its horses, its banner, and its bow-cases.

Shloka 30 (yuddha.52.30)

स भङ्क्त्वा तु रथं तस्य हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। रक्षसां कदनं चक्रे सस्कन्धविटपैर्द्रुमैः ॥ 52.30 ॥

sa bhaṅ‍ktvā tu rathaṃ tasya hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ| rakṣasāṃ kadanaṃ cakre saskandhaviṭapairdrumaiḥ || 52.30 ||

Thereupon Hanuman, son of the Wind-god, having shattered his chariot, wrought havoc among the demons with trees, boughs and branches still attached.

Shloka 31 (yuddha.52.31)

विभिन्नशिरसो भूत्वा राक्षसा रुधिरोक्षिताः। द्रुमैः प्रमथिताश्चान्ये निपेतुर्धरणीतले ॥ 52.31 ॥

vibhinnaśiraso bhūtvā rākṣasā rudhirokṣitāḥ| drumaiḥ pramathitāścānye nipeturdharaṇītale || 52.31 ||

Their heads split open, the demons were drenched in blood; others, battered by trees, fell to the ground.

Shloka 32 (yuddha.52.32)

विद्राव्य राक्षसं सैन्यं हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। गिरेः शिखरमादाय धूम्राक्षमभिदुद्रुवे ॥ 52.32 ॥

vidrāvya rākṣasaṃ sainyaṃ hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ| gireḥ śikharamādāya dhūmrākṣamabhidudruve || 52.32 ||

Having put the demon army to flight, Hanuman, son of the Wind-god, tore loose a mountain-peak and charged toward Dhumraksha.

Shloka 33 (yuddha.52.33)

तमापतन्तं धूम्राक्षो गदामुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्। विनर्दमानः सहसा हनूमन्तमभिद्रवत् ॥ 52.33 ॥

tamāpatantaṃ dhūmrākṣo gadāmudyamya vīryavān| vinardamānaḥ sahasā hanūmantamabhidravat || 52.33 ||

Seeing him closing in, the valiant Dhumraksha raised his mace and, roaring, charged suddenly straight at Hanuman.

Shloka 34 (yuddha.52.34)

तस्य क्रुद्धस्य रोषेण गदां तां बहुकण्टकाम्। पातयामास धूम्राक्षो मस्तकेऽथ हनूमतः ॥ 52.34 ॥

tasya kruddhasya roṣeṇa gadāṃ tāṃ bahukaṇṭakām| pātayāmāsa dhūmrākṣo mastake'tha hanūmataḥ || 52.34 ||

Then Dhumraksha, in his rage, brought that many-spiked mace crashing down upon Hanuman’s head.

Shloka 35 (yuddha.52.35)

ताडितः स तया तत्र गदया भीमवेगया। स कपिर्मारुतबलस्तं प्रहारमचिन्तयन् ॥ 52.35 ॥

tāḍitaḥ sa tayā tatra gadayā bhīmavegayā| sa kapirmārutabalastaṃ prahāramacintayan || 52.35 ||

Struck there by that mace of terrible force, that monkey, strong as the wind itself, took no notice of the blow;

Shloka 36 (yuddha.52.36)

धूम्राक्षस्य शिरोमध्ये गिरिशृङ्गमपातयत्। स विस्फारितसर्वाङ्गो गिरिशृङ्गेण ताडितः ॥ 52.36 ॥

dhūmrākṣasya śiromadhye giriśṛṅgamapātayat| sa visphāritasarvāṅgo giriśṛṅgeṇa tāḍitaḥ || 52.36 ||

instead he brought a mountain-peak crashing down onto the crown of Dhumraksha’s skull; struck by that peak, his whole body convulsed,

Shloka 37 (yuddha.52.37)

पपात सहसा भूमौ विकीर्ण इव पर्वतः। धूम्राक्षं निहतं दृष्ट्वा हतशेषा निशाचराः। त्रस्ताः प्रविविशुर्लङ्कां वध्यमानाः प्लवंगमैः ॥ 52.37 ॥

papāta sahasā bhūmau vikīrṇa iva parvataḥ| dhūmrākṣaṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā hataśeṣā niśācarāḥ| trastāḥ praviviśurlaṅkāṃ vadhyamānāḥ plavaṃgamaiḥ || 52.37 ||

and he fell suddenly to earth like a crumbling mountain. Seeing Dhumraksha slain, the surviving night-rangers, terror-stricken, fled into Lanka as the monkeys cut them down.

Shloka 38 (yuddha.52.38)

स तु पवनसुतो निहत्य शत्रून् क्षतजवहाः सरितश्च संविकीर्य। रिपुवधजनितश्रमो महात्मा मुदमगमत् कपिभिः सुपूज्यमानः ॥ 52.38 ॥

sa tu pavanasuto nihatya śatrūn kṣatajavahāḥ saritaśca saṃvikīrya| ripuvadhajanitaśramo mahātmā mudamagamat kapibhiḥ supūjyamānaḥ || 52.38 ||

Then that great-souled son of the Wind, having slain his foes and set rivers of blood flowing, wearied by the toil of destroying his enemies, was joyfully honored by the monkeys and filled with delight.