Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 56
Akampana's Death at Hanuman's Hands
Shloka 1 (yuddha.56.1)
तद् दृष्ट्वा सुमहत् कर्म कृतं वानरसत्तमैः। क्रोधमाहारयामास युधि तीव्रमकम्पनः ॥ 56.1 ॥
tad dṛṣṭvā sumahat karma kṛtaṃ vānarasattamaiḥ| krodhamāhārayāmāsa yudhi tīvramakampanaḥ || 56.1 ||
Seeing that great feat done by the foremost of monkeys, Akampana was overcome with fierce anger in the battle.
Shloka 2 (yuddha.56.2)
क्रोधमूर्च्छितरूपस्तु धुन्वन् परमकार्मुकम्। दृष्ट्वा तु कर्म शत्रूणां सारथिं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ 56.2 ॥
krodhamūrcchitarūpastu dhunvan paramakārmukam| dṛṣṭvā tu karma śatrūṇāṃ sārathiṃ vākyamabravīt || 56.2 ||
His face contorted with rage, brandishing his mighty bow, and having seen the enemy's feat, he spoke these words to his charioteer.
Shloka 3 (yuddha.56.3)
तत्रैव तावत् त्वरितो रथं प्रापय सारथे। एते च बलिनो घ्नन्ति सुबहून् राक्षसान् रणे ॥ 56.3 ॥
tatraiva tāvat tvarito rathaṃ prāpaya sārathe| ete ca balino ghnanti subahūn rākṣasān raṇe || 56.3 ||
"Charioteer, drive the chariot swiftly to that very spot -- these powerful monkeys are slaying great numbers of demons in the battle.
Shloka 4 (yuddha.56.4)
एते च बलवन्तो वा भीमकोपाश्च वानराः। द्रुमशैलप्रहरणास्तिष्ठन्ति प्रमुखे मम ॥ 56.4 ॥
ete ca balavanto vā bhīmakopāśca vānarāḥ| drumaśailapraharaṇāstiṣṭhanti pramukhe mama || 56.4 ||
"These strong, terribly enraged monkeys, armed with trees and boulders, stand right before me.
Shloka 5 (yuddha.56.5)
एतान् निहन्तुमिच्छामि समरश्लाघिनो ह्यहम्। एतैः प्रमथितं सर्वं रक्षसां दृश्यते बलम् ॥ 56.5 ॥
etān nihantumicchāmi samaraślāghino hyaham| etaiḥ pramathitaṃ sarvaṃ rakṣasāṃ dṛśyate balam || 56.5 ||
"I, who take pride in battle, wish to slay them, for by them the whole army of the demons is seen to be crushed."
Shloka 6 (yuddha.56.6)
ततः प्रचलिताश्वेन रथेन रथिनां वरः। हरीनभ्यपतद् दूराच्छरजालैरकम्पनः ॥ 56.6 ॥
tataḥ pracalitāśvena rathena rathināṃ varaḥ| harīnabhyapatad dūrāccharajālairakampanaḥ || 56.6 ||
Then Akampana, the foremost of chariot-warriors, mounted on his swift-horsed chariot, fell upon the monkeys from afar with a hail of arrows.
Shloka 7 (yuddha.56.7)
न स्थातुं वानराः शेकुः किं पुनर्योद्धुमाहवे। अकम्पनशरैर्भग्नाः सर्व एवाभिदुद्रुवुः ॥ 56.7 ॥
na sthātuṃ vānarāḥ śekuḥ kiṃ punaryodadhumāhave| akampanaśarairbhagnāḥ sarva evābhidudruvuḥ || 56.7 ||
The monkeys could not even hold their ground, much less fight in that battle; broken by Akampana's arrows, all of them fled.
Shloka 8 (yuddha.56.8)
तान् मृत्युवशमापन्नानकम्पनशरानुगान्। समीक्ष्य हनुमान् ज्ञातीनुपतस्थे महाबलः ॥ 56.8 ॥
tān mṛtyuvaśamāpannānakampanaśarānugān| samīkṣya hanumān jñātīnupatasthe mahābalaḥ || 56.8 ||
Seeing his kinsmen falling under the sway of death, pursued by Akampana's arrows, the mighty Hanuman went to their rescue.
Shloka 9 (yuddha.56.9)
तं महाप्लवगं दृष्ट्वा सर्वे ते प्लवगर्षभाः। समेत्य समरे वीराः संहृष्टाः पर्यवारयन् ॥ 56.9 ॥
taṃ mahāplavagaṃ dṛṣṭvā sarve te plavagarṣabhāḥ| sametya samare vīrāḥ saṃhṛṣṭāḥ paryavārayan || 56.9 ||
Seeing that mighty monkey, all the valiant monkey-chiefs gathered together, delighted, and surrounded him in the battle.
Shloka 10 (yuddha.56.10)
व्यवस्थितं हनूमन्तं ते दृष्ट्वा प्लवगर्षभाः। बभूवुर्बलवन्तो हि बलवन्तमुपाश्रिताः ॥ 56.10 ॥
vyavasthitaṃ hanūmantaṃ te dṛṣṭvā plavagarṣabhāḥ| babhūvurbalavanto hi balavantamupāśritāḥ || 56.10 ||
Seeing Hanuman standing firm, those foremost monkeys, taking shelter in that powerful one, themselves became powerful indeed.
Shloka 11 (yuddha.56.11)
अकम्पनस्तु शैलाभं हनूमन्तमवस्थितम्। महेन्द्र इव धाराभिः शरैरभिववर्ष ह ॥ 56.11 ॥
akampanastu śailābhaṃ hanūmantamavasthitam| mahendra iva dhārābhiḥ śarairabhivavarṣa ha || 56.11 ||
Akampana then rained down a shower of arrows upon Hanuman, who stood firm as a mountain, even as Mahendra pours down torrents.
Shloka 12 (yuddha.56.12)
अचिन्तयित्वा बाणौघान् शरीरे पातितान् कपिः। अकम्पनवधार्थाय मनो दध्रे महाबलः ॥ 56.12 ॥
acintayitvā bāṇaughān śarīre pātitān kapiḥ| akampanavadhārthāya mano dadhre mahābalaḥ || 56.12 ||
Heedless of the mass of sharp shafts falling upon his body, the mighty monkey Hanuman fixed his mind on slaying Akampana.
Shloka 13 (yuddha.56.13)
स प्रहस्य महातेजा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। अभिदुद्राव तद्रक्षः कम्पयन्निव मेदिनीम् ॥ 56.13 ॥
sa prahasya mahātejā hanūmān mārutātmajaḥ| abhidudrāva tadrakṣaḥ kampayanniva medinīm || 56.13 ||
Laughing aloud, the mighty-splendored Hanuman, son of the Wind-god, rushed at that demon, as if making the earth tremble.
Shloka 14 (yuddha.56.14)
तस्याथ नर्दमानस्य दीप्यमानस्य तेजसा। बभूव रूपं दुर्धर्षं दीप्तस्येव विभावसोः ॥ 56.14 ॥
tasyātha nardamānasya dīpyamānasya tejasā| babhūva rūpaṃ durdharṣaṃ dīptasyeva vibhāvasoḥ || 56.14 ||
As he roared and blazed with splendor, his form became as unassailable as a flaming fire.
Shloka 15 (yuddha.56.15)
आत्मानं त्वप्रहरणं ज्ञात्वा क्रोधसमन्वितः। शैलमुत्पाटयामास वेगेन हरिपुङ्गवः ॥ 56.15 ॥
ātmānaṃ tvapraharaṇaṃ jñātvā krodhasamanvitaḥ| śailamutpāṭayāmāsa vegena haripuṅgavaḥ || 56.15 ||
Finding himself without a weapon, and filled with rage, that bull among monkeys swiftly tore up a mountain crag.
Shloka 16 (yuddha.56.16)
गृहीत्वा सुमहाशैलं पाणिनैकेन मारुतिः। स विनद्य महानादं भ्रामयामास वीर्यवान् ॥ 56.16 ॥
gṛhītvā sumahāśailaṃ pāṇinaikena mārutiḥ| sa vinadya mahānādaṃ bhrāmayāmāsa vīryavān || 56.16 ||
Seizing that great crag with a single hand, the valiant son of the Wind, roaring a mighty roar, whirled it about.
Shloka 17 (yuddha.56.17)
ततस्तमभिदुद्राव राक्षसेन्द्रमकम्पनम्। पुरा हि नमुचिं संख्ये वज्रेणेव पुरंदरः ॥ 56.17 ॥
tatastamabhidudrāva rākṣasendramakampanam| purā hi namuciṃ saṃkhye vajreṇeva puraṃdaraḥ || 56.17 ||
Then he rushed upon Akampana, lord of the demons, as of old Indra rushed with his thunderbolt upon Namuchi in battle.
Shloka 18 (yuddha.56.18)
अकम्पनस्तु तद् दृष्ट्वा गिरिशृङ्गं समुद्यतम्। दूरादेव महाबाणैरर्धचन्द्रैर्व्यदारयत् ॥ 56.18 ॥
akampanastu tad dṛṣṭvā giriśṛṅgaṃ samudyatam| dūrādeva mahābāṇairardhacandrairvyadārayat || 56.18 ||
Seeing that mountain-peak raised against him, Akampana, even from a distance, shattered it with great crescent-headed arrows.
Shloka 19 (yuddha.56.19)
तं पर्वताग्रमाकाशे रक्षोबाणविदारितम्। विकीर्णं पतितं दृष्ट्वा हनूमान् क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ॥ 56.19 ॥
taṃ parvatāgramākāśe rakṣobāṇavidāritam| vikīrṇaṃ patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā hanūmān krodhamūrcchitaḥ || 56.19 ||
Seeing that mountain-peak, shattered by the demon's arrows, scattering and falling from the sky, Hanuman was overcome with fury.
Shloka 20 (yuddha.56.20)
सोऽश्वकर्णं समासाद्य रोषदर्पान्वितो हरिः। तूर्णमुत्पाटयामास महागिरिमिवोच्छ्रितम् ॥ 56.20 ॥
so'śvakarṇaṃ samāsādya roṣadarpānvito hariḥ| tūrṇamutpāṭayāmāsa mahāgirimivocchritam || 56.20 ||
That monkey, filled with rage and pride, went to an Ashvakarna tree and swiftly uprooted it, tall as a great mountain.
Shloka 21 (yuddha.56.21)
तं गृहीत्वा महास्कन्धं सोऽश्वकर्णं महाद्युतिः। प्रगृह्य परया प्रीत्या भ्रामयामास संयुगे ॥ 56.21 ॥
taṃ gṛhītvā mahāskandhaṃ so'śvakarṇaṃ mahādyutiḥ| pragṛhya parayā prītyā bhrāmayāmāsa saṃyuge || 56.21 ||
Grasping that great, thick-trunked Ashvakarna tree, the resplendent Hanuman whirled it about upon the ground with great delight.
Shloka 22 (yuddha.56.22)
प्रधावन्नुरुवेगेन बभञ्ज तरसा द्रुमान्। हनूमान् परमक्रुद्धश्चरणैर्दारयन् महीम् ॥ 56.22 ॥
pradhāvannuruvegena babhañja tarasā drumān| hanūmān paramakruddhaścaraṇairdārayan mahīm || 56.22 ||
Running with tremendous speed, snapping trees by his force, Hanuman, in towering rage, tore up the earth with his feet.
Shloka 23 (yuddha.56.23)
गजांश्च सगजारोहान् सरथान् रथिनस्तथा। जघान हनुमान् धीमान् राक्षसांश्च पदातिगान् ॥ 56.23 ॥
gajāṃśca sagajārohān sarathān rathinastathā| jaghāna hanumān dhīmān rākṣasāṃśca padātigān || 56.23 ||
The wise Hanuman struck down elephants together with their riders, charioteers together with their chariots, and the demon foot-soldiers as well.
Shloka 24 (yuddha.56.24)
तमन्तकमिव क्रुद्धं सद्रुमं प्राणहारिणम्। हनूमन्तमभिप्रेक्ष्य राक्षसा विप्रदुद्रुवुः ॥ 56.24 ॥
tamantakamiva kruddhaṃ sadrumaṃ prāṇahāriṇam| hanūmantamabhiprekṣya rākṣasā vipradudruvuḥ || 56.24 ||
Seeing that enraged Hanuman, taking lives in battle like Death himself, the demons scattered and fled.
Shloka 25 (yuddha.56.25)
तमापतन्तं संक्रुद्धं राक्षसानां भयावहम्। ददर्शाकम्पनो वीरश्चुक्षोभ च ननाद च ॥ 56.25 ॥
tamāpatantaṃ saṃkruddhaṃ rākṣasānāṃ bhayāvaham| dadarśākampano vīraścukṣobha ca nanāda ca || 56.25 ||
The valiant Akampana beheld him rushing on, enraged, striking terror into the demons, and was stirred to fury, roaring aloud.
Shloka 26 (yuddha.56.26)
स चतुर्दशभिर्बाणैर्निशितैर्देहदारणैः। निर्बिभेद महावीर्यं हनूमन्तमकम्पनः ॥ 56.26 ॥
sa caturdaśabhirbāṇairniśitairdehadāraṇaiḥ| nirbibheda mahāvīryaṃ hanūmantamakampanaḥ || 56.26 ||
With fourteen sharp, flesh-tearing arrows, Akampana pierced the mighty Hanuman through.
Shloka 27 (yuddha.56.27)
स तथा विप्रकीर्णस्तु नाराचैः शितशक्तिभिः। हनूमान् ददृशे वीरः प्ररूढ इव सानुमान् ॥ 56.27 ॥
sa tathā viprakīrṇastu nārācaiḥ śitaśaktibhiḥ| hanūmān dadṛśe vīraḥ prarūḍha iva sānumān || 56.27 ||
Riddled thus by those many sharp missiles, the valiant Hanuman looked like a mountain overgrown with sprouting plants.
Shloka 28 (yuddha.56.28)
विरराज महावीर्यो महाकायो महाबलः। पुष्पिताशोकसंकाशो विधूम इव पावकः ॥ 56.28 ॥
virarāja mahāvīryo mahākāyo mahābalaḥ| puṣpitāśokasaṃkāśo vidhūma iva pāvakaḥ || 56.28 ||
The great, mighty-bodied Hanuman shone forth like a blossoming Ashoka tree, or like smokeless fire.
Shloka 29 (yuddha.56.29)
ततोऽन्यं वृक्षमुत्पाट्य कृत्वा वेगमनुत्तमम्। शिरस्याभिजघानाशु राक्षसेन्द्रमकम्पनम् ॥ 56.29 ॥
tato'nyaṃ vṛkṣamutpāṭya kṛtvā vegamanuttamam| śirasyābhijaghānāśu rākṣasendramakampanam || 56.29 ||
Then, uprooting another tree with matchless speed, he swiftly struck the demon lord Akampana on the head.
Shloka 30 (yuddha.56.30)
स वृक्षेण हतस्तेन सक्रोधेन महात्मना। राक्षसो वानरेन्द्रेण पपात च ममार च ॥ 56.30 ॥
sa vṛkṣeṇa hatastena sakrodhena mahātmanā| rākṣaso vānarendreṇa papāta ca mamāra ca || 56.30 ||
Struck by that tree in the hands of the wrathful, great-souled lord of monkeys, the demon fell and died.
Shloka 31 (yuddha.56.31)
तं दृष्ट्वा निहतं भूमौ राक्षसेन्द्रमकम्पनम्। व्यथिता राक्षसाः सर्वे क्षितिकम्प इव द्रुमाः ॥ 56.31 ॥
taṃ dṛṣṭvā nihataṃ bhūmau rākṣasendramakampanam| vyathitā rākṣasāḥ sarve kṣitikampa iva drumāḥ || 56.31 ||
Seeing their lord Akampana lying slain upon the ground, all the demons trembled like trees in an earthquake.
Shloka 32 (yuddha.56.32)
त्यक्तप्रहरणाः सर्वे राक्षसास्ते पराजिताः। लङ्कामभिययुस्त्रासाद् वानरैस्तैरभिद्रुताः ॥ 56.32 ॥
tyaktapraharaṇāḥ sarve rākṣasāste parājitāḥ| laṅkāmabhiyayustrāsād vānaraistairabhidrutāḥ || 56.32 ||
Those demons, defeated, cast away their weapons, and, terrified, pursued by the monkeys, fled toward Lanka.
Shloka 33 (yuddha.56.33)
ते मुक्तकेशाः सम्भ्रान्ता भग्नमानाः पराजिताः। भयाच्छ्रमजलैरङ्गैः प्रस्रवद्भिर्विदुद्रुवुः ॥ 56.33 ॥
te muktakeśāḥ sambhrāntā bhagnamānāḥ parājitāḥ| bhayācchramajalairaṅgaiḥ prasravadbhirvidudruvuḥ || 56.33 ||
With hair disheveled, bewildered, their pride broken in defeat, their limbs streaming with sweat from fear, they fled panting.
Shloka 34 (yuddha.56.34)
अन्योन्यं ये प्रमथ्नन्तो विविशुर्नगरं भयात्। पृष्ठतस्ते तु सम्मूढाः प्रेक्षमाणा मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ 56.34 ॥
anyonyaṃ ye pramathnanto viviśurnagaraṃ bhayāt| pṛṣṭhataste tu sammūḍhāḥ prekṣamāṇā muhurmuhuḥ || 56.34 ||
Trampling one another, they entered the city out of fear, looking back again and again in utter confusion.
Shloka 35 (yuddha.56.35)
तेषु लङ्कां प्रविष्टेषु राक्षसेषु महाबलाः। समेत्य हरयः सर्वे हनूमन्तमपूजयन् ॥ 56.35 ॥
teṣu laṅkāṃ praviṣṭeṣu rākṣaseṣu mahābalāḥ| sametya harayaḥ sarve hanūmantamapūjayan || 56.35 ||
When those demons had entered Lanka, all the mighty monkeys gathered together and paid homage to Hanuman.
Shloka 36 (yuddha.56.36)
सोऽपि प्रवृद्धस्तान् सर्वान् हरीन् सम्प्रत्यपूजयत्। हनूमान् सत्त्वसम्पन्नो यथार्हमनुकूलतः ॥ 56.36 ॥
so'pi pravṛddhastān sarvān harīn sampratyapūjayat| hanūmān sattvasampanno yathārhamanukūlataḥ || 56.36 ||
Hanuman too, of noble nature and greatly delighted, honored all those monkeys fittingly, each according to his worth.
Shloka 37 (yuddha.56.37)
विनेदुश्च यथाप्राणं हरयो जितकाशिनः। चकृषुश्च पुनस्तत्र सप्राणानेव राक्षसान् ॥ 56.37 ॥
vineduśca yathāprāṇaṃ harayo jitakāśinaḥ| cakṛṣuśca punastatra saprāṇāneva rākṣasān || 56.37 ||
The triumphant monkeys roared with all their might, and once more dragged about those demons who still remained alive.
Shloka 38 (yuddha.56.38)
स वीरशोभामभजन्महाकपिः समेत्य रक्षांसि निहत्य मारुतिः। महासुरं भीमममित्रनाशनं विष्णुर्यथैवोरुबलं चमूमुखे ॥ 56.38 ॥
sa vīraśobhāmabhajanmahākapiḥ sametya rakṣāṃsi nihatya mārutiḥ| mahāsuraṃ bhīmamamitranāśanaṃ viṣṇuryathaivorubalaṃ camūmukhe || 56.38 ||
That great monkey, son of the Wind, having met and slain the demons, took on a hero's glory, even as Vishnu did when he destroyed the mighty, terrible, foe-destroying demon at the head of the army.
Shloka 39 (yuddha.56.39)
अपूजयन् देवगणास्तदाकपिं स्वयं च रामोऽतिबलश्च लक्ष्मणः। तथैव सुग्रीवमुखाः प्लवंगमा विभीषणश्चैव महाबलस्तदा ॥ 56.39 ॥
apūjayan devagaṇāstadākapiṃ svayaṃ ca rāmo'tibalaśca lakṣmaṇaḥ| tathaiva sugrīvamukhāḥ plavaṃgamā vibhīṣaṇaścaiva mahābalastadā || 56.39 ||
Then the hosts of gods honored that monkey, as did Rama himself, the exceedingly mighty Lakshmana, Sugriva and the other monkeys, and the powerful Vibhishana too.