The Rakshasa Chiefs Boast of Slaying Rama's Army

Shloka 1 (yuddha.8.1)

ततो नीलाम्बुदप्रख्यः प्रहस्तो नाम राक्षसः । अब्रवीत् प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं शूरः सेनापतिस्तदा ॥ 8.1 ॥

tato nīlāmbudaprakhyaḥ prahasto nāma rākṣasaḥ | abravīt prāñjalirvākyaṃ śūraḥ senāpatistadā || 8.1 ||

Then the valiant commander-in-chief, a rakshasa named Prahasta, dark as a rain-cloud, joined his palms and spoke these words.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.8.2)

देवदानवगन्धर्वाः पिशाचपतगोरगाः । सर्वे धर्षयितुं शक्याः किं पुनर्मानवौ रणे ॥ 8.2 ॥

devadānavagandharvāḥ piśācapatagoragāḥ | sarve dharṣayituṃ śakyāḥ kiṃ punarmānavau raṇe || 8.2 ||

Gods, danavas, gandharvas, demons, birds, and serpents — all of them can be overpowered in battle; what then of two mere men?

Shloka 3 (yuddha.8.3)

सर्वे प्रमत्ता विश्वस्ता वञ्चिताः स्म हनूमता । नहि मे जीवतो गच्छेज्जीवन् स वनगोचरः ॥ 8.3 ॥

sarve pramattā viśvastā vañcitāḥ sma hanūmatā | nahi me jīvato gacchejjīvan sa vanagocaraḥ || 8.3 ||

It was only because we were all off guard and unwary that we were deceived by Hanuman — that forest-dweller could never have escaped alive while I still lived.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.8.4)

सर्वां सागरपर्यन्तां सशैलवनकाननाम् । करोम्यवानरां भूमिमाज्ञापयतु मां भवान् ॥ 8.4 ॥

sarvāṃ sāgaraparyantāṃ saśailavanakānanām | karomyavānarāṃ bhūmimājñāpayatu māṃ bhavān || 8.4 ||

I shall rid the whole earth, up to the ocean's edge, mountains, forests, and woods alike, of every monkey — only give me the command.

Shloka 5 (yuddha.8.5)

रक्षां चैव विधास्यामि वानराद् रजनीचर । नागमिष्यति ते दुःखं किंचिदात्मापराधजम् ॥ 8.5 ॥

rakṣāṃ caiva vidhāsyāmi vānarād rajanīcara | nāgamiṣyati te duḥkhaṃ kiṃcidātmāparādhajam || 8.5 ||

O night-roaming lord, I shall also arrange your protection from the monkeys; not even the least trouble arising from your own offence shall reach you.

Shloka 6 (yuddha.8.6)

अब्रवीत् तु सुसंक्रुद्धो दुर्मुखो नाम राक्षसः । इदं न क्षमणीयं हि सर्वेषां नः प्रधर्षणम् ॥ 8.6 ॥

abravīt tu susaṃkruddho durmukho nāma rākṣasaḥ | idaṃ na kṣamaṇīyaṃ hi sarveṣāṃ naḥ pradharṣaṇam || 8.6 ||

Then, greatly enraged, a rakshasa named Durmukha spoke: 'This outrage done upon all of us is indeed not to be forgiven.'

Shloka 7 (yuddha.8.7)

अयं परिभवो भूयः पुरस्यान्तःपुरस्य च । श्रीमतो राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वानरेण प्रधर्षणम् ॥ 8.7 ॥

ayaṃ paribhavo bhūyaḥ purasyāntaḥpurasya ca | śrīmato rākṣasendrasya vānareṇa pradharṣaṇam || 8.7 ||

This is a grave humiliation to the city and to its inner palace as well — this assault by a mere monkey upon the glorious lord of the rakshasas is a most serious matter.

Shloka 8 (yuddha.8.8)

अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते गत्वैको निवर्तिष्यामि वानरान् । प्रविष्टान् सागरं भीममम्बरं वा रसातलम् ॥ 8.8 ॥

asmin muhūrte gatvaiko nivartiṣyāmi vānarān | praviṣṭān sāgaraṃ bhīmamambaraṃ vā rasātalam || 8.8 ||

This very moment, going alone, I shall put an end to those monkeys, whether they have entered the fearsome ocean, the sky, or the netherworld.

Shloka 9 (yuddha.8.9)

ततोऽब्रवीत् सुसंक्रुद्धो वज्रदंष्ट्रो महाबलः । प्रगृह्य परिघं घोरं मांसशोणितरूषितम् ॥ 8.9 ॥

tato'bravīt susaṃkruddho vajradaṃṣṭro mahābalaḥ | pragṛhya parighaṃ ghoraṃ māṃsaśoṇitarūṣitam || 8.9 ||

Then, greatly enraged, the mighty Vajradamshtra, seizing a terrible iron club smeared with flesh and blood, spoke.

Shloka 10 (yuddha.8.10)

किं नो हनूमता कार्यं कृपणेन तपस्विना । रामे तिष्ठति दुर्धर्षे सुग्रीवेऽपि सलक्ष्मणे ॥ 8.10 ॥

kiṃ no hanūmatā kāryaṃ kṛpaṇena tapasvinā | rāme tiṣṭhati durdharṣe sugrīve'pi salakṣmaṇe || 8.10 ||

What business have we with that pitiful, wretched Hanuman, when the unconquerable Rama, together with Lakshmana and Sugriva, still stands before us?

Shloka 11 (yuddha.8.11)

अद्य रामं ससुग्रीवं परिघेण सलक्ष्मणम् । आगमिष्यामि हत्वैको विक्षोभ्य हरिवाहिनीम् ॥ 8.11 ॥

adya rāmaṃ sasugrīvaṃ parigheṇa salakṣmaṇam | āgamiṣyāmi hatvaiko vikṣobhya harivāhinīm || 8.11 ||

This very day, I alone shall slay Rama, together with Sugriva and Lakshmana, with this club, scatter the monkey army, and return.

Shloka 12 (yuddha.8.12)

इदं ममापरं वाक्यं शृणु राजन् यदिच्छसि । उपायकुशलो ह्येव जयेच्छत्रूनतन्द्रितः ॥ 8.12 ॥

idaṃ mamāparaṃ vākyaṃ śṛṇu rājan yadicchasi | upāyakuśalo hyeva jayecchatrūnatandritaḥ || 8.12 ||

O king, if you are willing, hear one more word of mine — only one skilled in strategy and free from negligence can truly conquer his foes.

Shloka 13 (yuddha.8.13)

कामरूपधराः शूराः सुभीमा भीमदर्शनाः । राक्षसा वा सहस्राणि राक्षसाधिप निश्चिताः ॥ 8.13 ॥

kāmarūpadharāḥ śūrāḥ subhīmā bhīmadarśanāḥ | rākṣasā vā sahasrāṇi rākṣasādhipa niścitāḥ || 8.13 ||

O lord of the rakshasas, let thousands of rakshasas — able to assume any form at will, valiant, most fearsome, terrible to behold, and resolute —

Shloka 14 (yuddha.8.14)

काकुत्स्थमुपसंगम्य बिभ्रतो मानुषं वपुः । सर्वे ह्यसम्भ्रमा भूत्वा ब्रुवन्तु रघुसत्तमम् ॥ 8.14 ॥

kākutsthamupasaṃgamya bibhrato mānuṣaṃ vapuḥ | sarve hyasambhramā bhūtvā bruvantu raghusattamam || 8.14 ||

put on human form, approach Kakutstha without hesitation, and, all together, say this to the best of the Raghus:

Shloka 15 (yuddha.8.15)

प्रेषिता भरतेनैव भ्रात्रा तव यवीयसा । स हि सेनां समुत्थाप्य क्षिप्रमेवोपयास्यति ॥ 8.15 ॥

preṣitā bharatenaiva bhrātrā tava yavīyasā | sa hi senāṃ samutthāpya kṣipramevopayāsyati || 8.15 ||

'We have been sent by your younger brother Bharata himself; he is even now raising an army and will soon arrive here.'

Shloka 16 (yuddha.8.16)

ततो वयमितस्तूर्णं शूलशक्तिगदाधराः । चापबाणासिहस्ताश्च त्वरितास्तत्र यामहे ॥ 8.16 ॥

tato vayamitastūrṇaṃ śūlaśaktigadādharāḥ | cāpabāṇāsihastāśca tvaritāstatra yāmahe || 8.16 ||

Then let us, bearing spikes, javelins, and maces, with bows, arrows, and swords in hand, hasten from here to that place,

Shloka 17 (yuddha.8.17)

आकाशे गणशः स्थित्वा हत्वा तां हरिवाहिनीम् । अश्मशस्त्रमहावृष्ट्या प्रापयाम यमक्षयम् ॥ 8.17 ॥

ākāśe gaṇaśaḥ sthitvā hatvā tāṃ harivāhinīm | aśmaśastramahāvṛṣṭyā prāpayāma yamakṣayam || 8.17 ||

and, standing in the sky in bands, strike down that army of monkeys with a mighty hail of stones and weapons, and send them to the realm of Death.

Shloka 18 (yuddha.8.18)

एवं चेदुपसर्पेतामनयं रामलक्ष्मणौ । अवश्यमपनीतेन जहतामेव जीवितम् ॥ 8.18 ॥

evaṃ cedupasarpetāmanayaṃ rāmalakṣmaṇau | avaśyamapanītena jahatāmeva jīvitam || 8.18 ||

If Rama and Lakshmana, drawn in this way, approach unwittingly into this ruse, then, led astray by it, they will surely give up their lives.

Shloka 19 (yuddha.8.19)

कौम्भकर्णिस्ततो वीरो निकुम्भो नाम वीर्यवान् । अब्रवीत् परमक्रुद्धो रावणं लोकरावणम् ॥ 8.19 ॥

kaumbhakarṇistato vīro nikumbho nāma vīryavān | abravīt paramakruddho rāvaṇaṃ lokarāvaṇam || 8.19 ||

Then Kumbhakarna's valiant and mighty son, named Nikumbha, greatly enraged, spoke to Ravana, who made the world weep.

Shloka 20 (yuddha.8.20)

सर्वे भवन्तस्तिष्ठन्तु महाराजेन संगताः । अहमेको हनिष्यामि राघवं सहलक्ष्मणम् ॥ 8.20 ॥

sarve bhavantastiṣṭhantu mahārājena saṃgatāḥ | ahameko haniṣyāmi rāghavaṃ sahalakṣmaṇam || 8.20 ||

Let all of you remain here with the great king; I alone shall slay Raghava, together with Lakshmana,

Shloka 21 (yuddha.8.21)

सुग्रीवं सहनूमन्तं सर्वांश्चैवात्र वानरान् । ततो वज्रहनुर्नाम राक्षसः पर्वतोपमः ॥ 8.21 ॥

sugrīvaṃ sahanūmantaṃ sarvāṃścaivātra vānarān | tato vajrahanurnāma rākṣasaḥ parvatopamaḥ || 8.21 ||

Sugriva together with Hanuman, and all the monkeys gathered here as well. Then a rakshasa named Vajrahanu, huge as a mountain —

Shloka 22 (yuddha.8.22)

क्रुद्धः परिलिहन् सृक्कां जिह्वया वाक्यमब्रवीत् । स्वैरं कुर्वन्तु कार्याणि भवन्तो विगतज्वराः ॥ 8.22 ॥

kruddhaḥ parilihan sṛkkāṃ jihvayā vākyamabravīt | svairaṃ kurvantu kāryāṇi bhavanto vigatajvarāḥ || 8.22 ||

growing furious and licking the corners of his mouth with his tongue, spoke: 'Let all of you go about your own affairs freely, your anxiety gone,'

Shloka 23 (yuddha.8.23)

एकोऽहं भक्षयिष्यामि तां सर्वां हरिवाहिनीम् । स्वस्थाः क्रीडन्तु निश्चिन्ताः पिबन्तु मधु वारुणीम् ॥ 8.23 ॥

eko'haṃ bhakṣayiṣyāmi tāṃ sarvāṃ harivāhinīm | svasthāḥ krīḍantu niścintāḥ pibantu madhu vāruṇīm || 8.23 ||

'Play at your ease, free of worry, and drink your wine — I alone shall devour that entire army of monkeys.'

Shloka 24 (yuddha.8.24)

अहमेको वधिष्यामि सुग्रीवं सहलक्ष्मणम् । साङ्गदं च हनूमन्तं सर्वांश्चैवात्र वानरान् ॥ 8.24 ॥

ahameko vadhiṣyāmi sugrīvaṃ sahalakṣmaṇam | sāṅgadaṃ ca hanūmantaṃ sarvāṃścaivātra vānarān || 8.24 ||

I alone shall kill Sugriva together with Lakshmana, Hanuman together with Angada, and all the monkeys gathered here.