Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 40 of 128 · 30 verses
Sugriva Wrestles Ravana
Rama climbs to the top of Suvela, two leagues round, with Sugriva and the monkey troops, and looks out over the ten directions. He sees Lanka, beautifully laid out by Vishvakarman on Trikuta’s peak, and on top of a gate tower the unassailable king of the rakshasas, with white yak-tail fans and a victory umbrella, smeared with red sandal, adorned with jewels, dark as a rain cloud, his robe embroidered with gold, his chest scarred by the tusks of Airavata, wrapped in red cloth the colour of hare’s blood, like a mass of cloud in the evening glow.
As the monkeys and Raghava watch, Sugriva, seeing the king of the rakshasas, springs up in a rush of anger, courage and strength, leaps from the mountain top onto the gate tower, looks fearlessly at Ravana as if he were a blade of grass, and says harshly: I am the friend and servant of Rama, lord of the world; by the power of that king of kings you will not escape me today. He leaps on Ravana, tears off his wonderful crown and throws it to the ground. Ravana answers: you were Sugriva, “fine-necked”, behind my back; now you will be neckless. He seizes Sugriva and throws him down; the monkey bounces up like a ball and throws Ravana down in turn. Sweat-soaked, blood-red, locked together like a shalmali and a kimshuka in bloom, they fight with fists, palms, forearms and fingers, an unbearable fight. They wrestle long on the gate-tower platform, lifting, bending, stepping, fall together into the moat between the walls, spring up again, breathing hard, bind each other with their arms, and range through all the ways of combat, like tigers and lions, like young elephants, tireless from training. They circle like cats over prey, using every kind of move: circles, stances, zigzags, advances and retreats, sidesteps, feints, evasions, rushes, leaps, holds, turns, withdrawals, charges and drops.
At last Ravana prepares to use his magic power. Sugriva, recognising it, leaps into the sky, victorious and unwearied, leaving Ravana standing there outwitted. The son of the Sun, having won fame in battle and worn out the lord of the night-wanderers, crosses the vast sky back into the monkey army to Rama’s side, delighted, honoured by the monkey chiefs, increasing the prince’s joy in battle.
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ततो रामः सुवेलाग्रं योजनद्वयमण्डलम् । उपारोहत् ससुग्रीवो हरियूथैः समन्वितः ॥ १ ॥
Then Rama, with Sugriva and accompanied by the monkey troops, climbed the top of Suvela, two leagues round.
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स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं तत्रैव दिशो दश विलोकयन् । त्रिकूटशिखरे रम्ये निर्मितां विश्वकर्मणा ॥ २ ॥
Standing there a moment, looking at the ten directions, he saw on the lovely peak of Trikuta, built by Vishvakarman,
ददर्श लङ्कां सुन्यस्तां रम्यकाननशोभिताम् । तस्य गोपुरशृङ्गस्थं राक्षसेन्द्रं दुरासदम् ॥ ३ ॥
Lanka, well laid out, adorned with lovely woods. On the top of its gate tower he saw the king of the rakshasas, unassailable,
श्वेतचामरपर्यन्तं विजयच्छत्रशोभितम् । रक्तचन्दनसंलिप्तं रत्नाभरणभूषितम् ॥ ४ ॥
with white yak-tail fans at his sides, beautiful with the victory umbrella, smeared with red sandal, adorned with jewelled ornaments,
नीलजीमूतसंकाशं हेमसंछादिताम्बरम् । ऐरावतविषाणाग्रैरुत्कृष्टकिणवक्षसम् ॥ ५ ॥
like a dark rain cloud, his garment embroidered with gold, his chest scarred by the tips of Airavata’s tusks,
शशलोहितरागेण संवीतं रक्तवाससा । संध्यातपेन संछन्नं मेघराशिमिवाम्बरे ॥ ६ ॥
wrapped in a red garment the colour of hare’s blood, like a mass of cloud in the sky covered by the glow of twilight.
पश्यतां वानरेन्द्राणां राघवस्यापि पश्यतः । दर्शनाद् राक्षसेन्द्रस्य सुग्रीवः सहसोत्थितः ॥ ७ ॥
While the monkey lords looked on, and while Raghava looked on, at the sight of the king of the rakshasas Sugriva suddenly rose up.
क्रोधवेगेन संयुक्तः सत्त्वेन च बलेन च । अचलाग्रादथोत्थाय पुप्लुवे गोपुरस्थले ॥ ८ ॥
Filled with a rush of anger, and with courage and strength, rising from the mountain top, he leapt onto the platform of the gate tower.
स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य निर्भयेनान्तरात्मना । तृणीकृत्य च तद् रक्षः सोऽब्रवीत् परुषं वचः ॥ ९ ॥
Standing a moment and looking with a fearless heart, treating that rakshasa as a blade of grass, he spoke harsh words:
लोकनाथस्य रामस्य सखा दासोऽस्मि राक्षस । न मया मोक्ष्यसेऽद्य त्वं पार्थिवेन्द्रस्य तेजसा ॥ १० ॥
“I am the friend and servant of Rama, lord of the world, rakshasa. You will not escape me today, by the power of the king of kings.”
इत्युक्त्वा सहसोत्पत्य पुप्लुवे तस्य चोपरि । आकृष्य मुकुटं चित्रं पातयामास तद् भुवि ॥ ११ ॥
Having said this, he suddenly leapt up and sprang on him, pulled off his wonderful crown and threw it to the ground.
समीक्ष्य तूर्णमायान्तं बभाषे तं निशाचरः । सुग्रीवस्त्वं परोक्षं मे हीनग्रीवो भविष्यसि ॥ १२ ॥
Seeing him coming quickly, the night-wanderer said: “You were Sugriva behind my back; you will be without a neck.”
इत्युक्त्वोत्थाय तं क्षिप्रं बाहुभ्यामाक्षिपत् तले । कन्दुवत् स समुत्थाय बाहुभ्यामाक्षिपद्धरिः ॥ १३ ॥
Having said this, he rose and quickly threw him down with his arms; bouncing up like a ball, the monkey threw him down with his arms.
परस्परं स्वेदविदिग्धगात्रौ परस्परं शोणितरक्तदेहौ । परस्परं श्लिष्टनिरुद्धचेष्टौ परस्परं शाल्मलिकिंशुकाविव ॥ १४ ॥
Their limbs smeared with each other’s sweat, their bodies red with each other’s blood, each locked in the other’s grip, they were like a shalmali and a kimshuka.
मुष्टिप्रहारैश्च तलप्रहारै- ररत्निघातैश्च कराग्रघातैः । तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धमसह्यरूपं महाबलौ राक्षसवानरेन्द्रौ ॥ १५ ॥
With blows of fists and blows of palms, with strikes of forearms and strikes of fingertips, the two mighty ones, king of the rakshasas and king of the monkeys, fought an unbearable fight.
कृत्वा नियुद्धं भृशमुग्रवेगौ कालं चिरं गोपुरवेदिमध्ये । उत्क्षिप्य चोत्क्षिप्य विनम्य देहौ पादक्रमाद् गोपुरवेदिलग्नौ ॥ १६ ॥
Having wrestled long, with very fierce force, in the middle of the gate-tower platform, lifting and lifting and bending their bodies, clinging to the platform by their footwork,
अन्योन्यमापीड्य विलग्नदेहौ तौ पेततुः सालनिखातमध्ये । उत्पेततुर्भूमितलं स्पृशन्तौ स्थित्वा मुहूर्तं त्वभिनिःश्वसन्तौ ॥ १७ ॥
pressing each other, their bodies locked, they fell into the middle of the moat by the wall. They sprang up, touching the ground, and stood a moment, panting.
आलिङ्ग्य चालिङ्ग्य च बाहुयोक्त्रैः संयोजयामासतुराहवे तौ । संरम्भशिक्षाबलसम्प्रयुक्तौ सुचेरतुः सम्प्रति युद्धमार्गैः ॥ १८ ॥
Embracing again and again with their arms as ropes, they joined in combat; joined with fury, training and strength, they ranged now through the ways of fighting.
शार्दूलसिंहाविव जातदंष्ट्रौ गजेन्द्रपोताविव सम्प्रयुक्तौ । संहत्य संवेद्य च तौ कराभ्यां तौ पेततुर्वै युगपद् धरायाम् ॥ १९ ॥
Like a tiger and a lion with grown fangs, like two young lordly elephants engaged, they struck and grappled with their hands and fell to the ground together.
उद्यम्य चान्योन्यमधिक्षिपन्तौ संचक्रमाते बहु युद्धमार्गे । व्यायामशिक्षाबलसम्प्रयुक्तौ क्लमं न तौ जग्मतुराशु वीरौ ॥ २० ॥
Rising and throwing each other, they moved through many ways of fighting; joined with exercise, training and strength, the two heroes did not quickly tire.
बाहूत्तमैर्वारणवारणाभै- र्निवारयन्तौ परवारणाभौ । चिरेण कालेन भृशं प्रयुद्धौ संचेरतुर्मण्डलमार्गमाशु ॥ २१ ॥
With their fine arms, like the trunks of elephants, warding off like elephants, they fought hard for a long time and quickly circled round.
तौ परस्परमासाद्य यत्तावन्योन्यसूदने । मार्जाराविव भक्षार्थेऽवतस्थाते मुहुर्मुहुः ॥ २२ ॥
Approaching each other, intent on killing each other, they stood again and again like two cats over prey.
मण्डलानि विचित्राणि स्थानानि विविधानि च । गोमूत्रकाणि चित्राणि गतप्रत्यागतानि च ॥ २३ ॥
Wonderful circles and various stances, zigzag moves like a cow’s urine-trail, and goings and returnings,
तिरश्चीनगतान्येव तथा वक्रगतानि च । परिमोक्षं प्रहाराणां वर्जनं परिधावनम् ॥ २४ ॥
crosswise moves and crooked moves, evasions of blows, avoidance and running round,
अभिद्रवणमाप्लावमवस्थानं सविग्रहम् । परावृत्तमपावृत्तमपद्रुतमवप्लुतम् ॥ २५ ॥
rushing in, leaping, standing firm with a hold, turning back, turning away, running off and dropping down,
उपन्यस्तमपन्यस्तं युद्धमार्गविशारदौ । तौ विचेरतुरन्योन्यं वानरेन्द्रश्च रावणः ॥ २६ ॥
approaching and withdrawing: skilled in the ways of fighting, the lord of the monkeys and Ravana ranged round each other.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रक्षो मायाबलमथात्मनः । आरब्धुमुपसम्पेदे ज्ञात्वा तं वानराधिपः ॥ २७ ॥
At this point the rakshasa set about using his own power of magic. Knowing it, the lord of the monkeys
उत्पपात तदाऽऽकाशं जितकाशी जितक्लमः । रावणः स्थित एवात्र हरिराजेन वञ्चितः ॥ २८ ॥
leapt then into the sky, victorious, his weariness overcome; and Ravana stood there, outwitted by the king of the monkeys.
अथ हरिवरनाथः प्राप्तसंग्रामकीर्ति- र्निशिचरपतिमाजौ योजयित्वा श्रमेण । गगनमतिविशालं लङ्घयित्वार्कसूनु- र्हरिगणबलमध्ये रामपार्श्वं जगाम ॥ २९ ॥
Then the lord of the best monkeys, having won fame in battle, having engaged the lord of the night-wanderers in the fight to the point of weariness, the son of the Sun, crossing the very wide sky, went to Rama’s side in the midst of the monkey hosts.
इति स सवितृसूनुस्तत्र तत् कर्म कृत्वा पवनगतिरनीकं प्राविशत् सम्प्रहृष्टः । रघुवरनृपसूनोर्वर्धयन् युद्धहर्षं तरुमृगगणमुख्यैः पूज्यमानो हरीन्द्रः ॥ ३० ॥
So the son of the Sun, having done that deed there, with the speed of the wind, entered the army, delighted, increasing the joy of battle of the prince, the best of the Raghus, honoured by the chiefs of the tree-beasts, the lord of monkeys.