Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 65 of 128 · 57 verses
Kumbhakarna Goes Out to Battle
Kumbhakarna rebukes Mahodara and says to Ravana: I will wipe away your terrible fear today by killing that evil Rama; be free of enmity and happy. Heroes do not roar in vain like waterless clouds; see my roar fulfilled in deeds. Your advice, Mahodara, always pleases foolish, timid kings who think themselves wise; cowards like you, who speak only pleasant things and follow the king, have ruined everything. Lanka has been left with nothing but its king; the treasury is empty and the army killed, because of this king surrounded by enemies with friends’ faces. I go to battle now to set right your bad policy.
Ravana laughs: Mahodara is surely afraid of Rama and does not like war; no one equals you in love and strength; go, Kumbhakarna, for the enemy’s death and for victory; I woke you for this; this is the great hour of the rakshasas. Take your spear like Death with his noose; devour the monkeys and the two sun-bright princes; at the sight of you the monkeys will flee and the princes’ hearts will burst. Ravana feels reborn. Kumbhakarna takes up his great spear, all of black iron, blazing, adorned with gold, like Indra’s thunderbolt in weight, the killer of gods, danavas, gandharvas, yakshas and serpents, hung with a great red garland, flaming of its own accord, stained with enemies’ blood, and says he will go alone, hungry and angry, and eat the monkeys. Ravana insists he take an army: the monkeys are brave and resolute and could destroy one who is alone or careless with their teeth. Rising from his throne, Ravana adorns him with a jewelled garland, armlets, rings, fine ornaments, a necklace like the moon, heavenly fragrant garlands and earrings; Kumbhakarna, with his great ears, shines like a well-fed fire, girt with a great dark belt like Mandara bound by the serpent at the churning; in golden armour, bright as lightning, he looks like the king of mountains wrapped in sunset clouds, and like Narayana ready for his three strides. He embraces his brother, circles him, bows his head and sets out, sent off with blessings, conches and drums, followed by chariots, elephants, horses, and rakshasas riding snakes, camels, donkeys, lions, elephants, deer and birds, showered with flowers, under an umbrella, mad with drink and the smell of blood.
He takes on a vast, terrible form, a hundred bow-lengths around and six hundred high, with eyes like cart wheels, like a great mountain, and says, laughing: today I will burn the monkey troops as fire burns moths. The forest-dwellers have done me no wrong; for us they are an ornament of city gardens. The root of the siege is Raghava with Lakshmana; when he is killed, all is killed; I will kill him in battle. The rakshasas roar. Terrible omens appear: clouds red as donkeys with meteors and lightning, the earth and sea trembling, jackals howling with flaming mouths, birds circling anticlockwise, a vulture landing on his spear, his left eye and arm twitching, a burning meteor falling with a terrible sound, the sun losing its light, the wind no longer pleasant. Ignoring these hair-raising portents, driven by the power of Fate, Kumbhakarna steps over the wall on foot like a mountain and sees the wondrous monkey army like a mass of clouds. At the sight of him the monkeys scatter like clouds in the wind; he roars again with joy like thunder, and many monkeys fall to the ground like sala trees cut at the root. Armed with his great iron bar, he goes out to destroy his enemies, bringing terror to the monkeys like Death with his rod at the end of an age.
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स तथोक्तस्तु निर्भर्त्स्य कुम्भकर्णो महोदरम् । अब्रवीद् राक्षसश्रेष्ठं भ्रातरं रावणं ततः ॥ १ ॥
Spoken to so, Kumbhakarna rebuked Mahodara and then said to his brother Ravana, best of rakshasas:
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सोऽहं तव भयं घोरं वधात् तस्य दुरात्मनः । रामस्याद्य प्रमार्जामि निर्वैरो हि सुखी भव ॥ २ ॥
“I will wipe away your terrible fear today by killing that evil Rama. Free of enmity, be happy.
गर्जन्ति न वृथा शूरा निर्जला इव तोयदाः । पश्य सम्पद्यमानं तु गर्जितं युधि कर्मणा ॥ ३ ॥
“Heroes do not roar in vain like waterless clouds; see my roar fulfilled in deeds in battle.
न मर्षयन्ति चात्मानं सम्भावयितुमात्मना । अदर्शयित्वा शूरास्तु कर्म कुर्वन्ति दुष्करम् ॥ ४ ॥
“Heroes do not bear to praise themselves by their own words; without showing it, heroes do deeds hard to do.
विक्लवानां ह्यबुद्धीनां राज्ञां पण्डितमानिनाम् । रोचते त्वद्वचो नित्यं कथ्यमानं महोदर ॥ ५ ॥
“Your words, Mahodara, always please foolish, timid kings who think themselves wise, when they are spoken.
युद्धे कापुरुषैर्नित्यं भवद्भिः प्रियवादिभिः । राजानमनुगच्छद्भिः सर्वं कृत्यं विनाशितम् ॥ ६ ॥
“By you cowards in battle, always speaking pleasant things, following the king, every undertaking has been ruined.
राजशेषा कृता लङ्का क्षीणः कोशो बलं हतम् । राजानमिममासाद्य सुहृच्चिह्नममित्रकम् ॥ ७ ॥
“Lanka has been made to have only the king left; the treasury is exhausted, the army killed, having come to this king with enemies bearing the marks of friends.
एष निर्याम्यहं युद्धमुद्यतः शत्रुनिर्जये । दुर्नयं भवतामद्य समीकर्तुं महाहवे ॥ ८ ॥
“Here I go out to battle, ready to conquer the enemy, to set right today in the great battle your bad policy.”
एवमुक्तवतो वाक्यं कुम्भकर्णस्य धीमतः । प्रत्युवाच ततो वाक्यं प्रहसन् राक्षसाधिपः ॥ ९ ॥
To wise Kumbhakarna, who had spoken so, the lord of the rakshasas replied, laughing:
महोदरोऽयं रामात् तु परित्रस्तो न संशयः । न हि रोचयते तात युद्धं युद्धविशारद ॥ १० ॥
“This Mahodara is terrified of Rama, no doubt of it; he does not like battle, friend, you who are skilled in battle.
कश्चिन्मे त्वत्समो नास्ति सौहृदेन बलेन च । गच्छ शत्रुवधाय त्वं कुम्भकर्ण जयाय च ॥ ११ ॥
“There is no one equal to you in friendship and strength. Go, Kumbhakarna, for the killing of the enemy and for victory.
शयानः शत्रुनाशार्थं भवान् सम्बोधितो मया । अयं हि कालः सुमहान् राक्षसानामरिंदम ॥ १२ ॥
“You were woken while sleeping by me for the destruction of the enemy; this is the very great hour of the rakshasas, tamer of enemies.
संगच्छ शूलमादाय पाशहस्त इवान्तकः । वानरान् राजपुत्रौ च भक्षयादित्यतेजसौ ॥ १३ ॥
“Go, taking your spear, like Death with noose in hand; devour the monkeys and the two princes bright as the sun.
समालोक्य तु ते रूपं विद्रविष्यन्ति वानराः । रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि हृदये प्रस्फुटिष्यतः ॥ १४ ॥
“Seeing your form, the monkeys will run, and the hearts of Rama and Lakshmana will burst.”
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः कुम्भकर्णं महाबलम् । पुनर्जातमिवात्मानं मेने राक्षसपुङ्गवः ॥ १५ ॥
Having said this to mighty Kumbhakarna, the radiant bull among rakshasas thought himself as if reborn.
कुम्भकर्णबलाभिज्ञो जानंस्तस्य पराक्रमम् । बभूव मुदितो राजा शशाङ्क इव निर्मलः ॥ १६ ॥
Knowing Kumbhakarna’s strength and his valour, the king became glad, like the spotless moon.
इत्येवमुक्तः संहृष्टो निर्जगाम महाबलः । राज्ञस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा योद्धुमुद्युक्तवांस्तदा ॥ १७ ॥
Told so, the mighty one, delighted, went out; hearing the king’s words, he was ready for battle then.
आददे निशितं शूलं वेगाच्छत्रुनिबर्हणः । सर्वं कालायसं दीप्तं तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणम् ॥ १८ ॥
The destroyer of enemies took up with force a sharp spear, all of black iron, blazing, adorned with refined gold,
इन्द्राशनिसमप्रख्यं वज्रप्रतिमगौरवम् । देवदानवगन्धर्वयक्षपन्नगसूदनम् ॥ १९ ॥
like Indra’s thunderbolt to look at, as heavy as the thunderbolt, destroyer of gods, danavas, gandharvas, yakshas and serpents,
रक्तमाल्यमहादामं स्वतश्चोद्गतपावकम् । आदाय विपुलं शूलं शत्रुशोणितरञ्जितम् ॥ २० ॥
with a great string of red garlands, fire springing from it of itself: taking that great spear, stained with enemies’ blood,
कुम्भकर्णो महातेजा रावणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् । गमिष्याम्यहमेकाकी तिष्ठत्विह बलं मम ॥ २१ ॥
radiant Kumbhakarna said to Ravana: “I will go alone; let my army stay here.
अद्य तान् क्षुधितः क्रुद्धो भक्षयिष्यामि वानरान् । कुम्भकर्णवचः श्रुत्वा रावणो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ २२ ॥
“Today, hungry and angry, I will eat those monkeys.” Hearing Kumbhakarna’s words, Ravana said:
सैन्यैः परिवृतो गच्छ शूलमुद्गरपाणिभिः । वानरा हि महात्मानः शूराः सुव्यवसायिनः ॥ २३ ॥
“Go surrounded by armies with spears and hammers in their hands; for the monkeys are great-souled, heroic and resolute.
एकाकिनं प्रमत्तं वा नयेयुर्दशनैः क्षयम् । तस्मात् परमदुर्धर्षः सैन्यैः परिवृतो व्रज । रक्षसामहितं सर्वं शत्रुपक्षं निषूदय ॥ २४ ॥
“They might destroy one who is alone or careless with their teeth. So go surrounded by armies, most unassailable one; destroy the whole enemy side that is hostile to the rakshasas.”
अथासनात् समुत्पत्य स्रजं मणिकृतान्तराम् । आबबन्ध महातेजाः कुम्भकर्णस्य रावणः ॥ २५ ॥
Then, springing up from his seat, radiant Ravana tied on Kumbhakarna a garland set with gems.
अङ्गदान्यङ्गुलीवेष्टान् वराण्याभरणानि च । हारं च शशिसंकाशमाबबन्ध महात्मनः ॥ २६ ॥
Armlets, rings and fine ornaments, and a necklace like the moon, he tied on the great soul.
दिव्यानि च सुगन्धीनि माल्यदामानि रावणः । गात्रेषु सज्जयामास श्रोत्रयोश्चास्य कुण्डले ॥ २७ ॥
Ravana fastened heavenly, fragrant garlands on his limbs, and earrings in his ears.
काञ्चनाङ्गदकेयूरनिष्काभरणभूषितः । कुम्भकर्णो बृहत्कर्णः सुहुतोऽग्निरिवाबभौ ॥ २८ ॥
Adorned with golden armlets, bracelets and gold ornaments, great-eared Kumbhakarna shone like a well-fed fire.
श्रोणीसूत्रेण महता मेचकेन व्यराजत । अमृतोत्पादने नद्धो भुजङ्गेनेव मन्दरः ॥ २९ ॥
He shone with a great dark girdle round his hips, like Mandara bound by the serpent at the producing of the nectar.
स काञ्चनं भारसहं निवातं विद्युत्प्रभं दीप्तमिवात्मभासा । आबध्यमानः कवचं रराज संध्याभ्रसंवीत इवाद्रिराजः ॥ ३० ॥
Being fitted with golden armour, able to bear weight, wind-proof, bright as lightning, blazing as if with its own light, he shone like the king of mountains wrapped in evening clouds.
सर्वाभरणसर्वाङ्गः शूलपाणिः स राक्षसः । त्रिविक्रमकृतोत्साहो नारायण इवाबभौ ॥ ३१ ॥
With every ornament on every limb, spear in hand, the rakshasa shone like Narayana ready for his three strides.
भ्रातरं सम्परिष्वज्य कृत्वा चापि प्रदक्षिणम् । प्रणम्य शिरसा तस्मै प्रतस्थे स महाबलः ॥ ३२ ॥
Embracing his brother and walking round him, keeping him on his right, bowing his head to him, the mighty one set out.
तमाशीर्भिः प्रशस्ताभिः प्रेषयामास रावणः । शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषैः सैन्यैश्चापि वरायुधैः ॥ ३३ ॥
Ravana sent him off with fine blessings, with the sound of conches and kettledrums, and with armies with fine weapons.
तं गजैश्च तुरंगैश्च स्यन्दनैश्चाम्बुदस्वनैः । अनुजग्मुर्महात्मानो रथिनो रथिनां वरम् ॥ ३४ ॥
With elephants, horses and chariots rumbling like clouds, great-souled chariot-warriors followed the best of chariot-warriors.
सर्पैरुष्ट्रैः खरैश्चैव सिंहद्विपमृगद्विजैः । अनुजग्मुश्च तं घोरं कुम्भकर्णं महाबलम् ॥ ३५ ॥
On snakes, camels and donkeys, on lions, elephants, deer and birds, they followed that terrible, mighty Kumbhakarna.
स पुष्पवर्षैरवकीर्यमाणो धृतातपत्रः शितशूलपाणिः । मदोत्कटः शोणितगन्धमत्तो विनिर्ययौ दानवदेवशत्रुः ॥ ३६ ॥
Showered with rains of flowers, an umbrella held over him, sharp spear in hand, wild with drink, mad with the smell of blood, the enemy of danavas and gods went out.
पदातयश्च बहवो महानादा महाबलाः । अन्वयू राक्षसा भीमा भीमाक्षाः शस्त्रपाणयः ॥ ३७ ॥
And many foot soldiers, loud-voiced, mighty, followed, terrible rakshasas with terrible eyes, weapons in their hands,
रक्ताक्षाः सुबहुव्यामा नीलाञ्जनचयोपमाः । शूलानुद्यम्य खड्गांश्च निशितांश्च परश्वधान् ॥ ३८ ॥
red-eyed, many fathoms tall, like heaps of dark collyrium, raising spears and swords and sharp axes,
भिन्दिपालांश्च परिघान् गदाश्च मुसलानि च । तालस्कन्धांश्च विपुलान् क्षेपणीयान् दुरासदान् ॥ ३९ ॥
javelins, iron bars, maces and pestles, and great palm trunks to be thrown, hard to withstand.
अथान्यद्वपुरादाय दारुणं घोरदर्शनम् । निष्पपात महातेजाः कुम्भकर्णो महाबलः ॥ ४० ॥
Then, taking on another body, cruel and terrible to see, radiant, mighty Kumbhakarna rushed out,
धनुःशतपरीणाहः स षट्शतसमुच्छ्रितः । रौद्रः शकटचक्राक्षो महापर्वतसंनिभः ॥ ४१ ॥
a hundred bow-lengths around and six hundred high, fierce, with eyes like cart wheels, like a great mountain.
संनिपत्य च रक्षांसि दग्धशैलोपमो महान् । कुम्भकर्णो महावक्त्रः प्रहसन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ ४२ ॥
Gathering the rakshasas, huge like a burnt mountain, great-mouthed Kumbhakarna said this, laughing:
अद्य वानरमुख्यानां तानि यूथानि भागशः । निर्दहिष्यामि संक्रुद्धः पतङ्गानिव पावकः ॥ ४३ ॥
“Today, angry, I will burn up those troops of the chief monkeys, division by division, as fire burns moths.
नापराध्यन्ति मे कामं वानरा वनचारिणः । जातिरस्मद्विधानां सा पुरोद्यानविभूषणम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“The forest-roaming monkeys do me no wrong, granted; for those like us their kind is an ornament of city gardens.
पुररोधस्य मूलं तु राघवः सहलक्ष्मणः । हते तस्मिन् हतं सर्वं तं वधिष्यामि संयुगे ॥ ४५ ॥
“The root of the city’s siege is Raghava with Lakshmana; when he is killed, all is killed; I will kill him in battle.”
एवं तस्य ब्रुवाणस्य कुम्भकर्णस्य राक्षसाः । नादं चक्रुर्महाघोरं कम्पयन्त इवार्णवम् ॥ ४६ ॥
As Kumbhakarna spoke so, the rakshasas raised a very terrible roar, as if shaking the ocean.
तस्य निष्पततस्तूर्णं कुम्भकर्णस्य धीमतः । बभूवुर्घोररूपाणि निमित्तानि समन्ततः ॥ ४७ ॥
As wise Kumbhakarna rushed out quickly, terrible omens appeared on every side.
उल्काशनियुता मेघा बभूवुर्गर्दभारुणाः । ससागरवना चैव वसुधा समकम्पत ॥ ४८ ॥
Clouds red as donkeys, with meteors and lightning, appeared; the earth trembled with its oceans and woods.
घोररूपाः शिवा नेदुः सज्वालकवलैर्मुखैः । मण्डलान्यपसव्यानि बबन्धुश्च विहंगमाः ॥ ४९ ॥
Jackals of terrible form howled, with mouths full of flames; and birds made anticlockwise circles.
निष्पपात च गृध्रोऽस्य शूले वै पथि गच्छतः । प्रास्फुरन्नयनं चास्य सव्यो बाहुरकम्पत ॥ ५० ॥
And a vulture alighted on his spear as he went along the road; his left eye twitched and his left arm trembled.
निष्पपात तदा चोल्का ज्वलन्ती भीमनिःस्वना । आदित्यो निष्प्रभश्चासीन्न वाति च सुखोऽनिलः ॥ ५१ ॥
Then a blazing meteor fell with a terrible sound; the sun was without light, and a pleasant wind did not blow.
अचिन्तयन् महोत्पातानुदितान् रोमहर्षणान् । निर्ययौ कुम्भकर्णस्तु कृतान्तबलचोदितः ॥ ५२ ॥
Disregarding those great, hair-raising portents that had arisen, Kumbhakarna went out, driven by the force of Fate.
स लङ्घयित्वा प्राकारं पद्भ्यां पर्वतसंनिभः । ददर्शाभ्रघनप्रख्यं वानरानीकमद्भुतम् ॥ ५३ ॥
Stepping over the wall on foot, like a mountain, he saw the wondrous monkey army, like a mass of clouds.
ते दृष्ट्वा राक्षसश्रेष्ठं वानराः पर्वतोपमम् । वायुनुन्ना इव घना ययुः सर्वा दिशस्तदा ॥ ५४ ॥
Seeing that best of rakshasas, like a mountain, the monkeys went to all the directions then, like clouds driven by the wind.
तद् वानरानीकमतिप्रचण्डं दिशो द्रवद्भिन्नमिवाभ्रजालम् । स कुम्भकर्णः समवेक्ष्य हर्षा- न्ननाद भूयो घनवद्घनाभः ॥ ५५ ॥
Seeing that very fierce monkey army running to the directions like a broken mass of clouds, Kumbhakarna, like a cloud, roared again with joy like a cloud.
ते तस्य घोरं निनदं निशम्य यथा निनादं दिवि वारिदस्य । पेतुर्धरण्यां बहवः प्लवङ्गा निकृत्तमूला इव शालवृक्षाः ॥ ५६ ॥
Hearing his terrible roar, like the roar of a cloud in the sky, many leapers fell to the ground like sala trees cut at the root.
विपुलपरिघवान् स कुम्भकर्णो रिपुनिधनाय विनिःसृतो महात्मा । कपिगणभयमाददत् सुभीमं प्रभुरिव किंकरदण्डवान् युगान्ते ॥ ५७ ॥
With his great iron bar, great-souled Kumbhakarna went out to destroy his enemies, bringing very terrible fear to the hosts of monkeys, like the Lord at the end of an age with the rod of his servants.