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The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2 by Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli

T >> Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2





SECTION CCLXXXV

"Markandeya said, 'Then Kumbhakarna set out from the city, accompanied
by his followers. And soon he beheld the victorious monkey troops
encamped before him. And passing them by with the object of seeking out
Rama, he beheld the son of Sumitra standing at his post, bow in hand.
Then the monkey warriors, speedily advancing towards him, surrounded him
on all sides. And then they commenced to strike him with numberless
large trees. And many amongst them fearlessly began to tear his body
with their nails. And those monkeys began to fight with him in various
ways approved by the laws of warfare. And they soon overwhelmed that
chief of the Rakshasas with a shower of terrible weapons of various
kinds. And attacked by them thus, Kumbhakarna only laughed at them and
began to eat them up. And he devoured those foremost of monkeys known by
the name of Chala, and Chandachala, and Vajravahu. And beholding that
fearful act of the _Rakshasa_, other monkeys were frightened and set
forth a loud wail of fear. And hearing the screams of those
monkey-leaders, Sugriva boldly advanced towards Kumbhakarna. And that
high-souled king of the monkeys swiftly approaching the _Rakshasa_,
violently struck him on the head with the trunk of a _Sala_ tree. And
though the high-souled Sugriva always prompt in action broke that _Sala_
tree on the head of Kumbhakarna, he failed to make any impression on
that _Rakshasa_. And then, as if roused from his torpor by that blow,
Kumbhakarna stretching forth his arms seized Sugriva by main force. And
beholding Sugriva dragged away by the _Rakshasa_, the heroic son of
Sumitra, that delighter of his friends, rushed towards Kumbhakarna. And
that slayer of hostile heroes, Lakshmana, advancing towards Kumbhakarna,
discharged at him an impetuous and mighty arrow furnished with golden
wings. And that arrow, cutting through his coat of mail and penetrating
into his body, passed through it outright and struck into the earth,
stained with the _Rakshasa's_ blood. Kumbhakarna then, having his breast
thus bored through, released the king of monkeys. And taking up a huge
mass of stone as his weapon, the mighty warrior Kumbhakarna then rushed
towards the son of Sumitra, aiming it at him. And as the _Rakshasa_
rushed towards him, Lakshmana cut off his upraised arms by means of a
couple of keen-edged shafts furnished with heads resembling razors. But
as soon as the two arms of the Rakshasa were thus cut off, double that
number of arms soon appeared on his person. Sumitra's son, however,
displaying his skill in weapons, soon by means of similar arrows cut off
those arms also, each of which had seized a mass of stone. At this, that
_Rakshasa_ assumed a form enormously huge and furnished with numerous
heads and legs and arms. Then the son of Sumitra rived, with a _Brahma_
weapon, that warrior looking like an assemblage of hill. And rent by
means of that celestial weapon, that _Rakshasa_ fell on the field of
battle like a huge tree with spreading branches suddenly consumed by
heaven's thunderbolt. And beholding Kumbhakarna endued with great
activity and resembling the _Asura_ Vritra himself, deprived of life and
prostrated on the field of battle, the _Rakshasa_ warriors fled in fear.
And beholding the _Rakshasa_ warriors running away from the field of
battle, the younger brother of Dushana, rallying them, rushed in great
wrath upon the son of Sumitra. Sumitra's son, however, with a loud roar,
received with his winged shafts both those wrathful warriors, Vajravega
and Promathin, rushing towards him. The battle then, O son of Pritha,
that took place between those two younger brothers of Dushana on the one
hand and the intelligent Lakshmana on the other, was exceedingly furious
and made the bristles of the spectators stand on end. And Lakshmana
overwhelmed the two _Rakshasas_ with a perfect shower of arrows. And
those two _Rakshasa_ heroes, on the other hand, both of them excited
with fury, covered Lakshmana with an arrowy hail. And that terrible
encounter between Vajravega and Promathin and the mighty-armed Lakshmana
lasted for a short while. And Hanuman, the son of Pavana, taking up a
mountain peak, rushed towards one of the brothers, and with that weapon
took the life of the Rakshasa Vajravega. And that mighty monkey, Nala,
also, with a large mass of rock, crushed Promathin, that other younger
brother of Dushana. The deadly struggle, however, between the soldiers
of Rama and Ravana, rushing against one another, instead of coming to an
end even after this, raged on as before. And hundreds of _Rakshasas_
were slain by the denizens of the forest, while many of the latter were
slain by the former. The loss, however, in killed, of the _Rakshasas_
was far greater than that of the monkeys.


SECTION CCLXXXVI

"Markandeya said, 'Learning that Kumbhakarna had with his followers,
fallen in battle as also that great warrior Prahasta, and Dhumraksha too
of mighty energy, Ravana then addressed his heroic son Indrajit saying,
"O slayer of foes, slay thou in battle Rama and Sugriva and Lakshmana.
My good son, it was by thee that this blazing fame of mine had been
acquired by vanquishing in battle that wielder of the thunderbolt, the
thousand-eyed Lord of Sachi! Having the power of appearing and vanishing
at thy will, slay thou, O smiter of foes, my enemies by means, O thou
foremost of all wielders of weapons, of thy celestial arrows received as
boons (from the gods)! Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva are incapable of
enduring the bare touch of thy weapons. What shall I say, therefore, of
their followers? That cessation of hostilities which could not be
brought about by either Prahasta or Kumbhakarna in battle, be it thine,
O mighty-armed one, to bring about! Slaying my enemies with all their
army by means of thy keen-edged shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as
thou didst once before by vanquishing Vasava!" Thus addressed by him,
Indrajit said--So be it,--and encased in mail he quickly ascended his
chariot, and proceeded, O king, towards the field of battle. And then
that bull amongst _Rakshasas_ loudly announcing his own name, challenged
Lakshmana endued with auspicious marks, to a single combat. And
Lakshmana, thus challenged, rushed towards that _Rakshasa_, with his bow
and arrows, and striking terror into his adversary's heart by means of
the flapping of his bow-string on the leathern case of his left hand.
And the encounter that took place between those warriors that defied
each other's prowess and each of whom was desirous of vanquishing the
other, and both of whom were conversant with celestial weapons, was
terrible in the extreme. But when the son of Ravana found that he could
not by his arrows gain any advantage over his adversary, that foremost
of mighty warriors mustered all his energy. And Indrajit then began to
hurl at Lakshmana with great force numberless javelins. The son of
Sumitra, however, cut them into fragments by means of his own keen-edged
arrows. And those javelins, thus cut into pieces by the keen-edged
arrows of Lakshmana, dropped down upon the ground. Then the handsome
Angada, the son of Vali, taking up a large tree, rushed impetuously at
Indrajit and struck him with it on the head. Undaunted at this, Indrajit
of mighty energy sought to smite Angada with a lance. Just at that
juncture, however, Lakshmana cut into pieces the lance taken up by
Ravana's son. The son of Ravana then took up a mace and struck on the
left flank that foremost of monkeys, the heroic Angada who was then
staying close beside him. Angada, the powerful son of Vali, little
recking that stroke, hurled at Indrajit a mighty Sala stem. And hurled
in wrath by Angada for the destruction of Indrajit, that tree, O son of
Pritha, destroyed Indrajit's chariot along with his horses and
charioteer. And thereupon jumping from his horseless and driverless car,
the son of Ravana disappeared from sight, O king, by aid of his powers
of illusion. And beholding that _Rakshasa_, abundantly endued with
powers of illusion, disappear so suddenly, Rama proceeded towards that
spot and began to protect his troops with care. Indrajit, however, with
arrows, obtained as boons from the gods, began to pierce both Rama and
mighty Lakshmana in every part of their bodies. Then the heroic Rama and
Lakshmana both continued to contend with their arrows against Ravana's
son who had made himself invisible by his powers of illusion. But
Indrajit continued to shower in wrath all over those lions among men his
keen-edged shafts by hundreds and thousands. And seeking that invisible
warrior who was ceaselessly showering his arrows, the monkeys penetrated
into every part of the firmament, armed with huge masses of stone. Them
as well as the two brothers, however, the invisible _Rakshasa_ began to
afflict with his shafts. Indeed, the son of Ravana, concealing himself
by his powers of illusion, furiously attacked the monkey host. And the
heroic brothers Rama and Lakshmana, pierced all over with arrows,
dropped down on the ground like the Sun and the Moon fallen down from
the firmament.'"


SECTION CCLXXXVII

"Markandeya said, 'Beholding both the brothers Rama and Lakshmana
prostrate on the ground, the son of Ravana tied them in a net-work of
those arrows of his which he had obtained as boons. And tied by Indrajit
on the field of battle by means of that arrowy net, those heroic tigers
among men resembled a couple of hawks immured in a cage. And beholding
those heroes prostrate on the ground pierced with hundreds of arrows,
Sugriva with all the monkeys stood surrounding them on all sides. And
the king of the monkeys stood there, accompanied by Sushena and Mainda
and Dwivida, and Kumuda and Angada and Hanuman and Nila and Tara and
Nala. And Vibhishana, having achieved success in another part of the
field, soon arrived at that spot, and roused those heroes from
insensibility, awakening them by means of the weapon called
_Prajna_.[60] Then Sugriva soon extracted the arrows from their bodies.
And by means of that most efficacious medicine called the _Visalya_,[61]
applied with celestial _mantras_, those human heroes regained their
consciousness. And the arrow having been extracted from their bodies,
those mighty warriors in a moment rose from their recumbent posture,
their pains and fatigue thoroughly alleviated. And beholding Rama the
descendant of Ikshwaku's race, quite at his ease, Vibhishana, O son of
Pritha, joining his hands, told him these words, "O chastiser of foes,
at the command of the king of the Guhyakas, a Guhyaka hath come from the
White mountains, bringing with him his water![62] O great king, this
water is a present to thee from Kuvera, so that all creatures that are
invisible may, O chastiser of foes, become visible to thee! This water
laved over the eyes will make every invisible creature visible to thee,
as also to any other person to whom thou mayst give it!"--Saying--_So be
it_,--Rama took that sacred water, and sanctified his own eyes
therewith. And the high-minded Lakshmana also did the same. And Sugriva
and Jambuvan, and Hanuman and Angada, and Mainda and Dwivida, and Nila
and many other foremost of the monkeys, laved their eyes with that
water. And thereupon it exactly happened as Vibhishana had said, for, O
Yudhishthira, soon did the eyes of all these became capable of beholding
things that could not be seen by the unassisted eye!

[60] This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to
consciousness, as the Sam-mohana weapon could deprive one of
consciousness.

[61] Visalya a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts
and wounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A
medical friend of the writer tested the efficacy of the plant
known by that name and found it to be much superior to either
gallic acid or tannic acid in stopping blood.

[62] The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next
only to that of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas
who are the celestial choristers. The White mountain is another
name of Kailasa, the peak where Siva hath his abode.

"'Meanwhile, Indrajit, after the success he had won, went to his father.
And having informed him of the feats he had achieved, he speedily
returned to the field of battle and placed himself at the van of his
army. The son of Sumitra then, under Vibhishana's guidance, rushed
towards that wrathful son of Ravana coming back, from desire of battle,
to lead the attack. And Lakshmana, excited to fury and receiving a hint
from Vibhishana, and desiring to slay Indrajit who had not completed his
daily sacrifice, smote with his arrows that warrior burning to achieve
success. And desirous of vanquishing each other, the encounter that took
place between them was exceedingly wonderful like that (in days of yore)
between the Lord of celestials and Prahrada. And Indrajit pierced the
son of Sumitra with arrows penetrating into his very vitals. And the son
of Sumitra also pierced Ravana's son with arrows of fiery energy. And
pierced with Lakshmana's arrows, the son of Ravana became senseless with
wrath. And he shot at Lakshmana eight shafts fierce as venomous snakes.
Listen now, O Yudhishthira, as I tell thee how the heroic son of Sumitra
then took his adversary's life by means of three winged arrows possessed
of the energy and effulgence of fire! With one of these, he severed from
Indrajit's body that arm of his enemy which had grasped the bow. With
the second he caused that other arm which had held the arrows, to drop
down on the ground. With the third that was bright and possessed of the
keenest edge, he cut off his head decked with a beautiful nose and
bright with earrings. And shorn of arms and head, the trunk became
fearful to behold. And having slain the foe thus, that foremost of
mighty men then slew with his arrows the charioteer of his adversary.
And the horses then dragged away the empty chariot into the city. And
Ravana then beheld that car without his son on it. And hearing that his
son had been slain, Ravana suffered his heart to be overpowered with
grief. And under the influence of extreme grief and affliction, the king
of the Rakshasas suddenly cherished the desire of killing the princess
of Mithila. And seizing a sword, the wicked Rakshasa hastily ran towards
that lady staying within the _Asoka_ wood longing to behold her lord.
Then Avindhya beholding that sinful purpose of the wicked wretch,
appeased his fury. Listen, O Yudhishthira, to the reasons urged by
Avindhya! That wise Rakshasa said, "Placed as thou art on the blazing
throne of an empire, it behoveth thee not to slay a woman! Besides, this
woman is already slain, considering that she is a captive in thy power!
I think, she would not be slain if only her body were destroyed. Slay
thou her husband! He being slain, she will be slain too! Indeed, not
even he of an hundred sacrifices (Indra) is thy equal in prowess! The
gods with Indra at their head, had repeatedly been affrighted by thee in
battle!" With these and many other words of the same import, Avindhya
succeeded in appeasing Ravana. And the latter did, indeed, listen to his
counsellor's speech. And that wanderer of the night, then, resolved to
give battle himself, sheathed his sword, and issued orders for preparing
his chariot.'"


SECTION CCLXXXVIII

"Markandeya said, 'The Ten-necked (Ravana), excited to fury at the death
of his beloved son, ascended his car decked with gold and gems. And
surrounded by terrible _Rakshasas_ with various kinds of weapons in
their hands, Ravana rushed towards Rama, fighting with numerous
monkey-chiefs. And beholding him rushing in wrath towards the monkey
army, Mainda and Nila and Nala and Angada, and Hanuman and Jambuvan,
surrounded him with all their troops. And those foremost of monkeys and
bears began to exterminate with trunks of trees, the soldiers of the
Ten-necked (Ravana), in his very sight. And beholding the enemy
slaughtering his troops, the _Rakshasa_ king, Ravana, possessed of great
powers of illusion, began to put them forth. And forth from his body
began to spring hundreds and thousands of _Rakshasas_ armed with arrows
and lances and double-edged swords in hand. Rama, however, with a
celestial weapon slew all those _Rakshasas_. The king of the _Rakshasas_
then once more put forth his prowess of illusion. The Ten-faced,
producing from his body numerous warriors resembling, O Bharata, both
Rama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two brothers. And then those
_Rakshasas_, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and armed with bows and
arrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power of illusion put
forth by the king of _Rakshasas_, that descendant of Ikshwaku's race,
the son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic words, "Slay those
_Rakshasas_, those wretches with forms like thy own!" And Rama,
thereupon slew those and other _Rakshasas_ of forms resembling his own.
And that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rama on the
field of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto which were
yoked horses of a tawny hue. And Matali said, "O son of Kakutstha's
race, this excellent and victorious car, unto which have been yoked this
pair of tawny horses, belongs to the Lord of celestials! It is on this
excellent car, O tiger among men, that Indra hath slain in battle
hundreds of _Daityas_ and _Danavas_! Therefore, O tiger among men, do
thou, riding on the car driven by me, quickly slay Ravana in battle! Do
not delay in achieving this!" Thus addressed by him, the descendant of
Raghu's race, however, doubted the truthful words of Matali, thinking
this is another illusion produced by the _Rakshasas_--Vibhishana then
addressed him saying, "This, O tiger among men, is no illusion of the
wicked Ravana! Ascend thou this chariot quickly, for this, O thou of
great effulgence, belongeth to Indra!" The descendant of Kakutstha then
cheerfully said unto Vibhishana, "So be it", and riding on that car,
rushed wrathfully upon Ravana. And when Ravana, too, rushed against his
antagonist, a loud wail of woe was set up by the creatures of the Earth,
while the celestials in heaven sent forth a leonine roar accompanied by
beating of large drums. The encounter then that took place between the
Ten-necked _Rakshasa_ and that prince of Raghu's race, was fierce in the
extreme. Indeed, that combat between them hath no parallel elsewhere.
And the _Rakshasa_ hurled at Rama a terrible javelin looking like
Indra's thunderbolt and resembling a Brahmana's curse on the point of
utterance.[63] Rama, however, quickly cut into fragments that javelin by
means of his sharp arrows. And beholding that most difficult feat,
Ravana was struck with fear. But soon his wrath was excited and the
Ten-necked hero began to shower on Rama whetted arrows by thousands and
tens of thousands and countless weapons of various kinds, such as
rockets and javelins and maces and battle-axes and darts of various
kinds and Shataghnis and _whetted shafts_. And beholding that terrible
form of illusion displayed by the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_, the monkeys
fled in fear in all directions. Then the descendant of Kakutstha, taking
out of his quiver an excellent arrow furnished with handsome wings and
golden feathers and a bright and beautiful head, fixed it on the bow
with _Brahmasira_ mantra. And beholding that excellent arrow transformed
by Rama, with proper _mantras_ into a Brahma weapon, the celestials and
the Gandharvas with Indra at their head, began to rejoice. And the gods
and the _Danavas_ and the _Kinnaras_ were led by the display of that
_Brahma_ weapon to regard the life of their Rakshasa foe almost closed.
Then Rama shot that terrible weapon of unrivalled energy, destined to
compass Ravana's death, and resembling the curse of a Brahmana on the
point of utterance. And as soon, O Bharata, as that arrow was shot by
Rama from his bow drawn to a circle, the _Rakshasa_ king with his
chariot and charioteer and horses blazed up, surrounded on all sides by
a terrific fire. And beholding Ravana slain by Rama of famous
achievements, the celestials, with the _Gandharvas_ and the _Charanas_,
rejoiced exceedingly. And deprived of universal dominion by the energy
of the Brahma weapon, the five elements forsook the illustrious Ravana,
and were consumed by the _Brahma_ weapon, the physical ingredients of
Ravana's body. His flesh and blood were all reduced to nothingness,--so
that the ashes even could not be seen.'"

[63] According to both Vyasa and Valmiki, there is nothing so
fierce as a Brahmana's curse. The very thunderbolt of Indra is
weak compared to a Brahmana's curse. The reason is obvious. The
thunder smites the individual at whom it may be aimed. The curse
of Brahmana smites the whole race, whole generation, whole
country.


SECTION CCLXXXIX

"Markandeya said, 'Having slain Ravana, that wretched king of the
_Rakshasas_ and foe of the celestials, Rama with his friends and
Sumitra's son rejoiced exceedingly. And after the Ten-necked
(_Rakshasa_) hath been slain, the celestials with the _Rishis_ at their
head, worshipped Rama of mighty arms, blessing and uttering the word
_Jaya_ repeatedly. And all the celestials and the _Gandharvas_ and the
denizens of the celestial regions gratified Rama of eyes like lotus
leaves, with hymns and flowery showers. And having duly worshipped Rama,
they all went away to those regions whence they had come. And, O thou of
unfading glory, the firmament at that time looked as if a great festival
was being celebrated.

"'And having slain the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_, the lord Rama of worldwide
fame, that conqueror of hostile cities, bestowed Lanka on Vibhishana.
Then that old and wise counsellor (of Ravana) known by the name of
Avindhya, with Sita walking before him but behind Vibhishana who was at
the front, came out of the city. And with great humility Avindhya said
unto the illustrious descendant of Kakutstha, "O illustrious one, accept
thou this goddess, Janaka's daughter of excellent conduct!" Hearing
these words, the descendant of Ikshwaku's race alighted from his
excellent chariot and beheld Sita bathed in tears. And beholding that
beautiful lady seated within her vehicle, afflicted with grief,
besmeared with filth, with matted locks on head, and attired in dirty
robes, Rama, afraid of the loss of his honour, said unto her, "Daughter
of Videha, go withersover thou likest! Thou art now free! What should
have been done by me, hath been done! O blessed lady, owning me for thy
husband, it is not meet that thou shouldst grow old in the abode of the
_Rakshasa_! It is for this I have slain that wanderer of the night! But
how can one like us, acquainted with every truth of morality, embrace
even for a moment a woman that had fallen into other's hands? O princess
of Mithila whether thou art chaste or unchaste, I dare not enjoy thee,
now that thou art like sacrificial butter lapped by a dog!" Hearing
these cruel words, that adorable girl suddenly fell down in great
affliction of heart, like a plantain tree severed from its roots. And
the colour that was suffusing her face in consequence of the joy she had
felt, quickly disappeared, like watery particles on a mirror blown
thereon by the breath of the mouth. And hearing these words of Rama, all
the monkeys also with Lakshmana became still as dead. Then the divine
and pure-souled Brahma of four faces, that Creator of the Universe
himself sprung from a lotus, showed himself on his car to Raghu's son.
And Sakra and Agni and Vayu, and Yama and Varuna and the illustrious
Lord of the _Yakshas_, and the holy _Rishis_, and king Dasaratha also in
a celestial and effulgent form and on car drawn by swans, showed
themselves. And then the firmament crowded with celestials and
_Gandharvas_ became as beautiful as the autumnal welkin spangled with
stars. And rising up from the ground, the blessed and famous princess of
Videha, in the midst of those present spoke unto Rama of wide chest,
these words, "O prince, I impute no fault to thee, for thou art well
acquainted with the behaviour that one should adopt towards both men and
women. But hear thou these words of mine! The ever-moving Air is always
present within every creature. If I have sinned, let him forsake my
vital forces! If I have sinned, Oh, then let Fire, and Water, and Space,
and Earth, like Air (whom I have already invoked), also forsake my vital
forces! And as, O hero, I have never, even in my dreams, cherished the
image of any other person, so be thou my lord as appointed by the gods."
After Sita had spoken, a sacred voice, resounding through the whole of
that region, was heard in the skies, gladdening the hearts of the
high-souled monkeys. And the Wind-god was heard to say, "O son of Raghu,
what Sita hath said is true! I am the god of Wind. The princess of
Mithila is sinless! Therefore, O king, be united with thy wife!" And the
god of Fire said, "O son of Raghu, I dwell within the bodies of all
creatures! O descendant of Kakutstha, the princess of Mithila is not
guilty of even the minutest fault!" And Varuna then said, "O son of
Raghu, the humours in every creature's body derive their existence from
me! I tell thee, let the princess of Mithila be accepted by thee!" And
Brahma himself then said, "O descendant of Kakutstha, O son, in thee
that art honest and pure and conversant with the duties of royal sages,
this conduct is not strange. Listen, however, to these words of mine!
Thou hast, O hero, slain this enemy of the gods, the _Gandharvas_, the
_Nagas_, the _Yakshas_, the _Danavas_, and the great _Rishis_! It was
through my grace that he had hitherto been unslayable of all creatures.
And indeed, it was for some reason that I had tolerated him for some
time! The wretch, however, abducted Sita for his own destruction. And as
regards Sita, I protected her through Nalakuvera's curse. For that
person had cursed Ravana of old, saying, that if he ever approached an
unwilling woman, his head should certainly be split into a hundred
fragments. Let no suspicion, therefore, be thine! O thou of great glory,
accept thy wife! Thou hast indeed, achieved a mighty feat for the
benefit of the gods, O thou that art of divine effulgence!" And last of
all Dasaratha said, "I have been gratified with thee, O child! Blessed
be thou, I am thy father Dasaratha! I command thee to take back thy
wife, and rule thy kingdom, O thou foremost of men!" Rama then replied,
"If thou art my father, I salute thee with reverence, O king of kings! I
shall indeed, return, at thy command, to the delightful city of
Ayodhya!"'