“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54
Angada Slays Vajradamshtra
Summary
The powerful demon Vajradamshtra penetrated the army of monkeys, sowing terror among them. The monkeys then sought refuge with Angada the monkey-leader. A fierce battle ensues between Vajradamshtra and Angada. Angada assaults Vajradamshtra with a sword and Vajradamshtra’s head falls on the ground.
Chapter [Sarga] 54 in Detail
svabalasya cha ghaatena angadasya balena cha |
raasasah krodhamaavisto vajradamstro mahaabalah || 6-54-1
The devastation of his army through Angada's prowess filled the mighty Vajradamstra with anger.
visphaarya cha dhanurghoram shakraashanisamaprabham |
vaanaraanaamaniikaani praakirachchharavristibhih || 6-54-2
Stretching his terrific bow, like unto Indra's thunder bolt, he assailed the monkey battalions with a flood of arrows.
raaksasaashcaapi mukhyaaste rathaishcha samavasthitaah |
naanaapraharanaah shuuraah praayudhyanta tadaa rane || 6-54-3
Then, the foremost of the demons mounted on chariots, fought the battle with every kind of weapon.
vaanaraanaam cha shuuraastu te sarve plavagarsabhaah |
aayudhyanta shilaahastah samavetaah samantatah || 6-54-4
The monkeys, those valiant bulls among the Plavagas, assembling on all sides, fought with rocks.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 tatraayudhasahasraani tasminnaayodhane bhrisham |
raaksasaah kapimukhyesu paatayaamchakrire tadaa || 6-54-5
Then in that battle there, the demons abundantly hurled thousands of weapons on the foremost of monkeys.
vaanaraashcaiva raksasu girivriksaan mahaashilaah |
praviiraah paatayaamaasurmattavaaranasamnibhaah || 6-54-6
The monkeys of mighty prowess, resembling elephants in rut, showered down giant trees and huge lumps of rock on the demons.
shuuraanaam yudhyamaanaanaam samaresvanivartnaam |
tadraksasaganaanaam cha syuddham samavartata || 6-54-7
Between those courageous warriors, the demons and the monkeys, who never retreated in battle, a tremendous struggle ensued.
prabhagnashirasah kechichhinnaih paadaishcha baahubhih |
sastrairarditadehaastu rudhirena samuksitaah || 6-54-8
harayo raaksasaashchaina sherate gaam samaashritaah |
kankagridhraabalaadhyashcha gomaayukulasamkulaah || 6-54-9
Some monkeys and demons, with their shattered heads, but bereft of arms and legs, lay on the earth bathed in blood with their bodies wounded by weapons, a prey to herons vultures and crows or devoured by troops of jackals.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 kabandhaani samutpeturbhiimaanaam bhiisanaani vai |
bhujapaanishirashchhinnaashchhinnakaayaashcha bhuutale || 6-54-10
vaanaraa raaksasaashcaapi nipetustatra bhuutale |
Monkeys and demons fell on the battle-field; headless trunks leaps up to the terror of all the fearful, their limbs hacked to pieces in the combat.
tato vaanarasainyena hanyamaanam nishaacharam || 6-54-11
praabhajyata balam sarvam vajradamstrasya pashyata |
Thereafter, under the eyes of Vajradamshtra, all his army of demons were killed and broken up by the monkey-troops.
raaksasaan bhayavitrastaan hanyamaanaan plavangamaih || 6-54-12
dristvaa sa rosataamraakso vajradamstrah prataapavaan |
pravivesha dhanuspaani straasayan harivaahiniim || 6-54-13
Seeing the demons terrified with fear and decimated by the monkeys, that powerful Vajradamshtra, his eyes red with anger, bow in hand, penetrated the army of monkeys, sowing panic among them.
sharairvidaarayaamaasa kankapatrairajihmagaih |
bibheda vaanaraamstatra saptastau nava pajncha cha || 6-54-14
vivyaadha paramakruddho vajradamstrah prataapavaan |
Thereafter, in his fury, the vigorous Vajradamshtra dispatched those monkeys with arrows resembling wings of an eagle that flew straight to their target and pierced seven, eight, nine or five of his opponents simultaneously, thus destroying them.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 trastaah sarve hariganaah sharaih samkrittadehinah || 6-54-15
angadam sampradhaavanti prajaapatimiva prajaah |
With their limbs crippled by those arrows and frightened, those monkey battalions sought refuge with Angada, as all creatures with Brahma the Lord of Creation.
tato hariganaan bhagnaan dristvaa vaalisutastadaa || 6-54-16
krodhena vajradamstram ta mudiiksantamudaiksata |
When he beheld those monkey troops fleeing in disorder, Angada the son Vali exchanged glances of hatred with Vajradamshtra.
vajradamstro.angadaschobhau yoyudhyete parasparam || 6-54-17
cheratuh paramakruddhau harimattagajaaviva |
Both Vajradamshtra and Angada fought against each other like a lion and an elephant in rut. They strolled din a tremendous fury.
tatah shatasahasrena hariputram mahaabalam || 6-54-18
jaghaana marmadeshesu sharairagnishikhopamaih |
Thereafter, that Vajradamshtra knocked the mighty Angada at his vital organs with his arrows resembling hundred thousand flames of fire.
rudhiroksitasarvaango vaalisuunurmahaabalah || 6-54-19
chiksepa vajradamstraya vriksam bhiimaparaakramah |
With all his limbs drenched in blood, the mighty Angada having a terrific prowess threw a tree on Vajradamshtra.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 dristvaapatantam tam vriksamasambhraantashcha raaksasah || 6-54-20
chichheda bahudhaa so.api mathitah praapatadbhuvi |
That un-perplexed [confident] demon, seeing that tree falling on him, cut it into innumerable pieces which fell in heaps on earth.
tam dristvaa sa rathaadaaplutya viiryavaan || 6-54-21
gadaapaanirasambhraantah prithivyaam samatisthata |
Witnessing the strength of Vajradamshtra, Angada that lion among the monkeys seized hold of a large rock and emitting a shout, threw it on him.
tamaapatantam dristvaa sa rathaadaaplutya viiryavaan || 6-54-22
gadaapaanirasambhraantah prithivyaam samatisthata |
As the rock descended, that vigorous Vajradamshtra leaping down from his chariot, armed with his mace, stood waiting confident, on the battle-field.
angadena shilaa ksiptaa gatvaa tu ranamuurdhani || 6-54-23
sachakrakuubaram saashvam pramamaatha ratham tadaa |
Meanwhile, the rock thrown by Angada, falling into the forefront of the battle, then crushed the chariot with its wheels shafts and horses
tato.anyachchhikharam grihya vipulam drumabhuusitam || 6-54-24
vajradamstrasya shirasi paatayaamaasa vaanarah |
Thereafter, Angada the monkey, seizing another large peak of a mountain adorned with trees, threw it on Vajradamshtra's head.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 abhavachchhonitodgaarii vajradamstrah sa muurchhitah || 6-54-25
muuhuurtamabhavanmuudho gadaamaalingya nihshvasan |
Beginning to vomit blood, Vajradamshtra became fainted, clenching his mace convulsively and breathing heavily for a moment.
samlabdhasamjjno gadayaa vaaliputramavasthitam || 6-54-26
jaghaana paramakruddho vaksodeshe nishaacharah |
Regaining his consciousness, Vajradamshtra the demon was very much enraged and hit Angada full on the chest with his mace.
gadaam tyaktvaa tatastatra mustiyuddhamakurvata || 6-54-27
anyonyam jaghnatustatra taavubhau hariraaksasau |
Leaving his mace, he performed a pugilistic encounter there. Both the monkey and the demon thus hit each other in that combat.
rudhirodgaarinau tau tu prahaarairjanitashamau || 6-54-28
babhuuvatuh suvikrantaavangaaraka budhaaviva |
Exhausted by the blows, spitting blood, those valiant warriors were like the planets Mars and Mercury.
tatah paramatejasvii angadah plavagarsabhah || 6-54-29
utpaatya vriksam sthitavaan bahupuspa phalaachitam |
Then, Angada the lion among the monkeys, possessing a great splendor, uprooted a tree full with many flowers and fruits and stood waiting.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 jagraaha chaarsabham charma khadgam cha vipulam shubham || 6-54-30
kinkinaajaalasambhannam charmanaa cha pariskritam |
The demon too seized hold of a shield covered with the hide of a bull as well as a great beautiful sword decorated richly with a multitude of golden bells.
chitraamshcha ruchiraanmaargaamshceratuh kapiraaksasau || 6-54-31
jaghnatushcha tadaanyonyam nardantau jayaakaaniksinau |
Thirsting for victory, the monkeys and the demons, making roaring sounds, roamed about in different ways and collided with each other.
vranaih samuthaih shobhetaam puspitaaviva kimshukau || 6-54-32
yudhyamaanau parishraanau jaanubhyaamavaniim gatau |
With their gaping wounds, they shone like a pair of kimshuka trees in blossom. Exhausted were both of them while fighting and they sank their knees on the earth.
nimesaantaramaatrena angadah kapikujnjarah || 6-54-33
udatisthata diiptaakso dandaahata ivoragah |
Angada, the foremost of the monkeys, just after a moment, with his glittering eyes, rose up like a serpent struck with a stick.
nirmalena sudhautena khadgenaasya mahachchhirah || 6-54-34
jaghaana vajradamstrasya vaalisuunurmahaabalah |
The mighty Angada assaulted the giant head of Vajradamshtra with a well-sharpened and stainless sword.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 rudhiroksitagaatrasya babhuuva patitam dvidhaa || 6-54-35
tachcha tasya pariitaaksam shubham khadgahatam shirah |
Struck by the sword, that charming head of Vajradamshtra, with his limbs drenched in blood and eyes rolling, fell into two pieces.
vajradamstram hatam dristvaa raaksasaa bhayamohitaah || 6-54-36
trastahyabhyadravan lankaam vadhyamaanaah plavangamaih |
visanlavadanaa diinaa hriyaa kimchidavaanmukhaah || 6-54-37
Seeing Vajradamshtra having been slain, the demons, deluded with fear, fled panic- stricken towards Lanka, harassed by the monkeys with their down-cast faces, their heads bowed in shame.
nihatya tam vajradharaprataapah |
sa vaalisuunuh kapisainyamadhye |
jagaama harsam mahito mahaabalah |
sahasranetrastridashairivaavritah || 6-54-38
The mighty Angada experienced a great joy amidst the monkey forces, honored by them for his high courage and he resembled the Lord of a Thousand Eyes surrounded by the celestials.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande chatuhpachaashah sargah
Thus completes 54th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
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Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 54 References
K. M. K. Murthy. (2002). Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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