“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 Ravana Confronts Rama on the Battlefield and Flees Summary Feeling desperate at the death of Prahasta, Ravana himself appears on the battle-front for an encounter, along with Akampana, Indrajit, Atikaya, Mahodara, Pishacha, Trishiras, Kumbha, Nikumbha and Narantaka the foremost of demons. After a tough fight with Sugreeva, Lakshmana, Hanuma and Nila, Ravana encounters Rama in battle, and sustaining an ignominious defeat at the latter's hands and escaping with his life, withdraws to Lanka. Chapter [Sarga] 59 in Detail tasmin hate raaksasa sainya paale | plavam gamaanaam risabhena yuddhe | bhiima aayudham saagara tulya vegam | vidudruve raaksasa raaja sainyam || 6-59-1 While Prahasta the Army chief of demons was slain in the battle by Nila the foremost among the monkeys, Ravana's army possessing terrible arms took to flight with the speed of a tide. gatvaa tu rakso adhipateh shashamsuh | senaa patim paavaka suunu shastam | tac ca api tesaam vacanam nishamya | rakso adhipah krodha vasham jagaama || 6-59-2 The demons went and told Ravana that Prahasta the Army chief had been killed by Nila the son of Fire-god. Hearing those words of the demons, Ravana was possessed of anger. Page 1 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 samkhye prahastam nihatam nishamya | shoka arditah krodha pariita cetaah | uvaaca taan nairrita yodha mukhyaan | indro yathaa ca amara yodha mukhyaan || 6-59-3 Hearing that Prahasta had perished in the fight, Ravana was afflicted with anger and his heart filled with grief and he addressed the foremost of his leaders as Indra the Lord of celestials to the leaders of the celestial troops (as follows): na avajnaa ripave kaaryaa yair indra bala suudanah | suuditah sainya paalo me saanuyaatrah sakunjarah || 6-59-4 "That enemy is not to be despised; under whose blows the destroyer of Indra's host the leader of my army with his followers and elephants fell." so aham ripu vinaashaaya vijayaaya avicaarayan | svayam eva gamisyaami rana shiirsam tad adbhutam || 6-59-5 "I myself shall go to that wonderful battle-front without hesitation in order to destroy the enemies and to gain victory." adya tad vaanara aniikam raamam ca saha laksmanam | nirdahisyaami baana oghair vanam diiptair iva agnibhih || 6-59-6 adya samtarpayisyaami prithiviim kapishonitaih | "As a forest is consumed by blazing fires, so shall I scorch that army of monkeys now along with Lakshmana and Rama with a multitude of arrows. Today, I shall satiate the earth with the blood of the monkeys." Page 2 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 sa;evam uktvaa jvalana prakaasham | ratham turamga uttama raaji yuktam | prakaashamaanam vapusaa jvalantam | samaaruroha amara raaja shatruh || 6-59-7 Speaking thus, Ravana the enemy of the Lord of celestials ascended his chariot which shone like a flame and was yoked to a team of excellent horses with its brilliance of an effulgent body. sa shankha bherii pataha pranaadair | aasphotita ksvedita simha naadaih | punyaih stavaish ca apy abhipuujyamaanas | stadaa yayau raaksasa raaja mukhyah || 6-59-8 Ravana the best among the kings of demons sallied forth with the sound of couches, kettle-drums, cymbals, clapping of hands and leonine roars and well-acclaimed by agreeable encomiums. sa niilajiimuutanikaasharuupai | rmaamsa ashanaih paavaka diipta netraih | babhau vrito raaksasa raaja mukhyair | bhuutair vrito rudra;iva amara iishah || 6-59-9 That Ravana along with the flesh-eating demons whose forms resembled mountains and clouds and whose glances flashed like torches shone like Rudra the Lord of Immortals surrounded by genii. Page 3 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 tato nagaryaah sahasaa mahaa ojaa | niskramya tad vaanara sainyam ugram | mahaa arnava abhra stanitam dadarsha | samudyatam paadapa shaila hastam || 6-59-10 Ravana who was endowed with extraordinary energy, issuing all at once from the city, observed a ferocious army of monkeys with trees and rocks in their hands, ready for combat and roaring like a vast ocean and a mass of thunder-clouds. tad raaksasa aniikam atipracandam | aalokya raamo bhujaga indra baahuh | vibhiisanam shastrabhritaam varistham | uvaaca senaa anugatah prithu shriih || 6-59-11 Seeing that army of demons who were excessively furious, Rama whose arms resembled great serpents, accompanied by his forces and having great fortune, spoke to Vibhishana the best among the wielders of weapons (as follows): naanaa pataakaa dhvaja shastra justam | praasa asi shuula aayudha cakra justam | sainyam naga indra upama naaga justam | kasya idam aksobhyam abhiiru justam || 6-59-12 "Who is in command of this army, furnished with every kind of standard, banner and canopy, armed with javelins, swords, stakes and other weapons and missiles and composed of imperturbable soldiers and elephants as high as the Mahendra Mountain?" Page 4 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 tatas tu raamasya nishamya vaakyam | vibhiisanah shakra samaana viiryah | shashamsa raamasya bala pravekam | mahaatmanaam raaksasa pumgavaanaam || 6-59-13 Hearing the words of Rama, Vibhishana the equal of Indra in valour, then narrated to Rama about the choicest army of the foremost among demons of the highest peculiarity (as follows): yo asau gaja skandha gato mahaatmaa | nava udita arka upama taamra vaktrah | prakampayan naaga shiro abhyupaiti hy | akampanam tv enam avehi raajan || 6-59-14 "O Prince! That hero who has a face with a coppery hue resembling a newly rising sun, coming on the back of an elephant causing its head to sway, know him to be Akampana." yo asau rathastho mriga raaja ketur | dhuunvan dhanuh shakra dhanuh prakaasham | karii iva bhaaty ugra vivritta damstrah | sa;indrajin naama vara pradhaanah || 6-59-15 "He who, standing in his chariot, brandish his bow which has a splendor of Indra's bow, whose standard bears the image of a lion, and who shines like unto an elephant with its terrible curved tusks, he is Indrajit who is renowned for the boons he had received from Brahma." Page 5 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 yash ca esa vindhya asta mahaa indra kalpo | dhanvii rathastho atiratho ativiiryah | visphaarayamsh caapam atulya maanam | naamnaa atikaayo ativivriddha kaayah || 6-59-16 "He who, the archer like unto the Vindhya, Asta or Mahendra Mountains, standing in his chariot, a mighty warrior, of superior strength, who wields a bow of unequalled size and having an exceedingly grown body, he is called Atikaya." yo asau nava arka udita taamra caksur | aaruhya ghantaa ninada pranaadam | gajam kharam garjati vai mahaatmaa | mahaa udaro naama sa;esa viirah || 6-59-17 "He who, with tawny eyes resembling the dawn, riding an elephant with its bells jangling, who is shouting aloud, he is that strong demon of the highest peculiarity is called Mahodara." yo asau hayam kaancana citra bhaandam | aaruhya samdhyaa abhra giri prakaasham | praasam samudyamya mariici naddham | pishaaca;esa ashani tulya vegah || 6-59-18 "He who, ascending the brilliantly caparisoned horse raising high a gleaming javelin, possesses a velocity of a well-directed thunder-bolt and resembles a mass of evening clouds and a mountain, he is Pishacha." Page 6 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 yash ca esa shuulam nishitam pragrihya | vidyut prabham kimkara vajra vegam | vrisa indram aasthaaya giri prakaasham | aayaati so asau trishiraa yashasvii || 6-59-19 "He who, seizing a sharp spike which possesses the velocity of a well-directed thunder bolt and comes mounting on an excellent bull which shines like a moon, he is the illustrious Trishiras." asau ca jiimuuta nikaasha ruupah | kumbhah prithu vyuudha sujaata vaksaah | samaahitah pannaga raaja ketur | visphaarayan bhaati dhanur vidhuunvan || 6-59-20 "The other resembling a thunder-bolt, of large and well-developed chest, who has an attentive mind, has the King of Snakes as his standard, who is moving and twanging his bow, he is Kumbha." yash ca esa jaambuu nada vajra justam | diiptam sadhuumam parigham pragrihya | aayaati rakso bala ketu bhuutah | so asau nikumbho adbhuta ghora karmaa || 6-59-21 "He who, holding a mace decorated with gold and diamonds, which are radiant (as fire) and also smoky (studded with sapphires), who advances as a standard bearer tot he army of demons, he is Nikumbha of Prodigious exploits." Page 7 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 yash ca esa caapa asi shara ogha justam | pataakinam paavaka diipta ruupam | ratham samaasthaaya vibhaaty udagro | nara antako asau naga shringa yodhii || 6-59-22 "He who, mounted in a chariot, adorned with flags, gleaming like a glowing blazer, who is furnished with bows swords and a multitude of arrows, he is Narantaka who shines brightly over there and who, in combat, fights with mountain-tops." yash ca esa naanaa vidha ghora ruupair | vyaaghra ustra naaga indra mriga indra vaktraih | bhuutair vrito bhaati vivritta netraih | so asau suraanaam api darpa hantaa || 6-59-23 yatra etad indu pratimam vibhaatic | chattram sitam suuksma shalaakam agryam | atra esa rakso adhipatir mahaatmaa | bhuutair vrito rudra;iva avabhaati || 6-59-24 "He who, surrounded by ghosts of dreadful form of rolling eyes, with heads of tigers, buffalo mighty elephants, deer and horses, under an excellent white canopy with slender ribs and shining like a moon, he who is the humbler of the gods themselves, shining like unto Rudra amidst the genii, is the suzerain Lord of Demons there." Page 8 of 38 “Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama” Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – Chapter 59 asau kiriitii cala kundala aasyo | naaga indra vindhya upama bhiima kaayah | mahaa indra vaivasvata darpa hantaa | rakso adhipah suurya;iva avabhaati || 6-59-25 "Ravana, decked with a diadem [crown], who has brought Indra the Lord of celestials and Vaivasvata the Lord of Death low, is shining like the sun.