________________
THE KILLING OF RĀVANA
279 teeth, as it were, from the half-destroyed chariots; and was like a dancing-place in some spots with torsos dancing the tāṇqava. The soldiers of the Kapis were broken by a full attack by all the Raksasas urged on by the twang of Rāyaṇa's bow. Angered by the rout of his soldiers, Sugrīva himself with his bow strung set out, shaking the earth with his mighty forces. Saying, "O king, stay here. See the strength of me alone,” Hanumat restrained Sugrīva and started for the battle.
Hanumat plunged into the Raksasa-army haughty because of its numerous forces, like Mandara into the ocean with cruel sea-animals. Then Mālin,180 with deep thunder like a rain-cloud, hard to conquer in battle, adorned with bow and quiver, attacked Hanumat. The heroes, Hanumat and Mālin, twanging their bows, shone like untamed lions giving slaps with their tails. Mālin and Hanümat attacked each other'with missiles, destroyed each other's missiles, and reviled each other. After they had fought for a long time Hanumat deprived Mālin, abounding in strength, of weapons like the summer sun a pool of water. “Gol gol old Rakşas. What is the use of killing you !" Vajrodara approached Srisaila saying this and said: "Oh. villain, you die, talking in this way, vile creature. Comel come! fight with me. You die. Do not go.” Māruti heard that speech like a lion hearing a challenge and, very proud, roaring, covered him with arrows. Shaking off that rain of arrows, Vajrodara made him invisible with arrows, like the rainy season the sun with clouds. "Oh! Vajrodara is a hero adequate to Hanumat. Oh! Pāvani is a soldier who is adequate to the Raksas Vajrodara.” Hanumat, unable to bear these speeches of the gods-spectators of the play of battle, victorious over enemies, a mountain of conceit, raining : various missiles at the same time, like a cloud, raining meteors, killed Vajrodara while the Räkşasas looked on.
180 100. This must be Sumālin. Mālin was killed long ago.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org