Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 4

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 312

THE KILLING OF RĀVANA
277 yojanas with the width of his army like Vaitādhya, Rāvaņa stepped for battle. Praising their own leaders, criticizing the enemy leaders, attacking each other, reciting each other's names, making weapons resound against weapons accompanied by hand-clapping, the soldiers of Rāma and Råvaņa joined each other like cymbals.
"Got go! Stay! stay! Do not be afraid. Discharge your weapon! Take up your weapon!” Such were the speeches of the soldiers on the battle-field. Spears, darts, arrows, discs, iron-bound clubs, and clubs of the two armies flew up like birds in a forest. Then the sky seemed to have various Ketus and Rāhus from the swords that were broken by blows against each other and heads that had been cut off quickly.178 The soldiers, making elephants roll on the ground with blows from hammers repeatedly, had the appearance of playing ball and stick. The five parts 179 of soldiers which had been cut off with axes by other soldiers fall like branches of trees. Heroes cut off heroes' heads and throw them on the ground like food suitable for hungry Kināśa (Yama).
In this battle between the powerful Rākşasas and Vänaras victory was to be obtained after a long time like the money of heirs. When the battle had been going on for a long time, the army of the Räksasas was broken by the Vånaras like a forest by winds. When the army of the Raksasas was broken, Hasta and Prahasta, always securities for victory for the lord of Lankā, were eager to fight with the Vänaras. Two great Kapis, Nala and Nīla, rose to oppose the two consecrated for sacrifice in battle. First, Hasta and Nala, opponents, powerful, mounted on chariots, met like retrograde and forward-moving planets. They strung their bows and twanged the bowstring, as if inviting each other to battle by the sound of the bowstring. The two rained arrows on each other so that their chariots
178 67. Ketu is represented as a sword and Rāhu as a head. 170 69. Hands, feet, and heads.