"Having crossed the mount Kailāça, the highly powerful Ten-necked demon,
with his army, reached the region of Indra. And there arose in the
region of celestials an uproar from the Rākshasa army, like unto the
sound of the agitated deep. Hearing of the arrival of Rāvana, Indra
shook on his throne and said to the assembled gods, Adityas, Vasus,
Rudras, Sadhyas and Maruts—’Prepare yourselves, for fighting with the
vicious-souled Rāvana.’ Being thus addressed by Sakra, the celestials,
his equals in the encounter and gifted with great prowess, armed
themselves for fight. And Mahendra, afraid of Rāvana, poorly went to
Vishnu and gave vent to the following accents:—’How shall I, O Vishnu,
withstand, the Rākshasa Rāvana? The highly powerful Rākshasa hath come
here for battle. It is by virtue of the boon that he is powerful, not
for anything else. It is proper to make the words uttered by Brahmā,
truthful. As resorting to thy prowess I destroyed Namuchi, Yitra, Bali,
Nānrin and Samvara, so do thou make some arrangements (for his
destruction). There is no other excellent refuge but thee in the three
worlds, mobile and immobile, O lord, O god of gods, O slayer of Madhu.
Thou art the graceful, ever-existing Nārāyana, having a lotus navel. By
thee the worlds have been settled and myself and Sakra, the lord of the
celestials. Thou hast created the three worlds, the mobile and immobile
and in thee all these shall, O glorious deity, end at the time of
dissolution. Do thou tell me, the truth, O god of gods, that I may
myself fight; or do thou, with thy sword and discus, vanquish Rāvana.’
Being thus addressed by Sakra the lord Nārāyana; said:—’Do not fear,
hear what I say. He is invincible by virtue of the boon, and that
vicious-souled one is incapable of being vanquished even by the
celestials and Asuras. Irrepressible by virtue of his prowess, that
Rākshasa, with his son, shall accomplish a mighty object. O lord of
celestials, even if I am requested by thee, I shall not withstand the
Rākshasa, Rāvana in the conflict. Without slaying the enemies in the
encounter, Vishnu doth never go back—but it is hard to fulfill my desire
from Rāvana, well protected by the boon. However I do promise before
thee, O lord of the celestials, O performer of hundred sacrifices, I
shall, soon become the cause of this Rākshasa’s death. I shall soon
destroy Rāvana with his family in due time and afford delight unto the
celestials. I speak the truth unto thee, O king of the celestials, O
lord of Sachi; do thou divested of fear, fight, O thou gifted with great
strength, along with the celestials.’ Thereupon having issued out of the
city, Rudras, Adityas, Vusus, Maruts and Aswins well-armed with mails,
appeared before the Rākshasas. Meanwhile at the latter part of the night
there was audible the uproar of Rāvana’s army fighting on all sides.
Having got up and cast their looks upon one another the highly powerful
Rākshasas waited there for the battle, delighted. Thereupon beholding
that inexhaustible huge army at the commencement of the battle the
celestial host lost heart. Thereupon there ensued a conflict, setting up
a terrible sound, with various weapons between the Rākshasas and gods.
In the interval issued out for encounter the heroic and grim-visaged
Rākshasas—Rāvana’s councillors. And encircled by Māricha, Prahasta,
Mahāparswa, Mahodara, Akampana, Nikumbha, Suka, Sārana, Sanghrāda,
Dhumaketu, Mahādangstra, Gathodara, Jāmbumāli, Mahāhrada, Virupāksha,
Suptaghna, Yajnakopa, Durmukha, Khara, Trisirā, Karaveerāksha,
Suryyasatru Mahākāya, Atikāya, Devāntaka, Narāntaka,—all those gifted
with great prowess, there entered the battle-field, the highly powerful
Sumālin, Rāvana’s maternal grandfather. And with various sharp-pointed
weapons, he, highly angered, began to assail the celestial host like
unto the winds scattering clouds. Being thus distressed by the
night-rangers the host of the gods fled away into diverse directions
like a herd of deer attacked by a lion. In the meantime, entered the
battle-field, the heroic and brave Savitra, the eighth Vasu, encircled
by soldiers and striking terror into the hearts of the enemies. And the
two Adityas, the highly powerful Tushthā, and Pushā united and
undaunted, entered the arena. Thereupon there arose with Rākshasas a
terrible encounter of the celestials unable to bear their fame in
battle. Then the Rākshasas, with thousands of terrible weapons, began to
belabour the deities in the encounter. And the celestials, as well,
began to send the redoubtable, powerful and terrific Rākshasas, with the
stroke of blameless weapons, to the abode of Death. In the interim, O
Rāma, a Rākshasa, Sumālin, by name, getting enraged and with diverse
weapons, ran amock of the soldiery. As the winds scatter clouds, so, he,
under the influence of rage, with various sharpened weapons, committed a
havoc amongst the celestial soldiers. Thereupon being assailed by a
downpour of huge shafts, maces, Prāsas and diverse dreadful weapons, the
celestials could not keep their ground upon the field of warfare. The
celestials being thus distressed by Sumālin the eighth Vasu Sāvitra
stood there enraged. And encircled by his own car-warriors that highly
powerful one, with his prowess, repulsed the striking night-rangers.
Thereupon there arose a terrible encounter, capable of making down
erect, between Sumālin and the Vasu, who did not retire from the field
of battle. His chariot drawn by serpents was pulled down and destroyed
by the high-souled Vasu by means of his huge shafts. Having taken up
that car in the warfare with hundreds of arrows Vasu took up mace in his
hands for his destruction. Having taken up that mace having a burning
head and resembling the rod of Death Sāvitra struck Sumālin on his head
therewith. Having failed on his head that mace shone like a fire-brand
as the thunderbolt, discharged by Indra, falls roaring on the summit of
a mountain. By the stroke of that mace his person was reduced to ashes
and therefore there was not seen in the battle field either his bone,
head or flesh. Having beheld him slain in the warfare the Rākshasas
bewailing ran about on all sides and being distressed by Vasu they could
not stay in the battle field."