Finding his own army destroyed by the might of Angada, the exceedingly
powerful Rakshasa--Vajradanshtra--was overcome with rage. And stretching
his dreadful bow of the splendour of Sakra's thunder-bolt, he began to
shower shafts among the monkey-ranks. And the foremost among the heroic
Rakshasas also, stationed on cars, furnished with various arms, warred
on in the encounter. And the heroic monkeys also--foremost of their
kind--with rocks in their hands, fought around in united strength. And
in that conflict, the Rakshasas began to incessantly shower _ayutas_
among the flower of the monkey-army. And the monkeys,--pre-eminently
valiant, and resembling mad elephants, kept showering over the Rakshasas
mountain-trees and mighty rocks. And then took place a hot contest among
heroic warring monkeys and Rakshasas, eager for encounter. And some,
with their heads unbroken, had their arms and legs torn; and their
bodies pierced with weapons, and laved with blood. And monkeys and
Rakshasas lay down in the dirt,--thronged with numbers of Kankas, and
vultures; and swarming with flocks of jackals. And striking affright to
the timid, on the earth started up (spectral) headless trunks,--with
their arms and heads torn, and their bodies torn all over. And monkeys
and Rakshasas began to drop down to the earth. And the army of
night-rangers, being brutally handled by the monkey-hosts, broke up at
every point at the very sight of Vajradanshtra. And seeing the
Rakshasas, distressed with fright and harassed by the monkeys, the
powerful Vajradanshtra, with his eyes crimson-hued with choler, entered
the arena, bow in hand,--frightening the monkey-forces. And he began to
pierce the monkeys with straight-speeding shafts winged with Kanka
feathers; And he pierced simultaneously seven, eight, nine, five,
monkeys (in the field). And the exceedingly powerful Vajradanshtra,
sported into a towering passion, began to cleave the docile ranks. And
thereat terrified, the monkeys, with their bodies cut with arrows,
rushed towards Angada, like vultures resorting to the Creator. And
finding the monkey-ranks disordered, Vali's son in a rage cast his eyes
on Vajradanshtra, who also was eying him. And Vajradanshtra and Angada
fought fiercely with each other over and over again; ranging the field
like a tiger and a mad elephant[167]. Then (Vajradanshtra) with hundreds
and thousands (of shafts) resembling tongues of flames, pierced the
powerful son of the monkey in the vitals. Thereupon Vali's son of mighty
strength and tremendous prowess, with his body covered all over with
blood, hurled a tree at Vajradanshtra. And seeing the tree in full
career, the Rakshasa without betraying any agitation, severed it in
pieces; and the tree, thus assailed, fell to the earth. And seeing that
feat of Vajradanshtra, that foremost of monkeys, taking up a huge crag,
hurled it (at his foe) and sent up shouts. And seeing this descend upon
him, that powerful one, calmly leaping down from his vehicle, stood on
his feet on the ground. And the crag discharged by Angada, coursing on
in the field, dashed to pieces the car along with the wheels and the
_Kuvara_ as well as the horses. And then the monkey, taking up another
prodigious peak crowned with trees, let it alight on Vajradanshtra's
head. Thereat vomitting blood, Vajradanshtra, deprived of his senses,
for a moment overcome with stupor, stood embracing his mace, sighing.
And then the night-ranger, recovering his senses, with his mace, in high
rage hit at the breast Vali's son staying in the field. And thereupon,
giving up his mace, he entered into a boxing encounter (with Angada).
And hitting each other there, they both--the monkey and the
Rakshasa,--began to vomit blood, and were overcome with fatigue
consequent on the thrashing each sustained; and they endowed richly with
prowess, appeared like Angaraka and Budha.[168] Then the exceedingly
energetic Angada--best of monkeys--uprooting a tree, stood there,
covered with flowers and leaves. And (Vajradanshtra) took a shield
composed of ass's hide,[169] and a sword broad and sightly, covered with
bells, and graced with a leathern sheath. And the monkey and the
Rakshasa displayed curious and graceful movements. And attacking each
other, they gave shouts, eager for victory. And with blood flowing from
their wounds, they looked beautiful like blossoming Kincukas. And
warring, both, overcome with fatigue, went to the ground on their knees.
Anon in the twinkling of an eye, that powerful monkey--Angada--started
up, with his eyes glowing,--like unto a serpent that hath been smitten
with a rod. And (at length) with his stainless and sharpened sword,
Vali's son, endeued with exceeding strength severed Vajradanshtra's huge
head. And the graceful head of that one having his body covered with
blood, cut off by the sword, falling to the ground with its eyes
rolling, was severed in twain. Seeing Vajradanshtra slain, the
Rakshasas, overwhelmed with fear and exceedingly agitated, in pitiful
plight, with woe-begone faces and heads hung in shame,--fled towards
Lanka, attacked (all the while) by the monkeys. Having compassed
Vajradanshtra's destruction, the powerful son of Vali, endowed with
exceeding strength, in the midst of the monkey-army experienced great
joy on being honored by the monkeys, like the wielder of the
thunder-bolt--the thousand-eyed (Deity)--surrounded by the celestials.
[167] _Harimattagajaviva--lit_, like a lion and a mad elephant. The
commentator however, remarks, that the contest of a lion with an
elephant is incompatible in the nature of things, for even an
elephant _dreaming_ of a lion, gives up the ghost!--T.
[168] The asterisms so called.
[169] What could this weapon be like?--T.