Seeing Prahasta sally, ready for encounter, that chastiser of
foes--Rama--with a smile said unto Bibhishana,--"Who is this huge-bodied
one that armed with impetuosity, advanceth to the encounter? And what is
his power and prowess like? O mighty-armed one, tell me this concerning
this powerful night-ranger". Hearing Raghava's words, Bibhishana
answered,--"In Lanka this is the general of the lord of Rakshasas--the
Rakshasa named Prahasta, surrounded by a third of the forces. He is
possessed of prowess and is of distinguished gallantry. And that mighty
army of strong monkeys, wrought up with wrath, and roaring at Prahasta,
saw him dreadful and of terrific prowess and huge-bodied,--surrounded on
all sides by the Rakshasas,--and setting up roars, marching. And the
Rakshasas, eagerly desirous of victory, pursued the monkeys, wielding
swords and darts and _rishtis_, and javelins and shafts and maces and
clubs and bludgeons and _pracas_ and various axes and curious bows. And
the monkeys on their part, eager for encounter, took up flowering trees
and hills and huge and broad crags. And each party approaching the
other, great was the encounter that took place. And innumerable (monkeys
and Rakshasas) kept showering rocks and arrows. And many Rakshasas in
conflict slew many a powerful monkey, and the monkeys on their part
slaughtered many a Rakshasa. And some were pierced with darts and with
(other) powerful weapons; and some were wounded with bludgeons; and some
were hewn with axes. And some rendered senseless, dropped down to the
earth; and some hit with weapons, had their breasts riven. And some,
severed in twain with swords, dropped to the earth lifeless. And monkeys
were hewn in their sides by heroic Rakshasas. And numbers of Rakshasas
all around were beaten to the ground by infuriated monkeys with trees
and mountain-peaks. And some smitten sore with slaps having the touch of
the thunder-bolt, began to vomit blood from their mouths, with faces and
eyes turned pale. And great was the uproar that arose in consequence of
Rakshasas and monkeys emitting distressful cries and sending forth
leonine roars. And monkeys and Rakshasas wrought up with wrath, engaged
in treading the path of heroes,--looking terrific with their faces
moving about,--performed deeds of intrepid courage. And Narantaka and
Kambhahanu and Mahanada and Samunnata--all counsellors of Prahasta--set
about slaughtering the rangers of the woods. Of these doing swift
execution among the monkeys, Dwivida, taking up a mountain-peak, slew
one--namely Narantaka. And then the monkey, Durmukha, rising up afresh,
armed with a mighty tree, killed the light-handed Rakshasa--Samunnata.
And Jambavan endowed with energy, waxing enraged, uplifting a giant crag
brought the same down on Mahanada's breast. And there speedily assailed
by Tara, with a mighty tree, the powerful Kumbhahanu gave up the ghost
in the conflict. And not brooking that feat, Prahasta, mounted on a car,
taking a bow in his hand, fell to spreading a dreadful havoc among the
rangers of the woods. And then there the two hosts mingled into almost a
vortex; and the sounds that arose from those infuriated ones of
immeasurable might, resembled the roar of the ocean. And in terrific
encounter the enraged Rakshasa irresistible in battle drove the monkeys
to sore straits with showers of arrows. And the earth was covered quite
with the terrible bodies of monkeys and Rakshasas; and it looked as if
covered with mountains. And the earth drenched with streams of gore
looked as if swarming with blossoming _palacas_ in the month of spring.
And as leaders of elephant-herds cross a lotus-tank covered with
lotus-dust, those Rakshasas and choice monkeys crossed that river
flowing in the field of conflict incapable of being crossed; having for
her banks hosts of heroic warriors slain; for her mighty trees broken
arms; for her volume of waters showers of blood; coursing to Yama
resembling the Ocean; with livers and spleens for her vast slime; with
scattered entrails for her moss; with riven bodies and heads for her
fish; limbs for her lawns; swarming with vultures for her swans; with
Kankas for her cranes; filled with fat representing her foam; with the
roars (of warriors) for her sounds,--incapable of being crossed by
cravens,--and resembling a real river swarming at the end of the rains
with cranes and swans. Then all of a sudden Nila saw Prahasta stationed
on his car, discharging vollies of shafts and harassing the monkeys
therewith. And mounted on a sun-bright vehicle, that leader of the
army--Prahasta--seeing Nila advance towards him amain in the encounter,
like the wind in the sky scattering a mighty mass of clouds,--rushed
towards Nila. And that leader of forces--Prahasta--foremost of bowmen,
stretching his bow, began to shower arrows on Nila. And having pierced
Nila sore and wounded him, those shafts sought the earth like enraged
serpents. And that mighty monkey--Nila--endowed with energy, struck with
those sharpened shafts resembling flames,--uprooting a tree, assailed
therewith the irrepressible Prahasta--who was rushing against him. And
thereat, that foremost of Rakshasas, on being attacked, flaming up into
fury and uttering roars,--poured showers of arrows on the monkey-leader.
And not being able to resist the arrowy vollies of that wicked-minded
Rakshasa, (Nila) bore them, even as a bull beareth with closed eyes a
fast-descending autumnal shower. And in the very same way did Nila with
his eyes closed suddenly stand the mighty arrowy buffet of Prahasta
incapable of being withstood. And wrought up with rage, the exceedingly
strong and mighty Nila with a giant _Sala_ slew the steeds of Prahasta.
And then his soul surcharged with wrath, Nila swiftly shattered the bow
of that wicked-minded one, and then shouted again and again. On being
bereft of his bow, Prahasta, general of forces, taking a terrible mace,
leapt down from his car. And the redoubtable leaders endowed with
activity, bearing hostility to each other, their persons bathed in
blood, stood (on the ground) like two elephants (with their temples)
riven. And they kept tearing each other with their teeth like a lion and
a tiger, and also striving like a lion and a tiger. And endowed with
victorious vigor, those heroes, never knowing to desist from fight, were
eager for fame, even like Vritra and Vasava (fighting). And then
Prahasta putting forth his dearest effort, hit Nila on the temples with
a mace; and the blood began to flow. And then the mighty monkey, with
his person drenched in blood,--wrought up with passion, discharged a
tall tree at Prahasta's breast. And without caring for that hit, he,
taking up a mighty mace, furiously rushed against the monkey--Nila. And
witnessing that enraged (hero) rushing against him with exceeding
impetuosity, that redoubted monkey endowed with vehemence, took up a
tremendous crag. And in the encounter Nila at once let that crag alight
right on the head of Prahasta, eager for encounter and fighting with the
mace. And hurled by that foremost of monkeys, that huge and terrific
crag then shattered Prahasta's head in pieces. And then bereft of life
and shorn of nerve and devoid of sense, he suddenly dropped down to the
earth like a tree whose roots have been severed. And even as fountains
flow from the sides of a hill, blood flowed profusely from the person of
that one, whose head had been riven. On Prahasta being slain by Nila,
that mighty army of Rakshasas, never trembling (from fear),--retreated
towards Lanka. And like waters rushing (through a breach in) a dyke, the
Rakshasas could not stand their ground, on their leader being slain. And
on that head of the hosts being killed, the Rakshasas, growing
dispirited, repairing to the residence of the lord of Rakshas, remained
plunged in thought, without speaking anything. And plunged in that sea
of sorrow, they seemed as if they had been bereft of their senses. And
then the highly powerful and victorious Nila, leader of forces, on being
extolled with gracious offices, and on being joined by Rama and
Lakshmana, looked exceedingly exhilarated.