November 8 - Sargas 45 and 46 of Sundara Kanda.
Ravana sends more and more warriors to deal with Hanuman, and they all meet with the same end at Hanuman's hands.
***
ततस्ते राक्षसेन्द्रेण चोदिताः मन्त्रिणः सुताः ।
निर्ययुः भवनात् तस्मात् सप्त सप्तार्चिवर्चसः ॥
"Then, as ordered by the king of rakshasas, Ravana, the seven sons of ministers, all set out from the palace radiant like the blazing fire." They all wielded mighty weapons and travelled in great chariots.
जनन्यस्तास्ततस्तेषां विदित्वा किङ्करान् हतान् ।
बभूवुः शोकसम्भ्रान्ताः सबान्धवासुहृज्जनाः ॥
"But their mothers, along with their relatives and friends, were all distressed for them, after coming to know the fate suffered by the thousands of kinkaras drafted into fighting with Hanuman and all slain by him."
Hanuman took off into the sky and warded off the sharp arrows that the warriors showered on him. Soon, he was descending with great speed, striking some to death with his palms, squeezing some to death between his thighs, and tearing some with his nails. Some fell dead out of sheer fright. Soon all the warriors lay dead, amidst their broken chariots and fallen horses and elephants on the run.
Hanuman went back to his perch atop the golden archway of Ashoka Vana.
***
Ravana decided to capture Hanuman. He called his five military generals, Virupaksha, Yupaksha, Durdhara, Praghasa, and Bhaskarna.
"Oh generals, go and deal with this vanara as he deserves. Take your army with you. I don't think he is an ordinary monkey. His strength is too great. I think he has been created by Indra after much tapas to take revenge. I have subdued the gods, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, and even ascetics. So this must be Indra's retaliation. Don't harm the monkey. Capture and bring him alive to me."
***
Ravana recalls the capabilities of Vali, Sugriva, jambavan, Nala and Nila, and says that none of them comes anywhere near Hanuman in strength and cleverness.
The generals proceed with much paraphernalia of warfare. They encounter Hanuman. They realise he is too clever and strong to be easily captured. They surround him from all sides and rain weapons on him.
***
Durdhara shot sharp arrows at Hanuman's head. They seemed to drop off, causing no harm. Just as Durdhara shot even more deadly arrows, Hanuman uttered a deafening roar, grew in size and flew into the air high. From that height, he flew down straight and smashed with his body Durdhara with his weapons, chariot, and everything in one shot. Durdhara lay dead.
Virupaksha and Yupaksha flew into the sky to meet Hanuman on equal terms. They hit him hard with two big hammers. Hanuman reeled from the blow. Recovering swiftly, Hanuman pulled out a big sala tree and swung it so hard at the two generals that they were both killed in one stroke.
The remaining two generals attacked Hanuman simultaneously, with a crowbar and a spear. They both hurt Hanuman and he began to bleed, looking red like the sun. Hanuman was enraged. He flew up and picked up a mountain peak and struck the two generals with it. They were smashed to their death.
All the elephants, horses and chariots were lying about in disarray unable to move anywhere because of the debris of battle. Hanuman finished this round of damage and went back to sit on the golden archway. He surveyed his work so far and felt happy.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
