December 26 - Sargas 55 and 56 of Yuddha Kanda.
The story of the battle between the vanaras and the rakshasas moves on inexorably.
Vajradamshtra is dead. Ravana now orders Prahasta, his chief of the rakshasa forces, that Akanpana, someone very loyal to him and one who loves a good battle, should be sent to deal with Sri Rama, Sugriva, and their forces.
Akampana is very enthusiastic. He proceeds to the battle, unmindful of all the ill-omens that come his way. He and his army encounter the vanaras in a darkened, dusty, wind that confuses everyone and the battle proceeds a bit chaotically, the two sides often hurting their own warriors in reduced visibility.
अकम्पनः सुसंकृद्धो राक्षसानां चमूपतिः ।
संहर्षयति तान् सर्वान् राक्षसान् भीमविक्रमान् ॥
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे वीरा हरयः कुमुदो नलः ।
मैन्दश्च द्विविदः क्रुद्धाश्चक्रुर्वेगमनुत्तमम् ॥
"Akampana was in battle-rage and led the rakshasas. He egged them on to fierce battle, those very rakshasas who were tremendously powerful.
"Meanwhile, the fiercely brave vanaras, Kumuda, Nala, Mainda, and Dvivida, entered the battle in fury and attacked at incredible speed."
Akampana saw how these vanara heroes were decimating his forces. He was not happy. He picked up his mighty bow and told his charioteer that he should drive in the direction where those four vanaras were causing havoc using rocks and trees as weapons. Akampana reminded the charioteer that he was famed as unconquerable.
Akampana started raining arrows. Soon he was able to scatter the attack from the vanaras.
समीक्ष्य हनूमान्ज्ञातीनुपतस्थे महाबलः - "Seeing what was being done by Akampana to his own vanara fellow-warriors, Hanuman came to confront Akampana."
The vanaras were delighted. They regrouped under Hanuman.
Akampana beheld a mountain-like huge figure of Hanuman and lost no time in raining arrows on him. Hanuman seemed unmindful of the arrows. Hanuman decided to end Akampana's life. He roared a mighty laughter-like roar, stomped the earth that shook under his feet, and rushed forward. He looked like a huge fire-ball. Suddenly Hanuman realized he had no weapon in hand. It took him little time to pluck a huge mountain that he then spun in the air fiercely, ready to throw it at Akampana. As he released it, Akampana shot a crescent-tipped arrow that went and blew the mountain to smithereens! Hanuman was enraged. He plucked out a huge Ashvakarna tree and using it as a spinning weapon, he started decimating whoever among rakshasas were nearby. He rushed to Akampana and his thighs struck the air and made a terrific noise. The rakshasas started running away.
Akampana now shot sixteen arrows that pierced Hanuman. Hanuman bled and resembled a huge tree in bloom. He also looked like a smokeless blaze. Hanuman now picked up another tree at lightning speed and struck Akampana so quickly that the rakshasa had no time to respond.
Akampana was smashed to death. The rakshasas ran away for their lives and sought shelter within Lanka. Valmiki describes their pitiable state, covered as they were with blood, sweat, and tears.
समेत्य हरयः सर्वे हनूमन्तमपूजयन् । All the vanaras surrounded Hanuman and bowed down to him in celebration.
This is what Valmiki says happened at that moment. Hanuman in turn congratulated and felicitated all the vanaras!
सोऽपि प्रवृद्धस्तान्सर्वान् हरीन् सम्प्रत्यपूजयत् ।
हनूमान् सत्त्वसम्पन्नो यथार्हमनुकूलतः ॥
"The mighty Hanuman, big in physical as well as mental stature, in turn, celebrated the vanaras. Hanuman was full of true valour and nobility and behaved most appropriately with each vanara warrior!"
स वीरशोभामभजन्महाकपिः
समेत्य रक्षांसि निहत्य मारुतिः ।
माहासुरं भीमममित्रनाशनं
विष्णुर्यथैवोरुबलं चमूमुखे ॥
"That great vanara Hanuman, brilliant with his military might, thus destroyed the formidable rakshasa foes by taking the attack to their home ground, much like Mahavishnu destroyed in battle the formidable demons who tyrannized the world."
The gods in heavens, Sri Rama himself along with Lakshmana, Sugriva and other chiefs, as well as Vibhishana, greatly honoured and celebrated the invincible hero Hanuman."
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
