Sarga 58

Then Rama seeing Prahastha, the tamer of enemies of terrific valour coming towards him, said to Vibheeshana, having a gentle smile.

"Oh, Broad shouldered Vibheeshana! Who is this Rakshasa of gigantic form coming surrounded by a great army He seems to be a valiant one. Tell me."

On hearing Raghava's words Vibheeshana replied." He is a Rakshasa, by name Prahastha, commander in chief of the army of Rakshasa king. He is widely known for his prowess, conversant with weapons and courageous. He is heroic and a third of the army of Ravana is under his command."

On hearing Raghava's words Vibheeshana replied." He is a Rakshasa, by name Prahastha, commander in chief of the army of Rakshasa king. He is widely known for his prowess, conversant with weapons and courageous. He is heroic and a third of the army of Ravana is under his command."

The huge army of powerful Vanaras saw Prahastha of terrific prowess, fierce, surrounded by Rakshasas coming towards them roaring.

The huge army of powerful Vanaras saw Prahastha of terrific prowess, fierce, surrounded by Rakshasas coming towards them roaring.

The Rakshasas rushing towards Vanaras seeking victory, seizing swords, javelins, double edged swords, pikes, mallets, maces, iron bars, spears and bows of different kinds shone brightly.

The Rakshasas rushing towards Vanaras seeking victory, seizing swords, javelins, double edged swords, pikes, mallets, maces, iron bars, spears and bows of different kinds shone brightly.

The Vanaras burning with desire to fight, for their part went with huge trees in bloom, huge and long rocks.

Each of them approached one another with showers of rocks and many arrows and by that a great war happened.

In the course of war many Rakshasas killed many Vanara leaders and many Vanaras killed many Rakshasas also.

Indeed, some were killed by Rakshasas with pikes, some by javelins, a few with iron bars, and a few were hacked with axes.

Few got cut and deprived of life and fell on the ground. Some struck by arrows had their hearts broken into pieces.

Few Vanaras cut into two by Rakshasas fell down and few Vanaras fell on the ground sides of the body cleft ceased life.

Then the highly enraged Vanaras completely crushed Rakshasas in groups by crushing them on the earth's surface with trees and mountain peaks.

Hit by fists and hands that had the impact of thunderbolt, teeth and eyes smashed and fallen out, the Rakshasas vomited blood from their mouth excessively.

Tumultuous noise like the roar of lions arose in the battlefield with Vanaras and Rakshasas cries of pain.

Following the path of heroes and infuriated, their eyes reeling, the vanaras and rakshasas carried out their deeds without fear.

Naranthaka, Kumbhahanu, Mahanada, Samunnata, all these associates of Prahastha made short work of the monkeys.

Rushing at great speed, the Rakshasas and also killing the Vanaras in that way, Dwivida alone struck down Naranthaka with a mountain peak.

Dhurmukha monkey uprooting a huge tree holding it in hand killed the Rakshasa Samunnata.

Energetic Jambavantha, enraged, took a huge rock, and hurled at the chest of Mahanada who fell down.

And thereafter, valiant Tara closed with Kumbhahanu and attacked him with a tree on the head and he lost his life.

Then intolerant of the exploit, Prahastha got on to the chariot with bow in hand and caused dreadful havoc among the monkeys.

Then the sound of both armies was like an agitated, boundless ocean, whirling round and frightening.

In that major conflict, highly furious Prahastha, an expert in war tormented the Vanaras with a stream of arrows.

The bodies of Vanaras and Rakshasas strewn on the ground, seemed like mountains had fallen.

That battlefield drenched with blood shone bright as though veiled with blossoms of Palasa in the month of Magha.

Heaps of slain leaders as banks, broken weapons like large trees, torrents of blood as vast stretch of water, liver and spleens as its mire, scattered entrails as duckweeds, severed trunks and heads as fish, fingers and parts of limbs as grass, crowded with swans in the form of vultures, frequented with cranes in the shape of buzzards, overspread with f at in the form of foam, groans of the wounded for its murmur, difficult to cross for cowards, frequented by swans and cranes, that battlefield of river flowed. The Rakshasas and Vanaras swam across the river even though it were difficult to cross as leaders of elephant herds would cross a lotus pond covered with pollen of lotuses.

Heaps of slain leaders as banks, broken weapons like large trees, torrents of blood as vast stretch of water, liver and spleens as its mire, scattered entrails as duckweeds, severed trunks and heads as fish, fingers and parts of limbs as grass, crowded with swans in the form of vultures, frequented with cranes in the shape of buzzards, overspread with f at in the form of foam, groans of the wounded for its murmur, difficult to cross for cowards, frequented by swans and cranes, that battlefield of river flowed. The Rakshasas and Vanaras swam across the river even though it were difficult to cross as leaders of elephant herds would cross a lotus pond covered with pollen of lotuses.

Heaps of slain leaders as banks, broken weapons like large trees, torrents of blood as vast stretch of water, liver and spleens as its mire, scattered entrails as duckweeds, severed trunks and heads as fish, fingers and parts of limbs as grass, crowded with swans in the form of vultures, frequented with cranes in the shape of buzzards, overspread with f at in the form of foam, groans of the wounded for its murmur, difficult to cross for cowards, frequented by swans and cranes, that battlefield of river flowed. The Rakshasas and Vanaras swam across the river even though it were difficult to cross as leaders of elephant herds would cross a lotus pond covered with pollen of lotuses.

Heaps of slain leaders as banks, broken weapons like large trees, torrents of blood as vast stretch of water, liver and spleens as its mire, scattered entrails as duckweeds, severed trunks and heads as fish, fingers and parts of limbs as grass, crowded with swans in the form of vultures, frequented with cranes in the shape of buzzards, overspread with f at in the form of foam, groans of the wounded for its murmur, difficult to cross for cowards, frequented by swans and cranes, that battlefield of river flowed. The Rakshasas and Vanaras swam across the river even though it were difficult to cross as leaders of elephant herds would cross a lotus pond covered with pollen of lotuses.

Heaps of slain leaders as banks, broken weapons like large trees, torrents of blood as vast stretch of water, liver and spleens as its mire, scattered entrails as duckweeds, severed trunks and heads as fish, fingers and parts of limbs as grass, crowded with swans in the form of vultures, frequented with cranes in the shape of buzzards, overspread with f at in the form of foam, groans of the wounded for its murmur, difficult to cross for cowards, frequented by swans and cranes, that battlefield of river flowed. The Rakshasas and Vanaras swam across the river even though it were difficult to cross as leaders of elephant herds would cross a lotus pond covered with pollen of lotuses.

Further Nila saw Prahastha seated and trembling and discharging a volley of arrows with vehemence exterminating monkeys.

Prahastha, the commander of the army darted, just as the violent wind blows away mass of clouds, observing Nila coming towards him, in his chariot which was bright as the sun.

Prahastha, the commander of the army darted, just as the violent wind blows away mass of clouds, observing Nila coming towards him, in his chariot which was bright as the sun.

Prahastha, the CommanderinChief of the army, supreme among wielders of bow, stretched his best bow and drew it and began to discharge arrows at Neela.

The arrows discharged by Prahastha, penetrated piercing into Nila's body at great speed like infuriated serpents and went straight into the earth.

Great Vanara, a valiant one, Nila having been hit with arrows sharp as tongues of fire, struck Prahastha, who is most difficult to encounter and rushing towards him by uprooting a tree.

Great Vanara, a valiant one, Nila having been hit with arrows sharp as tongues of fire, struck Prahastha, who is most difficult to encounter and rushing towards him by uprooting a tree.

Having been struck by Nila, the Rakshasa leader became furious, and began to roar and showered rain arrows on the monkeys.

Not able to check the volley of arrows released by the Rakshasa, Nila received them with closed eyes.

Just as a mighty bull faces sudden downpour of autumnal rain, in the same way Nila precisely tolerated the rain of arrows of Prahastha, which are difficult to face, with eyes closed.

Neela endowed with great prowess, became angry (by the rain of arrows showered on him) and hurled a huge Sala tree at Prahastha.

Thereupon, Neela firmly holding the bow of mighty Prahastha broke it again and again and roared

Deprived of bow and chariot, Prahastha, the CommanderinChief seizing a terrific mallet jumped down from the chariot.

Both Nila and Prahastha, deadly enemies, CommanderinChief of the armies, their limbs disfigured, wetted with blood, stood like elephants.

Tearing up each other with exceedingly sharp teeth they were behaving like a lion and tiger. They had won many wars and never turned back in war. They were heroes like Vrta and Indra desiring to conquer and attain fame.

Tearing up each other with exceedingly sharp teeth they were behaving like a lion and tiger. They had won many wars and never turned back in war. They were heroes like Vrta and Indra desiring to conquer and attain fame.

Then Prahastha struck speedily with a mallet and hit Neela on the forehead and blood flowed from there.

Then drenched with blood, Neela was enraged and took hold of a huge tree and hurled at the chest of Prahastha.

He (Prahastha), not caring for the wound, taking a huge mallet went towards that courageous monkey (Neela).

Then, seeing Prahastha waging and coming towards him, the great monkey, Neela, endowed with high speed threw a huge rock.

Fighting with the mallet, Neela quickly dropped the rock on that Prahastha's forehead

Hurled by Neela, the foremost of monkeys, the huge rock broke the head of Prahastha into pieces.

Life, splendour, strength, and senses departed Prahastha fell instantly on the ground like a tree cut at the bottom.

From his shattered head much blood flowed from all over the body just as a spring from a mountain.

Prahastha having been killed by Neela, the cheerless Rakshasas and unshakeable troops could not stay there any more.

The CommanderinChief having been killed the troops could not remain there just as water reached a breached dam.

CommanderinChief killed, those Rakshasas reduced to speechlessness went to the abode of their Lord and remained without consciousness.