Chapter 58 - The Death of Prahasta

Beholding Prahasta setting out with martial ardour, the Conqueror Rama, smiling, enquired of Bibishana, saying:—

“Who is this colossus surrounded by an immense army, who with such speed, valour and courage, advances so swiftly? Make known to me this brave ranger of the night.”

On this enquiry, Bibishana answered:—

“Prahasta is the name of this titan; he is the leader of the army; a third of the forces belonging to the King of the Titans accompanies him. He is courageous, a master of the science of weapons and a warrior renowned for his prowess.”

While the terrible Prahasta of formidable exploits advanced roaring, that colossus, surrounded by his troops, was observed by the great and powerful army of the monkeys who began to emit cries of defiance.

Swords, lances, daggers, spears, darts, maces, bludgeons, bars, javelins and axes of every kind with many different bows glittered in the hands of the titans who, desirous of victory, fell upon the monkeys.

Trees in flower, rocks, huge and heavy stones were the weapons of the Plavamgamas, who were burning to fight and, as they approached each other, a formidable struggle arose between those innumerable combatants, who showered down a hail of stones and arrows. In the conflict, countless titans caused the death of thousands of mighty monkeys and countless monkeys destroyed as many titans. Some of the combatants fell under the lances, others under great arrows, some were struck down by the blows of bars, others cloven by axes. Deprived of their life’s breath they lay on the earth their hearts transfixed or cut to pieces by the avalanche of missiles. And those monkeys fell on the earth cut in two by the strokes of swords, their sides torn open by those bold titans and they, on their part, full of fury, overthrew the enemy ranks, heaping the earth with them, and they struck at them with trees and crags, administering thundering slaps and terrific blows with their fists, so that the titans, blinded, their faces ashen, vomited blood.

Thereafter an appalling clamour arose and, amidst cries of pain and leonine roars, the monkeys and titans, each maddened, their features distorted, following the path of heroes, conducted themselves with great courage. Narantaka, Kumbhahanu, Mahanada and Samunnata, Prahasta’s companions, decimated those inhabitants of the woods, hurling themselves on the monkeys in rage, destroying them; and Dvivida struck down one of them named Narantaka; then the ape Durmukha, leaping up in his turn, with a ready hand, struck Samunnata with a great tree; Jambavan, in the height of anger, seizing a huge stone hurled it with force on Mahanada’s chest and, on his side, the valiant Kumbhahanu, having attacked the General Tara, who was armed with a huge tree, received a blow that cost him his life.

Infuriated by the quadruple murder, Prahasta, who stood in his chariot, with the bow held in his hand, caused a dreadful havoc amongst the monkeys and the two armies became a vortex, resembling a roaring tempest over a vast ocean. In that great battle, the titan, intoxicated with combat, in his fury annihilated the monkeys under an immense avalanche of arrows. The corpses of monkeys and titans heaped the ground and covered it like hideous mountains and the earth, running with the blood which inundated it, shone as in the month of Spring when covered by the blossoming Palasha Trees.

With the heaps of warriors for its banks, the broken weapons its trees, the torrents of blood its huge waves, death appeared like an ocean receiving its floods; livers and spleens its mire, entrails its moss, severed heads and trunks the fish, and morsels of flesh the grass, innumerable vultures its lovely swans, herons its geese, covered as it was with fat for the foam, the tumult the sound of its waters, the battlefield resembled a river, incapable of being crossed, visited by waterfowl at the end of the rainy season. And the foremost of the titans and the monkeys crossed over that impassable river as elephants lead their herds across a lake that the lotuses have covered with pollen.

Meanwhile Prahasta, standing in his chariot, letting fly countless shafts scattering the Plavamgamas, was observed by Nila and, like unto a violent wind, the General of the Titans beheld Nila advancing on him like a mass of clouds in the sky.

Directing his chariot bright as the sun towards him, that foremost of archers, stretching his bow in the midst of the fray, covered Nila with his barbed shafts, which, piercing him in their rapid flight, passed through his body and, like furious serpents, buried themselves in the earth with great spurts. When Nila was wounded by those pointed shafts resembling tongues of fire, that huge and mighty monkey, brandishing a tree, struck that exceedingly redoubtable Prahasta who had set upon him with such fury.

Roaring with anger under his blows, that lion among titans overwhelmed the monkey chief with a rain of arrows and the shower of missiles loosed by that cruel demon was received by the monkey with closed eyes. Like a bull standing under a sudden autumnal downpour, so under that intolerable rain of darts, Nila immediately closed his eyes, suffering it, though it was scarce to be endured. Mad with rage, under the hail of arrows, that great and mighty monkey, arming himself with a Sala Tree, struck down Prahasta’s horses and thereafter his heart surging with anger he severed the bow of that barbarian, shouting again and again.

Deprived of his bow, Prahasta, the leader of the army, seizing a formidable mace, leapt down from his chariot, and those two generals, facing each other, adversaries full of courage, their limbs covered with blood, like unto two elephants with broken tusks, tore each other with their sharp teeth. Lion and tiger in gait, lion and tiger in prowess, those two warriors, vanquishers of other heroes, intrepid combatants, thirsting for fame, resembled Vritra and Vasava.

Meanwhile Prahasta with a supreme effort struck Nila on the forehead with his mace, causing the blood to flow, whereupon that powerful monkey, his limbs covered with gore, seized a great tree and struck Prahasta full in the chest with fury. He, however, not heeding the impact, brandishing an enormous iron bar, hurled himself on the valiant Plavamgama. Seeing him advancing towards him with terrific bounds, full of rage, the mighty monkey Nila, snatched up a great rock which he swiftly threw at the head of his bellicose opponent armed with a mace. Loosed by that monkey chief, that immense and formidable stone broke into several pieces on Prahasta’s head and the titan, deprived of breath, lustre, strength and consciousness instantly fell on the earth, like a tree severed at the root.

From his riven head and body the blood flowed, so that it resembled a torrent falling from a mountain. Prahasta being slain by Nila, the invincible and mighty army of the titans bereft of joy, fled to Lanka, their leader having succumbed, nor could they be stayed, as the waters of the sea may not be stemmed by a broken dyke.

Their leadet slain, the titans disconsolate regained the abode of their sovereign. Dumb and dispirited, plunged in an ocean of burning grief, they appeared to have lost their wits.

The triumphant warrior Nila, however, on his return, was honoured by Rama with Lakshmana who accompanied him, and experienced supreme joy.