Chapter 97 - The Fight between Virupaksha and Sugriva

[Full title: The Fight between Virupaksha and Sugriva. Virupaksha’s Death].

The mutilated corpses of the monkeys, who had fallen under the shafts of Dashagriva were heaped on die earth, and the Plavam-gamas were as unable to endure that irresistible avalanche of darts loosed by Ravana, as butterflies a scorching fire. Tormented by those sharp arrows, they fled screaming like elephants enveloped in flames and Ravana advanced in the fight scattering them with his darts as the wind disperses the clouds.

Having, in his fury, exterminated those inhabitants of the woods, that Indra among the Titans rushed on to find Raghava. Then Sugriva, seeing the monkeys cut to pieces and routed, gave over his position to Sushena and addressed himself for battle. Relinquishing his command to that monkey, who was his equal in valour, Sugriva went out to meet the enemy, a tree in his hand. At his side and following in his footsteps marched all the monkey leaders brandishing enormous rocks and every kind of tree.

Thereafter that royal giant let forth a great shout and fell on that mob of titans, destroying their leaders, and that mighty monarch crushed the titan divisions, as at the end of the world cycle the wind breaks down the great trees; and he let fall a shower of stones on the titan divisions like a huge doud letting loose hailstones amidst a flock of birds in a wood. Under the avalanche of stones loosed by the King of the Monkeys, the titans, their heads shorn of their ears, fell like crumbling mountains, and whilst the titans were being overthrown by Sugriva, who was crushing them as they fell, they cried out. Then Virupaksha, armed with his bow, proclaiming his name, leapt down from his chariot and that indomitable titan mounted an elephant and, advancing thereon, and he, full of vigour, let forth a terrible cry and hurled himself on the monkeys. Thereafter he rained a shower of formidable darts on Sugriva in the forefront of battle and arrested the rout of the titans by reviving their courage.

Riddled with wounds from the sharp arrows of the titans, that Indra of Monkeys, howling with rage, resolved to slay him and, brandishing a tree, that valiant and indomitable monkey leapt forward and struck the huge head of his adversary’s elephant, and under the virulence of that blow, the great tusker sank down emitting loud cries.

Then the courageous titan jumped down from the back of the stunned beast and, turning on the monkey, threw himself upon him, but he, clad in mail covered with the hide of a bull, unsheathing his sword, with a rapid step, rushed defiantly on Sugriva who stood fast, waiting. Then Sugriva met the impact of Virupaksha and thereafter let fly a great rock like unto a cloud, whereupon that lion among the titans, seeing the stone falling, jumped aside and, full of valour, struck the monkey with his sword. Pierced by the valiant titan’s sword, the monkey lay on the ground for a time deprived of consciousness, then, suddenly rising to his feet in the great struggle, he whirled his fist round and round, bringing it down violently on the titan’s chest.

Wounded by his blows, the night-ranger, enraged, with his sword severed Sugriva’s armour in the forefront of battle and, under the shock, he fell to his knees. Thereupon the monkey, picking himself up, gave the titan a terrific blow that resounded like thunder, but Virupaksha evaded it skilfully and, with his fist, struck Sugriva on the chest.

Thereafter the monkey king waxed even more furious and, seeing that the titan had parried his thrust, sought an opportunity to attack him. In his rage, he struck him a violent blow on the temple like unto Indra’s thunderbolt which felled him to the earth, and the blood flowed from his mouth covering him like water from a mountain torrent. Rolling his eyes in fury, foaming at the mouth and bathed in blood, he seemed more misshapen than ever and the monkeys beheld their enemy covered with blood, trembling, and rolling from side to side, emitting plaintive cries.

Meanwhile the two valiant armies of monkeys and titans, who were fighting one another, began to create a terrible uproar like two seas that had burst their banks.

In the presence of the all-powerful titan, who had been slain by the King of the Monkeys, the varied multitude of monkeys and titans resembled the Ganges in flood.