Chapter 99 - The Combat between Angada and Mahaparshva

Mahodara having been struck down by Sugriva, the all-powerful Mahaparshva gazed on his slayer, his eyes red with anger and, with his shafts, began to sow disorder in Angada’s formidable ranks; and as the wind detaches a fruit from its stalk so did that titan sever the upper limbs of the leading monkeys. With his darts, he cut off the arms of some and, full of ire, pierced the sides of others. Overwhelmed by those shafts, that Mahaparshva loosed upon them, the monkeys grew pale with fright and lost courage.

Then Angada, wishing to give a little respite to his troops, who had been trampled upon and decimated by that titan, leapt up full of fury like the ocean on the day of the full tide. Seizing an iron bar that shone like the rays of the sun, that Prince of the Monkeys struck Mahaparshva in the struggle and he, losing consciousness, fell from his chariot, its driver having been slain, and lay senseless on the earth.

Thereupon the mighty King of the Bears who resembled a heap of black antimony and was extremely powerful, arming himself with a huge rock like unto the peak of a mountain, strode ahead of his battalion, which resembled a cloud, and with a furious blow struck down the horses and shattered the chariot of the titan.

Mahaparshva, however, regaining consciousness, leapt up in an instant and, in his great vigour, riddled Angada with innumerable arrows again and again and struck Jambavan, the King of the Bears with three spears full in the chest, wounding Gavaksha with innumerable shafts. Thereafter Angada, who was transported with rage, seized hold of an enormous stake and with that iron bar, bright as the rays of the sun, the son of Bali, his eyes red with anger, taking hold of it with both hands and brandishing it with force, with the intention of slaying him, hurled it on Mahaparshva, who stood some distance off.

Thrown with force, the bar knocked the bow with its arrows from the hand of the titan and struck off his helmet, whereupon Angada, with a single bound, seething with rage, struck the titan a blow with his clenched fist on the ear, which was adorned with an earring.

Enraged, the valiant and illustrious Mahaparshva seized hold of a great axe in one hand and with that stainless weapon washed in oil, made of solid stone, that titan, in a paroxysm of fury, struck his antagonist violently, but the blow, falling on the left shoulder, glanced off his armour. Then Angada, the equal of his sire in valour, furious, lifted up his fist which was as powerful as lightning and knowing the vital parts of the body, delivered a blow like unto Indra’s thunderbolt on the chest of the titan, close to his heart.

On this the titan, his heart riven by the shock, fell dead on that vast battlefield, and seeing him lying stretched on the earth without life, his army took fright, whilst Ravana fell into a transport of rage.

Thereafter the monkeys with Angada, let forth a joyous roaring that resounded far and wide, shattering the gates and turrets of Lanka as it were. The Gods too with their king let forth a great shout and that enemy of Indra, the Lord of the Titans, enraged on hearing the immense uproar among the inhabitants of the Celestial Regions and the forests, resolved to enter into the lists once more.