Meghnad Calls for Rama's Champions and Answers Himself With Serpent Arrows
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 50
Doha 50 · Movement 1 of 2
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Meghnad calls across the field for the two brothers of Kosala, archers celebrated through all worlds. He demands Nala, Nila, Dvivida, Sugriva, Angada, and Hanuman, the boundary of strength. Last he names Vibhishana a betrayer of his brother and vows to kill them all.
His bow rises in extreme fury. Terrible arrows draw back to his ears, then leave in volleys like multitudes of winged serpents rushing toward prey. The space before him becomes a moving snare of shafts.
Vanaras fall everywhere and cannot face him in that hour. Bears and monkeys scatter, forgetting the desire for battle beneath the force of his archery. No forest warrior within his reach remains untouched by the threat of death. Meghnad asked where Rama's champions stood, but the first reply he permits is the sound of his own bow emptying the field around him.
Meghnad names every pillar of Rama's army, then releases a sky of serpents to make the field answer with silence.
Read the passage from the Manas
कहँ कोसलाधीस द्वौ भ्राता। धन्वी सकल लोक बिख्याता।। कहँ नल नील दुबिद सुग्रीवा। अंगद हनूमंत बल सींवा।। कहाँ बिभीषनु भ्राताद्रोही। आजु सबहि हठि मारउँ ओही।। अस कहि कठिन बान संधाने। अतिसय क्रोध श्रवन लगि ताने।। सर समुह सो छाड़ै लागा। जनु सपच्छ धावहिं बहु नागा।। जहँ तहँ परत देखिअहिं बानर। सन्मुख होइ न सके तेहि अवसर।। जहँ तहँ भागि चले कपि रीछा। बिसरी सबहि जुद्ध कै ईछा।। सो कपि भालु न रन महँ देखा। कीन्हेसि जेहि न प्रान अवसेषा।।
Where are the two brothers, the lords of Kosala, those archers renowned throughout all the worlds? Where are Nala, Nila, Dvivida, Sugriva, Angada, and Hanuman with their mighty strength? Where is Vibhishana, the betrayer of his own brother? Today I shall stubbornly slay them all! Saying this, he fitted terrible arrows and drew them to his ears with extreme rage. He began releasing volleys of arrows like winged serpents rushing forth in great numbers. Monkeys could be seen falling here and there, unable to face him in that moment. The monkeys and bears fled in all directions, forgetting all desire for battle. No monkey or bear could be seen on the battlefield who had not been left lifeless by him.