Mountains Break Upon Ravana as the Vanaras Cry for the Lord of the Afflicted
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 82
Doha 82 · Movement 1 of 3
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Ravana charges in extreme fury, and the vanaras rush to meet him with a great cry. In one movement they lift trees, boulders, and mountain peaks and cast the whole weight of the earth against his chariot.
The missiles strike his thunderbolt hard body and shatter into fragments. Ravana does not move. His chariot seems rooted amid the ruin, and battle pride feeds his anger. He lunges from side to side, striking and crushing the vanara warriors until the assault that surrounded him begins to break apart.
Bears and vanaras flee, calling to Angada and Hanuman. Their cry deepens into prayer: Protect us, Raghuvira, Lord, for this wicked king devours us like Time. Ravana sees them running and fits arrows to all ten bows. The mountain peaks have failed, the champions appear overwhelmed, and helpless voices now cross the field toward the one refuge no weapon can shatter.
When mountains break and courage scatters, the cry Protect us finds the strength that stone could not supply.
Read the passage from the Manas
धायउ परम क्रुद्ध दसकंधर। सन्मुख चले हूह दै बंदर।। गहि कर पादप उपल पहारा। डारेन्हि ता पर एकहिं बारा।। लागहिं सैल बज्र तन तासू। खंड खंड होइ फूटहिं आसू।। चला न अचल रहा रथ रोपी। रन दुर्मद रावन अति कोपी।। इत उत झपटि दपटि कपि जोधा। मर्दै लाग भयउ अति क्रोधा।। चले पराइ भालु कपि नाना। त्राहि त्राहि अंगद हनुमाना।। पाहि पाहि रघुबीर गोसाई। यह खल खाइ काल की नाई।। तेहि देखे कपि सकल पराने। दसहुँ चाप सायक संधाने।।
Dashandhara (the ten-necked one) charged forward in extreme fury. The monkeys advanced to meet him, raising great war cries. Seizing trees, boulders and mountain peaks in their hands, they hurled everything upon him at once. The rocks struck his vajra-hard body and shattered to fragments, crumbling on impact. The immovable one did not budge; his chariot stood rooted. Ravana, intoxicated with battle-pride, grew yet more wrathful. Monkey warriors leaped here and there, striking and crushing. Fury blazed on every side. Many bears and monkeys fled in retreat, crying, 'Trahi! Trahi! Angada! Hanuman!' They cried, 'Pahi! Pahi, Raghuvira Gosain! This wicked one devours us like Kala himself!' Seeing all the monkeys fleeing, Ravana fitted arrows to all ten of his bows.