Canto 46
Generals in the Dumps
Pondered Ravan death over
Chosen ones all in their scores.
Thought he then it fit to send
Four star Generals to take on
Vanar that was hard to beat.
Chose he Durdhar and his ilk
Wage who war with lightning speed.
Said Ravan to his Generals
Wise it’s not to take chances
With that vanar on rampage.
Use all thy wile to ensnare
Him to bring thus to me live.
That he could slay best of us
Makes him mighty foe no less.
For the havoc he had wrought
Reckon I not him mere vanar.
Seems Indra with all his guile
Shaped this simian our equal.
Subdued as we for him long
Sense it makes to expect that
Try he might to hurt us thus.
Need thou tackle this vanar
With but joint move by thee.
Seems he ghost by Indra sent
Doubt have I none in my mind.
Know I Vali and his tribe
Give who can a hearty fight.
Yet they make no patch on this
Simian shaped by Indra’s wile.
Looks he like a superman
Out to test our demonic strength.
All of thee though severally
Could win over this simian
Wisdom lies to take on him
With the combined strength of thine.
Pays regardless though to press
One shouldn’t fail to guard his flanks.
Spurred on thus by king Ravan
Pressed his Generals to the front.
Seemed it as an exodus
Led as they their force varied.
Came they face to face in time
To face thus Hanuman lay in wait.
So that they could surprise him
Pounced they all at once on him.
With no let the five all fought
With their lightning arms to boot.
First to hit him was Durdhar
With his arrows five so sharp
Managed which all but to scratch
Frame that giant of Hanuman then.
Took that Hanuman as affront
Turned he skyward to confront.
So to engage in dogfight
Made chariot his then Durdhar
Airborne like a fighter jet
Wind as toys with clouds all
Arrows all those of Durdhar
Managed Hanuman to scatter.
Durdhar’s job to make difficult
Grew then Hanuman further more.
In time from high skies Hanuman
Landed straight on Durdhar’s cart.
Crushed as Durdhar therein lay
Saucer turned his chariot huge.
With the fall of Durdhar thus
Crushed he couple of more Generals.
Not to give up Ravan’s men
Hit all Hanuman in tandem
With their maces on his chest.
Withstood he then their assault
With no more than his bare first.
Enraged in the end Hanuman
Plucked a tree large lay thereby
With which he felled Ravan’s men.
With the death of his peers thus
Took on Hanuman Praghana then.
Bhasakarna too joined hands
So to aid then Praghana’s cause.
Threw as Praghana at Hanuman
Sword his sharp with all his strength
Bhasakarna sent lance his long.
Bled his body head to foot
Hurt as Hanuman by them both.
Plucked then Hanuman some hillock
With which he crushed them to bones.
Having killed all five Generals
Slain he then the entire force.
In his fury then Hanuman
Looked like Indra on rampage.
Littered by the corpses then
Graveyard looked the battlefield.
Amidst the ruins of Ravan’s hopes
Stood like colossus Hanuman then.