Ravana's Battle with Hanuman and the Destruction of His Illusions
Hanuman fearlessly engages Ravana in battle. Ravana unleashes deceptive illusions, but Rama destroys them at once.
Lanka Kand · Episode 26 / 37
Episode Text
देखा श्रमित बिभीषनु भारी। धायउ हनूमान गिरि धारी॥ रथ तुरंग सारथी निपाता। हृदय माझ तेहि मारेसि लाता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhā śramita bibhīṣanu bhārī। dhāyau hanūmāna giri dhārī॥ ratha turaṃga sāraṭhī nipātā। hṛdaya mājha tehi māresi lātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing Vibhishana greatly exhausted, Hanuman rushed forward carrying a mountain. With that mountain he destroyed Ravana's chariot, horses, and charioteer, and kicked him in the chest.
ठाढ़ रहा अति कंपित गाता। गयउ बिभीषनु जहँ जनत्राता॥ पुनि रावन कपि हतेउ पचारी। चलेउ गगन कपि पूँछ पसारी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ṭhāṛha rahā ati kaṃpita gātā। gayau bibhīṣanu jahaṃ janatrātā॥ puni rāvana kapi hateu pacārī। caleu gagana kapi pūṃcha pasārī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Ravana stood there, but his body trembled violently. Vibhishana went where the protector of all beings, Lord Rama, was. Then Ravana challenged Hanuman. Hanuman went off through the sky, tail spread out.
गहिसि पूँछ कपि सहित उड़ाना। पुनि फिरि भिरेउ प्रबल हनुमाना॥ लरत अकास जुगल सम जोधा। एकहि एकु हनत करि क्रोधा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gahisi pūṃcha kapi sahita uṛānā। puni phiri bhireu prabala hanumānā॥ larata akāsa jugala sama jodhā। ekahi eku hanata kari krodhā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Ravana seized Hanuman's tail, and Hanuman flew upward carrying him along. Then, turning back, the mighty Hanuman clashed with him again. The two equal warriors fought in the sky, each striking the other in anger.
सोहहिं नभ छल बल बहु करहीं। कज्जलगिरि सुमेरु जनु लरहीं॥ बुधि बल निसिचर परइ न पार्यो। तब मारुतसुत प्रभु संभार्यो॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sohahiṃ nabha chala bala bahu karahīṃ। kajjalagiri sumeru janu larahīṃ॥ budhi bala nisichara parai na pāryo। taba mārutasuta prabhu saṃbhāryo॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The two shone in the sky, using many kinds of stratagem and force, like the Kajal Mountain and Mount Sumeru locked in battle. When the demon could not be brought down by strategy or strength, Maruti Hanuman remembered the Lord.
संभारि श्रीरघुबीर धीर पचारि कपि रावनु हन्यो। महि परत पुनि उठि लरत देवन्ह जुगल कहुँ जय जय भन्यो॥ हनुमंत संकट देखि मर्कट भालु क्रोधातुर चले। रन मत्त रावन सकल सुभट प्रचंड भुज बल दलमले॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃbhāri śrīraghubīra dhīra pacāri kapi rāvanu hanyo। mahi parata puni uṭhi larata devanha jugala kahuṃ jaya jaya bhanyo॥ hanumaṃta saṃkaṭa dekhi markaṭa bhālu krodhātura cale। rana matta rāvana sakala subhaṭa pracaṃḍa bhuja bala dalamale॥
Meaning:
Remembering Lord Raghubir, the steadfast Hanuman challenged and struck Ravana. The two fell to the earth, then rose and fought again; the gods cried 'Victory, victory' for both. Seeing Hanuman in danger, the monkeys and bears rushed forward in anger. But battle-maddened Ravana crushed and ground all the warriors beneath the strength of his terrible arms.
तब रघुबीर पचारे धाए कीस प्रचंड। कपि बल प्रबल देखि तेहिं कीन्ह प्रगट पाषंड॥ ९५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba raghubīra pacāre dhāe kīsa pracaṃḍa। kapi bala prabala dekhi tehiṃ kīnha pragaṭa pāṣaṃḍa॥ 95 ॥
Meaning:
Then, at Lord Raghubir's challenge, the fierce monkeys rushed forward. Seeing the mighty force of the monkeys, Ravana displayed his illusion.
अंतरधान भयउ छन एका। पुनि प्रगटे खल रूप अनेका॥ रघुपति कटक भालु कपि जेते। जहँ तहँ प्रगट दसानन तेते॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
aṃtaradhāna bhayau chana ekā। puni pragate khala rūpa anekā॥ raghupati kaṭaka bhālu kapi jete। jahaṃ tahaṃ pragaṭa dasānana tete॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
For a moment he became invisible. Then that wicked one manifested countless forms. As many bears and monkeys as there were in Lord Raghunath's army, so many Ravanas appeared everywhere.
देखे कपिन्ह अमित दससीसा। जहँ तहँ भजे भालु अरु कीसा॥ भागे बानर धरहिं न धीरा। त्राहि त्राहि लछिमन रघुबीरा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhe kapinha amita dasasīsā। jahaṃ tahaṃ bhaje bhālu aru kīsā॥ bhāge bānara dharahiṃ na dhīrā। trāhi trāhi lachimana raghubīrā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The monkeys saw innumerable Ravanas. Bears and monkeys fled in every direction. The monkeys could not hold their courage. Crying, 'Save us, Lakshmana! Save us, Raghubir!' they ran in panic.
दहँ दिसि धावहिं कोटिन्ह रावन। गर्जहिं घोर कठोर भयावन॥ डरे सकल सुर चले पराई। जय कै आस तजहु अब भाई॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dahaṃ disi dhāvahiṃ koṭinhaṃ rāvana। garjahiṃ ghora kaṭhora bhayāvana॥ ḍare sakala sura cale parāī। jaya kai āsa tajahu aba bhāī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In all ten directions millions of Ravanas rushed about, roaring horribly, harshly, and fearsomely. All the gods were terrified and fled, saying, 'Brother, now abandon all hope of victory!'
सब सुर जिते एक दसकंधर। अब बहु भए तकहु गिरि कंदर॥ रहे बिरंचि संभु मुनि ग्यानी। जिन्ह जिन्ह प्रभु महिमा कछु जानी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saba sura jite eka dasakaṃdhara। aba bahu bhae takahu giri kaṃdara॥ rahe biraṃci saṃbhu muni gyānī। jinha jinha prabhu mahimā kachu jānī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
One Ravana had conquered all the gods; now there are many Ravanas. Therefore seek refuge in the mountain caves. There Brahma, Shambhu, and the wise sages alone remained firm—those who knew something of the Lord's glory.
जाना प्रताप ते रहे निर्भय कपिन्ह रिपु माने फुरे। चले बिचलि मर्कट भालु सकल कृपाल पाहि भयातुरे॥ हनुमंत अंगद नील नल अतिबल लरत रन बाँकुरे। मर्दहिं दसानन कोटि कोटिन्ह कपट भू भट अंकुरे॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jānā pratāpa te rahe nirbhaya kapinhaṃ ripu māne phure। cale bichali markaṭa bhālu sakala kṛpāla pāhi bhayāture॥ hanumaṃta aṃgada nīla nala atibala larata rana bāṃkure। mardahiṃ dasānana koṭi koṭinhaṃ kapaṭa bhū bhaṭa aṃkure॥
Meaning:
Those who knew the Lord's power remained fearless. The monkeys took the enemies to be real. Because of this, all the monkeys and bears grew restless and fled in fear, crying, 'O merciful Lord, protect us!' The mighty battlefield heroes Hanuman, Angada, Nila, and Nala fought on, crushing the countless Ravana-like warriors who had sprung up like shoots from the soil of deceit.
सुर बानर देखे बिकल हँस्यो कोसलाधीस। सजि सारंग एक सर हते सकल दससीस॥ ९६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sura bānara dekhe bikala haṃsyo kosalādhīsa। saji sāraṃga eka sara hate sakala dasasīsa॥ 96 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the gods and monkeys distressed, the Lord of Kosala, Rama, smiled and, stringing one arrow upon His Sharnga bow, destroyed all the Ravanas.
प्रभु छन महुँ माया सब काटी। जिमि रबि उएँ जाहिं तम फाटी॥ रावनु एकु देखि सुर हरषे। फिरे सुमन बहु प्रभु पर बरषे॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prabhu chana mahuṃ māyā saba kāṭī। jimi rabi ueṃ jāhiṃ tama phāṭī॥ rāvanu eku dekhi sura harṣe। phire sumana bahu prabhu para baraṣe॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The Lord cut away all illusion in an instant, just as darkness splits and disappears when the sun rises. Seeing only one Rāvaṇa, the gods rejoiced and returned, showering many flowers upon the Lord.
भुज उठाइ रघुपति कपि फेरे। फिरे एक एकन्ह तब टेरे॥ प्रभु बलु पाइ भालु कपि धाए। तरल तमकि संजुग महि आए॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhuja uṭhāi raghupati kapi phere। phire eka ekanhaṃ taba ṭere॥ prabhu balu pāi bhālu kapi dhāe। tarala tamaki saṃjuga mahi āe॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Sri Raghunath lifted his arm and sent the monkeys back. Then they returned, calling out to one another. Gaining strength from the Lord, the bears and monkeys rushed forward, leaping swiftly into the battlefield.
अस्तुति करत देवतन्हि देखें। भयउँ एक मैं इन्ह के लेखें॥ सठहु सदा तुम्ह मोर मरायल। अस कहि कोपि गगन पर धायल॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
astuti karata devatanhi dekheṃ। bhayauṃ eka maiṃ inha ke lekheṃ॥ saṭhahu sadā tumha mora marāyala। asa kahi kopi gagana para dhāyala॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the gods praising Sri Ram, Ravana thought, ‘In their reckoning, I have become one among them.’ [Yet they do not know that for them, I alone am more than enough.] He said, ‘O fools, you are always the ones who will be slain by me.’ Saying this, he flew up into the sky in fury [toward the gods].
हाहाकार करत सुर भागे। खलहु जाहु कहँ मोरें आगे॥ देखि बिकल सुर अंगद धायो। कूदि चरन गहि भूमि गिरायो॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hāhākāra karata sura bhāge। khalahu jāhu kahaṃ moreṃ āge॥ dekhi bikala sura aṃgada dhāyo। kūdi carana gahi bhūmi girāyo॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The gods fled, crying out in panic. [Ravana said,] “O wicked ones, where will you escape from before me?” Seeing the gods distressed, Angada rushed forward, leapt up, seized Ravana’s foot, and hurled him to the ground.