Sarga 26: Dusana and his army chiefs get killed in severe combat with Ramathe demon army also gets destroyed

Mightyarmed Dusana saw the army getting killed in war. He led the forces of five thousand demons, dreadfuly quick at fighting, dangeous to face and who will not beat a retreat.

The demons continuously hurled at him (Rama) spears and swords and rained stones, trees and arrows from all sides

Righteous Rama, retaliated with his sharp arrows such as the rain of trees and stones, the mighty destroyers of life.

Rama retaliated in great anger to kill without caring for the shower of weapons like a bull with its eyes closed.

Overpowered by anger, Rama, with a blazing glow, covered Dusana and his army with his arrows.

Thereafter Dusana, chief of the army, angrily released at Rama equally powerful arrows comparable to thunderbolt.

Heroic Rama, mighty angry, then, broke the big bow of Dusana, with his swordlike arrow. And with a series of four arrows cut his four horses to pieces.

After killing the horses with sharp arrows Rama severed the charioteer's head with an arrow of the shape of the crescent moon and pierced Dusana's chest with a set of three arrows.

With his bow and chariot broken, charioteer and horses killed, Dusana took up a spear in his hand that appeared like a huge mountain top. Bound by golden bands, covered the iron nails, wetted with the enemy's marrow it created a horripilation. It appeared as though it could crush the army of gods and render the enemy powerless. It carried the killing touch of the thunderbolt and could break open the enemy's fort.

With the spear that looked like a mighty serpent, Dusana, the cruel demon, advanced towards Rama.

Seeing Dusana going to pounce upon him, Rama cut off with two arrows both his arms adorned with armlets.

With the hands amputated, his huge spear, like the banner of Indra, slipped off his hands and fell down on the ground on the battle front.

Dusana fell down on the ground with broken hands like a proud elephant with both his tusks shattered.

Seeing Dusaana collapse dead on the ground, all beings hailed Rama, saying, 'Well done, well done'.

Meanwhile all the three army chiefs, Mahakapala, Sthulaksha, and the mighty Pramathi ran towards Rama in anger, bound (as though) by the noose of death.

Mahakapala had a huge spear, Sthulaksha, a sharpedged spear and Pramathi, a battleaxe.

On seeing them rushing to attack him with sharp weapons, Rama received them quickly with pointed arrows as though they were guests.

Mahakapala's head was cut to pieces with sharp arrows and Pramathi was killed with a countless series of arrows. Pramathi's body, like a huge tree with many branches collapsed on the ground.

Rama filled the eyes of Sthulaksha with sharp arrows, and in anger shot five thousand arrows at the five thousand followers of Dusana in a moment and sent them to the abode of Yama.

Seeing Dusana and his followers killed, enraged Khara commanded his extremely strong army chiefs this way:

Dusana and his followers are killed in the battle. You, all the demons, along with your great army and different kinds of weapons should kill that wicked human being, Rama.

Having spoken thus, angry Khara ran towards Rama. Syenagami, Pruthugriva, Yajnasatru, Vihanga, Durjaya, Karaveeraksha, Parusha, Kalakarmuka, Meghamali, Mahamali, Sarpasya, Rudhirasanaall these twelve valiant army chiefs along with their forces rushed towards Rama, releasing the sharpest arrows at him.

Powerful Rama thereafter slayed the remaining army with his weapons studded with gold and diamonds and glowing like fire.

The goldtipped arrows which resembled fire covered with smoke shattered the army of demons like huge trees knocked down by thunder.

Rama killed a hundred demons with one hundred arrows by a single stroke. The same way he killed a thousand of them with a thousand arrows on the battle front.

The demons fell down on the ground with their shields and ornaments broken, their bows stained with blood splintered.

The entire ground was littered with bodies of demons fallen in the battle with loose hair and with drops of blood on them looking like a great sacrificial altar strewn all over with kusa grass.

With the slaughtered bodies of demons lying on the ground, the forest in a moment looked very dreadful like hell with the mud of soil soaked with flesh and blood.

Fourteen thousand formidable demons were killed by Rama, a pedestrian human, singlehanded.

Of that entire army great warrior Khara,Trisira and Rama, destroyer of foes alone remained.

The rest of the mighty, dreadful, intolerable demons were killed on the war front by Rama, elder brother to Lakshmana.

Thereafter seeing the formidable army killed by mighty Rama, Khara lifted a thunderbolt like Indra, and advanced towards Rama in a great chariot. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वालमिकिय आदिकाव्ये अरण्यकाण्डे षङ्विंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the twentysixth sarga in Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.