316. The next victim was Akampana.

         The news about the sad demise of Vajradamshtra irritated Ravana. He thought "Perhaps I under estimated the capabilities of Rama and his vanaras. I should have sent some one much better than Vajradamshtra. Now there is no point to brood over the spilled milk! Now let me make amends for my mistake. Who to send now? ...... Yeah! I should have sent Akampana! I will send him now. I am sure that he will finish that Rama, Lakshmana and all the animals with them."
          Having decided to sent Akampana now he gave orders accordingly.

       The mighty Akampana then quickly mobilized his army comprising of rakshashas of terrifying appearance. He furnished them with every kind of weapon. Then, Akampana with the stature and colour of a cloud, whose voice resembled a thunder, ascended his great chariot, decorated with fine gold and set out, surrounded by those dreadful rakshashas.

          Akampana was shining like the sun, by his splendour. As he sped on his way, hastened and eager to enter the battle, the horses drawing his chariot were suddenly deprived of their energy. The left eye of Akampana, who delighted in warfare, began to twitch. His countenance grew pale and his voice trembled. In the beginning it was a good day, marked by fine weather. But suddenly and inexplicably it turned into a day of bad weather with a bitter wind beginning to blow. Birds and beasts uttered cruel and fearful cries.

            Despite all those unfavourable portents, that rakshash Akampana having the shoulders of a lion and the agility of a tiger, disregarding them, rushed towards the battle-field with utmost speed with his troops. It looked that those already displayed portents got angry at the complete indifference of Akampana, ipso facto they sent another which created an immense tumult that would seem to convulse the ocean. That clamor, the outcome of the last portent frightened all the rakshashas and vanaras, excepting of course, Akampana. A fiercely fierce battle ensued between the vanaras and the rakshashas, who were fully prepared to lay their lives for the sake of Rama and Ravana, respectively.

       The tremendous clamour created by the warriors of both sides, yelling in their rage making savage cries, were distinctly heard far and wide. A highly terrific dust, in a thick coppery colour, raised by the warriors on both sides enveloped all the ten quarters.

        The combatants, enveloped by that dust, which was whitish like a piece of silk shaken by the wind, could no longer distinguish each other on the battle-field. Neither standard, banner and shield, nor horse, weapon and chariot could be discerned in that pall of dust. A great tumultuous clamour of warriors, making challenging cries and rushing upon each other, was heard on the battle-field, but in that confusion, no form was visible.

         In the darkness, the greatly enraged vanaras killed vanaras and the rakshashas killed rakshashas in that battle on that day. 
           The battle-ground was covered with the mangled bodies of rakshashas and vanaras sprinkled with blood. This did not deter the rakshashas and the vanaras to continue their efforts to send their adversaries to join their comrades lying inert on the battle-ground. 

           Akampana, the general of the army of rakshashas was not at all amused by what was happening there. He cheered all his rakshashas  and encouraged them to kill their adversaries and not to get killed or wounded. The vanaras, however, leaping upon them and relieving their weapons, crushed the rakshashas with blows by large trees and stones.

       The vanara commanders Kumuda, Nala and Mainda, in an outburst of anger, displayed unsurpassed rashness. With their determination, courage and prowess,  they created a great carnage among the rakshashas.

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