मार्कण्डेय उवाच ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः प्रिये पुढे निपातिते। निर्ययौ रथमास्थाय हेमरत्नविभूषितम्॥
Markandeya said : Then, angry at the death of his dear son, the ten-necked, ascending his car, studded with gems and gold set out (for the field of battle).
स वृतो राक्षसैोरैर्विविधायुधपाणिभिः। अभिदुद्राव रामं स योधयन् हरियूथपान्॥
Surrounded by dreadful Rakshasas holding in their hands various weapons, he fighting with the monkey-chiefs rushed upon Rama.
तमाद्रवन्तं संक्रुद्धं मैन्दनीलनलाङ्गदाः। हनूमाञ्जाम्बवांश्चैव ससैन्याः पर्यवारयन्॥
As he (Ravana) was furiously advancing, Mainda, Nala, Nila, Angada, Hanuman and Jambavan together with their forces surrounded him.
ते दशग्रीवसैन्यं तदृक्षावनरपुङ्गवाः। दुमैविध्वंसयांचक्रुर्दशग्रीवस्य पश्यतः॥
Those foremost of bears and monkeys destroyed, with trees, the forces of the tennecked in his (very) presence.
ततः स सैन्यमालोक्य वध्यमानमरातिभिः। मायावी चासृजन्मायां रावणो राक्षसाधिपः॥
Then, seeing that his troops were being destroyed by the enemy, Ravana, the king of the Rakshasas began to create illusions with which he was gifted.
तस्य देहविनिष्क्रान्ताः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। राक्षसाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त शरशक्त्वृष्टिपाणयः॥
(Thereupon) hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas, armed with arrows, lances and double-edged swords, issuing out of his body appeared (on the scene).
तान् रामो जघ्निवान् सर्वान् दिव्येनास्त्रेण राक्षसान्। अथ भूयोऽपि मायां स व्यदधाद् राक्षसाधिपः॥
(But) Rama destroyed all those Rakshasas with celestials weapons. There at the lord of the Rakshasas created (new) illusions again.
कृत्वा रामस्य रूपाणि लक्ष्मणस्य च भारत। अभिदुद्राव रामं च लक्ष्मणं च दशाननः॥
(And) O Bharata, the ten-headed creating several Rakshasas wearing the shape of Rama and Lakshmana, rushed upon them.
ततस्ते राममार्छन्तो लक्ष्मणं च क्षपाचराः। अभिपेतुस्तदा रामं प्रगृहीतशरासनाः॥
Then those night-rangers adverse to Rama and Lakshmana, armed with bows rushed against Rama.
तां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य मायाभिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। उवाच रामं सौमित्रिरसम्भ्रान्तो बृहद् वचः॥
(Then) the dauntless son of Sumitra, the descendant of Ikshvaku said to Rama these heroic words.
जहीमान् राक्षसान् पापानात्मनः प्रतिरूपकान्। जधान रामस्तांश्चान्यानात्मनः प्रतिरूपकान्॥
"Kill those wicked-souled Rakshasas wearing your shape.” (Thereupon) Rama destroyed those Rakshasas resembling him in shape and (various) others also.
ततो हर्यश्वयुक्तेन रथेनादित्यवर्चसा। उपतस्थे रणे रामं मातलिः शक्रसारथिः॥
Then, Matali, the charioteer of Shakra, came to Rama with a car, of sun-like splendour and yoked with tawny-coloured horses.
मातलिरुवाच अयं हर्यश्वयुग जैत्रो मघोनः स्पन्दनोत्तमः। अनेन शक्रः काकुत्स्थ समरे दैत्यदानवान्॥ शतशः पुरुषव्याघ्र रथोदारेण जजिवान्। तदनेन नरव्याघ्र मया यत्तेन संयुगे।॥ स्पन्दनेन जहि क्षिप्रं रावणं मा चिरं कृथाः।
Matali said: "This excellent and victorious car yoked with this team of tawny horses belongs to Maghavana (Indra). O descendant of Kakustha, O foremost of men, riding on this splendid car Shakra slew in battle numerous Daityas and Danavas. Therefore, O most valiant of men, ascending this car guided by me, do you soon kill Ravana in battle. Do not make any delay."
इत्युक्तो राघवस्तथ्यं वचोऽशङ्कत मातलेः॥ मायैषा राक्षसस्येति तमुवाच विभीषणः। नेयं माया नरव्याघ्र रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥
Thus addressed, the descendant of Raghu, suspecting that this might be another illusion produced by the Rakshasas, doubted the truthful words of Matali. Vibhishana then said to him “O foremost of men, this is no illusion of the wicked-souled Ravana.
तदातिष्ठ रथं शीघ्रमिममैन्द्रं महायुते। ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थस्तथेत्युक्त्वा विभीषणम्॥
O highly-resplendent one, therefore do you soon ascend this car of Indra." Thereupon the descendant of Kakustha gladly saying to Vibhishana “be it so,"
रथेनाभिपपाताथ दशग्रीवं रुषान्वितः। हाहाकृतानि भूतानि रावणे समभिद्रुते॥
And riding on that car rushed in great wrath against the ten-necked. (And) when Ravana flew (towards Rama) all the creatures began to wail loudly.
सिंहनादाः सपटहा दिवि दिव्यास्तथानदन्। दशकन्धरराजसून्वोस्तथा युद्धमभून्महत्॥
And in the heavens the celestials sent forth roars like lions and sounded large drums. Then there took place a terrible encounter between the ten-necked and the prince (Rama).
अलब्धोपममन्यत्र तयोरेव तथाभवत्। स रामाय महाघोरं विससर्ज निशाचरः॥
And that (fight) between them is without its parallel elsewhere. The night-ranger hurled at Rama an awfully-terrible.
शूलमिन्द्राशनिप्रख्यं ब्रह्मदण्डभिवोद्यतम्। तच्छूलं सत्वरं रामश्चिच्छेद निशितैः शरैः॥
Javelin like the thunder-bolt of Indra and resembling the upraised Brahmdanda. (But) Rama quickly cut off that javelin with sharpened darts.
तद् दृष्ट्वा दुष्करं कर्म रावणं भयमाविशत्। ततः क्रुद्धः ससर्जाशु दशग्रीवः शिताञ्छरान्॥ सहस्रायुतशो रामे शस्त्राणि विविधानि च। ततो भुशुण्डीः शूलानि मुसलानि परश्वधान्॥ शक्तीश्च विविधाकाराः शतमीश्च शितान् क्षुरान्।
Seeing that terrible feat Ravana was seized with dismay. (But) the ten-necked (soon) became wrathful and discharged at Rama thousands and tens of thousands of sharp arrows and numerous other weapons, (such as) maces, battle-axes, various kinds of darts, Shataghnis and sharp arrows.
तां मायां विकृतां दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवस्य रक्षसः॥ भयात् प्रदुदुवः सर्वे वानराः सर्वतोदिशम्।
Seeing the terrible illusions spread by the ten-necked Rakshasa, the monkeys got alarmed and ran away in all directions.
ततः सुपत्रं सुमुखं हेमपुल शरोत्तमम्॥ तूणादादाय काकुत्स्थो ब्रह्मास्त्रेण युयोज ह। तं बाणवर्यं रामेण ब्रह्मास्त्रेणानुमन्त्रितम्॥ जहषुर्देवगन्धर्वा दृष्ट्वा शक्रपुरोगमाः। अल्पावशेषमायुश्च ततोऽमन्यन्त रक्षसः॥ ब्रह्मास्त्रोदीरणाच्छनोर्देवदानवकिन्नराः।
Thereupon, the descendant. of Kakustha, taking from his quiver an excellent arrow arrow adorned with beautiful feathers, golden wings and a beautiful face adjusted it to the Brahma weapon. When Rama inspired that arrow with the Mantras peculiar to the weapon of Brahma. All the celestials and the Gandharvas with Indra at their head were highly delighted. The gods, the Danavas and the Kinnaras, seeing the display of that Brahma weapon began to consider that a little only of their Rakshasa enemy's life was left to him.
ततः ससर्ज तं रामः शरमप्रतिमौजसम्॥ रावणान्तकरं घोरं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम्।
Rama then discharged that of unrivalled splendour, dreadful, resembling the upraised Brahmadanda and destined to slay Ravana.
मुक्तमात्रेण रामेण दूराकृष्टेन भारत॥ स तेन राक्षसश्रेष्ठः सरथः साश्चसारथिः। प्रजज्वाल महाज्वालेनाग्निनाभिपरिप्लुतः॥
And O Bharata, soon as Rama discharged it by drawing to a great length (his bowstring), the lord of the Rakshasas together with his horses and charioteer, enveloped in a great and blazing fire was burnt up.
ततः प्रहृष्टास्त्रिदशाः सहगन्धर्वचारणाः। निहतं रावणं दृष्ट्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा॥
Then the celestials accompanied by the Gandharvas and the Charanas, beholding Ravana slain by Rama. of untiring exertions were highly delighted.
तत्यजुस्तं महाभागं पञ्च भूतानि रावणम्। भ्रंशितः सर्वलोकेभ्यः स हि ब्रह्मास्त्रतेजसा॥
Then the five elements (i.e., earth water, air, fire and space) forsook Ravana; and he was deprived all of the worlds by the energy of the Brahma weapon.
शरीरधातवो ह्यस्य मांसं रुधिरमेव च। नेशुर्ब्रह्मास्त्रनिर्दग्धा न च भस्माप्यदृश्यत॥
The ingredients of his body together with his flesh and blood were all so totally consumed by the Brahma weapon that the ashes even could not be seen.