अवष्टब्धधनु रामं क्रुद्धं तं रिपुघातिनम्। ददर्शाश्रममागम्य खरः सह पुरःसरैः॥ तं दृष्ट्वा सगुणं चापमुद्यम्य खरनिःस्वनम्। रामस्याभिमुखं सूतं चोद्यतामित्यचोदयत्॥
Coming to the asylum, Khara in company with those that went before him, saw that slayer of foes, the enraged Rāma, holding his bow. And seeing him, Khara possessing a shrill voice, raising his bow, commanded to the charioteer to drive towards Rāma, Drive on!
स खरस्याज्ञया सूतस्तुरगान् समचोदयत्। यत्र रामो महाबाहुरेको धुन्वन् धनुः स्थितः॥
At Khara's command, the charioteer drove the steeds to where the mighty—arined Rāma stood alone, holding his bow.
तं तु निष्पतितं दृष्ट्वा सर्वतो रजनीचराः। मुञ्चमाना महानादं सचिवाः पर्यवारयन्॥
And seeing him (Khara) entered the field, all those rangers of the night-the counsellers-uttering mighty shouts, cnvironed him round.
स तेषां यातुधानानां मध्ये रथगतः खरः। बभूव मध्ये ताराणां लोहिताङ्ग इवोद्धतः॥
Khara stationed on his car in the midst of Rākşasas appeared like red bodied one risen in the midst of the stars.
ततः शरसहस्रेण राममप्रतिमौजसम्। अर्दयित्वा महानादं ननाद समरे खरः॥
Then in battle Khara, afflicting Rāma of incomparable energy with a thousand shafts, uttered a tremendous roar.
ततस्सं भीमधन्वानं क्रुद्धाः सर्वे निशाचराः। रामं नानाविधैः शस्त्रैरभ्यवर्षन्त दुर्जयम्॥
Then all the rangers of the night, waxing exceeding wroth, showered various weapons on that terrible bowman, the invincible Rāma.
मुद्गरैरायसैः शूलैः प्रासैः खङ्गैः परश्वधैः। राक्षसाः समरे शूरं निजघ्नू रोषतत्पराः॥
And wrought up with rage, the Rākṣasas in battle assailed him with iron clubs, and darts, and prāsas, and swords, and axes.
ते बलाहकसंकाशा महाकाया महाबलाः। अभ्यधावन्त काकुत्स्थं रथैर्वाजिभिरेव च॥ गजैः पर्वतकूटाभै रामं युद्धे जिघांसवः।
And resembling clouds (in hue), the exceedingly strong Rākṣasas, having huge bodies, darted towards Kākutstha by means of steeds and cars.
ते रामे शरवर्षाणि व्यसृजन् रक्षसां गणाः ॥ शेलेन्द्रमिक धाराभिर्वर्षमाणा महाघनाः।
And mounted on elephants resembling mountain-peaks, numbers of Rākṣasas, intent upon staying Rāma in battle, showered arrows on him, as mighty clouds pour down showers on the monarch of mountains.
सर्वैः परिवृतो रामो राक्षसैः क्रूरदर्शनैः॥ तिथिष्विव महादेवो वृतः पारिषदां गणैः।
Rāma was hemmed in by all those fiercelooking Raksasas, even as in the evening Mahādeva is surrounded by his courtiers.
तानि मुक्तानि शस्त्राणि यातुधानैः स राघवः॥ प्रतिजग्राह विशिखैनद्यौघानिव सागरः।
And as the ocean resisted the tide of a river, Rāghava by means of arrow resist the weapons discharged by the Yātudhānas.
स तैः प्रहरणैोरैर्भिन्नगात्रो न विव्यथे॥ रामः प्रदीप्तैर्बहुभिर्वश्रेरिव महाचलः।
As a mighty mountain, assailed by the thunderbolt, dose not feel pain, Rāma, having his person pierced by terrible flaming weapons, did not feel pain.
स विद्धः क्षतजादिग्धः सर्वगात्रेषु राघवः॥ बभूव रामः संध्याभैर्दिवाकर इवावृतः।
And pierced, and with his person covered with blood, Rāma, the descendant of Raghu, resembled the sun enveloped in evening clouds.
विषेदुर्देवगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः॥ एकं सहस्रैर्बहुभिस्तदा दृष्ट्वा समावृतम्।
And seeing him single, surrounded by many thousand, the Gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and supreme saints became sorrowful.
ततो रामस्तु संक्रुद्धो मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः॥ ससर्ज निशितान् बाणाञ्छतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। दुरावारान् दुर्विषहान् कालपाशोपमान् रणे॥
Then Rama getting enraged, bringing his bow to a circle, discharged sharpened shafts by hundreds and by thousands. And as if in sport, Rāma in the conflict shot irresistible (shafts) furnished with Kanka feathers, and decked with gold, irresistible, capable of inflicting extreme pain, and resembling the noose of Death.
मुमोच लीलया कङ्कपत्रान् काञ्चनभूषणान्। ते शराः शत्रुसैन्येषु मुक्ता रामेण लीलया।।१८। आददू रक्षसां प्राणान् पाशाः कालकृता इव।
And sportively discharged by Rāma, those arrows deprived the Rākṣasas of their lives, like the noose forged by death.
भित्वा राक्षसदेहांस्तांस्ते शरा रुधिराप्लुताः॥ अन्तरिक्षगता रेजुर्दीप्ताग्निसमतेजसः।
And piercing the persons of the Rākşasas, those arrows, soaked in blood, going up to the sky, appeared with the splendour of flaming fire.
असंख्येयास्तु रामस्य सायकाश्चापमण्डलात्॥ विनिष्पेतुरतीवोग्रा रक्ष:प्राणापहारिणः।
And innumerable shafts, exceedingly fierce, capable of depriving the Rāksasas of their lives, were let go from the circle of his bow.
ते तैर्धनूंषि ध्वजाग्राणि चर्माणि कवचानि च ॥ बाहून् सहस्ताभरणानूरून् करिकरोपमान्। चिच्छेद रामः समरे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
And with those Rāma severed bows, in baitle by hundreds and by thousands and flag ends, and shields, and mail, and many arms with embellished hands, resembling the trunks of elephants.
हयान् काञ्चनसंनाहान् रथयुक्तान् ससारथीन्। गजांश्च सगजारोहान् सहयान् सादिनस्तदा॥ चिच्छिदुर्बिभिदुश्चैव रामबाणा गुणच्युताः। पदातीन् समरे हत्वा अनयद् यमसादनम्॥
And the arrows of Rāma discharged from the string pierced and cut off steeds mailed in gold, yoked to cars, together with the charioteer; and elephants with their riders; and horsemen with horses. And slaying foot-soldiers, he despatched them to the abode of Yama.
ततो नालीकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णाग्रैश्च बिकर्णिभिः। भीममार्तस्वरं चक्रुश्छिद्यमाना निशाचराः॥
And cut off with nālīkas (steel-pointed arrows) and, nārācas (arrows wholly made of steel), and sharp-pointed vikarnas (barbed arrows), the rangers of the night uttered dreadful howls of distress.
तत्सैन्यं विविधैर्बाणैरर्दितं मर्मभेदिभिः। न रामेण सुखं लेभे शुष्कं वनमिवाग्निना॥
And like a withered wood afflicted by fire, that host harassed by the various marrowpiercing* shafts shot by Rāma, did not attain ease. Another reading is, sharpened.
केचिद् भीमबलाः शूरा प्रासाशूलान् परश्वधान्। चिक्षिपुः परमनुद्धा रामाय रमनीचराः॥
And some heroic rangers of the night possessed of great strength, waxing furious, threw at Rāma rrāsas, and darts and axes. Another reading: remaining before Rāma, threw powerful weapons.
तेषां बाणैर्महाबाहुः शस्त्राण्यावार्य वीर्यवान्। जहार समरे प्राणांश्चिच्छेद च शिरोधरान्॥
Thereupon resisting by means of shafts those weapons of theirs, the mighty-armed Rāma endued with prowess, took their lives in the conflict, and cut off the heads (of warriors).
ते छिन्नशिरसः पेतुश्छिन्नचर्मशरासनाः। सुपर्णवातविक्षिप्ता जगत्यां पादपा यथा ॥ अवशिष्टाश्च ये तत्र विषण्णास्ते निशाचराः। खरमेवाभ्यधावन्त शरणार्थं शराहताः॥
And having their heads, and shields and bowstrings, severed, they fell as fall on the earth trees thrown down by blasts froin the wings of Suparņa*. Those rangers of the night that remained there, wounded by arrows, and losing heart, fled with speed to Khara, to seek his protection. *Lit.-Of fair feather. A name of Garuda.
तान् सर्वान् धनुरादाय समाश्वास्य च दूषणः। अभ्यधावत् सुसंक्रुद्धः क्रुद्धं क्रुद्ध इवान्तकः॥
Thereat, encouraging them, Dāsana, taking his bow, ran furiously in high rage against Răma, like the enraged Destroyer himself,
निवृत्तास्तु पुनः सर्वे दूषणाश्रयनिर्भयाः। राममेवाभ्यधावन्त सालतालशिलायुधाः॥
And rallied again (by Dāsana) and, their fear dispelled through their having founded refuge with him, they armed with sālas, tālas, and crags, darted against Rāma.
शूलमुद्गरहस्ताश्च पाशहस्ता महाबलाः। सृजन्तः शरवर्षाणि शस्त्रवर्षाणि संयुगे॥
And bearing in their hands darts, and clubs, and nooses, those exceedingly strong ones showered in battle shafts and weapons.
द्रुमवर्षाणि मुञ्चन्त शिलावर्षाणि राक्षसाः। तद् बभूवाद्भुतं युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्॥ रामस्यास्य महाघोरं पुनस्तेषां च रक्षसाम्।
And the Räkşasas discharged vollies of trees and crags. And capable of making one's hair stand on end, that battle was dreadful and furious and now on the side of Rāma and now again on : that of the Raksasas.
ते समन्तादभिक्रुद्धा राघवं पुनरार्दयन् ॥ ततः सर्वा दिशो दृष्ट्वा प्रदिशश्च समावृताः। राक्षसैः सर्वतः प्राप्तैः शरवर्षाभिरावृतः॥
And waxing exceedingly wroth, they bore on him hard from all sides. Then finding all directions entirely covered with Rākṣasas, and showers of shafts, that one gifted with mighty strength, sending up a terrific shout, fixed (on the bow-string) the exceedingly effulgent Gandharva weapon (for discharging it) among the Raksasas.
स कृत्वा भैरवं नादमस्त्रं परमभास्वरम्। समयोजयद् गान्धर्वं राक्षसेषु महाबलः॥ ततः शरसहस्राणि निर्ययुश्चापमण्डलात्। सर्वा दश दिशो बाणैरापूर्यन्त समागतैः॥
Then thousands of shafts went forth from the circle of his bow; and all directions were covered with thronging arrows.
नाददानं शरान् घोरान् विमुञ्चन्तं शरोत्तमान्। विकर्षमाणं पश्यन्ति राक्षसास्ते शरार्दिताः॥
And those Rākṣasas, afflicted with arrows could not see Rāma how he took out his dread shafts, nor how he discharged those excellent shafts; they only saw him drawing his bow.
शरान्धकारमाकाशमावृणोत् सदिवाकरम्। बभूवावस्थितो रामः प्रक्षिपन्निव ताञ्छरान्॥
And the darkness spread by the arrows envelope the sky with the sun. And Rāma stationed there continued pouring in shafts.
युगपत्पतमानैश्च युगपच्च हतै शम्। युगपत्पतितैश्चैव विकीर्णा वसुधाऽभवत्॥ निहताः पतिताः क्षीणाश्छिन्ना भिन्ना विदारिताः। तत्र तत्र स्म दृश्यन्ते राक्षसास्ते सहस्रशः।॥
And the earth was covered with shafts shot, and alighting, and alighted simultaneously. And at places were seen Rākṣasas by thousands slain, falling, enfeebled, torn and riven.
सोष्णीषैरुत्तमाङ्गैश्च साङ्गदैर्बाहुभिस्तथा। ऊरुभिर्बाहुभिश्छिनैर्नानारूपैर्विभूषणैः।॥ हयैश्च द्विपमुख्यैश्च रथैर्भिन्नैरनेकशः। चामरव्यजनैश्छत्रैर्ध्वजैर्नानाविधैरपि॥ रामेण बाणाभिहतैर्विच्छिन्नैः शूलपट्टिशैः। विच्छिन्नैः समरे भूमिर्विस्तीर्णाऽभूद् भयंकरा ॥
And cut off by Rāma with arrows, darts and Pattiśas in that battle the fearful field was scattered, heads with turbans, arms with fingerfences; torn thighs and arms, and various ornaments, horses, excellent elephants and cars, shattered in numbers, chouris, fans, and umbrellas, and pennons of various descriptions.
तान् दृष्ट्वा निहतान् सर्वे राक्षसाः परमातुराः। न तत्र चलितुं शक्ता रामं परपुरंजयम्॥
Beholding all those stain, the (remaining) Raksasas, sore distressed, could not (again) advance before that captor of hostile capitals Rāma.