सारथिः स रथं हृष्टः परसैन्यप्रधर्षणम्। गन्धर्वनगराकारं समुच्छ्रितपताकिनाम्॥ युक्तं परमसंपत्नैर्वाजिभिहेममालिभिः। युद्धोपकरणैः पूर्णं पताकाध्वजमालिनम्॥ असन्तमिव चाकाशं नादयन्तं वसुंधराम्। प्रणाशं परसैन्यानां स्वसैन्यस्य प्रहर्षणम्॥
Then the charioteer fully drove with speed Rāvaņa's car, capable of bringing down the hosts of foes, resembling in form a city of the Gandharvas having elevated streamers, yoked with surpassingly superb steeds, engarlanded in gold: stocked with war-like implements; furnished with ensigns and standards; appearing to devour the welkin; making the earth herself resound; destructive to hostile host; and filling its own party with delight.
रावणस्य रथं क्षिप्रं चोदयामास सारथिः। तमापतन्तं सहसा स्वनवन्तं महाध्वजम्॥ रथं राक्षसराजस्य नरराजो ददर्श ह। कृष्णवाजिसमायुक्तं युक्तं रौद्रेण वर्चसा॥ दीप्यमानमिवाकाशे विमानं सूर्यवर्चसम्। तडित्पताकागहनं दर्शितेन्द्रायुधप्रभम्॥ शरधारा विमुञ्चन्तं धाराधरमिवाम्बुदम्।
And as it speedily descended, the monarch of men beheld that Raksasa-king's resounding car, having huge standards, yoked with black chargers, and endowed with fierce splendour; as if flaming in the firmament; having the resplendance of the Sun himself; with thronging lightning pennons; displaying the glow of Indra's weapon* showering arms; and resembling rain-charged clouds. *The rain-blow.
स दृष्ट्वा मेघसंकाशमापतन्तं रथं रिपोः॥ गिरेर्वज्राभिमृष्टस्य दीर्यतः सदृशस्वनम्। विस्फारयन्वै वेगेन बालचन्द्रानतं धनुः॥ उवाच मातलिं रामः सहस्राक्षस्य सारथिम्।
Seeing the enemy's car resembling a mass of clouds having a chatter resembling the sounds sent by a cleaving mountain riven by the thunder, Rāma, vehemently drawing his bow curved like the infant moon, addressed Mătalicharioteer to the thousand-eyed (deity) saying. *Indra.
मातले पश्य संरब्धमापतन्तं रथं रिपोः॥ यथापसव्यं पतता वेगेन महता पुनः। समरे हन्तुमात्मानं तथानेन कृता मतिः॥
O Mătalī, behold the enraged chariot of my foe as it course on. From the furious speed with which he is again wheeling at my right, it appear that he has set his heart of slaying me in encouter.
तदप्रमादमातिष्ठ प्रत्युद्गच्छ रथं रिपोः। विध्वंसयितुमिच्छामि वायुर्मेघमिवोत्थितम्॥
Do you therefore heedfully drive the car right against the vehicle of my foe. I wish to destroy this one even as the wind scatter clouds that have appeared.
अविक्लवमसंभ्रान्तमव्यग्रहृदयेक्षणम्। रश्मिसंचारनियतं प्रचोदय रथं दुतम्॥
Do you with all your wits about you, without trepidation, and holding your heart as will as your eye in calmness, swiftly drive the chariot ruled by the reins.
कामं न त्वं समाधेयं पुरंदररथोचितः। युयुत्सुरहमेकाग्रः स्मारये त्वां न शिक्षये॥
Worthy of Purandara's car, you ought not to be taught by me. Desirous of encounter and my whole soul bent on fight, I simply remind younot teach you.
परितुष्टः स रामस्य तेन वाक्येन मातलिः। प्रचोदयामास रथं सुरसारथिरुत्तमः॥ अपसव्यं ततः कुर्वन्रावणस्य महारथम्। चक्रसंभूतरजसा रावणं व्यवधूनयत्॥
Pleased with these words of Rāma, the excellent celestial charioteer-Mātalī-drove the car. Then leaving Ravana's mighty car on the right, he enveloped Rāvana with the dust raised by the wheels.
ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवस्ताम्रविस्फारितेक्षणः। रथप्रतिमुखं रामं सायकैरवधूनयत्॥
Thereat the Ten-necked one, enraged, with his eyes coppery and dilated (in passion), covered with arrows Rāma staying in front of his car.
धर्षणामर्षितो रामो धैर्य रोषेण लम्भयन्। जग्राह सुमहावेगमैन्द्रं युधि शरासनम्॥ शरांश्च सुमहावेगान्सूर्यरश्मिसमप्रभान्। तदुपोढं महद्युद्धमन्योन्यवधकाङ्गिणोः।। परस्पराभिमुखयोर्दृप्तयोरिव सिंहयोः॥
Enraged at the smiting. Rāma, with his ire aroused, but summoning up patience, took up in the encounter the bow of Indra endowed with exceeding vehemence; well as highly impetuous shafts having the resplendence of the solar rays. And then there began a furious encounter between those (two) eager for slaying each other confronting each other like to flaming lions.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। समीयुद्वैरथं द्रष्टुं रावणक्षयकाङ्क्षिणः॥
Then desirous of destruction of Rāvana, celestials with Gandharvas, and Siddhas and supersaints assembled to go to behold the encounter taking place between the two cars.
समुत्पेतुरथोत्पाता दारुणा रोमहर्षणाः। रावणस्य विनाशाय राघवस्योदयाय च॥
For the destruction of Råvana and the success of Rāghava, there occurred round about the cars terrible bodements capable of making people's down stand on end. as
ववर्ष रुधिरं देवो रावणस्य रथोपरि। वाता मण्डलिनस्तीवा व्यपसव्यं प्रचक्रमुः॥
The god poured down showers of blood on the car of Rāvana; and a violent tornado eddied on his right.
महद्गृध्रकुलं चास्य भ्रममाणं नभःस्थले। येन येन रथा याति तेन तेन प्रधावति॥
And a mighty swarm of vultures, wheeling in the heavens, pursued the car wherever it moved.
संध्यया चावृता लङ्का जपापुष्पनिकाशया। दृश्यते संप्रदीप्तेव दिवसेऽपि वसुंधरा ॥
And Lankā was enveloped with evening resembling the red Japā flowers and even in day appeared ablaze.
सनिर्घाता महोल्काश्च संप्रपेतुर्महास्वना। विषादयंस्ते रक्षांसि रावणस्य तदा हिताः॥
Lightnings and firebrands accompanied by a terrible sound began to fall down on all sides. And beholding these omens inauspicious to Rāvana all the Rākşasas were greatly sorry.
रावणश्च यतस्तत्र प्रचचाल वसुंधरा। रक्षसां च प्रहरतां गृहीता इव बाहवः॥
And wherever Rāvana moved the earth shook an the hands of all the Rākşasas fighting were as if paralysed.
ताम्राः पीताः सिताः श्वेताः पतिताः सूर्यरश्मयः। दृष्यन्ते रावणस्याग्रे पर्वतस्येव धातवः॥
The copper coloured, the yellow, the red, and the white rays of the sun falling before Rāvaņa appeared like melted metals of a mountain.
गृधैरनुगताश्चास्य वमन्तो ज्वलनं मुखैः। प्रणेदुर्मुखमीक्षन्त्यः संरब्धमशिवं शिवाः॥
The jackals followed by vultures, vomiting forth fire and casting their looks at him, began to emit inauspicious cries.
प्रतिकूलं ववौ वायू रणे पांसून्समुत्किरन्। तस्य राक्षसराजस्य कुर्वन्दृष्टिविलोपनम् ॥
And in that battle-field the unfavourable wind began to blow raising dust and obstruction the vision of the king of Rākşasas.
निपेतुरिन्द्राशनयः सैन्ये चास्य समन्ततः। दुर्विषह्यस्वरा घोरं विना जलधरोदयम्॥
On the Raksasa host on all sides dreadful lightnings were showered without the sound of the clouds.
दिशश्च प्रदिशः सर्वा बभूवुस्तिमिरावृताः। पांसुवर्षेण महता दुर्दर्श च नभोऽभवत्॥
All the quarters were enshrouded with darkness and the welkin became invisible being covered with darkness.
कुर्वत्यः कलहं घोरं सारिकास्तद्रथं प्रति। निपेतुः शतशस्तत्र दारुणा दारुणारुताः॥
Setting up a dreadful quarrel hundreds of terrible Särikās* began to fall down on his chariot. *A kind of bird (Turdus Salica, Buch).
जघनेभ्यः स्फुलिङ्गाश्च नेत्रेभ्योऽश्रूणि संततम्। मुमुचुस्तस्य तुरगास्तुल्यमग्निं च वारि च॥
The horses emitted forth sparks of fire from their hips and tears from their eyes.
एवंप्रकारा बहवः समुत्पाता भयावहाः। रावणस्य विनाशाय दारुणा संप्रजज्ञिरे॥
These and various other dreadful omens arose there announcing the destruction of Rāvaņa.
रामस्यापि निमित्तानि सौम्यानि च शिवानि च। बभूवुर्जयशंसीनि प्रादुर्भूतानि सर्वशः॥
There appeared on all sides many an auspicious and good sign intimating the approach of Rāma's victory.
निमित्तानीह सौम्यानि राघवस्य जयाय वै। दृष्ट्वा परमसंहृष्टो हतं मेने च रावणम्॥
And beholding all those auspicious marks announcing Rama's success, Laksmana was greatly delighted and considered Rävaņa as slain.
ततो निरीक्ष्यात्मगतानि राघवो रणे निमित्तानि निमित्तकोविदः। जगाम हर्ष च परां च निवृत्ति चकार युद्धे ह्यधिकं च विक्रमम्॥
Thereupon beholding all those auspicious signs, Raghava, well qualified to decipher them attained an excess of delight an became anxious to display a greater prowess.