नारायणगिरिं ते तु गर्जन्तो राक्षसाम्बुदाः। अर्दयन्तोऽस्त्रवर्षेण वर्षेणेवाद्रिमम्बुदाः॥
As clouds assail a mountain with showers, then the Raksasas, representing clouds, setting up shouts, began to assail Nārāyaṇa representing a mountain.
श्यामावदातस्तैर्विष्णुर्नीलैर्नक्तंचरोत्तमैः। वृतोऽञ्जनगिरीवायं वर्षमाणैः पयोधरैः॥
Visnu of a bright brown-blue hue, being surrounded by the flower of the night-rangers with dark visages, resembled the Añjana mountain, on which the clouds pour down.
शलभा इव केदारं मशका इव पावकम्। यथामृतघटं दंशा मकरा इव चार्णवम्॥ तथा रक्षोधनुर्मुक्ता वज्रानिलमनोजवाः। हरिं विशन्ति स्म शरा लोका इव विपर्यये।४।।
As locusts (flood) a field, knots (throng) about a flame, gad-flies (cluster) around a pot of honey, or makaras (range) in the sea, so the shafts shot by the bows of the Rākṣasa, having (the energy of) the thunder-bolt and endowed with (the velocity of) the wind or thought, pierce Hari as if at the universal dissolution.
स्यन्दनैः स्यन्दनगता गजैश्च गजमूर्धगाः। अश्वारोहास्तथाश्वैश्च पादाताश्चाम्बरे स्थिताः॥ राक्षसेन्द्राः गिरिनिभाः शरैः शक्त्य॒ष्टितोमरैः। निरुछ्वासं हरिं चक्रुः प्राणायामा इव द्विजम्॥
Those mounted on cars (assailed him) with their cars, and those mounted on the backs of elephants (assailed him) with their elephants, and those riding horses (assailed him) with their horses, and the foot-soldiers attacked him, stationed in the sky; and the foremost of Rākşasas resembling mountains, by means of darts, rstis and tomaras, suspended the respiration of Hari even as the prāņāyāma* does that of a twice-born one. *The practice of regulation respiration and finally suspending the same. This is practised by the Yogis of India, who attribute wonderful virtues to it.
निशाचरैस्ताड्यमानो मीनैरिव महोदधिः। शाङ्गमायम्य दुर्धर्षो राक्षसेभ्योऽसृजच्छरान्॥
On being sore tried by the night-rangers, like the great Ocean by the fishes (residing in it), that invincible one, taking his ſārņga, showered shafts among the Rākşasas.
शरैः पूर्णायतोत्सृष्टैर्वज्रकल्पैर्मनोजवैः। चिच्छेद विष्णुनिशितैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः॥
With sharpened arrows resembling the thunder, and endowed with the velocity of the wind, shot from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, Visnu cut off (Raksasas) by hundreds and by thousands.
विद्राव्य शरवर्षेण वर्ष वायुरिवोत्थितम्। पाञ्चजन्यं महाशङ्ख प्रदध्मौ पुरुषोत्तमः॥
And dashing away (the Rākṣasa ranks) with his arrowy shower, even as the wind aroused dashes away a downpour, that best of male beings blew his mighty conch Pāñcajanya.
सोऽम्बुजो हरिणाध्मातः सर्वप्राणेन शङ्खराट्। ररास भीमनिर्हादस्त्रैलोक्यं व्यथयन्निव॥
Winded by Hari with his utmost might, that water-sprung king of conchs, endowed with terrific blares, roared, as if afflicting the three worlds.
शङ्खराजरवः सोऽथ त्रासयामास राक्षसान् । मृगराज इवारण्ये समदानिव कुञ्जरान्॥
The sounds of that king of conchs struck terror into the Rākşasas, even as in a mighty forest a lion (strikes terror into the hearts of) elephants in rut.
न शेकुरश्वाः संस्थातुं विमदाः कुञ्जराभवन्। स्यन्दनेभ्यश्च्युता वीराः शङ्खरावितदुर्बलाः॥
Thereat the horses could not keep their ground, and the elephants were reſt of their temporal flow, and shorn of their virtue at the roars of the conch, heroes began to topple down from their cars.
शाङ्गचापविनिर्मुक्ता वज्रतुल्याननाः शराः। विदार्य तानि रक्षांसि सुपुङ्खा विविशुः क्षितिम्॥
And dight with dainty feathered parts having heads, the shafts discharged from the śārnga, resembling thunder-bolts, riving those Rākşása, entered the earth.
भिद्यमानाः शरैः संख्ये नारायणकरच्युतैः। निपेतू राक्षसा भूमौ शैला वज्रहता इव ॥
In that conflict, pierced by the arrows discharged from Nārāyana's arm, the Rākşasa began to drop to the ground like mountains struck with the thunder-bolt.
व्रणानि परगात्रेभ्यो विष्णुचक्रकृतानि हि। असृक्क्षरन्ति धाराभिः स्वर्णधारा इवाचलाः॥
The wounds on the persons of the foes inflicted by the discus of Vişnu discharge blood in streams, like mountains discharging streams of red chalk.
शङ्खराजरवश्चापि शार्ङ्गचापरवस्तथा। राक्षसानां रवांश्चापि ग्रसते वैष्णवो रवः॥
The sound of that king of conchs, as well as those of the Sārnga, combined with the roars emitted by Vişņu himself, swallowed up the roars of the Rākşasas.
तेषां शिरोधरान्धूताञ्छरध्वजधनूंषि च। रथान्पताकास्तूणीरांश्चिच्छेद स हरिः शरैः॥
Hari by means of his shafts cut off their necks, and arrows, and standards, and bows, and cars, and ensigns and quivers.
सूर्यादिव करा घोरा वार्योघा इव सागरात्। पर्वतादिव नागेन्द्रा धारौघा इव चाम्बुदात्॥ तथा शाङ्गविनिर्मुक्ताः शरा नारायणेरितात्। निर्धावन्तीषवस्तूर्णं शतशोथ सहस्रशः॥
Like fierce rays streaming about from sun, like torrents dashing from the ocean, like elephants coming adown a mountain, or like showers descending from clouds, the shafts shot by Nārāyaṇa pursue (the foes) by hundreds and by thousands.
शरभेण यथा सिंहाः सिंहेन द्विरदा यथा। द्विरेदेन यथा व्याघ्रा व्याघ्रण द्वीपिनो यथा॥ द्वीपिनेव यथा श्वानः शुना मार्जारको यथा। माजरिण यथा सर्पाः सर्पेण च यथाखवः॥ तथा ते राक्षसाः सर्वे विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना। द्रवन्ति द्राविताश्चान्ये शायिताश्च महीतले॥
Even as an elephant pursuits a tiger, a tiger a wolf, a wolf a dog, a dog a cat, a cat a snake, or a snake a rat, so the mighty Vişnu pursuit the Rākșasa host; and others, (struck down by him), measure their lengths on the ground.
राक्षसानां सहस्राणि निहत्य मधुसूदनः। वारिजं पूरयामास तोयदं सुरराडिव॥
Then, having despatched thousands of Rākşasas, the destroyer of Madhu blew his water-sprung (conch), even as the sovereign of the celestials filleth clouds (with rain).
नारायणशरत्रस्तं शङ्खनादसुविह्वलम्। ययौ लङ्कामभिमुखं प्रभग्नं राक्षसं बलम् ॥
Agitated by the arrows of Nārāyaṇa, with their senses bewildered by the blares of the conch, the broken Raksasa forces made for Lankā.
प्रभग्ने राक्षसबले नारायणशराहते। सुमाली शरवर्षेण निववार रणे हरिम्॥
On the Rākşasa army having been broken in consequence of the beating it got at the hands of Nārāyaṇa, Sumāli with showers of shafts resisted Hari in the encounter.
स तु तं छादयामास नीहार इव भास्करम्। राक्षसाः सत्त्वसंपन्नाः पुनधैर्य समादधुः॥
As a mist envelops the Sun, he enveloped him (with his arrows). Thereat, the Rākşasas again summoned up their fortitude.
अथ सोऽभ्यपतद्रोषाद्राक्षसो बलदर्पितः। महानादं प्रकुर्वाणो राक्षसाञ्जीवयन्निव॥
And fired with range, that Rākşasa, inflated with insolence on account of his strength, setting up a tremendous roar, darted at his antagonist in the conflict, thereby seeming to receive the Råkş asas.
उत्क्षिप्य लम्बाभरणं धुन्वन्करमिव द्विपः। ररास राक्षसो हर्षात्सतडित्तोयदो यथा॥
As an elephant flourishes its trunk, that Rāks asa, lifting up his arm adorned with ornaments, began to roar from rapture, like a mass of clouds, lighted up with lightening.
सुमाले र्दतस्तस्य शिरो ज्वलितकुण्डलम्। चिच्छेद यन्तुरश्वाश्च भ्रान्तास्तस्य तु रक्षसः॥
And (Visņu) cut off the head flaming with ear rings of the charioteer of the shouting Sumáli; and thereat the horses of that Raksasa aimlessly strayed hither and thither.
तैरश्वैर्धाम्यते भ्रान्तैः सुमाली राक्षसेश्वरः। इन्द्रियाश्वैः परिभ्रान्तैधृतिहीनो यथा नरः॥
And with his bewildered steeds Sumali wanders like a person deprived of patience, whose senses are under hallucination.
ततो विष्णुं महाबाहुं प्रपतन्तं रणाजिरे। हते सुमालेर वैश्च रथे विष्णुरथं प्रति। माली चाभ्यद्रवधुक्तः प्रगुम स शरासनम्॥
And on Sumali's car being drawn at random by his steeds, Mali, taking his bow and equipped therewith, darted at Vişnu's car and assailed that mighty-armed one as he was descending on the field of fight.
मालेधनुश्च्युता बाणाः कार्तस्वरविभूषिताः। विविशुहरिमासाद्य क्रौञ्चं पत्ररथा इव ॥
Like birds entering the Krauñca mountain, the arrows discharged from Mali's bow, graced with gold, hit Hari and entered (into his body).
अर्धमानः शरैः सोऽथ मालिमुक्तैः सहस्रशः। चुक्षुभे न रणे विष्णुर्जितेन्द्रिय इवाधिभिः॥
Thereat, as a person holding his senses under subjection is not thrown out of his mental balance, Vişnu, assailed in that encounter with thousands of arrows shot by Māli, was not disturbed ever so little.
अथ मौर्वीस्वनं कृत्वा भगवान्भूतभावनः। मालिनं प्रति बाणौघान्ससर्जासिगदाधरः॥
Then that creator of all beings, the reverend Gadādhara,* twanging his bow-string, showered volleys of shafts on Máli. *Lit. the holder of the mace, a name of Visnu.
ते मालिदेहमासाद्य वज्रविद्युत्प्रभाः शराः। पिबन्ति रुधिरं तस्य नागा इव सुधारसम्॥
And getting at Mali's body, the arrows furnished with the luminousness of lightening drink his blood, like to serpents drinking nectar.
मालिनं विमुखं कृत्वा शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः। मालिमौलिं ध्वजं चापं वाजिनश्चाप्यपातयत्॥
And baffling Māli, the holder of the conch, discus, and mace, brought down Māli's crown, standard, bow and steeds.
विरथस्तु गदां गृह्य माली नक्तंचरोत्तमः। आपुप्लुवे गदापाणिगिर्यग्रादिव केसरी॥
Then that foremost of night-rangers, on being deprived of his car, sprang forward, mace in hand, even as lion bounds up from the brow of a hillock.
गदया गरुडेशानमीशानमिव चान्तकः। ललाटदेशेऽभ्यहनद्वजेणेन्द्रो यथाचलम् ॥
He with his mace smote at the forehead of that lord of birds, even as the Destroyer had smitten Isana,* or as Indra smites a mountain with his thunder-bolt. *There took place an encounter betwcen Radra and Yama in the Sveta forest, for the protection of Märkandeya and a certain king. In this battle, Yama had smitten Rudra. This is narrated in the Puranas.
गदयाभिहतस्तेन मालिना गरुडो भृशम्। रणात्पराङ्मुखं देवं कृतवान्वेदनातुरः॥
On being severely struck by Mali with his mace, Garuda, writhing in torments, moved the god away from the field of battle.
पराङ्मुखे कृते देवे मालिना गरुडेन वै। उदतिष्ठन्महाशब्दो रक्षसामभिनर्दताम्॥
On the god having been removed from the field by Mäli as well as Garuda, there arose a mighty din of Raksasa roaring (in chorus).
रक्षसां रुवतां रावं श्रुत्वा हरिहयानुजः। तिर्यगास्थाय संक्रुद्धः पक्षीशे भगवान्हरिः॥ पराङ्मुखोऽप्युत्ससर्ज मालेश्चक्रं जिघांसया।
Hearing the cheers of the Raksasa, Indra's younger brother, the reverend Hari, sitting on that lord of birds, albeit moved off from the scene of conflict, waxing enraged, from a desire of slaying (Mali) hurled his disc at him.
तत्सूर्यमण्डलाभासं स्वभासा भासयन्नभः॥ कालचक्रनिभं चक्रं मालेः शीर्षमपातयत्।
Thereat the disc, possessed of the splendour of the solar disc, and resembling the wheel itself of Kāla, flooding all the heavens with radiance, brought down Māli's head to the ground.
तच्छिरो राक्षसेन्द्रस्य चक्रोत्कृत्तं बिभीषणम्। पपात रुधिरोद्गारि पुरा राहुशिरो यथा।॥
That head of lord of Rākşasas, terrific to behold, on being cut off (by Visnu), vomiting blood, fell down before (the Rākşasas), as formerly Rahu's head had fallen.
ततः सुरैः संप्रहृष्टैः सर्वप्राणसमीरितः। सिंहनादरवो मुक्तः साधु देवेतिवादिभिः॥ मालिनं निहतं दृष्ट्वा सुमाली माल्यवानपि। सबलौ शोकसंतप्तौ लङ्कामेव प्रधावितौ ॥
Then the deities experiencing excess of joy set up leonine cheers with might and main, crying,' Excellent, O god.' Seeing Mali slain, Sumali and Mālyavån, burning in grief, fled precipitately towards Lankä along with their forces.
गरुडस्तु समाश्वस्तः संनिवृत्य यथा पुरा। राक्षसान्द्रावयामास पक्षवातेन कोपितः॥
Garuda, being cheered, turned round, and growing enraged, as before drove the Rākşasas with the wind of his wings.
चक्रकृत्तास्यकमला गदासंचूर्णितोरसः। लाङ्गलग्लपितग्रीवा मुसलैभिन्नमस्तकाः॥ केचिच्चैवासिना छिन्नास्तथान्ये शरताडिताः। निपेतुरम्बरातूर्णं राक्षसाः सागराम्भसि ॥
And (some) with their lotus-faces cut by the discus, (some) with their chests crushed with the mace, (some) with their necks torn off by the plough, (some) with their heads riven by the club, and some hewn by the sword, and others pierced by arrows, the Rākṣasas began to drop fast from the sky into the waters of the ocean.
नारायणोऽपीषुवराशनीभिर्विदारयामास धनुर्विमुक्तैः। नक्तंचरान्धूतविमुक्तकेशान्यथाशनीभिः सतडिन्महाभ्रः।।
And as the thunder-bolt with lightening (riveth) a mighty mass of clouds, Narayana by means of the thunder-bolts of his arrows discharged from his bow, rived the night-rangers with their hair dishevelled and streaming (in the wind).
भिन्नातपत्रं पतमानशस्त्रं शरैरपध्वस्तविनीतवेषम्। विनिःसृतान्त्रं भयलोलनेत्रं बलं तदुन्मत्ततरं बभूव॥
The forces having their umbrellas rent, their arms falling off, their goodly garments scattered, their entrails coming out and their eyes rolling, became incapable of distinguishing their own party from that of the foe.
सिंहार्दितानामिव कुञ्जराणां निशाचराणां सह कुञ्जराणाम्। रवाश्च वेगाश्च समं बभूवुः पुराणसिंहेन विमर्दितानाम्॥
Even like (the roars and the vehemence) displayed by elephants on being attacked by lions, the roars, and the vehemence of the nightrangers and their elephants, sore assailed by the Primaeval Lion,* were equal. *Vişnu as a man-lion had formerly taken the conceit out of Hiranyakasipu the Asura king-and slain him, to rid his devotee Prahlada of his mortal foc in the from of a father.
ते वार्यमाणा हरिबाणजालैः स्वबाणजालानि समुत्सृजन्तः। धावन्ति नक्तंचरकालमेघा वायुप्रणुन्ना इव कालमेघाः॥
And driven by Hari's networks of arrows, and discharging (all the while) their own showers of shafts, those night-rangers resembling the clouds of doom, are driven like the veritable clouds of the universal dissolution drifted by the wind.
चक्रप्रहारैर्विनिकृत्तशीर्षाः संचूर्णिताङ्गाश्च गदाप्रहारैः। असिप्रहारैर्द्विविधा विभिन्नाः पतन्ति शैला इव राक्षसेन्द्राः॥
Their heads cut by discus, their parts of bodies crushed with the mace, and hewn in twain with swords, thus they foremost of Rākşasas fell like to hills (toppling headlong).
निशाचरैर्नीलबलाहकोपमैः। निपात्यमानैर्ददृशे निरन्तरं निपात्यमानैरिव नीलपर्वतैः॥
The Earth was seen to be (covered) with night-rangers resembling dark clouds, adorned with jewelled necklaces and ear rings, falling down, as if covered with dark mountains dropping down.