स चार्जुनो महाराज तपो घोरं चकार ह। साग्रं वर्षायुतं जज्ञ इत्येवं मे श्रुतं पुरा?
And that Arjuna, O great king, performed fierce austerities; for ten thousand years, he practiced, so I have heard from olden times.
तथेयं पृथिवी राजन्सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना। ससमुद्राकरा तात विधिनोग्रेण वै जिता?
Thus, O king, this earth with its seven continents and cities, with its oceans and lakes, was conquered by him through severe discipline.
स चार्जुनोऽथ तेजस्वी तपः परमदुश्चरम्। दत्तमाराधयामास सोऽर्जुनोऽत्रिसुतं मुनिम्
And that radiant Arjuna then worshipped the sage Dattātreya, son of Atri, with supreme and arduous austerity.
तस्य दत्तो वरान्प्रादाच्चतुरः पार्थिवस्य वै। पूर्वं बाहुसहस्रं तु प्रार्थितः परमो वरः
To him, Dattātreya granted four boons, O king; first, the supreme boon he requested was a thousand arms.
अधर्मे प्रीयमाणस्य सद्भिस्तत्र निवारणम्। धर्मेण पृथिवीं जित्वा धर्मेणैव हि रञ्जनम्
When he delighted in unrighteousness, the virtuous restrained him there; having conquered the earth by righteousness, he ruled it by righteousness alone.
सङ्ग्रामान्सुबहून्कृत्वा हत्वा चारीन्सहस्रशः। सङ्ग्रामे यतमानस्य वधश्चैवाधिकाद्रणै
Having fought many battles and slain thousands of enemies, while striving in combat, he was killed in a great war.
तस्य बाहुसहस्रं तु युध्यतः किल भारत। रथो ध्वजश्च सञ्जज्ञ इत्येवं मे श्रुतं परा
It is said, O Bhārata, that as he fought, a chariot and banner appeared for him, along with his thousand arms—so I have heard from ancient times.
तथेयं पृथिवी राजन्त्सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना। ससमुद्राकरा तात विधिनोग्रेण वै जिता
Thus, O king, this earth with its seven continents and cities, with its oceans and lakes, was conquered by him through severe discipline.
चार्जुनोऽथ तेजस्वी सप्तद्वीपेश्वरो।़भवत्। च राजा महायज्ञानाजहार महाबलः। प्रशशास महाबाहुर्महीं स च समा बहूः
And then that radiant Arjuna became lord of the seven continents; the mighty king performed great sacrifices and ruled the earth with his powerful arms for many years.
ततोऽर्जुनः कदाचिद्वै राजन्माहिष्मतीपतिः। नर्मदां भरतश्रेष्ठं तां तु दारैर्ययौ सह
Then once, O king, Arjuna, lord of Māhiṣmatī, went to the Narmadā river, O best of the Bharatas, together with his wives.
ततस्तां स नदीं गत्वा प्रविश्यन्तर्जले तदा। कर्तुं राजञ्जलक्रीडां ततो राजोपचक्रमे
Then, having reached that river, he entered the water; there, O king, he began to sport in the water with his queens.
तस्मिन्नेव ततः काले रावमो राक्षसैः सह। लङ्काया ईश्वरस्तात तं देशं प्रययौ बली
At that very time, Rāvaṇa, lord of Laṅkā, powerful and accompanied by Rākṣasas, came to that region.
ततस्तमर्जुनं दृष्ट्वा नर्मदायां दशाननः। नित्यं क्रोधपरो धीरो वरदानेन मोहितः
Then, seeing Arjuna in the Narmadā, the ten-headed one, ever wrathful yet steadfast, deluded by a boon, gazed upon him.
अभ्यघावत्सुसङ्क्रुद्धो महेन्द्रं शम्बरो यथा। अर्जुनोऽप्यथ तं दृष्ट्वा रावणं प्रत्यवारयत्
Greatly enraged, he attacked, just as Shambara once attacked Indra; and Arjuna, seeing Rāvaṇa, confronted him.
ततस्तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धं रावणश्चार्जुनश्च वै। ततस्तु दुर्जयं वीरं वरदानेन दर्पितम्
Then those two, Rāvaṇa and Arjuna, engaged in battle; and at that time, the unconquerable hero, made arrogant by the boon, fought.
राक्षसेन्द्रं मनुष्येन्द्रो जित्वा बध्वा रणे बलात्। बध्वा धनुर्ज्यया राजन्विवेशाथ पुरीं स्वकाम्
The king of men, having defeated and bound the king of rākṣasas by force in battle, tied him with a bowstring, O king, and then entered his own city.
स तु तं बन्धितं श्रुत्वा पुलस्त्यो रावणं तदा। मोक्षयाणास बन्धाद्वै पुरे दृष्ट्वाऽर्जुनं तदा
Pulastya, upon hearing that Rāvaṇa had been bound, came to release him from captivity, and seeing Arjuna in the city, freed him.
ततः कदाचित्तेजस्वी कार्तवीर्योर्जुनो बली। समुद्रतीरं गत्वाथ विरचन्दर्पमोहितः
Once, the mighty and radiant Arjuna, son of Kārtavīrya, went to the seashore, intoxicated by pride and delusion.
अवाकिरच्छितशरैः समुद्रं स तु भारत। तं समुद्रो नमस्कृत्य कृताञ्जलिरभाषत
He showered the ocean with sharp arrows, O Bhārata; then the ocean, bowing with joined palms, spoke to him.
आशुगान्वीर मा मुञ्च ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। मदाश्रयाणि सत्वानि त्वद्विसृष्टैर्महेषुभिः। बाध्यन्ते राजशार्दूल तेभ्यो देह्यभयं विभो
O hero, do not release swift arrows; tell me, what shall I do for you? The creatures who dwell in me are afflicted by your mighty shafts; O tiger among kings, grant them safety, O lord.
देहि सिन्धुपते युद्धमद्यैव त्वरया मम। अथवा पीडयामि त्वां तस्मात्त्वं कुरु माचिरम्
Give me battle today, O lord of rivers, and do so quickly; otherwise, I will torment you, so act without delay.
लोके राजन्महावीर्या बहवो निवसन्ति ये। तेषामेकेन राजेन्द्र कुरु युद्धं महाबल
In the world, O king, many of great valor reside; among them, O lord of kings, choose one to fight me, mighty in strength.
मत्समो यदि सङ्ग्रामे वरायुधधरः क्वचित्। विद्यते तं ममाचक्ष्व यः समासेत मा मृधे
If there is anyone in battle who bears excellent weapons and equals me, tell me who he is, that he may face me in combat.
महर्षिर्जमदग्निस्तु यदि राजन्परिश्रुतः। तस्य पुत्रो रणं दातुं यथावद्वै तवार्हति
If the renowned sage Jamadagni exists, O king, his son is worthy to give you battle as is proper.
समुद्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा राजा माहिष्मतीपतिः। नारदस्य च वै पूर्वं क्रोधेन महता वृतः
Hearing the words of the ocean and remembering what Nārada had said before, the king of Māhiṣmatī became filled with great anger.
ततः प्रतिययौ शीघ्रं क्रोधेन सह भारत। स तमाश्रममागत्य काममेवान्वपद्यत
Then, swiftly and with anger, O Bhārata, he went to that hermitage and acted as he pleased.
स कामं प्रतिकूलानि चकार सह बन्धुभिः। आयासं जनयामास रामस्य स महात्मनः
He, together with his kinsmen, performed hostile deeds and caused hardship for the great-souled Rāma.
ततस्तेजः प्रजज्वाल रामस्यामिततेजसः। प्रदहन्निव सैन्यानि रश्मिमानिव तेजसा
Then the energy of Rāma, whose brilliance is immeasurable, blazed forth, burning the armies as if with rays of light.
अथ तौ चक्रतुर्युद्धं वृत्रवासवयोरिव
Then those two fought, like Vṛtra and Indra.
ततः परशुमादाय नृपं बाहुसहस्रिणम्। चिच्छेद सहसा रामो बहुशाखमिव द्रुमम्
Then Rāma, taking up his axe, suddenly cut down the king with a thousand arms, as one would fell a tree with many branches.