ततो मामब्रवीद्रामः स्मयमानो रणाजिरे । रथो मे मेदिनी भीष्म वाहा वेदाः सदश्ववत्
Then Rāma, smiling in the field of battle, said to me: 'The earth is my chariot, Bhīṣma; the Vedas, like excellent horses, are my steeds.'
सूतश्च मातरिश्वा वै कवचं वेदमातरः । सुसंवीतो रणे ताभिर्योत्स्येऽहं कुरुनन्दन
'The wind is my charioteer, the mothers of the Vedas are my armor. Thus well equipped in battle by these, I will fight you, O joy of the Kurus.'
एवं ब्रुवाणो गान्धारे रामो मां सत्यविक्रमः। शरव्रातेन महता सर्वतः प्रत्यवारयत्
Thus, as Gandhara Rama of true valor spoke to me, he blocked me on all sides with a great shower of arrows.
ततोऽपश्यं जामदग्न्यं रथमध्ये व्यवस्थितम् । सर्वायुधवरे श्रीमत्यद्भुतोपमदर्शने
Then I saw Jamadagni’s son standing in the middle of his chariot, resplendent, wondrous to behold, with every kind of weapon at hand.
मनसा विहिते पुण्ये विस्तीर्णे नगरोपभे । दिव्याश्वयुजि सन्नद्वे काञ्चनेन विभूषिते
His chariot, divinely fashioned in thought, pure and vast as a city’s outskirts, was yoked with celestial horses, armored, and adorned with gold.
कवचेन महाबाहो सोमार्ककृतलक्ष्मणा। धनुर्धरो बद्धतूणो बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान्
That mighty-armed one wore armor marked with the emblems of the moon and sun, held a bow, had his quiver fastened, and wore gauntlets of lizard skin.
सारथ्यं कृतवांस्तत्र युयुत्सोरकुतव्रणः । सखा वेदविदत्यन्तं दयितो भार्गवस्य ह
There, his charioteer was a fearless, eager friend, deeply learned in the Vedas and dearly loved by Bhargava.
आह्वयानः स मां युद्धे मनो हर्षयतीव मे । पुनः पुनरभिक्रोशन्नभियाहीति भार्गवः
Calling me to battle, Bhargava repeatedly shouted, 'Come, approach!'—his challenge stirred my heart.
तमादित्यमिवोद्यन्तमनाधृष्यं महाबलम् । क्षत्रियान्तकरं राममेकमेकः समासदूम्
I approached Rama, the destroyer of Kshatriyas, alone, like one would approach the rising sun—unassailable and of great might.
ततोऽहं बाणपातेषु त्रिषु वाहान्निगृह्य वै । अवतीर्य धनुर्न्यस्य पदातिर्ऋषिसत्तमम्
Then, after restraining my horses from the shower of arrows, I dismounted, set aside my bow, and approached the best of sages on foot.
अभ्यागच्छं तदा राममर्चिष्यन्द्विजसत्तमम् । अभिवाद्य चैनं विधिवदब्रुवं वाक्यमुत्तमम्
At that time, I went up to Rama, the illustrious best of Brahmins, greeted him properly, and spoke these excellent words.
योत्स्ये त्वया रणे राम सदृशेनाधिकेन वा । गुरुणा धर्मशीलेन जयमाशास्व मे विभो
O Rama, I will fight you in battle, whether you are my equal or superior, or even my teacher, steadfast in righteousness—grant me victory, O lord.
एवमेतत्कुरुश्रेष्ठ कर्तव्यं भूतिमिच्छता। धर्मो ह्येष महाबाहो विशिष्टैः सह युध्यताम्
So it is, best of Kurus; one who desires glory must act thus. For this is the duty, O mighty-armed one, for those who fight with the distinguished.
शपेयं त्वां नचेदेवमागच्छेथा विशांपते । युध्यस्व त्वं रणे यत्तो धैर्यमालम्ब्य कौरव
If you do not come in this way, O lord of men, I would have cursed you. Now, fight in battle with resolve, taking up courage, O Kaurava.
न तु ते जयमाशासे त्वां विजेतुमहं स्थितः । गच्छ युध्यस्व धर्मेण प्रीतोऽस्मि चरितेन ते
But I do not hope for your victory, for I am here to defeat you. Go, fight righteously—I am pleased with your conduct.
ततोऽहं तं नमस्कृत्य रथमारुह्य सत्वरः । प्राध्मापयं रणे शङ्खं पुनर्हेमपरिष्कृतम्
Then, after bowing to him, I quickly mounted my chariot and sounded my conch, adorned with gold, again in battle.
ततो युद्धं समभवन्मम तस्य च भारत । दिवसान्सुबहून्राजन्परस्परजिगीषया
Then, O Bharata, a battle arose between us, lasting many days, each striving to conquer the other.
स मे तस्मिन्रणे पूर्वं प्राहरत्कङ्खपत्रिभिः । वष्ट्या शतैश्च नवभिः शराणां नतषर्वणाम्
In that fight, he struck me first with arrows tipped with vulture feathers, and with nine hundred bent-shafted arrows.
चत्वारस्तेन मे वाहाः सूतश्चैव विशांपते । प्रतिरुद्धास्तथैवाहं समरे दंशितः स्थितः
By him, my four horses and my charioteer, O lord of men, were restrained, and I too was wounded and stood firm in the battle.
नमस्कृत्य च देवेभ्यो ब्राह्मणेभ्यो विशेषतः । तमहं स्मयन्निव रणे प्रत्यभाषं व्यवस्थितम्
After bowing to the gods and especially to the Brahmins, I, smiling as if in the fight, addressed him as he stood ready.
आचार्यता मानिता मे निर्मर्यादे ह्यपि त्वयि । भूयश्च शृणु मे ब्रह्मन्संपदं धर्मसंग्रहे
Though you have acted without restraint, I have honored you as a teacher; now listen further, O Brahman, to my account of virtue and prosperity.
ये ते वेदाः शरीरस्था .... यच्च ते महत् । तपश्च ते महत्तप्तं न तेभ्यः प्रहराम्यहम्
Those Vedas that reside within your body, and your great asceticism—these I do not attack or harm.
प्रहरे क्षत्रधर्मस्य यं त्वं राम समाश्रितः । ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियत्वं हि याति शस्त्रसमुद्यमात्
Strike as you rely upon the duty of a warrior, O Rama; for a Brahman, by raising weapons, assumes the nature of a Kshatriya.
पश्य मे धनुषो वीर्यं पश्य बाह्वोर्बलं मम। एष ते कार्मुक वीर छिनद्मि निशितेषुणा
Behold the strength of my bow, behold the power of my arms; O hero, I will cut your bow with a sharp arrow.
तस्याहं निशितं भल्लं चिक्षेप भरतर्षभ । तेनास्य धनुषः कोटिं छित्वा भूमावपातयम्
Then I hurled a keen arrow, O bull among Bharatas, and with it I severed the tip of his bow, casting it to the ground.
तथैव च पृषत्कानां शतानि नतपर्वणाम् । चिक्षेप कङ्कपत्राणां जामदग्न्यरथं प्रति
In the same way, I launched hundreds of arrows with curved joints, feathered with vulture wings, toward Jamadagni's chariot.
काये विषक्तास्तु तदा वायुना समुदीरिताः। चेलुः क्षरन्तो रुधिरं नागा इव च ते शराः
Those arrows, driven by the wind, stuck in his body and moved about, shedding blood like serpents.
क्षतजोक्षितसर्वाङ्गः क्षरन्स रुधिरं रणे। बभौ रामस्तथा राजन्प्रफुल्ल इव किंशुकः
Rama, his whole body drenched in blood and bleeding in battle, shone like a blossoming kimshuka tree, O King.
हेमन्तान्तेऽशोक इव रक्तस्तबकमण्डितः। बभौ रामस्तथा राजन्प्रफुल्ल इव किंशुकः
Rama shone like an ashoka tree at the end of winter, adorned with clusters of red flowers, like a blossoming kimshuka, O King.
ततोऽन्यद्धनुरादाय रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः । हेमपुङ्खान्सुनिशिताञ्शरांस्तान्हि ववर्ष सः
Then Rama, filled with anger, took up another bow and showered arrows with golden shafts, sharp and well-made.