ततो रात्रौ व्यतीतायां प्रतिबुद्धोऽस्मि भारत । ततः संचिन्त्य वै स्वप्नमवापं हर्षमुत्तमम्
When the night had passed, I awoke, O Bharata, and reflecting on the dream, I felt the highest joy.
ततः समभवद्युद्धं मम तस्य च भारत । तुमुलं सर्वभूतानां रोमहर्षणमद्भुतम्
Then, O Bharata, a battle arose between him and me—tumultuous, astonishing, and causing the hair of all beings to stand on end.
ततो बाणमयं वर्षं ववर्ष मयि भार्गवः। न्यवारयमहं तच्च शरजालेन भारत
Then Bhargava rained a shower of arrows upon me, but I blocked it, O Bharata, with a network of arrows.
ततः परमसंक्रुद्धः पुनरेव महातपाः । ह्यस्तनेन च कोपेन शक्तिं वै प्राहिणोन्मयि
Then, exceedingly enraged, the great ascetic, with fury and his left hand, hurled a spear at me.
इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शां यमदण्डसमप्रभाम् । ज्वलन्तीमग्निवत्सङ्ख्ये लेलिहानां समन्ततः
It had the touch of Indra's thunderbolt, the brilliance of Yama's staff, blazing like fire in battle, licking all around.
ततो भरतशार्दूल धिष्ण्यमाकाशगं यथा। सा ममाभ्यवधीत्तूर्णं जत्रुदेशे कुरूद्वह
Then, O tiger among the Bharatas, like a meteor from the sky, it struck me swiftly in the region of the collarbone, O best of the Kurus.
अथास्रमस्रवद्धोरं गिरेर्गैरिकधातुवात् । रामेण सुमहाबाहो क्षतस्य क्षतजेक्षण
Then, O mighty-armed one, blood flowed from the wound on the mountain, colored by ochre minerals, as Rama was struck and his eyes reddened with pain.
ततोऽहं जामदग्न्याय भृशं क्रोधसमन्वितः । चिक्षेप मृत्युसंकाशं बाणं सर्पविषोपमम्
Thereupon, filled with intense anger, I hurled at Jamadagni's son a deadly arrow, resembling the venom of a serpent.
स तेनाभिहतो वीरो ललाटे द्विजसत्तमः । अशोभत महाराज शश्रृङ्ग इव पर्वतः
Struck by that arrow on his forehead, the best of Brahmins shone, O King, like a mountain with a mark of moonlight.
स संरब्धः समावृत्य शरं कालान्तकोपमम् । संदधे बलवत्कृष्य घोरं शत्रनिबर्हणम्
Enraged, he drew back a terrible arrow, fierce as Death's own wrath, and fitted it to his bow, intent on destroying his foe.
स वक्षसि पापतोग्रः शरो व्याल इव श्वसन् । महीं राजंस्ततश्चाहमगमं रुधिराविलः
That dreadful arrow, like a serpent hissing, struck me in the chest, O King, and I fell to the earth, covered in blood.
संप्राप्य तु पुनः संज्ञां जामदघ्न्याय धीमते । प्राहिण्वं विमलां शक्तिं ज्वलन्तीमशनीमिव
Regaining consciousness, I, discerning, sent at Jamadagni's son a spotless spear, blazing like a thunderbolt.
सा तस्य द्विजमुख्यस्य निपपात भुजान्तरे । विह्वलश्चाभवद्राजन्वेपथुश्चैनमाविशत्
That weapon fell between the arms of the foremost Brahmin; he became bewildered, O King, and trembling seized him.
तत एनं परिष्वज्य सखा विप्रो महातपाः । अकृतव्रणः शुभैर्वाक्यैराश्वासयदनेकधा
Then his friend, the great ascetic Brahmin, embraced him and, though himself unwounded, comforted him with many auspicious words.
समाश्वस्तस्ततो रामः क्रोधामर्षसमन्वितः । प्रादुश्चक्रे तदा ब्राह्मं परमास्त्रं महाव्रतः
Thus reassured, Rama, filled with wrath and indignation, then revealed the supreme Brahma weapon, he of great vows.
ततस्तत्प्रतिघातार्थं ब्राह्ममेवास्त्रमुत्तमम् । मया प्रयुक्तं जज्वाल युगान्तमिव दर्शयत्
Then, to counter that, I too released the supreme Brahma weapon, which blazed forth as if displaying the end of the world.
तयोर्ब्रह्मास्त्रयोरासीदन्तरा वै समागमः । असंप्राप्यैव रामं च मां च भारतसत्तम
Between those two Brahma weapons, there was a meeting in the space between, O best of Bharatas, yet neither reached Rama nor me.
ततो व्योम्नि प्रादुरभूत्तेज एव हि केवलम् । भूतानि चैव सर्वाणि जग्मुरार्तिं विशांपते
Then, only radiance appeared in the sky, O lord of men, and all beings were seized with distress.
ऋषयश्च सगन्धर्वा देवताश्चैव भारत। संतापं परमं जग्मुरस्त्रतेजोभिपीडिताः
The sages, Gandharvas, and gods, O Bharata, were all afflicted with intense suffering, oppressed by the energy of those weapons.
ततश्चचाल पृथिवी सपर्वतवनद्रुमा। संतप्तानि च भूतानि विषादंक जग्मुरुत्तमम्
Then the earth trembled, with her mountains, forests, and trees; all beings, scorched, fell into utter despair.
प्रजज्वाल नभो राजन्धूमायन्ते दिशो दश। न स्थातुमन्तरिक्षे च शेकुराकाशगास्तदा
The sky blazed, O King, and the ten directions were filled with smoke; the beings of the air could not remain in the heavens.
ततो हाहाकृते लोके सदेवासुरराक्षसे । इदमन्तरमित्येवं मोक्तुकामोऽस्मि भारत
Then, as the world cried out in terror, with gods, asuras, and rakshasas, I wished, O Bharata, to withdraw those weapons.
प्रस्वापमस्त्रं त्वरितो वचनाद्ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । चिन्तितं च तदस्त्रं मे मनसि प्रत्यभात्तदा
At the urging of the Brahmanas, I swiftly recalled the weapon of sleep, and that weapon, remembered in my mind, appeared before me.
ततो हलहलाशब्दो दिवि राजन्महानभूत्। प्रस्वापं भीष्म मा स्राक्षीरिति कौरवनन्दन
Then a great tumult arose in the heavens, O King, as the cry was heard: 'Bhishma has invoked the weapon of sleep!'
अयुञ्जमेव चैवाहं तदस्त्रं भृगुनन्दने । प्रस्वापं मां प्रयुज्जानं नारदो वाकयमब्रवीत्
As I was about to employ that weapon, O descendant of Bhrigu, and was invoking the sleep-inducing missile, Nārada spoke these words to me.
एते वियति करव्य दिवि देवगणाः स्थिताः। ते त्वां निवारयन्त्यद्य प्रस्वापं मा प्रयोजय
These hosts of gods are stationed in the sky above; today, they are restraining you—do not unleash the sleep-inducing weapon.
रामस्तपस्वी ब्रह्मण्यो ब्राह्मणश्च गुरुश्च ते। तस्यवमानं कौरव्य मास्म कार्षीः कथञ्चन
Rāma is an ascetic, devoted to Brahman, a Brāhmaṇa, and your teacher; O Kaurava, never show him disrespect in any way.
ततोऽपश्यं दिविष्ठान्वै तानष्टौ ब्रह्मवादिनः । ते मां स्मयन्तो राजेन्द्र शनकैरिदमब्रुवन्
Then I saw those eight sages, knowers of Brahman, dwelling in the heavens; O king, smiling, they slowly spoke these words to me.
यथाऽऽह भरतश्रेष्ठ नारदस्तत्तथा कुरु । एतद्धि परमं श्रेयो लोकानां भरतर्षभ
O best of the Bharatas, do as Nārada has said; this is truly the highest good for all worlds, O bull among the Bharatas.
ततश्च प्रतिसंहृत्य तदस्त्रं स्वापनं महत्। ब्रह्मास्त्रं दीपयाञ्चक्रे तस्मिन्युधि यथाविधि
Then, withdrawing that great sleep-inducing weapon, I readied the Brahmāstra in that battle, according to the proper procedure.