रत्नभानौ मृते राज्ञि मरुधन्वमहीपतिः
When King Ratnabhānu died, Marudhanva became ruler of the earth.
आराध्य पावकं देवं यज्ञध्यानव्रतार्चनैः
He worshipped the fire god with sacrifices, meditation, vows, and rituals.
तदा प्रसन्नो भगवान्पावकीयं हयं शुभम्
Then, the blessed Lord, pleased, bestowed a noble horse born of fire.
पावकास्ते हि चत्वारः समुद्भूता महीतले
Those four born of fire appeared upon the earth.
अष्टादशवयोभूताः सर्वे ते मुनिपुंगव
All of them, O foremost sage, were eighteen years of age.
अष्टादशाब्दवयसा सा कन्या वरवर्णिनी
That maiden, radiant in beauty, was also eighteen years old.
शार्दूलवंशी स नृपः कृतवान्वै स्वयंवरम्
That king of the Śārdūla lineage held a svayaṃvara.
मार्गशीर्षे सिते पक्षे चाष्टम्यां चंद्रवासरे
In the bright fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa, on the eighth day, a Monday,
विद्युद्वर्णं मुखं तस्याश्चंचलायास्तथागतम् 3.3.16.
Her face, restless, shone with the color of lightning.
सापि दृष्ट्वा च तं वीरं मुमोह गजमुक्तिका
And seeing that hero, she, like a pearl from an elephant, was overcome with faintness.
तारकाद्याश्च भूपालाः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रसंयुताः
Kings such as Tāraka, all equipped with every weapon and missile,
तथाविधान्नृपान्दृष्ट्वा भूपान्पंचशतान्बली
Seeing such kings—five hundred mighty rulers—
सर्वतो वध्यमानं तं बलखानिं स तारकः
Tāraka struck down the divisions of troops that surrounded him on all sides.
महीराजसुतो ज्येष्ठो दृष्ट्वा खड्गं तथा गतम्
The eldest son of the king, seeing the sword thus drawn,
पराजिते नृपबले बलखानिर्महाबलः
When the king's army was defeated, the mighty Balakhāni remained.
तां गच्छंतीं सुतां दृष्ट्वा गजसेनो महीपतिः
Seeing his daughter departing, Gajasena, the king,
जंबुकघ्नं महावीरं मायया तममोहयत्
By illusion, he bewildered the great hero who had slain Jambuka.
निगडैस्तं बबंधाशु दृढैर्लोहमयै रुषा
In anger, he quickly bound him with strong iron shackles.
चांडालांश्च समाहूय कठिनांस्तत्रवासिनः 3.3.16.
He summoned the fierce Caṇḍālas who lived there.
ते रौद्रास्तं समाबध्य ताडयामासुरूज्जिताः
Those fierce men, having bound him, struck him relentlessly.
दृष्ट्वा ततस्तु चंडालान्बलखानिरताडयत्
Then Balakhāni, seeing the Caṇḍālas, struck them.
मृते पंचशते रौद्रे तच्छेषा दुद्रुवुर्भयात्
When five hundred of the fierce ones were slain, the rest fled in fear.
स नृपः कारणं ज्ञात्वा हस्तबद्धो महाबली
That king, realizing the reason, bound hand and foot, though mighty,
भवान्महाबलो वीर चांडालैर्बंधनं गतः
You, O mighty hero, were bound by the Caṇḍālas.
मत्सुता भवने प्राप्ता दिष्ट्या त्वं जीवितं गतः इति श्रुत्वा प्रियं वाक्यं तं प्रशस्य तथाकरोत्
My daughter has arrived at your house; by fortune, you have returned to life. Hearing these dear words, he praised him and acted accordingly.
मंडपे वेदकर्माणि विवाहार्थं चकार सः
He performed Vedic rites in the pavilion for the purpose of marriage.
तदाज्ञया लिखित्वासौ गजसेनोऽग्निसेवकः
By his command, Gajasena, the servant of fire, wrote it down.
बलखानेर्विवाहोऽत्र भवान्सैन्यसमन्वितः
The marriage of Balakhan occurs here, accompanied by your army.
इत्युक्ते निशि जातायां बलखानिर्महाबलः 3.3.16.
When this was said, Balakhan the mighty was born at night.
गरलं तेन संभुक्तं न ममार वराच्छुभात् पुनर्बबंध निगडैस्ताडयामास वेतसैः
He consumed poison, but did not die due to the auspicious boon; again he was bound with chains and beaten with canes.