तस्मै दत्तो वरान् प्रादाच् चतुरो भूरितेजसः पूर्वं बाहुसहस्रं तु प्रार्थितं सुमहद् वरम्
To him, the giver granted four boons of great brilliance; earlier, the boon of a thousand arms was sought, a most splendid gift.
अधर्मे ऽधीयमानस्य सद्भिस् तत्र निवारणम् उग्रेण पृथिवीं जित्वा धर्मेणैवानुरञ्जनम्
When unrighteousness prevailed, the virtuous restrained it there; having conquered the earth fiercely, he won favor through righteousness.
संग्रामान् सुबहूञ् जित्वा हत्वा चारीन् सहस्रशः संग्रामे वर्तमानस्य वधं चाभ्यधिकाद् रणे
Having conquered many battles and slain thousands of enemies, while still engaged in combat, he faced even greater threats of death on the battlefield.
तस्य बाहुसहस्रं तु युध्यतः किल भो द्विजाः योगाद् योगीश्वरस्येव प्रादुर्भवति मायया
O twice-born ones, as he fought, a thousand arms appeared for him by the power of his yoga, just as they would for the lord of yogis, through his own maya.
तेनेयं पृथिवी सर्वा सप्तद्वीपा सपत्तना ससमुद्रा सनगरा उग्रेण विधिना जिता
By him, this entire earth with its seven continents, cities, oceans, and towns was conquered with fierce might.
तेन सप्तसु द्वीपेषु सप्त यज्ञशतानि च प्राप्तानि विधिना राज्ञा श्रूयन्ते मुनिसत्तमाः
It is said, O best of sages, that by this king, seven hundred sacrifices were duly performed on the seven continents.
सर्वे यज्ञा मुनिश्रेष्ठाः सहस्रशतदक्षिणाः सर्वे काञ्चनयूपाश् च सर्वे काञ्चनवेदयः
All those sacrifices, O foremost of sages, were endowed with hundreds of thousands of gifts, all with golden posts and golden altars.
सर्वे देवैर् मुनिश्रेष्ठा विमानस्थैर् अलंकृतैः गन्धर्वैर् अप्सरोभिश् च नित्यम् एवोपशोभिताः
All were ever adorned, O best of sages, by gods in splendid aerial chariots, together with Gandharvas and Apsarases.
यस्य यज्ञे जगौ गाथां गन्धर्वो नारदस् तथा वरीदासात्मजो विद्वान् महिम्ना तस्य विस्मितः
At his sacrifice, the Gandharva Narada, son of Varida, sang a hymn, astonished by his greatness.
न नूनं कार्तवीर्यस्य गतिं यास्यन्ति पार्थिवाः यज्ञैर् दानैस् तपोभिश् च विक्रमेण श्रुतेन च
Surely, no kings will attain the path of Kartavirya through sacrifices, gifts, austerities, valor, or learning.
स हि सप्तसु द्वीपेषु चर्मी खड्गी शरासनी रथी द्वीपान् अनुचरन् योगी संदृश्यते नृभिः
For he, clad in armor, sword in hand, bearing bow and arrows, riding his chariot, is seen by men as he moves through the seven continents, endowed with yogic power.
अनष्टद्रव्यता चैव न शोको न च विभ्रमः प्रभावेण महाराज्ञः प्रजा धर्मेण रक्षतः
There was no loss of wealth, no sorrow, nor confusion among his subjects, as the great king, by his power, protected them with righteousness.
स सर्वरत्नभाक् सम्राट् चक्रवर्ती बभूव ह स एव पशुपालो ऽभूत् क्षेत्रपालः स एव च
He became the emperor, possessor of all jewels, the universal sovereign; he was also a herdsman, a field-guard, and so too.
स एव वृष्ट्या पर्जन्यो योगित्वाद् अर्जुनो ऽभवत् स वै बाहुसहस्रेण ज्याघातकठिनत्वचा
By his yogic power, he became like Parjanya, the rain-giver; he was Arjuna, and with his thousand arms, his skin was hardened by the bowstring.
भाति रश्मिसहस्रेण शरदीव च भास्करः स हि नागान् मनुष्येषु माहिष्मत्यां महाद्युतिः
He shone with a thousand rays like the sun in autumn; among men in Mahishmati, that great-souled one was like a serpent among men.
कर्कोटकसुताञ् जित्वा पुर्यां तस्यां न्यवेशयत् स वै वेगं समुद्रस्य प्रावृट्काले ऽम्बुजेक्षणः
Having conquered the sons of Karkotaka, he settled them in that city; O lotus-eyed one, he checked the speed of the ocean in the rainy season.
क्रीडन्न् इव भुजोद्भिन्नं प्रतिस्रोतश् चकार ह लुण्ठिता क्रीडता तेन नदी तद्ग्राममालिनी
As if playing, he turned back the river, swollen by his arms, against its current; that river, lined with villages, was plundered by him in sport.
चलदूर्मिसहस्रेण शङ्किताभ्येति नर्मदा तस्य बाहुसहस्रेण क्षिप्यमाणे महोदधौ
With thousands of surging waves, the Narmada, alarmed, approaches as he hurls the great ocean with his thousand arms.
भयान् निलीना निश्चेष्ठाः पातालस्था महीसुराः चूर्णीकृतमहावीचिं चलन्मीनमहातिमिम्
The great serpents dwelling in the netherworld, terrified and motionless, hid themselves as he churned the ocean, scattering great waves, moving fish, and mighty whales.
मारुताविद्धफेनौघम् आवर्तक्षोभसंकुलम् प्रावर्तयत् तदा राजा सहस्रेण च बाहुना
The king then set in motion the waters, filled with masses of foam struck by the wind, and agitated by whirlpools, with his thousand arms.
देवासुरसमाक्षिप्तः क्षीरोदम् इव मन्दरः मन्दरक्षोभचकिता अमृतोत्पादशङ्किताः
Like Mandara Mountain cast into the Ocean of Milk by gods and demons, they were shaken and fearful, suspecting the birth of nectar.
सहसोत्पतिता भीता भीमं दृष्ट्वा नृपोत्तमम् नता निश्चलमूर्धानो बभूवुस् ते महोरगाः
Suddenly, terrified upon seeing the mighty and supreme king, those great serpents sprang up, bowing their unmoving heads.
सायाह्ने कदलीखण्डाः कम्पिता इव वायुना स वै बद्ध्वा धनुर् ज्याभिर् उत्सिक्तं पञ्चभिः शरैः
In the evening, like plantain trunks shaken by the wind, he strung his bow and with five arrows swiftly shot forth.
लङ्केशं मोहयित्वा तु सबलं रावणं बलात् निर्जित्य वशम् आनीय माहिष्मत्यां बबन्ध तम्
Having bewildered Ravana, lord of Lanka, along with his army, he overpowered and subdued him by force, and bound him in Mahishmati.
श्रुत्वा तु बद्धं पौलस्त्यं रावणं त्व् अर्जुनेन च ततो गत्वा पुलस्त्यस् तम् अर्जुनं ददृशे स्वयम्
Hearing that Ravana, the descendant of Pulastya, had been bound by Arjuna, Pulastya himself went and saw Arjuna.
मुमोच रक्षः पौलस्त्यं पुलस्त्येनाभियाचितः यस्य बाहुसहस्रस्य बभूव ज्यातलस्वनः
At Pulastya's request, he released the demon Ravana, whose thousand arms once resounded with the twang of the bowstring.
युगान्ते तोयदस्येव स्फुटतो ह्य् अशनेर् इव अहो बत मृधे वीर्यं भार्गवस्य यद् अच्छिनत्
At the end of an age, as clouds burst or thunder cracks, so too—how wondrous!—did Bhargava's might sever his strength in battle.
राज्ञो बाहुसहस्रस्य हैमं तालवनं यथा तृषितेन कदाचित् स भिक्षितश् चित्रभानुना
Like a golden palm grove belonging to the king of a thousand arms, he was once begged by Citrabhanu, parched with thirst.
स भिक्षाम् अददाद् वीरः सप्त द्वीपान् विभावसोः पुराणि ग्रामघोषांश् च विषयांश् चैव सर्वशः
That hero gave alms—seven islands, the ancient cities of Agni, villages, hamlets, and all his territories.
जज्वाल तस्य सर्वाणि चित्रभानुर् दिधृक्षया स तस्य पुरुषेन्द्रस्य प्रभावेण महात्मनः
Citrabhanu burned all those, desiring to consume them, but it was by the power of that great-souled lord of men.