इदं धृत्वा तु कवचं चक्रवर्त्ती भवान्भव
By wearing this armor, you shall become a universal sovereign.
यदिदं कवचं मह्यं प्रकाशितमनामयम्
This armor, which is flawless, has been revealed to me.
भवतस्तु कृपापात्रं जातो ऽहमधुना विभो
O Lord, I have now become the recipient of your compassion.
यथा समापितो वीरस्तन्मे विस्तरतो वद
Just as the heroic one was overcome, tell me that in detail.
उभौ तौ समरे वीरौ जघटाते कथं गुरो
How did those two heroes meet in battle, O teacher?
कार्त्तवीर्यस्य भूपस्य रामस्य च महात्मनः
Of Kārtavīrya, the king, and of Rāma, the great-souled one.
चकार माधनं तस्य भक्त्या परमया युतः
He performed penance for him, endowed with supreme devotion.
उवासपुष्करे राम शतवर्षमतन्द्रितः
Rāma dwelt at Puṣkara for a hundred years, untiring.
आनीय काननाद्भूप प्रायच्छदकृतव्रणः
The king, bringing him from the forest, gave him unblemished gifts.
आराधयामास विभुं कृष्णं कल्मषनाशनम्
He worshipped the Lord Kṛṣṇa, destroyer of sin.
गतं वर्षशतं तत्र ध्यानयुक्तस्य नित्यदा
A hundred years passed there, as he was always engaged in meditation.
मध्यमं पुष्करं तत्र ददर्शाश्वर्यमुत्तमम्
There, at the middle Puṣkara, he beheld supreme prosperity.
व्याधस्य मृगयां प्राप्तो धर्मतप्तो ऽतिपीडितः
A hunter, scorched by righteousness, arrived there for the hunt, greatly afflicted.
रामस्य पश्यतस्तत्र सरसस्तटमागतः
There, as Rāma watched, he came to the bank of the lake.
उभो तौ पिबतस्तत्र जलं शङ्कितमानसौ
There, both of them drank the water, their minds wary.
स दृष्ट्वा तत्र संविष्टं रामं भार्गवनन्दनम्
Seeing Rāma, the delight of the Bhṛgus, seated there,
स चिन्तयामास तदा शङ्कितो भृगुनन्दनात्
Then he became suspicious of the son of Bhṛgu and began to ponder.
कथमेतस्य हन्म्येतौ पश्यतो मृगयामृगौ
How can I kill these two deer of the hunt while he is watching?
तस्थौ तत्रैव रामस्य भयात्संत्रस्तमानसः
He stood there, his mind agitated with fear of Rāma.
तर्कयामास मेधावी किमत्र भयकारणम्
The wise one began to ponder, 'What is the cause of fear here?'
केनैतौ कारणेनाहो शङ्कितौ चकितेक्षणौ
By what reason, indeed, are these two anxious and glancing about suspiciously?
चेनैतौ जलपाने ऽपि पश्यतश्चकितेक्षणौ
Even while drinking water, these two look around with wary eyes.
लक्षयेते खिन्नसर्वाङ्गौ कम्पयुक्तौ यतस्त्विमौ
It is clear that both are weary in all their limbs and trembling as they stand here.
शिष्येण संयुतो रामो यावत्तौ चापि संस्थितौ
Rāma remained together with his disciple, and those two also stayed there.
रामं दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं कथां तौ चक्रतुर्मुदा
Seeing the great-souled Rāma, the two joyfully began a conversation.
अस्य वीरस्य सांनिध्ये भयं नैवावयोर्भवेत्
In the presence of this hero, there will be no fear for either of us.
दृष्टमात्रो हि मुनिना भस्मीभूतो भविष्यति
For, merely being seen by the sage, one would be reduced to ashes.
मृगश्चोवाच हर्षेण समाविष्टः प्रियां स्वकाम्
The deer, filled with delight, spoke to his beloved.
जाने ऽहमपि रामस्य प्रभावं सुमहात्मनः
I too know the power of Rāma, the supremely great-souled one.
सचाने न महाभागस्त्रातो व्याघ्रभयातुरः
But if that most fortunate one had not protected us, we would have been overcome by fear of the tiger.