सूतोपनीतं स्वरथमारुरोह विशांपते
The lord of men mounted his own chariot, brought by the charioteer.
अनेकाक्षौहिणीयुक्ताः परिवार्योपतस्थिरे
Surrounded by many divisions of troops, they stood ready.
असंख्याता महाराज सैन्ये सागरसन्निभे
Countless, O great king, were the warriors in the army, resembling the ocean.
महावीरा महाकाया नानायुद्धविशारदाः
Great heroes, of mighty form, skilled in various kinds of warfare.
नानालङ्कारसंयुक्ता मत्ता दानविभूषिताः
Adorned with various ornaments, intoxicated, and decorated by the Danavas.
नानाज्ञातिसमुत्पन्ना हयाः पवनरंहसः
Horses of many breeds, swift as the wind, born from diverse lineages.
स्यन्दनानि सुदीर्घाणि जवनाश्वयुतानि च
Chariots, exceedingly long, drawn by fast horses.
पदातयस्तु राजन्ते खड्गचर्मधरा नृप
The foot soldiers shone, O king, bearing swords and shields.
यदा प्रचलितं सैन्यं कार्त्तवीर्यार्जुनस्य वै
When the army of Kartavirya Arjuna began to move.
नानावादित्रनिर्घोषैर्हयानां ह्रेषितैस्तथा
With the sounds of various instruments and the neighing of horses.
मार्गे ददर्श राजेन्द्रो विपरीतानि भूपते
On the road, the king saw many strange omens, O ruler.
मुक्तकेशां छिन्ननासां रुदतीं च दिगंबराम्
A woman with loose hair, a severed nose, weeping and naked.
कुचैलं पतितं भग्नं नग्नं काषायवाससम्
Torn, fallen, broken, naked, and clad in ochre garments.
गोधां च शशकं शल्यं रिक्तकुम्भं सरीमृपम्
A monitor lizard, a hare, a thorn, an empty pot, and a corpse.
स्वदक्षिणे शृगालं च कुर्वन्तं भैर्वं रवम्
On his right, a jackal making a terrifying howl.
दृष्ट्वापि प्रययौ योद्धुं कालपाशावृतो हझात्
Even seeing these, he went forth to fight, bound by the noose of time.
वटच्छायासमासीनो रामो ऽपश्यदुपागतम्
Seated in the shade of a banyan tree, Rama saw him approaching.
सहस्राक्षौहिणीयुक्तं दृष्ट्वा बभूव ह
Seeing him accompanied by a thousand divisions, indeed.
यद्दृष्टिगोचरो जातः कार्तवीर्यो नृपाधमः
Kartavirya, the lowest of kings, entered Rama's field of vision.
व्यञ्जृभतारिनाशायसिंहः क्रुद्धो यथा तथा
Just as an enraged lion appears for the destruction of elephants.
चकंपिरे भृशं सर्वे मृत्योरिव शरीरिणः
All trembled greatly, like embodied beings before death.
ततस्ततश्छिन्नभुजोरुकङ्घरा नागा हयाः शूरनरा निपेतुः
Then, elephants, horses, and brave men with severed arms, thighs, and legs fell here and there.
तथैव रामो ऽपि मनोनिलौजा विमर्द्दयामास नृपस्य सेनाम्
In the same way, Rāma, with the force of mind and wind, began to crush the king's army.
उद्यम्य चापं महदास्थितो रथं सृज्यं च कृत्वा किलमन्स्यराजः
And the king of the Matsyas, having mounted a great chariot and taken up his bow, stood ready.
दृष्ट्वा तमायान्तमथो महात्मा रामो गृहीत्वा धनुषं महोग्रम्
Seeing him advancing, the great-souled Rāma seized his mighty and terrible bow.
स चापि राजातिबलो मनस्वी ससर्ज रामाय तु पर्वतास्त्रम्
And that king, powerful and resolute, released the mountain-missile against Rāma.
रामो ऽपि तत्रातिबलं विदित्वा तं मत्स्यराजं विविधास्त्रपूगैः
But Rāma, perceiving the Matsya king's great strength, countered with a multitude of diverse missiles.
नारायणास्त्रे भृगुणा प्रयुक्ते रामेण राजन्नृपतेर्वधाय
When the Nārāyaṇa missile, invoked by Bhṛgu's descendant Rāma, was released for the king's destruction—
रामस्तु तस्याथ विलक्ष्य कम्पं बाणैश्चतुर्भिर्निजघान वाहान्
Then Rāma, noticing his agitation, struck down the horses with four arrows.
बाणेन चैकेन प्रसह्य सारथिं निपात्य भूमौ रथमार्द्दयत्त्रिभिः
And with one arrow he forcefully felled the charioteer to the ground, and shattered the chariot with three.