अथ रामं परमेश्वरोऽपि वरं वृणु त्वं वरदोऽहमित्युक्तवान्
Then the supreme lord said to Rama, 'Choose a boon; I am the grantor of boons.'
राम उवाच- लंकां गमिष्यामि समुद्रतरणे उपायमेकं मम देहि शंभो
Rama said: 'I wish to go to Lanka; give me a means to cross the ocean, O Shambhu.'
शंभुरुवाच- ममाजगवं धनुरस्ति तत्कालरूपमविकल्पं वा भवति । तदारुह्य समुद्रं तीर्त्वा लंकामाप्नुहि
Shambhu said: 'I have a bow made from my own horns; it can assume any form at will. Mount it, cross the ocean, and reach Lanka.'
रामस्तथेति निश्चित्य सस्माराजगवम्
Rama, having resolved thus, remembered the horned bow.
आगतं धनुस्ततश्च रामोऽपूजयत्
The bow appeared, and Rama worshipped it.
अथ हरो धनुरादाय रामाय दत्तवान्
Then Hara took the bow and gave it to Rama.
रामोऽपि जलधावपातयत्
Rama cast it into the ocean.
आरुरुहुः सर्वे वानरा रामलक्ष्मणौ च षष्टिपरार्द्धं तेषामसंख्येषु वानरेषु धनुरारूढेषु निकामं ययौ
All the monkeys, along with Rama and Lakshmana, ascended; among the countless monkeys mounted on the bow, they proceeded with great vigor.
धनुस्तटं वानराश्च ततस्ततो गत्वा निरीक्षयामासुः
The monkeys, having gone from place to place along the bow's shore, observed everything.
अथातिकायो नाम रक्षः कपिबलमालोक्य रावणायोक्तवान्
Then a demon named Atikaya, seeing the strength of the monkeys, spoke to Ravana.
रावणोऽपि किं कपिभिः शाखामृगैः किं वा मानुषाभ्यां रामलक्ष्मणाभ्यां किमायातं। दैवागतमसकं भोजनमित्युवाच
Ravana said: 'What concern are these monkeys, these tree-dwellers, or even the two humans, Rama and Lakshmana? What has arrived is food sent by fate.'
अथ सुग्रीवः पश्चिमावलंबिनि भास्वति हनूमज्जांबवदादिमहाबलैश्चातिकायैरसंख्यातैर्लंकापार्श्वं गत्वा उपवनं प्रवश्यि नानाफलानि खादित्वा पयः पीत्वोपवनरक्षिराक्षसान्विद्राव्य सर्वविपिनमेकैकशो गृहीत्वा प्राद्रवन्लंकां गोपुरं च गत्वा समारुह्य प्रासादं च विशीर्यैकैकशः केचित्स्तंभमादाय रक्षोभिर्युयुधुः
Then Sugriva, relying on the west, with Hanuman, Jambavan, and other mighty monkeys beyond count, went to the side of Lanka, entered the grove, ate various fruits, drank water, drove away the demon guardians of the grove, seized each one in the forest, fled, reached the gate of Lanka, ascended, shattered the palace, and some, taking pillars, fought with the demons.
एके च शालां बभंजुर्गृहाणि चूर्णयामासुर्बालवृद्धस्त्रीजनादिकं सर्वमेव निजघ्नुः
Some broke halls, crushed houses, and killed all, including children, elders, women, and others.
अथैकं प्राकारं निर्जितमाज्ञाय रावण इंद्रजितं संदिदेश
Then, learning that a rampart had been conquered, Ravana ordered Indrajit.
इंद्रजिता च युद्धं वानराः कृत्वा भीताः पलायिताश्च
Indrajit fought with the monkeys, and they, frightened, fled.
अथ हनूमानखिलं निर्गतमाज्ञाय रावणं ज्ञात्वा वानरानाहूय निर्भर्त्स्य सेनां महतीं कारयित्वा दशमुखं कल्पयित्वा मोदयामास
Then Hanuman, knowing all had departed, realized Ravana's presence, summoned the monkeys, rebuked them, assembled a great army, prepared the ten-faced one, and rejoiced.
अथ खस्थ एवेंद्रजिद्युयुधे न च वानरास्तं दृष्टवंतः
Then Indrajit fought while remaining in the sky, but the monkeys did not see him.
अथ हनूमज्जांबवंतौ खमुत्पत्य पर्वतशिखराभ्यामिन्द्रजितं निजघ्नतुः
Then Hanuman and Jambavan, leaping into the sky, struck Indrajit with mountain peaks.
अथ भुविपपात तं लक्ष्मणश्च यमलोकगामिनं चकार
Then Lakṣmaṇa struck him down to the earth and sent him on the path to Yama's realm.
अथातिकायमहाकायौ वानरसैन्यं बहुशो हत्वा लक्ष्मणं पीडयित्वा रामेण संयुध्य सुग्रीवं कृत्वा हनूमज्जांबवद्भ्यां युयुधाते पराजितौ गृहीत्वा तौ च योद्धारावादाय रामसमीपं गत्वा रामाय न्यवेदयताम्
Then Atikāya and Mahākāya, after slaying many in the army of monkeys, tormenting Lakṣmaṇa, and fighting with Rāma, having subdued Sugrīva, battled with Hanumān and Jāmbavān, but being defeated and captured, those two warriors were brought before Rāma and presented to him.
अतिकायमभाषत रामः
Rāma spoke to Atikāya.
रावणस्य मम युद्धं ब्रूहि सचिवानामन्येषां महाभयानां च
Tell me of my battle with Rāvaṇa, and of the other ministers and those great and terrible ones.
अतिकाय उवाच- निश्चितमिदं पुरास्माभिः कार्यं सेनां विभागशः कृत्वा विद्युन्मालीनाम राक्षसो महाबलो विचित्रयोधी दर्शनादर्शनयोधी वानरैः सर्वैरेक एव युध्यते
Atikāya said: This was certainly planned by us before—dividing the army into sections, the mighty demon Vidyunmālī, skilled in various forms of combat, fights alone with all the monkeys, visible and invisible.
अपरे च बलिनो महांतः शिक्षितास्त्राश्चागता आवां च युवाभ्यां युध्यावो रावणः पुष्पकमारुह्यापरभागेन त्वामेव निहनिष्यति
Others, powerful and great, trained in weapons, have also come; we two will fight with you both, and Rāvaṇa, mounting the Puṣpaka, will slay you by another means.
अन्ये च राक्षसाः कुंभकर्णमुखाश्चात्मरूपं कृत्वा त्वां परिवार्य गृहीत्वा सीतायै दर्शयित्वा तत्संनिधावेव हनिष्यति
Other demons, led by Kumbhakarṇa, taking your form, will surround and capture you, show you to Sītā, and then kill you in her presence.
रामः प्राह अहो बलवतां किमसाध्यमेवं भवति दैवगतिः कुटिला सुग्रीवोऽतिकोपनः सक्रोधं दृष्ट्वा राममुवाच
Rāma said: Ah, what is unattainable for the mighty? Such is the crooked course of fate. Sugrīva, greatly enraged, seeing Rāma, spoke with anger.
वध्यावेतौ न मोचनीयौ
These two are to be slain, not released.
रामः प्राहावध्यौ मोचनीयावेतौ वसनानि भूषणान्यानयेत्युक्तमात्रे हनूमता तान्यानीतानि रामस्ताभ्यां दत्तवान्
Rāma said: They are not to be killed; they must be released. Bring garments and ornaments for them. As soon as he said this, Hanumān brought them, and Rāma gave them to the two.
नत्वा यदेतल्लंकाद्वारे दृश्यते दारुपंचवक्त्रं शुक्रेणोक्तमेतेन च्छिन्नेन रावणो हन्यते
Having bowed, he said: That which is seen at the gate of Laṅkā, the wooden five-faced figure—Śukra said that when it is cut down, Rāvaṇa will be slain.
अथ च दारुच्छेदनसमनंतरं पातालं गंतव्यमिति भार्गवभाषितं शासनं लिखितम्
And after the cutting of the wood, one must immediately go to the netherworld—this is the command spoken by Bhārgava and written down.