स्तुत्वा नत्वा च देवेशं सुरासुरनमस्कृतम् । जातं कृतार्थमात्मानममन्यत स शत्रुहा
Having praised and bowed to the Lord of the gods, worshipped by gods and demons, the destroyer of enemies considered himself fulfilled.
शेष उवाच। क्षणं स्थित्वा तृणान्यत्त्वा ययौ वाजी मनोजवः । वीरश्रेणीवृतः पत्रं भाले धृत्वा सचामरः
Śeṣa said: After pausing for a moment and grazing on grass, the swift horse departed, surrounded by a host of heroes, bearing a leaf on its forehead and adorned with a chowrie.
शत्रुघ्नेन सुवीरेण लक्ष्मीनिधि नृपेण च । पुष्कलेनोग्रवाहेन प्रतापाग्र्येण रक्षितः
Protected by the valiant Śatrughna, the king who was a treasury of fortune, and Puṣkala of mighty speed and foremost prowess.
ययौ पुरीं स चक्रांकां सुबाहुपरिरक्षिताम् । अनेकवीरकोटीभी रक्षितोऽनुगतः प्रभो
He went to the city marked with a discus, well-guarded by Subāhu, accompanied and protected by countless crores of heroes.
तदा पुत्रोस्य दमनो मृगयामास्थितो महान् । ददर्शाश्वं भालपत्रं चंदनादिकचर्चितम्
At that time, his son Damana, engaged in hunting, saw the horse with the leaf on its forehead, anointed with sandal and other substances.
विलोक्य सेवकं प्राह कस्याश्वो मेऽक्षिगोचरः । भाले पत्रं धृतं किं नु चामरं किंतु शोभनम्
Seeing it, he said to his attendant: 'Whose horse is this within my sight? Why is a leaf placed on its forehead, and why is there a chowrie—yet it is splendid?'
इति राज्ञोवचः श्रुत्वा सेवकः प्रययौ ततः । यत्रासौ वर्तते वाजी भालपत्रः सुशोभनः
Hearing the king's words, the attendant went to where that splendid horse with the leaf on its forehead was standing.
गृहीत्वा तं केशसंघे रत्नमालाविभूषितम् । निनाय चाग्रे भूपस्य सुबाहुकुलधारिणः
Taking hold of it by the mane, adorned with a garland of jewels, the bearer of Subāhu's lineage led it before the king.
स पत्रं वाचयामास सुंदराक्षरशोभितम् । अयोध्याधिपतिश्चासीद्राजा दशरथो बली
He read the leaf, beautiful with fine letters; and the lord of Ayodhyā was the mighty king Daśaratha.
तस्यात्मजो रामभद्रः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः । नान्योस्ति तत्समः पृथ्व्यां धनुर्धरणविक्रमः
His son was Rāmabhadra, the foremost of all heroes; there is no one equal to him on earth in the prowess of bearing arms.
तेनासौ मोचितो वाजी चंदनादिकचर्चितः । तं पालयति धर्मात्मा शत्रुघ्नः परवीरहा
By him, that horse, adorned with sandalwood and other unguents, was released; and the righteous Shatrughna, destroyer of enemy heroes, is guarding it.
ये च शूरा वयं वीरा धनुर्हस्ता इमे वयम् । ते गृह्णंतु बलाद्वाहं रत्नमालाविभूषितम्
Let those among us who are valiant, who bear bows in hand, seize this prize-laden steed adorned with a garland of jewels.
तं च मोक्ष्यति शत्रुघ्नः सर्ववीरशिरोमणिः । अन्यथा पादयोस्तस्य प्रणतिं यांतु धन्विनः
Shatrughna, the foremost among all warriors, will release it; otherwise, let the archers bow at his feet.
इत्यभिप्रायमालोक्य जगाद नृपनंदनः । राम एव धनुर्धारी न वयं क्षत्त्रियाः स्मृताः
Perceiving this intention, the prince spoke: 'Only Rama is truly an archer; we are not regarded as Kshatriyas.'
ताते मेऽवस्थिते पृथ्व्यां कोऽयं गर्वो महान्भुवि । प्राप्नोतु गर्वस्य फलं मम निर्मुक्तसायकैः
While my father stands upon the earth, what is this great pride in the world? Let him reap the fruit of his arrogance from my arrows, once loosed.
अद्य मे निशिता बाणाः शत्रुघ्नं किंशुकं यथा । पुष्पितं विदधत्वद्धा क्षतावृतशरीरकम्
Today, let my sharp arrows make Shatrughna, like a blossoming kimshuka tree, covered with wounds upon his body.
दारयंतु कपोलांश्च सायका मम दंतिनाम् । अश्वान्पश्यंतु शतशो रुधिरौघपरिप्लुतान्
Let my arrows pierce the cheeks of the elephants, and let the horses be seen by the hundreds, drenched in streams of blood.
पिबंतु योगिनीसंघा रुधिराणि नृमस्तकैः । शिवा भवंतु संतुष्टा मद्वैरिक्रव्यभक्षणैः
Let the hosts of yoginis drink blood from the heads of men, and let Shiva's consorts be satisfied by devouring the flesh of my enemies.
पश्यंतु सुभटास्तस्य मम बाहुबलं महत् । कोदंडदंडनिर्मुक्ताः शरकोटीर्विमुंचतः
Let those mighty warriors witness the great strength of my arms, as I release millions of arrows from my bow, the staff of Kodanda.
इत्थमुक्त्वा महीपस्य तनुजो दमनाभिधः । स्वपुरं प्रेषयित्वा तं प्रहृष्टोऽभवदुद्भटः
Having spoken thus, the king's son named Damana, after sending him to his own city, became exultant and fierce.
सेनापतिमुवाचेदं सज्जीकुरु महामते । सेनां परिमितां मह्यं वैरिवृंदनिवारणे
He spoke to the commander of the army: 'Prepare a force for me, wise one, sufficient to repel the hosts of enemies.'
सज्जां सेनां विधायाशु संमुखो रणमंडले । स्थितवान्या वदत्युग्रस्तावत्प्राप्ता हयानुगाः
Having quickly arrayed the army, he stood face to face in the field of battle; and as he spoke fiercely, the horsemen arrived.
क्वासौ हयो महाराज्ञो भालपत्रेण चिह्नितः । पप्रच्छुस्ते तु चान्योन्यमतिव्याकुलिता मुहुः
'Where is that horse of the great king, marked with the Bhala-patra?' they asked each other repeatedly, greatly bewildered.
तावद्ददर्श पुरतः प्रतापाग्र्यः परंतपः । सज्जीभूतं तु कटकं वीरशब्दनिनादितम्
Just then, the illustrious and mighty warrior beheld before him a battle-ready host, resounding with the cries of heroes.
तत्रावदञ्जनाः केचिन्नीतोऽश्वोऽनेन भूपते । अन्यथा संमुखस्तिष्ठेत्कथं वीरो बलानुगः
There, some said: 'The horse was led away by this one, O king; otherwise, how could a hero with his force stand before us?'
इत्याकर्ण्य प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रेषयामास सेवकम् । स गत्वा तत्र पप्रच्छ कुत्राश्वो रामभूपतेः
Hearing this, the foremost among the valiant sent a servant, who went there and asked, 'Where is the horse of King Rama?'
केन नीतः कुतो नीतो रामं जानाति नो कुधीः । यं शक्रप्रमुखा देवा बलिमादाय सन्नताः
'By whom was it taken? Where was it taken? Does this wicked one not know Rama, to whom even the gods led by Indra offer tribute and bow?'
तस्य वै धर्मराजस्य कुपितं तु बलं महत् । सर्वथा हि ग्रसिष्येत प्रणतिं चेन्न यास्यति
If the great force of that king of righteousness becomes angry, it will surely consume him unless he offers obeisance.
इत्थमुक्तं समाकर्ण्य तदा राजसुतो बली । तं वै धिक्कारयामास वाग्जालेन सुदुर्मनाः
Hearing these words, the powerful prince then, deeply troubled, reproached him with harsh speech.
मयानीतो यज्ञहयः पत्रचिह्नाद्यलंकृतः । ये शूरास्ते तु मां जित्वा मोचयंतु बलादिह
The sacrificial horse, adorned with marked insignia, has been brought here by me; let those heroes who can defeat me by force come and free it.