सेवकस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा रोषपूर्णो हसन्ययौ । राज्ञे निवेदयामास यथावदुपवर्णितम्
Hearing these words, the servant, filled with anger, laughed and went to the king, reporting everything exactly as it had been said.
तच्छ्रुत्वा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रतापाग्र्यो महाबलः । ययौ योद्धुं राजपुत्रं महावीरपुरस्कृतम्
Hearing this, his eyes reddened with rage, the foremost in valor and of great might, went forth to fight, surrounded by mighty heroes.
रथेन कनकांगेन चतुर्वाजिसुशोभिना । सुकूबरेण सर्वास्त्रपूरितेन ययौ बली
He set out in a chariot with golden fittings, splendid with four fine horses, well-yoked and filled with all kinds of weapons.
धनुष्टंकारयामास महाबलसमन्वितः । पुनःपुनर्जहासोच्चैः कोपादुद्गमिताश्रुकः
He made his bow resound, endowed with great strength, and again and again laughed loudly, tears springing forth from anger.
अश्ववाहा गजारूढाः खड्गोल्लसितपाणयः । अन्वयुस्ते प्रतापाग्र्यं रोषपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम्
Horsemen, elephant riders, and those with swords gleaming in hand followed the foremost in valor, whose eyes were wild with wrath.
हस्तिनः पत्तयश्चैव कोटिशः प्रधनोद्यताः । चिरकालमभीप्संतो रणं वीरेणकारितम्
Elephants and foot soldiers by the millions, eager for battle, longed for the combat to be waged by the hero.
तदोद्यतं समाज्ञाय रिपुसैन्यं नृपात्मजः । प्रत्युज्जगाम वीराग्र्यो महाबलपरीवृतः
Seeing the enemy army prepared for battle, the prince, foremost among heroes and surrounded by great warriors, advanced to meet them.
सन्नद्धः कवची खड्गी शरासनधरो युवा । लीलयैव ययौ योद्धुं मृगराड्गजतामिव
Fully armored, bearing sword and bow, the youthful warrior went forth to fight with ease, like a lion approaching a herd of elephants.
तदा योधाः प्रकुपिताः परस्परवधैषिणः । छिंधि भिंधीति भाषंतो रणकार्यविशारदाः
Then the enraged warriors, skilled in the work of battle and intent on mutual slaughter, shouted, 'Cut! Pierce!'
पत्तयः पत्तिसंघेन गजारूढाश्च सादिभिः । रथारूढा रथस्थैश्च वाहारूढाश्वसंस्थितैः
Foot soldiers with their companies, elephant riders with their attendants, chariot warriors with those on chariots, and cavalry with mounted horsemen engaged in battle.
गजा भिन्ना द्विधा जाता हयाश्च द्विदलीकृताः । अनेकनरमस्तिष्कैर्मेदिनीपूरिता ह्यभूत्
Elephants were split in two, horses were cleft asunder, and the earth became filled with countless human skulls.
तदा प्रकुपितो राजा प्रतापाग्र्यो महाबलः । स्वसैन्यकदनोद्युक्तं राजपुत्रं समीक्ष्य च
Then the enraged king, foremost in valor and of great might, seeing the prince intent on slaughtering his own army,
उवाच सारथिं तत्र प्रापयाश्वान्यतो मम । सैन्यस्य कदनासक्तो राजपुत्रो महारथः
Said to his charioteer there, 'Drive my horses there, for the prince, the great chariot-warrior, is absorbed in the slaughter of the army.'
अथ वीरशिरोरत्न नमितांघ्रिर्नृपात्मजः । ययौ संमुखमेवास्य प्रतापाग्र्यस्य वीर्यवान्
Then the prince, bowing his head like a jewel among heroes, went straight to face the foremost in valor, full of courage.
सारथिः प्रापयामास प्रतापाग्र्यस्य वाजिनः । यत्रासौ दमनो वीरः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः
The charioteer brought the horses of the foremost in valor to the place where that subduer, the heroic and greatest of all warriors, stood.
गत्वा तमाह्वयामास राजपुत्रं रणोद्यतम् । रथे पुरटनिर्णिक्ते तिष्ठन्कोदंडदंडभृत्
Having arrived, he challenged the prince, who was ready for battle, standing on a chariot plated with gold, holding his mighty bow.
रे राजपुत्र क शिशो त्वया बद्धोऽश्वसत्तमः । न ज्ञातोसि महाराजः सर्ववीरेंद्र सेवितः
O prince, what child are you who has bound this excellent horse? You do not know the great king, served by all the foremost heroes.
यस्य प्रतापं दैत्येंद्रो न शक्तः सोढुमद्भुतम् । तस्य त्वं वाजिनं नीत्वा गतोऽसि पुटभेदनम्
The king whose might even the lord of the demons could not endure—his horse you have taken and come here to break the rules.
मां जानीहि पुरः प्राप्तं कालरूपं तु वैरिणम् । मुंचाश्वमर्भ गच्छाशु बालक्रीडनकं कुरु
Know me, now standing before you, as your enemy in the form of death. Release the horse, child, go quickly and play with your toys.
कस्यात्मजस्त्वं कुत्रत्यः कथं नोऽदीर्घदर्शिना । धृतोऽश्वस्त्वथ संजाता घृणा मम शिशो त्वयि
Whose son are you? Where are you from? Why, short-sighted one, have you seized the horse? Now, child, I feel pity for you.
इत्थमाकर्ण्य दमनः स्मितं चक्रे महामनाः । उवाच च प्रतापाग्र्यं तृणीकुर्वंश्च तद्बलम्
Hearing this, Damana, great of mind, smiled and spoke, belittling that strength and displaying his own eminent prowess.
दमन उवाच। मया बद्धो बलादश्वो नीतः स्वपुटभेदनम् । नार्पयिष्येऽद्य सप्राणः कुरु युद्धं महाबल
Damana said: I have bound the horse by force and brought it to my enclosure. I will not return it alive today—fight, mighty one!
त्वया यदुक्तं बालस्त्वं गत्वा क्रीडनकं कुरु । तन्मे पश्य महाराज क्रीडनं रणमूर्धनि
You told me, 'You are a child, go and play with your toys.' Now, O king, see my play on the battlefield's summit.
शेष उवाच। इत्युक्त्वा सगुणं चापं विधाय सुभुजां गजः । शराणां शतमाधत्त प्रतापाग्र्यस्य वक्षसि
Śeṣa said: Having spoken thus, the elephant-armed hero strung his fine bow and released a hundred arrows at the chest of the eminent warrior.
संधाय बाणशतकं शंखं दध्मौ प्रतापवान् । तेन शंखनिनादेन कातराणां भयं ह्यभूत्
Stringing a hundred arrows, the valiant one blew his conch; at that conch's sound, fear arose among the faint-hearted.
ताडयामास हृदये बाणानां शतकेन सः । प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रचिच्छेद लघुहस्तः सुपर्वणः
With a hundred arrows he struck at the heart, but the eminent warrior, swift-handed, cut down those well-feathered shafts.
स बाणच्छेदनं दृष्ट्वा कुपितो व्यसृजच्छरान् । कंकपक्षान्वितांस्तीक्ष्णभल्लान्राजात्मजो बली
Seeing his arrows cut down, the powerful prince, enraged, released sharp-headed arrows adorned with heron feathers.
आकाशे भुवि मध्ये च बाणा ददृशिरेऽञ्चिताः । स्वनामचिह्नितास्तीक्ष्णधारापातसुशोभिताः
In the sky, on earth, and in between, the arrows were seen, marked with their own names, shining with keen, sharp blades.
शरास्तद्बाहु हृदये लग्ना वह्निकणान्बहून् । सृजंतः कुर्वते सैन्यदाहनं तदभून्महत्
Those arrows, lodged in his arms and chest, emitted many sparks, burning the army and causing great destruction.
प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रकुपितस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति च ब्रुवन् । शरेण दशसंख्येन ताडयामास मूर्धनि
The eminent warrior, greatly enraged, shouting 'Stand, stand!' struck him on the head with ten arrows.