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.
ते बाणा राजपुत्रस्य ललाटे परिनिष्ठिताः । विराजंते स्म च मुने दशशाखास्तरोरिव
Those arrows were firmly fixed in the prince's forehead, O sage, and shone like the ten branches of a tree.
तेन बाणप्रहारेण विव्यथेन महामनाः । यष्टिकाप्रहतो यद्वत्कुंजरः सप्तवर्षकः
Struck by that volley of arrows, the great-minded one was distressed, like a seven-year-old elephant struck by a staff.
बाणान्धनुषि संधाय मुमोच त्रिशताञ्छुभान् । सुवर्णपुंखरचितान्महाकालानलोपमान्
Stringing arrows to his bow, he released three hundred splendid shafts, adorned with golden feathers and blazing like the fire of destruction.
ते बाणास्तु प्रतापाग्र्य वक्षो भित्त्वा गता ह्यधः । शोणिताक्ता यथा रामचंद्र भक्ति पराङ्मुखाः
Those arrows pierced the chest of the eminent warrior and passed through, stained with blood, like devotees turning away from Rama.
प्रतापाग्र्यः प्रकुपितः शरान्मुंचन्सहस्रशः । अकरोद्विरथं सूनुं सुबाहोस्तत्क्षणाद्द्रुतम्
The foremost in valor, enraged, released thousands of arrows and swiftly made Subahu's son lose his chariot in that very moment.
चतुर्भिश्च तुरो वाहान्द्वाभ्यां ध्वजमशातयत् । एकेन सारथेः कायाच्छिरो मह्यामपातयत्
With four arrows he struck down the four horses, with two he shattered the banner, and with one he struck the charioteer's head from his body onto the ground.
चतुर्भिस्ताडयामास तं सूनुं नृपतेः पुनः । तत्क्षणाच्चापमेकेन गुणयुक्तं तु चिच्छिदे
Again, with four arrows, he struck the king's son; and in that instant, with a single arrow fitted to the bow, he cut through his bowstring.
सोऽन्यरथं समारुह्य हयरत्नसुशोभितम् । धनुः करे समादाय सज्यं चक्रे महामनाः
Mounting another chariot adorned with excellent horses, the high-minded prince took up a bow in his hand and strung it.
प्रत्युवाच प्रतापाग्र्यं त्वया विक्रांतमद्भुतम् । पश्येदानीं पराक्रांतिं धनुषो मम सद्भट
He addressed the foremost in valor: 'Your display of courage is wondrous; now, noble warrior, behold the might of my bow.'
एवमुक्त्वा तु दमनो बाणान्दश समाददे । चतुर्भिश्चतुरो वाहान्निनाय यमसादनम्
Having spoken thus, Damana took up ten arrows; with four he sent the four horses to the abode of Yama.
चतुर्भिस्तिलशः कृत्तो रथश्चक्रसमन्वितः । एकेन हृदि विव्याध बाणेनैकेन सारथिम्
With four arrows he shattered the chariot with its wheels into fragments; with one arrow he pierced the heart, and with one he struck the charioteer.
जगर्ज शंखमापूर्य शंखशब्दसमन्वितः । तत्कर्म पूजयामास साधु वीर महाबल
He sounded his conch, filling the air with its roar; that mighty hero was honored for his deed, 'Well done, O valiant one of great strength!'
इति विक्रांतमालोक्य प्रतापाग्र्यो रुषान्वितः । अन्यं रथं समास्थाय ययौ योद्धुं नृपात्मजम्
Witnessing this valor, the foremost in prowess, filled with anger, mounted another chariot and advanced to fight the king's son.
उवाच वीर पश्य त्वं मम विक्रांतमद्भुतम् । इत्युक्त्वाशु मुमोचौघाञ्छराणां शितपर्वणाम्
He said, 'O hero, now behold my wondrous valor!' And having spoken thus, he swiftly released a torrent of sharp arrows.
शराः सर्वत्र दृश्यंते कुंजरेषु हयेषु च । परब्रह्मेव सर्वत्र व्याप्ताश्चांतरगोचराः
Arrows were seen everywhere—among elephants and horses; like the Supreme Brahman, they pervaded all, visible and invisible.
तं राजपुत्रं शितबाणकोटिभि -। र्व्याप्तं विधायाशु जगर्ज विक्रमी । संहर्षयन्स्वीयगणान्परान्महान् । कुर्वन्हृदा शून्यतमान्गतासुकान्
He quickly covered the prince with countless sharp-tipped arrows, roared mightily, gladdening his own forces and filling the hearts of his foes with utter emptiness, as if their life had departed.
स राजपुत्रः शितसायकव्रजैः । संपूर्णमात्मानमवेक्ष्य रोषितः । जग्राह शस्त्राणि दुरंतविक्रमो । धनुश्च धुन्वन्भुजदंडयोर्महान्
The prince, seeing himself enveloped by the volleys of sharp arrows, became enraged, seized his weapons—mighty in his unrestrainable valor—and brandished his great bow between his strong arms.
चकर्त सर्वाण्यस्त्राणि शस्त्राणि च महाबलः । रोषताम्रेक्षणो मुंचञ्छरान्वैरिविदारिणः
That mighty one cut down all the weapons and missiles, his eyes red with anger, releasing arrows that tore through his enemy.
तच्छस्त्रजालं निर्धूय राजपुत्रो जगाद तम् । क्षमस्वैकं प्रहारं मे यदि शूरोसि मारिष
Brushing aside that shower of weapons, the prince spoke to him: 'If you are truly a hero, O warrior, grant me a single blow.'
यद्यनेन भवंतं वै रथाच्चेत्पातयामि न । प्रतिज्ञां शृणु मे वीर मम गर्वेण निर्मिताम्
'If with this I do not cast you down from your chariot, then hear my vow, O hero, made out of my pride.'