वेदं निंदंति ये मत्ता हेतुवादविचक्षणाः । तेषां पापं ममैवास्तु नरकार्णवमज्जकम्
'Those intoxicated with argument, who disparage the Veda, let their sin be mine alone, sinking into the ocean of hell.'
इत्युक्त्वा बाणमासाद्य कोदंडे कालसन्निभम् । ज्वालामालाकुलं तीक्ष्णं निषंगादुद्धृतं वरम्
Having spoken thus, he took up an arrow on his bow, resembling death, blazing with a garland of flames, sharp, and the best drawn from his quiver.
स मुक्तो नृपवर्येण हृदि लक्ष्यीकृतः शरः । जगाम तरसा तं वै कालानलसमप्रभः
That arrow, released by the foremost king and fixed in his heart as its target, sped toward him with the brilliance of the fire of destruction.
प्रतापाग्र्यः शरं दृष्ट्वा स्वपातनसमुद्यतम् । बाणान्धनुष्यथाधत्त शरच्छेदायवै शितान्
Seeing the arrow, fierce in power and poised to strike him down, he fitted sharp arrows to his bow to cut down that shaft.
स बाणः सर्वबाणांस्तांश्छिंदन्मध्यत एव हि । जगाम वै प्रतापाग्र्यहृदयं धैर्यसंयुतम्
That arrow, cleaving through all those arrows in its path, went straight to the heart of the mighty warrior, steadfast in courage.
संलग्नो हृदि नालीकः प्रविवेश तदंतरम् । राजाकृतप्रहारस्तु पपात धरणीतले
The shaft, lodged in his heart, entered deep within; struck by the king, he fell to the ground.
मूर्च्छितं चेतनाहीनं रथोपस्थाद्गतं भुवि । सारथिस्तं समादायापोवाह रणमंडलात्
Unconscious, bereft of awareness, fallen from his chariot to the earth, his charioteer took him up and carried him away from the field of battle.
हाहाकारोमहानासीद्बलं भग्नं गतं ततः । यत्र शत्रुघ्ननामासौ वीरकोटिपरीवृतः
A great cry of lament arose; the army was broken and fled from the place where Śatrughna, surrounded by a host of heroes, stood.
राजात्मजो जयं प्राप्य प्रतापाग्र्यं विजित्य सः । प्रतीक्षां तु चकारास्य शत्रुघ्नस्य च भूपतेः
Having gained victory, the king's son defeated the mighty warrior and then awaited both him and King Śatrughna.
शेष उवाच। शत्रुघ्नस्तु क्रुधाविष्टो दंतान्दंतैर्विनिष्पिषन् । हस्तौ धुन्वंल्लेलिहानमधरं जिह्वया सकृत्
Śeṣa said: Śatrughna, seized by anger, ground his teeth together, shook his fists, and licked his lower lip once with his tongue.
पुनः पुनस्तान्पप्रच्छ केनाश्वो नीयते मम । प्रतापाग्र्यः केन जितः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः
Again and again he asked them, 'By whom is my horse being taken? By whom was the mighty warrior, the foremost among all brave men, defeated?'
सेवकास्ते तदा प्रोचुर्दमनोनाम शत्रुहन् । सुबाहुजः प्रतापाग्र्यं जितवान्हयमाहरत्
Then his servants replied, 'O Śatrughna, a man named Damana, son of Subāhu, has defeated the mighty warrior and taken the horse.'
इति श्रुत्वा हयं नीतं दमनेन स्ववैरिणा । आजगाम स वेगेन यत्राभूद्रणमंडलम्
Hearing that the horse had been taken by his enemy Damana, he quickly went to where the field of battle was.
तत्रापश्यत्स शत्रुघ्नो गजान्दीर्णकपोलकान् । पर्वतानिव रक्तोदे मज्जमानान्मदोद्धतान्
There Śatrughna saw elephants with torn cheeks, wild with rut, sinking in blood-red waters like mountains.
हयास्तत्र निजारोहकर्तृभिः सहिताः क्षताः । मृता वीरेण ददृशे शत्रुघ्नेन सुकोपिना
There, the horses, wounded and together with their riders, were seen dead by the fiercely enraged Śatrughna.
नरान्रथान्गजान्भग्नान्वीक्षमाणः स शत्रुहा । अतीव चुक्रुधे यद्वत्प्रलये प्रलयार्णवः
Beholding men, chariots, and elephants broken, Śatrughna grew exceedingly wrathful, like the ocean at the end of the age.
पुरतो दमनं वीक्ष्य हयनेतारमुद्भटम् । प्रतापाग्र्यस्य जेतारं तृणीकृत्य निजं बलम्
Seeing before him Damana, the formidable leader of the horse and conqueror of the mighty warrior, who had made light of his own army,
तदा राजा प्रत्युवाच योधान्कोपाकुलेक्षणः । कोऽसौ दमन जेताऽत्र सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रधारकः
Then the king, his eyes wild with anger, spoke to the warriors: 'Who is this Damana, the conqueror here, master of all weapons and missiles?'
यो वै राजसुतं वीरं रणकर्मविशारदम् । जेष्यत्यस्त्रेण निर्भीतः सज्जीभूतो भवत्वयम्
'He who, fearless and ready, will defeat the king's son, a hero skilled in the deeds of battle, with weapons—let him become so.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य पुष्कलः परवीरहा । दमनं जेतुमुद्युक्तो जगाद वचनं त्विदम्
Hearing these words, Puṣkala, destroyer of enemy heroes, eager to defeat Damana, spoke this speech:
स्वामिन्क्वायं दमनकः क्व तेऽपरिमितं बलम् । जेष्येऽहं त्वत्प्रतापेन गच्छाम्येष महामते
Master, where is this Damanaka? Where is your immeasurable strength? By the power of your glory, I will conquer him; I go now, O wise one.
सेवके मयि युद्धाय स्थिते कैर्नीयते हयः । रघुनाथप्रतापोऽयं सर्वं कृत्यं करिष्यति
With your servant here ready for battle, who else needs to take up the horse? The glory of Raghunātha will accomplish everything.
स्वामिञ्छृणु प्रतिज्ञां मे तव मोदप्रदायिनीम् । विजेष्ये दमनं युद्धे रणकर्मविचक्षणम्
Master, hear my vow, which will bring you joy: I will defeat Damanaka in battle, though he is skilled in the art of war.
रामचंद्रपदांभोजमध्वास्वादवियोगिनाम् । यदघं तु भवेत्तन्मे दमनं न जयेयदि
If I do not conquer Damanaka, let me incur whatever sin befalls those deprived of tasting the honey of Rāmacandra’s lotus feet.
पुत्रो यो मातृपादान्यत्तीर्थं मत्वा तया सह । विरुद्ध्येत्तत्तमो मह्यं न जयेदमनं यदि
If I do not defeat Damanaka, may I bear the darkness of one who, considering his mother’s feet as a holy place, opposes her together with her.
अद्य मद्बाणनिर्भिन्न महोरस्को नृपांगजः । अलंकरोतु प्रधने भूतलं शयनेन हि
Today, may the prince, his great chest pierced by my arrows, adorn the battlefield by lying upon the earth.
शेष उवाच। इति प्रतिज्ञामाकर्ण्य पुष्कलस्य रघूद्वहः । जहर्ष चित्ते तेजस्वी निदिदेश रणं प्रति
Śeṣa said: Hearing this vow of Puṣkala, the illustrious descendant of Raghu rejoiced in his heart and gave orders for the battle.
आज्ञप्तोऽसौ ययौ सैन्यैर्बहुभिः परिवारितः । यत्रास्ते दमनो राजपुत्रः शूरकुलोद्भवः
Thus commanded, he set out, surrounded by many troops, to where Damanaka, the royal prince born of a heroic line, was stationed.
दमनोऽपि तमाज्ञाय ह्यागतं रणमंडले । प्रत्युज्जगाम वीराग्र्यः स्वसैन्यपरिवारितः
Damanaka too, learning that he had arrived on the battlefield, advanced to meet him, foremost among heroes, surrounded by his own army.
अन्योन्यं तौ संमिलितौ रथस्थौ रथशोभिनौ । समरे शक्रदैत्यौ किं युद्धार्थं रणमागतौ
The two met, both standing on their chariots, resplendent in their cars, like Indra and a demon come together for battle.