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.
उवाच पुष्कलस्तं वै राजपुत्रं महाबलम् । राजपुत्र दमनक मां जानीहि समागतम्
Puṣkala addressed that mighty prince, saying: 'Prince Damanaka, know that I have come here.'
स प्रतिज्ञं तु युद्धाय भरतात्मजमुद्भटम् । पुष्कलेन स्वनाम्ना च लक्षितं विद्धिसत्तम
He who has vowed to fight, the fierce son of Bharata, marked by the name Puṣkala—know him, O best of the good.
रघुनाथपदांभोज नित्यसेवामधुव्रतम् । त्वां जेष्ये शस्त्रसंघेनसज्जीभव महामते
Devoted like a bee to the constant service of Raghunātha’s lotus feet, I will defeat you with a host of weapons; prepare yourself, O wise one.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य दमनः परवीरहा । प्रत्युवाच हसन्वाग्मी निर्भयोद्दृष्टविक्रमः
Hearing these words, Damanaka, destroyer of enemy heroes, replied with a smile, eloquent and fearless in his boldness.
सुबाहुपुत्रं दमनं पितृभक्ति हृताघकम् । विद्धि मामश्वनेतारं शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतेः
Know me as Damanaka, son of Subāhu, whose devotion to his father has removed his sins, the charioteer of King Śatrughna.
जयो दैवविसृष्टोऽयं यस्य चालंकरिष्यति । स प्राप्नोति निरीक्षस्व बलं मे रणमूर्धनि
Victory is bestowed by fate, and whoever it adorns attains it; behold my strength now at the height of battle.
इत्युक्त्वा स शरं चापं विधायाकर्णपूरितम् । मुमोच बाणान्निशितान्वैरिप्राणापहारिणः
Having spoken thus, he fitted an arrow to his bow, drew it to his ear, and released sharp arrows that snatched away the life of his enemy.
ते बाणास्त्वाविलीभूताश्छादयामासुरंबरम् । सूर्यभानुप्रभा यत्र बाणच्छायानिवारिता
Those arrows, gathered together, covered the sky, so that even the radiance of the sun was blocked by the shadow of the arrows.
गजानां कटभित्त्योघे लग्ना सायकसंततिः । अलंकरोति धातूनां रागा इव विचित्रिताः
A shower of arrows, clinging to the flanks of the elephants, adorns them like vivid streaks of color embellishing metals.
पतितास्तत्र दृश्यंते नरा वाहा गजा रथाः । शरव्रातेन नृपतेः सुतेन परिताडिताः
There, men, mounts, elephants, and chariots are seen fallen, struck down by the multitude of arrows from the king's son.