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.
तद्विक्रांतं समालोक्य पुष्कलः परवीरहा । शराणां छायया व्याप्तं रणमंडलमीक्ष्य च
Witnessing that bold advance and the battlefield covered by the shadow of arrows, Puṣkala, the destroyer of enemy heroes, gazed on.
शरासने समाधत्त बाणं वह्न्यभिमंत्रितम् । आचम्य सम्यग्विधिवन्मोचयामास सायकम्
He set an arrow, imbued with the power of fire, upon his bow; after ritually sipping water as prescribed, he released the missile.
ततोऽग्निप्रादुरभवत्तत्र संग्राममूर्धनि । ज्वालाभिर्विलिहन्व्योम प्रलयाग्निरिवोत्थितः
Then, at the heart of the battle, fire appeared, licking the sky with its flames, rising like the fire of dissolution.
ततोऽस्य सैन्यं निर्दग्धं त्रासं प्राप्तं रणांगणे । पलायनपरं जातं वह्निज्वालाभिपीडितम्
Then his army was burned up, seized by terror on the battlefield, turning to flight, tormented by the tongues of fire.
छत्राणि तु प्रदग्धानि चंद्राकाराणि धन्विनाम् । दृश्यंते जातरूपाभ कांतिधारीणि तत्र ह
There, the umbrellas of archers, shaped like the moon, were seen burned, shining with a golden brilliance.
हया दग्धाः पलायंते केसरेषु च वैरिणाम् । रथा अपि गता दाहं सुकूबरसमन्विताः
Horses, scorched, fled with the enemy's manes ablaze; even chariots, their yokes intact, were consumed by the fire.
मणिमाणिक्यरत्नानि वहंतः करभास्ततः । पलायंते दहनभू ज्वालामालाभिपीडिताः
Camels, bearing jewels and precious stones, fled from the fire, oppressed by garlands of flames.
कुत्रचिद्दंतिनो नष्टाः कुत्रचिद्धयसादिनः । कुत्रचित्पत्तयो नष्टा वह्निदग्धकलेवराः
In some places, elephants perished; elsewhere, horsemen; in other spots, foot soldiers were lost, their bodies burned by fire.
शराः सर्वे नृपसुतप्रमुक्ताः प्रलयं गताः । आशुशुक्षणिकीलाभिर्भस्मीभूताः समंततः
All the arrows released by the king's son were destroyed, reduced to ashes everywhere by the swift, blazing flames.
तदा स्वसैन्ये दग्धे च दमनो रोषपूरितः । सर्वास्त्रवित्तच्छांत्यर्थं वारुणास्त्रमथा ददे
Then, with his own army burned, Daman, filled with wrath, invoked the Varuṇa weapon to pacify all the missiles.