गदताखिलकर्म तस्य वै स कथं चाहरदश्ववर्यकम् । कथयंतु पुनः कियद्बलं बत वीराः कति योद्धुमागताः
As they recounted all his deeds, he asked how he had taken the excellent horse, and again inquired how many strong warriors had come to fight.
अथ शत्रुबलोन्मुखः कथं मम वीरो दमनो रणं व्यधात् । विजयं च विधाय दुर्जयं किल वीरं बत कोऽप्यशातयत्
And how did my heroic Daman, facing the enemy’s strength, conduct himself in battle? Having achieved a difficult victory, which hero managed to defeat him?
इत्याकर्ण्य वचो राज्ञः प्रत्यूचुस्तेऽस्य सेवकाः । क्षतजेन परिक्लिन्न गात्रवस्त्रादिधारिणः
Hearing the king’s words, his servants replied, their bodies and garments stained with blood from their wounds.
राजन्नश्वं समालोक्य पत्रचिह्नाद्यलंकृतम् । ग्राहयामास गर्वेण तृणीकृत्य रघूत्तमम्
O King, seeing the horse adorned with marks and ornaments, he seized it proudly, disregarding the best of the Raghus.
ततो हयानुगः प्राप्तः स्वल्पसैन्यसमावृतः । तेन साकमभूद्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
Then, accompanied by horsemen and surrounded by a small force, he arrived; a tumultuous and hair-raising battle took place with him.
तं मूर्च्छितं ततः कृत्वा तव पुत्रः स्वसायकैः । यावत्तिष्ठत्यथायातः शत्रुघ्नः स्वबलैर्वृतः
Then your son, having rendered him unconscious with his own arrows, stood his ground until Shatrughna arrived, surrounded by his own troops.
ततो युद्धं महदभूच्छस्त्रास्त्रपरिबृंहितम् । बहुशो जयमापेदे तव पुत्रो महाबलः
Then a great battle ensued, filled with weapons and missiles; your mighty son repeatedly gained victory.
इदानीं तेन मुक्त्वास्त्रं शत्रुघ्नभ्रातृसूनुना । मूर्च्छितः प्रधने राजन्कृतो वीरः सुतस्तव
Now, O King, when Shatrughna's brother's son released a missile, your heroic son was rendered unconscious in the thick of battle.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रोषशोकसमन्वितः । स्थगितांग इवासीत्स समुद्र इव पर्वणि
Hearing these words, he was filled with anger and sorrow, and stood motionless like the ocean at the time of the tide.
उवाच सेनाधिपतिं रोषप्रस्फुरिताधरः । दन्तैर्दताँल्लिहन्नोष्ठं जिह्वया शोककर्शितः
With lips trembling in rage, biting his lip with his teeth, and his tongue emaciated by grief, he spoke to the commander of the army.
सेनापते कुरुष्वारान्मम सेनां तु सज्जिताम् । योत्स्ये रामस्य सुभटैर्ममपुत्रोपघातकैः
Commander, prepare my army for battle; I will fight with Rama's mighty warriors, those who have struck down my son.
अद्याहं मम पुत्रस्य दुःखदं निशितैः शरैः । पातयिष्ये यदि ह्येनं रक्षितापि महेश्वरः
Today, with sharp arrows, I will bring down the one who has caused pain to my son, even if he is protected by Maheshvara.
सेनापतिरिदं वाक्यं प्रोक्तं सुभुजभूपतेः । निशम्य च तथा कृत्वा सज्जीभूतो भवत्स्वयम्
Hearing these words spoken by the strong-armed king, the commander made all preparations and himself became ready.
राज्ञे निवेदयामास ससज्जां चतुरंगिणीम् । सेनां कालबलप्रख्यां हतदुर्जनकोटिकाम्
He informed the king and made ready the fourfold army, renowned for its might as Time itself, which had destroyed countless evil foes.
श्रुत्वा सेनापतेर्वाक्यं सुबाहुः परवीरहा । निर्जगाम ततो यत्र शत्रुघ्नः स्वसुतार्दनः
Hearing the commander's words, Subahu, destroyer of enemy heroes, set out to where Shatrughna, the slayer of his own son, was.
कुंजरैश्च मदोन्मत्तैर्हयैश्चापि मनोजवैः । रथैश्च सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपूरितै रिपुजेतृभिः
With elephants maddened by rut, horses swift as the mind, and chariots filled with all weapons and missiles, the army advanced, eager for victory over the foe.
भूश्चकंपे तदा तत्र सैन्यभारेण भूरिणा । संमर्दः सुमहानासीत्तत्र सैन्ये विसर्पति
Then, under the great weight of the army, the earth trembled there; a tremendous clash arose as the armies pressed against each other.
राजानं निर्गतं दृष्ट्वा रथेन कनकांगिना । शत्रुघ्नबलमुद्युक्तं सर्ववैरिप्रहारकम्
Seeing the king depart in a chariot adorned with gold, Shatrughna's army, ready and able to strike down all enemies, prepared itself.
सुकेतुस्तस्य वै भ्राता गदायुद्धविशारदः । रथेनाश्वा जगामायं सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपूरितः
Suketus, his brother, skilled in mace combat, came forth in a chariot drawn by horses, equipped with all weapons and missiles.
चित्रांगस्तु सुतो राज्ञः सर्वयुद्धविचक्षणः । जगाम स्वरथेनाशु शत्रुघ्नबलमुन्मदम्
Chitranga, the king's son, expert in all forms of battle, swiftly advanced in his own chariot, his mind set on Shatrughna's army.
तस्यानुजो विचित्राख्यो विचित्ररणकोविदः । ययौ रथेन हैमेन भ्रातृदुःखेन पीडितः
His younger brother, named Vichitra, skilled in wondrous battle, went forth in a golden chariot, afflicted by his brother's sorrow.
अन्ये शूरा महेष्वासाः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदाः । ययुर्नृपसमादिष्टाः प्रधनं वीरपूरितम्
Other heroic, great-armed archers, skilled in all weapons and missiles, went forth as ordered by the king into the battle filled with warriors.
राजा सुबाहुः संरोषादागतः प्रधनांगणे । विलोकयामास सुतं मूर्च्छितं शरपीडितम्
King Subahu, filled with anger, entered the main battlefield and saw his son, unconscious and wounded by arrows.
रथोपस्थस्थितं मूढं स्वसुतं दमनाभिधम् । वीक्ष्य दुःखं मुहुः प्राप वीजयामास पल्लवैः
Seeing his own son Daman, senseless and lying in the chariot, the king was repeatedly overcome with grief and fanned him with leaves.
जलेन सिक्तः संस्पृष्टो राज्ञा कोमलपाणिना । संज्ञामाप शनैर्वीरो दमनः परमास्त्रवित्
Sprinkled with water and touched by the king's gentle hand, the heroic Daman, master of supreme weapons, slowly regained consciousness.
उत्थितः क्व धनुर्मेऽस्ति क्व पुष्कल इतो गतः । संसज्य समरं त्यक्त्वा मद्बाणव्रणपीडितः
Rising up, he said, 'Where is my bow? Where has Pushkala gone from here? Having abandoned the battle, he is tormented by wounds from my arrows.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य सुबाहुः पुत्रभाषितम् । परमं हर्षमापेदे परिरभ्य सुतं स्वकम्
Hearing these words spoken by his son, Subahu was filled with great joy and embraced his son.
दमनो वीक्ष्य जनकं नृपं नम्रशिरोधरः । पपात पादयोर्भक्त्या क्षतदेहोऽस्त्रराजिभिः
Daman, seeing his father the king, bowed his head and fell at his feet with devotion, his body wounded by many weapons.
स्वसुतं रथसंस्थं तु विधाय नृपतिः पुनः । जगाद सेनाधिपतिं रणकर्मविशारदः
The king, after seating his own son again in the chariot, spoke to the commander of the army, who was skilled in the art of war.
व्यूहं रचय संग्रामे क्रौंचाख्यं रिपुदुर्जयम् । यमाविश्य जये सैन्यं शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतेः
Arrange the battle formation called Krauncha, which is difficult for enemies to defeat in war; let the army of King Shatrughna enter it for victory.