पुष्कल उवाच। विकत्थनं न कुर्वंति संग्रामे सुभटा नराः । पराक्रमं दर्शयंति निजशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षणैः
Pushkala said: True warriors do not boast in battle; they display their prowess by the shower of their own weapons and missiles.
रावणो निहतो येन ससुहृत्स्वजनैर्वृतः । तस्य वाजिनमाहृत्य कुत्र गंतासि दुर्मद
By whom Ravana was slain, surrounded by his friends and kin—having brought his horse, where will you go, O arrogant one?
पतिष्यसि त्वं शत्रुघ्नबाणैः कोदंडनिर्गतैः । त्वामत्स्यंति शिवा भूमौ पतितं प्राणवर्जितम्
You will fall by the arrows of Shatrughna, released from his bow; the virtuous will see you lying on the ground, devoid of life.
मा गर्ज दुष्ट रामस्य सेवके मयि संस्थिते । गर्जंति सुभटा युद्धे शत्रुं जित्वा महोदयात्
Do not roar, wicked one, while I, a servant of Rama, stand here; warriors roar in battle only after conquering the enemy, with great glory.
शेष उवाच। एवं ब्रुवंतं तं वीरं पुष्कलं रणदुर्मदम् । जघान शक्त्या सुभृशं हृदि राक्षससत्तमः
Shesha said: As Pushkala, the fierce warrior, spoke thus, the foremost rakshasa struck him forcefully in the heart with a spear.
आयांतीं तां महाशक्तिमायसीं कांचनाश्रिताम् । चिच्छेद त्रिभिरत्युग्रैः शितैर्बाणैः स पुष्कलः
As that mighty, magical, gold-adorned spear approached, Pushkala cut it with three exceedingly sharp arrows.
सा त्रिधा ह्यपतद्भूमौ विशिखैर्निष्प्रभीकृता । पतंती विरराजासौ विष्णोः शक्तित्रयीव किम्
Split by the arrows, it fell to the ground in three parts, its brilliance lost; as it fell, it shone like Vishnu's triple power.
तां छिन्नां शक्तिकां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसः परतापनः । जग्राह शूलं तरसा त्रिशिखं लोहनिर्मितम्
Seeing his broken spear, the rakshasa, tormentor of foes, swiftly seized a trident made of iron.
तीक्ष्णाग्रं ज्वलनप्रख्यं राक्षसेंद्रो व्यमोचयत् । आयांतं तिलशश्चक्रे बाणैः पुष्कलसंज्ञितः
The rakshasa king released the trident, its sharp tip blazing like fire; Pushkala shattered it to pieces with arrows as it approached.
छित्त्वा त्रिशूलं तरसा राघवस्य हि सेवकः । पुष्कलश्चाप आधत्त बाणांस्तीक्ष्णान्मनोजवान्
Having cut the trident with force, Pushkala, servant of Raghava, took up his bow and set swift, sharp arrows.
ते बाणा हृदि तस्याशु लग्ना रागं बतासृजन् । वैष्णवस्य यथा स्वांते गुणा विष्णोर्मनोहराः
Those arrows quickly lodged in his heart, producing a redness, just as Vishnu's enchanting qualities reside in the heart of the Vaishnava.
तद्बाणवेधदुःखार्तो विद्युन्माली सुदुर्मदः । जग्राह मुद्गरं घोरं पुष्कलं हंतुमुद्यतः
Afflicted by the pain of those arrow wounds, Vidyunmali, exceedingly arrogant, seized a dreadful mace, intent on killing Pushkala.
मुद्गरः प्रहितस्तेन विद्युन्माल्यभिधेन हि । हृदि लग्नोसृजच्छीघ्रं कश्मलं तदकारयत्
The mace, hurled by Vidyunmali, struck his heart and swiftly caused distress, making him faint.
मुद्गरप्रहतो वीरः कंपमानः सवेपथुः । पपात स्यंदनोपस्थे पुष्कलः शत्रुतापनः
Struck by the mace, the hero Pushkala, trembling and shaking, fell onto the seat of his chariot, tormentor of foes.
उग्रदंष्ट्रोऽथ तद्भ्राता लक्ष्मीनिधिमयोधयत् । शस्त्रास्त्रैर्बहुधा मुक्तैर्वीरप्राणहृतिंकरैः
Then, Ugradamshtra, his brother, fought with Lakshminidhi, releasing many weapons and missiles, taking the lives of heroes.
पुष्कलस्तत्क्षणात्प्राप्य संज्ञां राक्षसमब्रवीत् । धन्योसि राक्षसश्रेष्ठ महीयांस्ते पराक्रमः
Pushkala, regaining consciousness at that moment, spoke to the rakshasa: 'You are blessed, O foremost rakshasa; your valor is truly great.'
पश्येदानीं ममाप्युच्चैः प्रतिज्ञां शूरमानिताम् । विमानात्पातयाम्यद्य भूमौ त्वां शितसायकैः
Now behold my solemn vow, honored by the brave; today I will cast you down from your flying chariot to the earth with sharp arrows.
इत्युक्त्वा निशितं बाणं समगृह्णाद्दुरासदम् । ज्वलंतमग्नितेजस्कं महौदार्यसमन्वितम्
Having spoken thus, he took up a fierce arrow, difficult to withstand, blazing with the radiance of fire, endowed with great nobility.
स यावत्तत्प्रतीकर्तुं विधत्ते स्वपराक्रमम् । तावद्धृदिगतोऽत्युग्रस्तीक्ष्णधारः ससायकः
As he prepared to counter it with his own might, that exceedingly sharp, heart-piercing arrow, together with its shaft, struck him.
तेन बाणेन विभ्रांतो भ्रमच्चित्तः स राक्षसः । पपात कामगोपस्थाद्भूमौ विगतचेतनः
Struck by that arrow, the demon became bewildered, his mind reeling; he fell senseless from the seat of his desire to the ground.
उग्रदंष्ट्रेण वै दृष्टः पतमानो निजाग्रजः । गृहीत्वा तं विमानांतर्निनाय रिपुशंकितः
Seeing his own elder brother falling, with fierce fangs, he seized him and, suspecting an enemy, carried him inside the chariot.
प्राह चारिं महारोषात्पुष्कलं बलिनां वरम् । मद्भ्रातरं पातयित्वा कुत्र यास्यसि दुर्मते
Then, in great wrath, he addressed his foe, Puṣkala, best of the mighty: 'After casting down my brother, where will you go, wicked-minded one?'
मां वै युधि विनिर्जित्य गंतासि जयमुत्तमम् । स्थिते मयि तव स्वांते जयाशा विनिवर्त्य ताम्
'Only after conquering me in battle will you attain supreme victory; as long as I stand before you, abandon your hope of triumph.'
एवं ब्रुवंतं तरसा जघान दशभिः शरैः । हृदये तस्य दुष्टस्य रोषपूरितलोचनः
As he spoke thus, his eyes filled with anger, he swiftly struck that wicked one in the heart with ten arrows.
स ताडितो दशशरैः पुष्कलेन महात्मना । चुक्रोध हृदि दुर्बुद्धिस्तं हंतुमुपचक्रमे
Struck by ten arrows from the great-souled Puṣkala, the evil-minded one grew furious at heart and prepared to slay him.
दंतान्निष्पिष्य सक्रोधो मुष्टिमुद्यम्य चाहनत् । व्यनदद्वज्रनिर्घातपातशंकां सृजन्हृदि
Grinding his teeth in rage, raising his fist, he struck him, producing a sound that seemed to threaten a thunderbolt's crash in his heart.
मुष्टिनाभिहतो वीरः पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । नाकंपत विनिष्पेषं वांछंस्तस्य दुरात्मनः
Though struck with the fist, Puṣkala, the valiant knower of supreme weapons, did not waver, desiring to crush that evil one.
वत्सदंतान्महातीक्ष्णान्मुमोच हृदि सायकान् । तैर्बाणैर्व्यथितो दैत्यस्त्रिशूलं तु समाददे
He released arrows, sharp as a calf's teeth, into his heart; tormented by those arrows, the demon seized his trident.
जाज्वल्यमानं त्रिशिखं ज्वालामालातिभीषणम् । लग्नं हृदि महावीर पुष्कलस्य तु दारुणम्
Blazing, three-pronged, wreathed in terrifying flames, that dreadful trident struck the great hero Puṣkala in the heart.
मूर्च्छितस्तेन शूलेन निहतो धन्विसत्तमः । कश्मलं परमं प्राप्तः पपात स्यंदनोपरि
Struck by that trident, the best of archers fell unconscious, overcome by utter distress, collapsing upon his chariot.