यदि रामः समागत्य स्वात्मानं दर्शयिष्यति । तदाहं चरणौ तस्य प्रणमामि सुकोमलौ
If Rāma himself comes and reveals his true self, then I will bow at his beautiful feet.
स्वामिना न हि योद्धव्यं महान नय उच्यते । अन्ये वीरास्तृणप्रायाः किंचित्कर्तुं न वै क्षमाः
One should not fight with one’s master; this is the highest principle. Other heroes are as insignificant as grass and are not capable of doing anything.
तस्माद्युद्ध्यस्व राजेंद्र रक्षके मयि सुस्थिते । को गृह्णाति बलाद्वाहं त्रिलोकी यदि संगता
Therefore, O king, fight, while I, your protector, stand firm. Even if the three worlds were to unite, who could seize the horse by force?
शेष उवाच। एतद्वचः परं श्रुत्वा चंद्रचूडस्य भूमिपः । जहर्ष मानसेऽत्यंतं युद्धकर्मणि कौतुकी
Śeṣa said: Hearing these excellent words of Candracūḍa, the king rejoiced greatly in his heart, eager for the battle.
शेष उवाच। सेनाचरा महाराज्ञो महाबलसमन्विताः । समागतास्तं पश्यंतो हयं रामस्य भूपतेः
Śeṣa said: The scouts of the great king, endowed with great strength, assembled and watched the horse of King Rāma.
क्वा सावश्वः केन नीतः कथं वा दृश्यते न सः । को गंता यमपुर्यां वै वाहं हृत्वा सुमंदधीः
Where is that horse? By whom has it been taken? Why is it not seen? Who, having stolen the horse, will go to the city of Yama with a clear mind?
विलोकयंतस्तन्मार्गं यावत्सेनाचरा रघोः । तावत्प्राप्तो महाराजो महासैन्यपरीवृतः
As the scouts of Raghu’s army searched along that path, at that moment the great king arrived, surrounded by a mighty army.
पप्रच्छ सेवकान्सर्वान्कुत्राश्वो मम सांप्रतम् । न दृश्यते कथं वाहः स्वर्णपत्रसुशोभितः
He asked all his attendants, 'Where is my horse now? Why is the horse, adorned with golden trappings, not seen?'
इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा सेवकास्ते हयानुगाः । प्रोचुर्नाथ मनोवेगो वाहः केनापि कानने
Hearing these words, the attendants who followed the horse said, 'O lord, the swift horse was taken by someone in the forest.'
हृतो न लक्ष्यते तस्मादस्माभिर्मार्गकोविदैः । तदत्र यत्नः कर्तव्यो हयप्राप्तिं प्रति प्रभो
'It has been stolen and cannot be found by us, though we are skilled in tracking. Therefore, O lord, effort must be made here to recover the horse.'
तेषां वचनमाकर्ण्य पप्रच्छ सुमतिं नृपः । शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुसंहारकारीमोहनरूपधृक्
Hearing their words, the king questioned Sumati; Shatrughna, the destroyer of enemies, took on a form that bewilders adversaries.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कोऽत्र राजा निवसति कथं वाहस्य संगमः । कियद्बलं भूमिपतेर्येन मेऽद्य हृतो हयः
Shatrughna said: Who is the king residing here? How did the horse come to be here? What is the strength of the ruler by whom my horse has been taken today?
सुमतिरुवाच। राजन्देवपुरं ह्येतद्देवेनैव विनिर्मितम् । कैलासमिव दुर्गम्यं वैरिसंघैः सुसंहतैः
Sumati said: O king, this is Devapura, created by the god himself; it is as difficult to reach as Kailasa, well-defended by groups of enemies.
अस्मिन्वीरमणी राजा महाशूरः प्रतापवान् । राज्यं करोति धर्मेण शिवेन परिरक्षितः
Here, the king Vīramaṇī, a great hero endowed with prowess, rules the kingdom righteously, protected by Shiva.
योऽसौ प्रलयकारी स आस्ते भक्त्या वशीकृतः । चंद्रचूडः स्वभक्तस्य पक्षपातं सृजन्सदा
He who brings destruction dwells here, subdued by devotion; Chandracūḍa always shows partiality to his devotee.
तस्मादत्र महद्युद्धं गृहीतश्चेद्भविष्यति । यत्ताः संतः प्रकुर्वंतु रक्षणं कटकस्य हि
Therefore, if a great battle is undertaken here, it will occur; let the noble ones arrange the protection of the encampment.
एवं श्रुत्वा स शत्रुघ्नः सर्वभूपशिरोमणिः । सैन्यव्यूहं रचित्वासौ तिष्ठति स्म महायशाः
Having heard thus, Shatrughna, the foremost among all kings, arranged the army formation and stood firm, renowned for his greatness.
अथ तं सुखमासीनं मंत्रयंतं सुमंत्रिणा । आजगाम स देवर्षिर्युद्धकौतुकसंयुतः
Then, as he sat comfortably, consulting with his ministers, the divine sage arrived, filled with eagerness for battle.
तमागतं मुनिं दृष्ट्वा शत्रुघ्नस्तपसां निधिम् । अभ्युत्थायासने स्थाप्य मधुपर्कमथार्पयत्
Seeing the sage who had arrived, Shatrughna, the repository of asceticism, rose, seated him, and offered the honey-mixture.
स्वागतेन च संतुष्टं नारदं मुनिसत्तमम् । उवाच प्रीणयन्वाचा वाक्यवादविशारदः
With words of welcome, he pleased Narada, the foremost among sages, addressing him with speech skilled in eloquence.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। मदीयोऽश्व कुत्र विप्र कथयस्व महामते । न लक्ष्यते गतिस्तस्य सेवकैर्मम कोविदैः
Shatrughna said: O wise Brahmin, tell me where my horse is; its path is not discerned by my skilled attendants.
शंस तं येन वा नीतं क्षत्त्रियेण च मानिना । कथमत्र हयप्राप्तिर्भविष्यति तपोधन
Tell me who has taken it, whether by a proud kshatriya; how will the horse be recovered here, O ascetic?
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य शत्रुघ्नस्य स नारदः । उवाच वीणां रणयन्गायन्रामकथां मुहुः
Hearing these words of Shatrughna, Narada, repeatedly sang the story of Rama, playing his lute.
नारद उवाच। एतद्देवपुरं राजन्भूपो वीरमणिर्महान् । तत्पुत्रेण वनस्थेन गृहीतस्तव वाजिराट्
Narada said: O king, this is Devapura; the great king Vīramaṇī, and by his son dwelling in the forest, your chief horse has been seized.
तत्र युद्धं महत्तेऽद्य भविष्यति सुदारुणम् । अत्र वीराः पतिष्यंति बलशौर्यसमन्विताः
There, today, a great and exceedingly fierce battle will take place; heroes endowed with strength and valor will fall here.
तस्मादत्र महायत्नात्स्थातव्यं ते महाबल । रचय व्यूहरचनां दुर्गमां परसैनिकैः
Therefore, with great effort, you must stand firm here, O mighty one; arrange a battle formation difficult for the enemy forces to penetrate.
जयस्ते भविता राजन्कृच्छ्रेणास्मान्नृपोत्तमात् । रामं को नु पराजीयाद्भुवने सकले ह्यपि
Victory will be yours, O king, though with difficulty, over this excellent ruler; who indeed could defeat Rama in the whole world?
इत्युक्त्वांतर्दधे विप्रो नभसि स्थितवांस्ततः । युद्धं सुदारुणं द्रक्ष्यन्देवदानवयोरिव
Having spoken thus, the sage vanished, remaining in the sky; a fierce battle will be seen, like that between gods and demons.
शेष उवाच। अथ राजा वीरमणिः सर्वशूरशिरोमणिः । पटहं घोषितुं स्वीये पुरमध्ये महारवम्
Śeṣa said: Then King Vīramaṇi, the foremost among all valiant heroes, ordered the drum to be sounded with great volume in the midst of his city.
आह्वयामास सेनान्यं रिपुवीरं महोन्नतम् । कथयामास च क्षिप्रं मेघगंभीरया गिरा
He summoned the commander, a mighty adversary of enemies, and swiftly spoke with a voice deep as thunder.