सत्रिकूटा राक्षसपूर्दग्धा येन क्षणाद्बलात् । अक्षो येन हतः पुत्रो राक्षसेंद्रस्य दुर्मतेः
By his force, the city of the demons with three peaks was burned in an instant; by him, Akṣa, the son of the evil-minded king of demons, was slain.
द्रोणोनाम गिरिर्येन पुच्छाग्रेण सदैवतः । आनीतो जीवनार्थं तु सैनिकानां मुहुर्मुहुः
By him, the mountain called Droṇa was always brought with the tip of his tail, again and again, for the sake of reviving the soldiers.
जानाति रामश्चारित्रं नान्यो जानाति मूढधीः । यं कपींद्रं मनाक्स्वान्तान्न विस्मरति सेवकम्
Only Rāma knows his character; no one else, whose mind is deluded, knows it. That lord of monkeys never forgets his servant, even in thought.
सुग्रीवाद्याः कपींद्रा ये पृथ्वीं सर्वां ग्रसंति ये । ते शत्रुघ्नं नृपं सर्वे सेवंते प्रेक्षणोत्सुकाः
All the monkey lords, beginning with Sugrīva, who could devour the whole earth, serve King Śatrughna, eager for his audience.
कुशध्वजो नीलरत्नो रिपुतापो महास्त्रवित् । प्रतापाग्र्यः सुबाहुश्च विमलः सुमदस्तथा
Kuśadhvaja, Nīlaratna, the tormentor of foes, master of great weapons, foremost in might, Subāhu, Vimala, and likewise Sumada—
राजा वीरमणिः सत्ययुतो रामस्य सेवकः । एतेऽन्येपि नृपा भूमेः पतयः पर्युपासते
King Vīramaṇi, endowed with truth, servant of Rāma—these and other kings, lords of the earth, attend upon him.
तत्र त्वं वीर जलधौ मशकः को भवानिति । तज्ज्ञात्वा गच्छ शत्रुघ्नं कृपालुं पुत्रकैर्युतः
There, O hero, who are you but a mosquito in the ocean? Knowing this, go to Śatrughna, the compassionate one, accompanied by your sons.
वाहं समर्प्य गंतासि रामं राजीवलोचनम् । दृष्ट्वा कृतार्थी कुरुषे स्वांगानि जनुषा सह
After offering your mount, you will go to Rāma, lotus-eyed; having seen him and achieved your purpose, you will fulfill your life along with your body.
शेष उवाच। राजा प्रोवाच तं दूतं प्रब्रुवंतमनेकधा । एतान्दर्शयसि क्षिप्रं सर्वे न ममगोचराः
Śeṣa said: The king spoke to that messenger, who was speaking in many ways: 'You show me these men quickly; none of them are within my sight.'
यादृशं मद्बलं दूत तादृशं न हनूमतः । यो रामं पृष्ठतः कृत्वा प्रागाद्यागस्य पालने
'O messenger, my strength is not equal to that of Hanumān, who, placing Rāma on his back, went forth to protect the sacrifice.'
यद्यहं मनसा वाचा कर्मणा कुतुकान्वितः । भजामि रामं तर्ह्याशु दर्शयिष्यति स्वां तनुम्
'If with mind, speech, or action, filled with longing, I worship Rāma, then he will quickly reveal his own form.'
अन्यथा हनुमन्मुख्या वीरा बध्नंतु मां बलात् । गृह्णंतु वाहं तरसा रामभक्तिसमन्विताः
'Otherwise, let the foremost heroes among the monkeys bind me by force, or let them seize me swiftly, filled with devotion to Rāma.'
गच्छ त्वं नृप शत्रुघ्नं कथयस्व ममोदितम् । सज्जीभवंतु सुभटा एष यामि रणे बली
'Go, O king, to Śatrughna and tell him what I have said. Let the warriors be ready; I am going to the battle, strong in might.'
स विचार्य यथायुक्तं करिष्यति रणांगणे । मोचयंतु महावाहं न वामा मा ददंतु ते
'He will consider properly and act in the field of battle. Release the great mount; do not give it to your left side.'
शेष उवाच। इति श्रुत्वास्मि तं कृत्वा ययौ वीरो यतो नृपः । गत्वा निवेदयामास यथोक्तं सुरथेन वै
Śeṣa said: Having heard this, and having done as instructed, the hero went to where the king was; arriving there, he reported to him exactly as Suratha had said.
शेष उवाच। तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्य सुरथस्यांगदाननात् । सज्जीभूता रणे सर्वे रथस्था रणकोविदाः
Śeṣa said: Hearing the words of Suratha, spoken through Aṅgada, all the chariot-borne warriors, skilled in battle, became ready for war.
पटहानां निनादोऽभूद्भेरीनादस्तथैव च । वीराणां गर्जनानादाः प्रादुर्भूता रणांगणे
The sound of war drums arose, as did the blare of trumpets; the roars and shouts of the heroes resounded on the battlefield.
रथचीत्कारशब्देन गजानां बृंहितेन च । व्याप्तं तत्सकलं विश्वं दिवं यातो महारवः
With the noise of chariot wheels and the trumpeting of elephants, that great tumult filled the whole world, and the mighty clamor reached the heavens.
रणोत्साहेन संयुक्ता वीरा रणविशारदाः । कुर्वंति विविधान्नादान्कातरस्य भयंकरान्
The warriors, filled with the enthusiasm of battle and skilled in warfare, made various terrifying sounds to strike fear into the faint-hearted.
एवं कोलाहले वृत्ते सुरथो नाम भूमिपः । स्वसुतैः सैनिकैश्चाथ वृतः प्रायाद्रणांगणे
Amidst such tumult, the king named Suratha, surrounded by his sons and soldiers, then proceeded to the battlefield.
गजैरथैर्हयैः पत्तिव्रजैः पूर्णां तु मेदिनीम् । कुर्वन्समुद्रइव तां प्लावयन्ददृशे भटैः
With elephants, chariots, horses, and companies of infantry, he made the earth appear as if flooded by an ocean of warriors.
शंखनादेन संघुष्टं जयनादैस्तथैव च । वीक्ष्य तं प्रधनोद्युक्तं सुमतिं प्राह भूमिपः
Hearing the tumult of conch shells and victory shouts, and seeing the enemy ready for the main battle, the king spoke to Sumati.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। एष राजा समायातो महासैन्यपरीवृतः । अत्र यत्कृत्यमस्माकं तद्वदस्व महामते
Śatrughna said: Here comes the king, surrounded by a great army; O wise one, tell us what we should do in this situation.
सुमतिरुवाच। योद्धव्यमत्र बहुभिर्वीरै रणविशारदैः । पुष्कलादिभिरत्युग्रैः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदैः
Sumati said: Here, many mighty warriors, skilled in battle—such as Puṣkala and others, all experts in every weapon and missile—must fight.
राज्ञा सह समीरस्य पुत्रः परमशौर्यवान् । युद्धं करोतु सुबलः परयुद्धविशारदः
Let the valiant son of Samīra, strong and skilled in opposing armies, engage in battle along with the king.
शेष उवाच। इति ब्रूते महामात्यो यावत्तावन्नृपात्मजाः । रणांगणे धनूंष्यद्धा स्फारयामासुरुद्धताः
Śeṣa said: As the great minister spoke thus, the princes on the battlefield, seizing their bows, strung and drew them with force.
तान्वीक्ष्य योधाः सुबलाः पुष्कलाद्या रणोत्कटाः । अभिजग्मुः स्यंदनैः स्वैर्धनुर्बाणकरा मताः
Seeing them, the mighty warriors—Puṣkala and others, eager for battle—approached in their own chariots, holding bows and arrows.
चंपकेन महावीरः पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । द्वैरथेनैव युयुधे महावीरेण शालिना
The great hero Puṣkala, master of supreme weapons, fought a duel in chariots with the mighty hero Campaka.
मोहकं योधयामास जानकिः स कुशध्वजः । रिपुंजयेन विमलो दुर्वारेण सुबाहुकः
Kuśadhvaja, son of Janaka, fought Mohaka; Vimalā faced Ripumjaya, and Subāhuka fought Durvāra.
प्रतापिना प्रतापाग्र्यो बलमोदेन चांगदः । हर्यक्षेण नीलरत्नः सहदेवेन सत्यवान्
Pratāpin, foremost in valor, fought Balamoda; Aṅgada faced Haryakṣa, Nīlaratna fought Satyavān, and Sahadeva joined the battle.