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.
राजा वीरमणिर्भूरि देवेन युयुधे बली । असुतापेन चोग्राश्वो युयुधे बलसंयुतः
The king Vīramaṇi, powerful and abundant in might, fought Deva; Ugrāśva, endowed with strength, fought Asutāpa.
द्वैरथं तु महद्युद्धमकुर्वन्युद्धकोविदाः । सर्वे शस्त्रास्त्रकुशलाः सर्वे युद्धविशारदाः
All these experts in battle and skilled in every weapon engaged in great duels, each displaying mastery in the art of war.
एवं प्रवृत्ते संग्रामे सुरथस्य सुतैस्तदा । अत्यंतं कदनं तत्र बभूव मुनिसत्तम
As the battle thus unfolded with Suratha’s sons, O best of sages, a fierce slaughter took place there.
पुष्कलश्चंपकं प्राह किं नामासि नृपात्मज । धन्योसि यो मया सार्धं रणमध्यमुपेयिवान्
Puṣkala said to Caṃpaka: ‘What is your name, prince? Blessed are you, who have come to the midst of battle with me.’
इदानीं तिष्ठ किं यासि कथं ते जीवितं भवेत् । एहि युद्धं मया सार्धं सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविद
Now stand your ground—why do you flee? How will your life be preserved? Come, fight with me, skilled in all weapons and missiles.
इत्यभिव्याहृतं तस्य श्रुत्वा राजात्मजो बली । जगाद पुष्कलं वीरो मेघगंभीरया गिरा
Hearing these words, the mighty prince replied to Puṣkala, his voice deep as thunder, O hero.
चंपक उवाच। न नाम्ना न कुलेनेदं युद्धमत्र भविष्यति । तथापि तव वक्ष्येऽहं स्वनामबलपूर्वकम्
Caṃpaka said: ‘Here, battle is not determined by name or lineage; yet, I shall tell you my name and strength as you ask.’
मम माता राघवेशो मत्पिता राघवः स्मृतः । मम बंधू रामचंद्र स्वःजनो मम राघवः
My mother is devoted to Rāghava, my father is known as Rāghava; my kin is Rāmacandra, and my people are Rāghava’s.
मन्नाम रामदासश्च सदा रामस्य सेवकः । तारयिष्यति मां युद्धे रामो भक्तकृपाकरः
My name is Rāmadāsa, always a servant of Rāma; Rāma, the ocean of compassion for his devotees, will deliver me in battle.
लोकानां मतमास्थाय प्रब्रवीमि तवाधुना । सुरथस्य सुतश्चाहं माता वीरवतीमम
Accepting the opinion of the world, I now declare to you: I am the son of Suratha, and my mother is a woman of valor.
मन्नामयो मधौ सर्वाञ्छोभनान्विदधाति वै । मधुपायंरसावा संत्यजंति मधुमोहिताः
My name, in spring, brings forth all that is auspicious; those intoxicated by honey abandon even the drink of honeyed nectar.
वर्णेन स्वर्णसदृशो मध्ये लिंगवपुर्धरः । तदाख्ययाभिधां वीर जानीहि मम मोहिनीम्
My complexion is like gold, and I bear a masculine form; by that name, O hero, know my enchanting identity.
युध्यस्व बाणैः प्रधनेन को जेतुं हि मां क्षमः । इदानीं दर्शयिष्यामि स्वपराक्रममद्भुतम्
Fight with arrows in the forefront—who indeed is able to conquer me? Now I shall display my wondrous valor.
शेष उवाच। इति श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यं पुष्कलो हृदि तोषितः । तं दुर्जयं मन्यमानः शरान्मुंचन्रणेऽभवत्
Śeṣa said: Hearing these great words, Puṣkala was gladdened in his heart; considering him difficult to defeat, he began to release arrows in battle.
शरसंघं प्रमुंचंतं कोटिधा पुष्कलं ययौ । चंपकः कोपसंयुक्तो धनुः सज्यमथाकरोत्
As Puṣkala released a multitude of arrows in countless streams, Caṃpaka, filled with anger, readied his bow.
मुमोच निशितान्बाणान्वैरिवृंदविदारणान् । स्वनामचिह्नितान्स्वर्णपुंखभागसमन्वितान्
He released sharp arrows, tearing through the ranks of enemies, marked with his own name and adorned with golden shafts.
तांश्चिच्छेद महावीरः पुष्कलः प्रधनांगणे । शरांधकारं सर्वत्र मुंचन्बाणाञ्छिलाशितान्
The mighty Puṣkala cut them down in the thick of battle, unleashing stone-tipped arrows that darkened the sky everywhere.
स्वबाणच्छेदनं दृष्ट्वा कृतं वीरेण चंपकः । आह्वयामास बलिनं पुष्कलं कोपपूरितः
Seeing his arrows cut down by the hero, Caṃpaka, filled with rage, challenged the powerful Puṣkala.
मा प्रयाहि रणं त्यक्त्वेति ब्रुवन्समरे पुनः । पुष्कलं हृदये बाणैर्विव्याध दशभिस्त्वरन्
Saying, ‘Do not leave the battlefield!’ he struck Puṣkala in the heart with ten swift arrows in the fight.
ते बाणाः पुष्कलस्याहो हृदये तीव्रवेगिनः । आगत्य सुभृशं लग्नाः शोणितं पपुरूर्जितम्
Those arrows, swift and fierce, struck Puṣkala’s heart, deeply embedded, and drank his abundant blood.