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.
तैर्बाणैर्व्यथितो वीरः शरान्पंच समाददे । सुतीक्ष्णाग्रान्महाकोपाद्वारयन्पर्वतानिव
Afflicted by those arrows, the hero seized five arrows with very sharp tips, and, in great anger, blocked them as if they were mountains.
ते बाणास्तस्य बाणाश्च परस्परमथोर्जिताः । आकाशे रचिताश्छिन्नाः शतधा राजसूनुना
Those arrows and his arrows, fiercely clashing with each other, were shattered in the sky and scattered into a hundred pieces by the prince.
छित्त्वा बाणान्सुतीक्ष्णाग्रान्सुरथांगोद्भवो बली । बाणाञ्छतं समाधत्त पुष्कलं ताडितुं हृदि
Having cut those arrows with sharp tips, Suratha's son, powerful in battle, took up a hundred arrows, abundant, to strike at the heart.
ते बाणाः शतधाच्छिन्नाः पुष्कलेन महात्मना । अपतन्समरोपांते शरवेगप्रपीडिताः
Those arrows, cut into a hundred pieces by the great-souled Pushkala, fell at the end of the battle, overwhelmed by the force of the arrows.
तदा तत्सुमहत्कर्म दृष्ट्वा राज्ञः सुतो बली । सहस्रेण शराणां च ताडयन्वक्षसि स्फुटम्
Then, seeing that great feat, the powerful son of the king struck Pushkala's chest clearly with a thousand arrows.
तानप्याशु प्रचिच्छेद पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । पुनरप्याशु स्वे चापे समाधत्तायुतं शरान्
Pushkala, master of supreme weapons, swiftly cut those arrows; again, he quickly placed ten thousand arrows on his own bow.
तानप्याशु प्रचिच्छेद पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । ततोऽत्यतं प्रकुपितः शरवृष्टिमथाकरोत्
Pushkala, master of supreme weapons, swiftly cut those arrows as well; then, exceedingly enraged, he produced a shower of arrows.
शरवृष्टिं समायांतीं मत्वा चंपक वीरहा । साधुसाधुप्रशंसंतं पुष्कलं समताडयत्
Seeing the shower of arrows approaching, Champaka, the slayer of heroes, praised Pushkala for his skill and struck him.
पुष्कलश्चंपकं दृष्ट्वा महावीर्यसमन्वितम् । ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्रसमाधत्त स्वे चापे सर्वशस्त्रवित्
Pushkala, seeing Champaka endowed with great valor, placed the Brahma weapon on his own bow, being skilled in all weapons.
तेन मुक्तं महाशस्त्रं प्रजज्वाल दिशो दश । खं रोदसी व्याप्य विश्वं प्रलयं कर्तुमुद्यतम्
When that great weapon was released, it blazed in all ten directions, filling the sky and the earth, ready to bring about destruction of the world.