केषां कर्णाश्च नासाश्च केषां कवचकुंडले । एवं तु कदनं जातं सेनान्यां पतिते रणे
Some had ears and noses cut off, some had armor and earrings; thus slaughter occurred when the commander fell in battle.
सर्वे निपतिता वीरा न केचिज्जीवितास्ततः । लवो जयं रणे प्राप्य वैरिवृंदं विजित्य च
All the warriors fell; none survived thereafter. Lava, having achieved victory in battle and conquered the host of enemies.
अन्यागमनशंकायां मनः कुर्वन्नवैक्षत । केचिदुर्वरिता युद्धाद्भाग्येन न रणे मृताः
Some, suspecting another attack, kept their minds alert and did not look away; a few, by fortune, escaped from the battle, not dying in the fight.
शत्रुघ्नं सविधे जग्मुः शंसितुं वृत्तमद्भुतम् । गत्वा ते कथयामासुर्यथावृत्तं रणांगणे
They went to Shatrughna, who was nearby, to report the astonishing event; having arrived, they recounted all that had happened on the battlefield.
कालजिन्निधनं बालाच्चित्रकारि रणोद्यमम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा विस्मयं प्राप्तः शत्रुघ्नस्तानुवाच ह
The death of Kalajit by a boy, and the boy's remarkable valor in battle—hearing this, Shatrughna was filled with wonder and spoke to them.
हसन्रोषाद्दशन्दंतान्बालग्राह हयं स्मरन् । रे वीराः किं मदोन्मत्ता यूयं किं वा छलग्रहाः
Laughing with anger, remembering the horse seized by the boy, the ten-tusked one said: 'Hey heroes, are you drunk with pride, or are you deceivers?'
किं वा वैकल्यमायातं कालजिन्मरणं कथम् । यः संख्ये वैरिवृंदानां दारुणः समितिंजयः
'Or has some impairment come upon you? How could Kalajit have died? He, who was a dreadful conqueror of enemy hosts in battle—'
तं कथं बालको जीयाद्यमस्यापि दुरासदम् । शत्रुघ्नवाक्यं संश्रुत्य वीराः प्रोचुरसृक्प्लुताः
'How could a mere boy defeat him, who was difficult even for the mighty to approach? Hearing Shatrughna's words, the warriors, blood-stained, replied:'
नास्माकं मदमत्तादि न च्छलो न च देवनम् । कालजिन्मरणं सत्यं लवाज्जानीहि भूपते
'It is not pride, nor deceit, nor delusion among us; Kalajit's death is true, O king—know this from Lava.'
बलं च कृत्स्नं मथितं बालेनातुलशौंडिना । अतः परं तु यत्कार्यं ये प्रेष्या नृवरोत्तमाः
'The entire army was crushed by the boy of incomparable prowess; now, whatever is to be done next, let the foremost of men command us.'
बालं ज्ञात्वा भवान्नात्र करोतु बलसाहसम् । इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तेषां वीराणां शत्रुहा तदा
'Knowing that it is a boy, do not attempt a show of force here; hearing these words of the warriors, Shatrughna then—'
सुमतिं च मतिश्रेष्ठमुवाच रणकारणे
—spoke to Sumati, the wisest in counsel, regarding the cause of the battle.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। जानासि किं महामंत्रिन्को बालो हयमाहरत् । येन मे क्षपितं सर्वं बलं वारिधिसन्निभम्
Shatrughna said: 'Do you know, O chief minister, who this boy is who seized the horse, by whom my entire army, vast as the ocean, was destroyed?'
सुमतिरुवाच। स्वामिन्नयं मुनिश्रेष्ठ वाल्मीकेराश्रमो महान् । क्षत्त्रियाणामत्र वासो नास्त्येव परतापन
Sumati said: 'Lord, this is the great hermitage of the eminent sage Valmiki; here, O tormentor of foes, Kshatriyas are not permitted to reside.'
इंद्रो भविष्यति परममर्षी हयमाहरत् । पुरारिर्वान्यथा वाहं तव कः समुपाहरेत्
'It must be Indra himself, or some supremely wrathful being, who has taken the horse; otherwise, who else could have brought it here to you?'
कालजिद्येन नाशं वै प्राप्तः परमदारुणः । तं प्रति श्रीमहाराज गंता कः पुष्कलान्यतः
'By whom Kalajit met his utterly dreadful end—O great king, who else but Pushkala could go against him?'
त्वं च वीरैर्भटैः सर्वैराजभिः परिवारितः । तत्र गच्छस्व सैन्येन महता शत्रुकृंतन
'And you, surrounded by all the heroic warriors and kings, go there with your great army, O destroyer of foes.'
गत्वा स जीवितं वीरं बद्ध्वा तु कुतुकार्थिने । दर्शयिष्यामि रामाय मतं मे त्विदमादृतम्
'Having gone, I will capture that valiant boy alive for the sake of curiosity, and present him to Rama; this is my considered opinion.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य वीरान्सर्वान्समादिशत् । सैन्येन महता यात यूयमायामि पृष्ठतः
Hearing these words, Shatrughna instructed all the warriors: 'Go with the great army; I will follow behind.'
निर्दिष्टास्ते क्षणाद्वीरा जग्मुर्यत्र लवो बली । धनुर्विस्फारयंस्तत्र सुदृढं गुणपूरितम्
So ordered, the heroes at once went to where the mighty Lava was, stringing his strong, well-fitted bow.
आयातं तन्महद्दृष्ट्वा बलं वीरप्रपूरितम् । न किंचिन्मनसा बिभ्येलवेन बलशालिना
Seeing that great army arrive, filled with the cries of warriors, Lava, strong in valor, did not feel any fear in his mind.
लवः सिंह इवोत्तस्थौ मृगान्मत्वाऽखिलान्भटान् । धनुर्विस्फारयन्रोषाच्छरान्मुंचन्सहस्रशः
Lava rose up like a lion, regarding all the soldiers as mere deer, stringing his bow in anger and releasing thousands of arrows.
ते शरैः पीड्यमानास्तु महारोषेण पूरिताः । वीरं बालं मन्यमानाः संमुखं प्राद्रवंस्तदा
Those soldiers, afflicted by the arrows and filled with intense rage, considering the young hero to be a child, rushed forward to confront him.
वीरान्सहस्रशो दृष्ट्वा भ्रमिभिः पर्यवस्थितान् । लवो जवेन संधाय शरान्रोषप्रपूरितः
Seeing thousands of warriors surrounded by whirling formations, Lava, filled with wrath, swiftly fitted arrows to his bow.
भ्रमिराद्या सहस्रेण द्वितीयायुतसंख्यया । तृतीयायुतयुग्मेन तुरीयायुतपंचभिः
The first formation was a thousand strong, the second numbered ten thousand, the third was twenty thousand, and the fourth was fifty thousand.
पंचमी लक्षयोधानां षष्ठी योधायुताधिकैः । सप्तमी लक्षयुग्मेन सप्तभिर्भ्रमिभिर्वृतः
The fifth consisted of a hundred thousand soldiers, the sixth had more than ten thousand warriors, the seventh was composed of seven hundred thousand, surrounded by seven whirling formations.
मध्ये लवो भ्रमिव्याप्तः स चरन्वह्निवत्तदा । दाहयामास सर्वान्वै सैनिकान्भ्रमिकारकान्
In the midst, Lava was enveloped by the whirling formations, and moving like fire, he began to burn all the soldiers who formed those circles.
काचित्खङ्गैः शरैः काचित्काचित्प्रासैश्च कुंतलैः । पट्टिशैः परिघैः सर्वा भ्रमिर्भग्ना महात्मना
Some formations were broken by swords and arrows, others by spears and maces, and all were shattered by the great-souled Lava.
सप्तभिर्भ्रमिभिर्मुक्तो रराज स कुशानुजः । मेघवृंदविनिर्मुक्तः शशीव शरदागमे
Released from the seven whirling formations, that son of Kusha shone like the moon freed from clouds at the onset of autumn.
प्राहरत्सर्वथा योधान्भिंदन्गजकरान्बहून् । छिंदञ्छिरांसि वीराणां चक्रभ्रूणि महांति च
He struck many warriors in every way, breaking the arms of elephants, severing the heads of heroes, and shattering great shields.