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.
अनेके पतिता वीरा लवबाणप्रपीडिताः । मुमुहुः समरेऽथान्ये नष्टा अन्ये सुकातराः
Many heroes, afflicted by Lava's arrows, fell; some fainted in battle, others perished, and some were overcome with distress.
पलायनपरं सैन्यं लवबाणप्रपीडितम् । वीक्ष्य वीरो रणे योद्धुं प्रायात्पुष्कलसंज्ञकः
Seeing the army, afflicted by Lava's arrows, intent on fleeing, the hero Puṣkala advanced to fight in battle.
तिष्ठतिष्ठेति च वदन्रोषपूरितलोचनः । रथे सुहयशोभाढ्ये तिष्ठन्प्रायाल्लवं बली
With eyes filled with anger, he called out, 'Stop, stop!' Standing on his chariot adorned with fine horses, the mighty Puṣkala approached Lava.
स लवं प्रत्युवाचाथ पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । तिष्ठ दत्ते मया संख्ये रथे सुहयशोभिते
Then Puṣkala, master of supreme weapons, addressed Lava: 'Stop! I grant you a chariot in battle, adorned with fine horses.'
पदातिना त्वया युद्धं करोमि किमथाहवे । तस्मात्तिष्ठ रथे पश्चाद्युद्ध्येऽहं भवता सह । एतद्वाक्यं निशम्यासौ लवः पुष्कलमब्रवीत्
'Why should I fight you on foot in battle? Therefore, remain on your chariot; afterwards, I will fight with you.' Hearing these words, Lava replied to Puṣkala.
त्वया दत्ते रथे स्थित्वा युद्धं कुर्यामहं रणे । तदा मे पापमेव स्याज्जयः संदिग्ध एव हि
'If I stand on the chariot you have given and fight in battle, then victory would be doubtful and sinful for me.'
न वयं ब्राह्मणा वीर प्रतिग्रहपरायणाः । वयं तु क्षत्रिया नित्यं दानकर्मक्रियारताः
'We are not Brahmins, O hero, devoted to receiving gifts; we are Kshatriyas, always engaged in acts of giving and duty.'
इदानीं त्वद्रथं कोपाद्भनज्मि प्रत्यहं भवान् । पादचारी भवत्येव पश्चाद्युद्धं करिष्यति
'Now, out of anger, I will destroy your chariot; then you will become a foot-soldier, and afterwards, you will fight with me.'
पुष्कलो वाक्यमाकर्ण्य धर्मधैर्यसमन्वितम् । विसिस्माय चिरं चित्ते धनुः सज्यमथाकरोत्
Hearing the words of Puṣkala, endowed with righteousness and courage, he was astonished for a long time in his heart, then made his bow ready.
तमात्तधनुषं दृष्ट्वा लवः कोपसमन्वितः । चापं चिच्छेद पाणिस्थं शरसंधानमाचरन्
Seeing him with the drawn bow, Lava, filled with anger, broke the bow held in his hand and began to prepare an arrow.
स यावत्स गुणं चापं कुरुते तावदुद्धतः । रथभंगं चकारास्य समरे प्रहसन्बली
As he was stringing the bow, the powerful one, laughing in battle, caused his chariot to be destroyed.
भग्नं रथं स्वकं वीक्ष्य धनुश्छिन्नं महात्मना । महावीरं मन्यमानः पदातिः प्राद्रवद्रणे
Seeing his own chariot broken and his bow cut by the great-souled one, considering him a great hero, the foot-soldier fled in battle.
उभौ धनुर्धरौ वीरावुभावपि शरोद्धतौ । उभौ क्षतजविप्लुष्टौ छिन्नसन्नाहितावुभौ
Both were bowmen, both heroes, both with arrows drawn; both were drenched in blood, both wounded and exhausted.
परस्परं बाणघातविशीर्णावपुलक्षितौ । जयाकांक्षां प्रकुर्वंतौ परस्परवधैषिणौ
Both, shattered by each other's arrow strikes, were marked with goosebumps, each desiring victory and intent on killing the other.
जयंतकार्तिकेयौ वा पुरारिः पुरभिद्यथा । एवं परस्परं युद्धं प्रकुर्वाणौ रणांगणे
Just as Kartikeya and the destroyer of cities once fought, so too did they wage battle against each other in the arena of war.
पुष्कलः प्रत्युवाचाथ बालं शूरशिरोमणे । त्वादृशो न मया दृष्टः कश्चिद्वीरशिरोमणिः
Then Puṣkala spoke to the boy, the foremost among heroes: 'I have never seen anyone like you, O chief among warriors.'
शिरस्ते पातयाम्यद्य बाणैः शितसुपर्वभिः । मा पलायस्व समरे प्राणान्रक्षस्व संयतः
Today I will strike your head with sharp, well-feathered arrows; do not flee in battle, protect your life with restraint.
एवमुक्त्वा लवं वीरं चकार शरपंजरे । पुष्कलस्य शरा भूमौ नभसि व्याप्य संस्थिताः
Having spoken thus, he made a cage of arrows around Lava, and Puṣkala's arrows stood spread across the earth and sky.
शरपंजरमध्यस्थो लवः पुष्कलमब्रवीत् । महत्कर्म कृतं वीर यन्मां बाणैरपीडयत्
Standing in the midst of the arrow cage, Lava spoke to Puṣkala: 'A great deed has been done, O hero, in tormenting me with arrows.'
इत्युक्त्वा बाणसंघातं प्रच्छिद्य वचनं पुनः । जगाद पुष्कलं वीरः शरसंधानकोविदः
Having said this, he broke the mass of arrows and again spoke words to Puṣkala, the hero skilled in preparing arrows.