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.
पालयात्मानमाजिस्थं मच्छराघातपीडितः । पतिष्यसि महीपृष्ठे रुधिरेण परिप्लुतः
Protect yourself, standing in battle, afflicted by the blows of my arrows; you will fall upon the earth, drenched in blood.
एवमुक्तं समाकर्ण्य पुष्कलः कोपसंयुतः । रणे संयोधयामास लवं वीरं महाबलम्
Hearing these words, Puṣkala, filled with anger, engaged in battle with Lava, the mighty hero.
लवः प्रकुपितो बाणं तीक्ष्णं वैरिविदारणम् । जग्राह लवतः कोशादाशीविषमिव क्रुधा
Lava, enraged, took a sharp arrow, meant to tear the enemy, from his quiver, like a venomous serpent in wrath.
जाज्वल्यमानः सशरश्चापमुक्तो लवस्य च । हृदयं भेत्तुमुद्युक्तश्छिन्नो भारतिनाशु सः
Blazing, with arrow released from the bow, Lava was ready to pierce the heart, but it was swiftly cut by Bhārata.
छिन्ने भारतिना संख्ये शरेण प्राणहारिणा । अत्यंतं कुपितो घोरं शरमन्यं समाददे
When Bhārata cut it in battle with a life-taking arrow, Lava, extremely enraged, took up another terrible arrow.
आकर्णाकृष्टचापेन स मुक्तो निशितः शरः । बिभेद हृदयं तस्य पुष्कलस्य महारणे
With the bow drawn to his ear, he released the sharp arrow, and in the great battle pierced the heart of Puṣkala.
भिन्नो वक्षसि वीरेण सायकेनाशुगामिना । पपात धरणीपृष्ठे महाशूरशिरोमणिः
Struck in the chest by the swift-flying arrow of the hero, the foremost among great warriors fell to the earth.
पतितं तं समालोक्य पुष्कलं पवनात्मजः । गृहीत्वा राघवभ्रात्रे ददौ मूर्च्छासमन्वितम्
Seeing Puṣkala fallen, the son of the Wind took him, unconscious, and brought him to Rāma's brother.
मूर्च्छितं तं समालोक्य शोकविह्वलमानसः । हनूमंतं लवं हंतुं निदिदेश क्रुधान्वितः
Seeing him unconscious and his mind overcome with grief, Hanuman, filled with anger, was ordered to slay Lava.
हनूमान्क्रोधसंप्लुष्टो लवं संख्ये महाबलम् । विजेतुं तरसा प्रागाद्वृक्षमुद्यम्य शाल्मलिम्
Hanuman, ablaze with wrath, advanced swiftly in battle to conquer the mighty Lava, raising a śālmalī tree.