ब्रह्मदत्तवरत्वात्तु मूर्च्छा न मरणं नहि । दुःसहा बाणपीडात्र किं कर्तव्यं मयाधुना
Because of the boon granted by Brahma, I cannot die, only lose consciousness; but the torment of these arrows is unbearable—what should I do now?
शत्रुघ्नः समरे गत्वा जयं प्राप्नोतु बालकात् । अहं तावज्जयाकांक्षी शये कपटमूर्च्छया
Let Shatrughna go to battle and win victory from the boy; for now, desiring victory, I will lie down, feigning unconsciousness.
इत्येवं मानसे कृत्वा पपात रणमंडले । पश्यतां सर्ववीराणां कपटेन विमूर्च्छितः
Thus resolving in his mind, he fell on the battlefield, feigning unconsciousness before the eyes of all the warriors.
तं मूर्च्छितं समाज्ञाय हनूमंतं महाबलम् । जघान सर्वान्नृपतीञ्छरमोक्षविचक्षणः
Recognizing Hanuman as unconscious, the mighty and skilled archer began to strike down all the kings with arrows.
शेष उवाच। मूर्च्छितं मारुतिं श्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नः शोकमाययौ । किंकर्तव्यं मया संख्ये बालकोऽयं महाबलः
Śeṣa said: Hearing that Māruti had fallen unconscious, Śatrughna was overcome with grief. In this battle, what should I do? This boy is mighty indeed.
स्वयं रथे हेममये तिष्ठन्वीरवरैः सह । योद्धुं प्रागाल्लवो यत्र विचित्ररणकोविदः
Standing himself upon a golden chariot, together with the foremost heroes, Lava—skilled in wondrous warfare—advanced to fight.
लवं ददर्श शिशुतां प्राप्तं राममिव क्षितौ । धनुर्बाणकरं वीरान्क्षिपंतं रणमूर्धनि
He saw Lava, though still a child, resembling Rāma upon the earth, holding bow and arrows, casting down heroes at the height of battle.
विचारयामास तदा कोऽयं रामस्वरूपधृक् । नीलोत्पलदलश्यामं वपुर्बिभ्रन्मनोहरम्
Then he pondered: Who is this, bearing the form of Rāma, with a charming body dark as a blue lotus petal?
एष वै देहतनुजा सुतो भवति नान्यथा । अस्मान्विजित्य समरे यास्यते मृगराडिव
Surely, he is the son born of that very body—there is no doubt. Having conquered us in battle, he will depart like a lion among beasts.
अस्माकं नो जयो भाव्यः शक्त्या विरहितात्मनाम् । अशक्ताः किं करिष्यामः समरे रणकोविदाः
Victory will not be ours, for we are deprived of strength. Though skilled in war, what can we do in battle when powerless?
इत्येवं स विचार्याथ बालकं तु वचोऽब्रवीत् । रणे कुतुककर्तारं वीरकोटिनिपातकम्
Thus reflecting, he then spoke to the boy—who delighted in battle and had struck down multitudes of heroes.
कस्त्वं बाल रणेऽस्माकं वीरान्पातयसि क्षितौ । न जानीषे बलं राज्ञो रामस्य दनुजार्दिनः
Who are you, child, who casts our heroes to the ground in battle? You do not know the might of King Rāma, subduer of demons.
का ते माता पिता कस्ते सुभाग्यो जयमाप्तवान् । नाम किं विश्रुतं लोके जानीयां ते महाबल
Who is your mother? Who is your father? What is your lineage, O fortunate one who has attained victory? What renowned name is yours in the world, O mighty boy?
मुञ्च वाहः कथं बद्धः शिशुत्वात्तत्क्षमामि ते । आयाहि रामं वीक्षस्व दास्यते बहुलं तव
Release your mount—how is it that you are bound? Because you are a child, I forgive you. Go, see Rāma; he will give you much.
इत्युक्तो बालको वीरो वचः शत्रुघ्नमावदत् । किं ते नाम्नाथ पित्रा वा कुलेन वयसा तथा
Thus addressed, the heroic boy replied to Śatrughna: Why do you ask my name, my father, my lineage, or my age?
युध्यस्व समरे वीर चेत्त्वं बलयुतो भवेः । कुशं वीरं नमस्कृत्य पादयोर्याहि नान्यथा
If you are truly a hero endowed with strength, then fight in battle! Otherwise, bow to the valiant Kuśa and approach his feet—there is no other way.
भ्राता रामस्य वीरो भूर्नावयोर्बलिनां वरः । वाहं विमोचय बलाच्छक्तिस्ते विद्यते यदि
I am the heroic brother of Rāma, foremost among the strong. If you have the power, release my mount by force.
इत्युक्त्वा शरसंधानं कृत्वा प्राहरदुद्भटः । हृदये मस्तके चैव भुजयो रणमंडले
Having spoken thus, the fierce one fitted his arrows and struck in the field of battle—at the heart, the head, and the arms.
तदा प्रकुपितो राजा धनुः सज्यमथाकरोत् । नादयन्मेघगंभीरं त्रासयन्निव बालकम्
Then the enraged king strung his bow, which thundered with a deep sound like clouds, as if to terrify the boy.
बाणानपरिसंख्यातान्मुमोच बलिनां वरः । बालो बलेन चिच्छेद सर्वांस्तान्सायकव्रजान्
The foremost of the strong released countless arrows, but the boy, with his own strength, cut down all those volleys of shafts.
लवस्यानेकधा मुक्तैर्बाणैर्व्याप्तं महीतलम् । व्यतीपाते प्रदत्तस्य दानस्येवाक्षयं गताः
The earth was covered with Lava's many arrows, as if the gifts given in a great offering had become inexhaustible.
ते बाणा व्योमसकलं व्याप्नुवँल्लवसंधिताः । सूर्यमंडलमासाद्य प्रवर्तंते समंततः
Those arrows, released by Lava, filled the entire sky, reaching the orb of the sun and spreading in all directions.
मारुतो नाविशद्यत्र बाणपंजरगोचरे । मनुष्याणां तु का वार्ता क्षणजीवितशंसिनाम्
Where the field is filled with a cage of arrows, even the wind cannot enter; what then can be said of humans, whose lives last but a moment?
तद्बाणान्विस्तृतान्दृष्ट्वा शत्रुघ्नो विस्मयं गतः । अच्छिनच्छतसाहस्रं बाणमोचनकोविदः
Seeing those arrows spread out, Shatrughna, skilled in releasing arrows, marveled and cut down a hundred thousand of them.
ताञ्छिन्नान्सायकान्सर्वान्स्वीयान्दृष्ट्वा कुशानुजः । धनुश्चिच्छेद तरसा शत्रुघ्नस्य महीपतेः
Kusha’s younger brother, seeing all his own arrows cut down, swiftly severed the bow of King Shatrughna.
सोऽन्यद्धनुरुपादाय यावन्मुंचति सायकान् । तावद्बभंज सरथं सायकैः शितपर्वभिः
He took up another bow and, as he began to release arrows, in that very moment his chariot was shattered by sharp-edged shafts.
करस्थमच्छिनच्चापं सुदृढं गुणपूरितम् । तत्कर्मापूजयन्वीरा रणमंडलवर्तिनः
The sturdy, well-strung bow in his hand was cut apart; the warriors present in the battle circle praised that deed.
सच्छिन्नधन्वा विरथो हताश्वो हतसारथिः । अन्यं रथं समास्थाय ययौ योद्धुं लवं बलात्
His bow broken, his chariot destroyed, his horses and charioteer slain, he mounted another chariot by force and went to fight Lava.
अनेकबाणनिर्भिन्नः स्रवद्रक्तकलेवरः । पुष्पितः किंशुक इव शुशुभे रणमध्यगः
Pierced by many arrows, his body streaming with blood, he shone in the midst of battle like a blossoming kimshuka tree.
शत्रुघ्नबाणप्रहतः परं कोपमुपागमत् । बाणसंधानचतुरः कुंडलीकृत चापवान्
Struck by Shatrughna’s arrows, he was seized by intense anger, adept at fixing arrows, and bent his bow into a circle.