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.
विशीर्णकवचं देहं शिरोमुकुटवर्जितम् । स्रवद्रक्तपरिप्लुष्टं शत्रुघ्नस्य चकार सः
He made Shatrughna’s body armor shatter, his headgear fall, and his form drenched in flowing blood.
तदा रामानुजः क्रुद्धो दशबाणाञ्छिताग्रकान् । मुमोच प्राणसंहारकारकान्कुपितो भृशम्
Then Rama’s younger brother, enraged, released ten sharp-tipped arrows, furious and intent on taking life.
स तांस्तांस्तिलशः कृत्वा बाणैर्निशितपर्वभिः । ताडयामास हृदये शत्रुघ्नस्याष्टभिः शरैः
He struck them with those keen-edged arrows, reducing them to atoms, and wounded Shatrughna’s heart with eight shafts.
अत्यंतं बाणपीडार्तो लवं बलिनमुत्स्मरन् । दुःसहं मन्यमानस्तं शरान्मुंचन्नभूत्तदा
Tormented by the extreme pain of arrows, recalling the mighty Lava, he considered the suffering unbearable and began to release arrows at him.
तदा लवेन तीक्ष्णेन हृदि भिन्नो विशालके । अर्धचंद्रसमानेन तीक्ष्णपर्वसुशोभिना
Then Lava, with a sharp, crescent-shaped, well-adorned arrow, pierced Shatrughna’s broad chest.
स विद्धो हृदि बाणेन पीडां प्राप्तः सुदारुणाम् । पपात स्यंदनोपस्थे धनुःपाणिः सुशोभितः
Struck in the heart by the arrow, suffering terrible pain, he fell onto the floor of his chariot, his hand still beautifully holding his bow.
शत्रुघ्नं मूर्छितं दृष्ट्वा नृपाश्च सुरथादयः । दुद्रुवुर्लवमुद्युक्ता जयप्राप्त्यै रणे तदा
Seeing Shatrughna unconscious, the kings, including Suratha and others, fled from Lava, who was eager for victory in battle.
सुरथो विमलो वीरो राजा वीरमणिस्तथा । सुमदो रिपुतापाद्याः परिवव्रुश्च संयुगे
Suratha, the valiant and pure king, along with Viramani, Sumada, and the foremost among enemy-tormenters, surrounded him in the fight.
केचित्क्षुरप्रैर्मुसलैः केचिद्बाणैः सुदारुणैः । प्रासैः परशुभिः केचित्सर्वतः प्राहरन्नृपाः
Some kings attacked with razors and maces, some with fierce arrows, and others with spears and axes from all sides.
तानधर्मेण युद्धोत्कान्दृष्ट्वा वीरशिरोमणिः । दशभिर्दशभिर्बाणैस्ताडयामास संयुगे
Seeing those warriors eager for righteous battle, the foremost among heroes struck them in combat with ten arrows each.