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.
ते बाणवर्षविहता रणमध्ये सुकोपनाः । केचित्पलायिताः केचिन्मुमुहुर्युद्धमंडले
Struck down by the rain of arrows in the midst of battle, some, enraged, fled, while others became bewildered on the field of war.
तावत्स राजा शत्रुघ्नो मूर्च्छां संत्यज्य संगरे । लवं प्रायान्महावीरं योद्धुं बलसमन्वितः
Then King Shatrughna, having shaken off his faintness in the fight, advanced with his forces to engage the mighty Lava.
आगत्य तं लवं प्राह धन्योसि शिशुसन्निभः । न बालस्त्वं सुरः कश्चिच्छलितुं मां समागतः
Approaching Lava, he said: 'Fortunate are you, though you appear as a mere child; you are no boy, but some god who has come to deceive me.'
केनापि नहि वीरेण पातितो रणमंडले । त्वयाहं प्रापितो मूर्च्छां समक्षं मम पश्यतः
No hero has ever cast me down on the battlefield; yet you have brought me to unconsciousness, right before my own eyes.
इदानीं पश्य मे वीर्यं त्वां संख्ये पातयाम्यहम् । सहस्व बाणमेकं त्वं मापलायस्व बालक
Now witness my valor—I shall strike you down in this contest. Endure a single arrow from me, boy, and do not flee.
इत्युक्त्वा समरे बालं शरमेकं समाददे । यमवक्त्रसमं घोरं लवणो येन घातितः
Having spoken thus, he took up a single arrow in battle, one as dreadful as the jaws of Death, by which Lavana had been slain.
संधाय बाणं जाज्वल्यं हृदि भेत्तुं मनो दधत् । लवं वीरसहस्राणां वह्निवत्सर्वदाहकम्
Fitting the blazing arrow, intent on piercing Lava's heart, he aimed it—an arrow that could burn up thousands of heroes like fire.
तं बाणं प्रज्वलंतं स द्योतयंतं दिशो दश । दृष्ट्वा सस्मार बलिनं कुशं वैरिनिपातिनम्
Seeing that flaming arrow, lighting up the ten directions, Lava remembered his powerful brother Kusha, the destroyer of enemies.
यद्यस्मिन्समये वीरो भ्राता स्याद्बलवान्मम । तदा शत्रुघ्नवशता न मे स्याद्भयमुल्बणम्
'If at this moment my mighty brother were here, then I would have no great fear of Shatrughna's power.'
एवं तर्कयतस्तस्य लवस्य च महात्मनः । हृदि लग्नो महाबाणो घोरः कालानलोपमः
While the high-souled Lava was thinking thus, the terrible arrow, like the fire of destruction, struck and lodged in his heart.