मूर्च्छां प्राप तदा वीरो भूपसायकसंहतः । संगरे सर्ववीराणां शिरोभिः समलंकृते
Then the hero, struck by the king's arrow, fell unconscious on the battlefield, which was adorned with the heads of all the warriors.
इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखण्डे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे लवमूर्च्छानाम द्विषष्टितमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the sixty-second chapter, called 'The Fainting of Lava,' in the dialogue of Shesha and Vatsyayana, in the Patala Khanda of the glorious Padma Purana, concerning Rama's Ashvamedha.
शेष उवाच। लवं विमूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा बलिवैरिविदारणम् । शत्रुघ्नो जयमापेदे रणमूर्ध्नि महाबलः
Shesha said: Seeing Lava, the destroyer of mighty foes, fallen unconscious, the powerful Shatrughna gained victory at the height of battle.
लवं बालं रथे स्थाप्य शिरस्त्राणाद्यलंकृतम् । रामप्रतिनिधिं मूर्त्या ततो गंतुमियेष सः
Placing the boy Lava, adorned with a helmet, upon his chariot as Rama's representative in form, he then set out to depart.
स्वमित्रं शत्रुणा ग्रस्तमिति दुःखसमन्विताः । बालामात्रेऽस्य सीतायै त्वरिताः संन्यवेदयन्
His friends, filled with grief that their companion had been seized by the enemy, quickly reported to Sita that her child had been captured.
बाला ऊचुः। मातर्जानकि ते पुत्रो बलाद्वाहमपाहरत् । कस्यचिद्भूपवर्यस्य बलयुक्तस्य मानिनः
The boys said: 'Mother Janaki, your son has been forcibly taken by a certain proud and powerful king.'
ततो युद्धमभूद्घोरं तस्य सैन्येन जानकि । तदा वीरेण पुत्रेण तव सर्वं निपातितम्
Then there was a fierce battle with that king's army, O Janaki, and your heroic son destroyed them all.
पश्चादपि जयं प्राप्तः सुतस्तव मनोहरः । तं भूपं मूर्छितं कृत्वा जयमाप रणांगणे
Even afterwards, your charming son won victory, having caused that king to fall unconscious and triumphed on the field of war.
ततो मूर्च्छां विहायैष राजा परमदारुणः । संकुप्य पातयामास तव पुत्रं रणांगणे
Then, casting off his faintness, that king, exceedingly cruel, became enraged and struck down your son on the battlefield.
अस्माभिर्वारितः पूर्वं मा गृहाण हयोत्तमम् । अस्मान्सर्वांश्च धिक्कृत्य ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान्
We had previously warned him: 'Do not seize the excellent horse.' Disregarding all of us, the Brahmins learned in the Vedas, he scorned us.
इति वाक्यं शिशूनां सा समाकर्ण्य सुदारुणम् । पपात भूतलोपस्थे दुःखयुक्ता रुरोद ह
Hearing these harsh words spoken by the children, she, overwhelmed by sorrow, fell to the ground and wept.
सीतोवाच। कथं नृपो दयाहीनो बालेन सह युध्यति । अधर्मकृतदुर्बुद्धिर्यो मद्बालं न्यपातयत्
Sita spoke: How can a king devoid of compassion fight against a child? He, acting unrighteously and with evil intent, has struck down my boy.
लव वीरभवान्कुत्र वर्ततेऽति बलान्वितः । कथं त्वं निष्कृपस्याहो राज्ञोऽहार्षीद्धयोत्तमम्
Where is Lava, endowed with heroic strength? How did you, alas, bring the excellent horse to the merciless king?
त्वं बालस्ते दुराक्रांताः सर्वशस्त्रविशारदाः । रथस्था विरथस्त्वं वै कथं युद्धं समं भवेत्
You are a child, while they are all experts in weapons and difficult to overcome. You were on foot, they in chariots—how could the battle have been equal?
ताताहं तु त्वया सार्द्धं रामत्यागासुखं जहौ । इदानीं रहिता युष्मत्कथं जीवामि कानने
My dear, together with you I abandoned the comfort of Rama's home; now, bereft of you, how shall I live in the forest?
एहि मां मुंच यज्ञाश्वं गच्छत्वेष महीपतिः । मद्दुःखं नाभिजानासि मम दुःखप्रमार्जकः
Come to me, release the sacrificial horse; let the king depart. He does not know my sorrow, nor is he the remover of my grief.
कुशो यद्यभविष्यत्स रणे वीरशिरोमणिः । अमोचयिष्यदधुना भवंतं भूपपार्श्वतः
If Kusha, the foremost among warriors, had been present in battle, he would have freed you from the king's side by now.
सोऽपि मद्दैवतो नास्ति समीपे किं करोम्यतः । दैवमेव ममाप्यत्र कारणं दुःखसंभवे
But even my own deity is not near me—what can I do now? Fate alone is the cause of my suffering here.
एवमादि बहुश्रीमत्येषा वै विललाप ह । पादांगुष्ठेन लिखती भूमिं नेत्रद्वयाश्रुभिः
Thus, in many ways, this noble lady lamented, tracing the earth with her toe, her two eyes streaming with tears.
बालान्प्रति जगादासौ पृथुकः स च भूपतिः । कथं मत्सुतमापात्य रणे कुत्र गमिष्यति
Addressing the children, the king Pṛthuka spoke: 'After striking down my son in battle, where will he go?'
इति वाक्यं वदत्येषा जानकी पतिदेवता । तावत्कुशस्तु संप्राप्त उज्जयिन्या महर्षिभिः
As Janaki, devoted to her husband, was speaking these words, at that very moment Kusha arrived at Ujjayini with the great sages.
माघासितचतुर्दश्यां महाकालं समर्च्य च । प्राप्य भूरिवरांस्तस्मादागमन्मातृसन्निधौ
On the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Magha, having worshipped Mahakala and received the best gifts from the land, he came into his mother's presence.
जानकीं विह्वलां दृष्ट्वा नेत्रोद्भूताश्रु विक्लवाम् । शोकविह्वलदीनांगीं बभाषे यावदुत्सुकः
Seeing Janaki distraught, her eyes filled with tears and her body weakened by grief, he, eager, spoke to her.
तदा स्वबाहुरवदत्स्फुरद्युद्धाभिशंसनः । हृदये चरणोत्साहो बभूवातिरथस्य हि
Then, with his own arm, he spoke, his words trembling with the promise of battle; in his heart arose the urge for heroic action.
स प्रत्युवाच जननीं दीनगद्गदभाषिणीम् । मातस्तव गतं दुःखं मयि पुत्र उपस्थिते
He replied to his mother, who spoke in a distressed and faltering voice: 'Mother, your sorrow has departed now that your son is present.'
मयि जीवति ते नेत्रादश्रूणि भुवि नो पतन् । प्रसूमुवाचाश्रुखिन्नां दीनगद्गदभाषिणीम्
While I live, your tears will not fall to the earth from your eyes; he spoke thus to his mother, distressed and tearful, in a faltering voice.
कुशो दुःखमितः सद्यो दुःखितां धीरमानसः । मम भ्राता लवः कुत्र वर्तते वैरिमर्दनः
Kusha, who measures sorrow, was immediately distressed in mind; he wondered, 'Where is my brother Lava, the destroyer of enemies, now?'
सदा मामागतं ज्ञात्वा प्रहर्षन्सन्निधावियात् । न दृश्यते कथं वीरः कुत्र रंतुं गतो बली
He would always come to me joyfully, knowing I had arrived; why is this hero not seen, where has the mighty one gone to sport?
केन वा सह बालत्वाद्गतो मां वै निरीक्षितुम् । किं त्वं रोदिषि मे मातर्लवः कुत्र स वर्तते
With whom, due to his youth, has he gone, perhaps to look at me? But mother, why do you weep? Where is that Lava now?
तन्मे कथय सर्वं यत्तव दुःखस्य कारणम् । तच्छ्रुत्वा पुत्रवाक्यं सा दुःखिता कुशमब्रवीत्
Tell me everything, what is the cause of your sorrow; hearing her son's words, she, afflicted, spoke to Kusha.