लवो धृतो नृपेणात्र केनचिद्धयरक्षिणा । बबंध बालको मेत्र हयं यागक्रियोचितम्
Lava was seized here by a king, a protector of horses; the boy tied up the horse meant for the sacrificial rite.
तद्रक्षकान्बहूञ्जिग्ये एकोऽनेकान्रिपून्बली । राजा तं मूर्च्छितं कृत्वा बबंध रणमूर्धनि
He, powerful, defeated many of the guards, though alone against many enemies; the king, making him unconscious, bound him on the battlefield.
बालका इति मामूचुः सहगंतार एव हि । ततोऽहं दुःखिता जाता निशम्य लवमाधृतम्
They, his companions, told me, 'He is a boy'; then I became distressed, hearing that Lava had been captured.
त्वं मोचय बलात्तस्मात्काले प्राप्तो नृपोत्तमात् । निशम्य मातुर्वचनं कुशः कोपसमन्वितः । जगाद तां दशन्नोष्ठं दंतैर्दंतान्विनिष्पिषन्
You must free him by force from that great king when the time comes; hearing his mother's words, Kusha, filled with anger, spoke to her, biting his lip and grinding his teeth.
कुश उवाच। मातर्जानीहि तं मुक्तं लवं पाशस्य बंधनात् । इदानीं हन्मि तं बाणैः समग्रबलवाहनम्
Kusha said: Mother, know that I will free Lava from the bonds of the noose; now I will slay that king with arrows, along with his entire force.
यदि देवोऽमरो वापि यदि शर्वः समागतः । तथापि मोचये तस्माद्बाणैर्निशितपर्वभिः
Even if he is a god, or an immortal, or if Shiva himself has come, still I will free him from there with arrows tipped with sharp points.
मा रोदिषि मातरिह वीराणां रणमूर्छितम् । कीर्तयेऽत्र भवत्येव पलायनमकीर्तये
Do not weep here, mother, for the fainting of heroes in battle; for you, I will bring fame here, and I will not bring disgrace by fleeing.
देहि मे कवचं दिव्यं धनुर्गुणसमन्वितम् । शिरस्त्राणं च मे मातः करवालं तथाशितम्
Give me the divine armor, the bow with its string, the helmet for my head, mother, and the sharpened sword as well.
इदानीं यामि समरे पातयामि बलं महत् । मोचयामि भ्रातरं स्वं रणमध्याद्विमूर्छितम्
Now I go to battle, I will strike down the great army, and I will free my brother, who has fallen unconscious in the midst of the fight.
न मोचयाम्यद्य पुत्रं तव मातर्महारणात् । तदा तौ मे भवत्पादौ संरुष्टौ भवतां क्षितौ
If today I do not free your son from the great battle, mother, then let your feet be covered with dust by me and my brother.
शेष उवाच। इति वाक्येन संतुष्टा जानकी शुभलक्षणा । सर्वं प्रादादस्त्रवृंदं जयाशीर्भिर्नियुज्यतम्
Shesha said: Thus, pleased by his words, Janaki, auspicious in marks, gave him all the weapons, and sent him forth with blessings for victory.
प्रयाहि पुत्र संग्रामं लवं मोचय मूर्च्छितम् । इत्याज्ञप्तः कुशः संख्ये कवची कुंडली बली
Go, my son, to battle, and free Lava, who has fallen unconscious; thus commanded, Kusha, strong, donned armor and earrings.
मुकुटी करवाली च चर्मधारी धनुर्धरः । अक्षयाविषुधी कृत्वा स्कंधयोः सिंहवीर्ययोः
He put on a crown, took up the sword, bore a shield, and grasped the bow; making inexhaustible quivers on his lion-like shoulders.
जगाम तरसा नत्वा मातृपादौ रथाग्रणीः । वेगेन यावद्युद्धाय गच्छति क्षिप्रमाहवे
He, leader of chariots, swiftly went, bowing to his mother's feet; as he hurried to the battle with speed, eager for the fight.
तावद्ददर्श स्वलवं वैरिवृंदनिपातकम् । आयांतं तं कुशं वीरा ददृशुः सुमहाभटाः
At that moment, they saw Svalava, the destroyer of enemy hosts, approaching; the mighty warriors beheld Kuśa coming.
कृतांतमिव संहर्तुं सर्वं विश्वमुपस्थितम् । लवो महाबलं दृष्ट्वा कुशं भ्रातरमागतम्
Seeing Kuśa, his brother, of immense strength, arriving as if to bring an end to all creation, Lava stood ready.
अत्यंतं वह्निवद्युद्धे दिदीपे वायुना समम् । रथादुन्मुच्य चात्मानं युद्धाय स विनिर्गतः
In battle, he shone intensely like fire, together with the wind; leaping from his chariot, he advanced for combat.
कुशः सर्वान्रणस्थान्वै वीरान्पूर्वदिशि क्षिपत् । पश्चिमायां दिशि लवः कोपात्सर्वान्समैरयत्
Kuśa hurled all the warriors standing in the battlefield toward the eastern direction; out of anger, Lava drove them all toward the west.
कुशबाणव्यथाव्याप्ता लवसायकपीडिताः । सैन्ये जना मुने सर्वे उत्कल्लोलांबुधिभ्रमाः ४७ उत्कल। कुशेन च लवेनाथ शरव्रातैः प्रपीडितम् । न शर्म लेभे सकलं सैन्यं वीरप्रपूरितम्
All the people in the army, O sage, afflicted by Kuśa's arrows and tormented by Lava's shafts, were like waves in a stormy ocean; the army, overwhelmed by the showers of arrows from Kuśa and Lava, found no peace, though filled with valiant men.
इतस्ततः प्रभग्नं तद्बलं त्रस्तं पुनः पुनः । न कुत्रचिद्रणे स्थित्वा युद्धमैच्छद्बलान्वितः
That force was repeatedly broken and terrified, fleeing here and there; nowhere in battle did it stand, nor did it desire to fight, though possessing strength.
एतस्मिन्समये राजा शत्रुघ्नः परतापनः । कुशं वीरं ययौ योद्धुं तादृशं लवसन्निभम्
At that time, King Śatrughna, the tormentor of foes, went to fight with the heroic Kuśa, who was equal to Lava.
कुशं दृष्ट्वा बलाक्रांतं राममूर्तिसमप्रभम् । रथे तिष्ठन्हेममये जगाद परवीरहा
Seeing Kuśa, possessed of strength and radiant like the form of Rāma, Śatrughna, standing in his golden chariot, spoke, the slayer of enemy heroes.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। कोऽसि त्वं सन्निभो भ्रात्रा लवेन सुमहाबलः । किं नामासि महावीर कस्ते तातः क्व ते प्रसूः
Śatrughna said: Who are you, resembling your brother Lava and possessed of great strength? What is your name, mighty hero? Who is your father, and where is your birthplace?
कथं वने द्विजैर्जुष्टे तिष्ठसि त्वं नरर्षभ । सर्वं शंस यथायुध्ये त्वया सह महाबल
How do you, O best among men, dwell in this forest frequented by sages? Tell me everything, so that I may fight with you, O mighty one.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य कुशः प्रोवाच भूमिपम् । मेघगंभीरया वाचा नादयन्रणमंडलम्
Hearing these words, Kuśa spoke to the king, his voice deep as a cloud, resounding throughout the battlefield.
केवलं सुषुवे सीता पतिव्रतपरायणा । वने वसावो वाल्मीकेश्चरणार्चनतत्परौ
Only Sītā, devoted to her husband, gave birth to us; we lived in the forest, dedicated to worship at the feet of Vālmīki.
मातृसेवासमुद्युक्तौ सर्वविद्याविशारदौ । कुशो लव इति प्रख्यामागतौ भूपतेऽनघ
Engaged in service to our mother and skilled in all knowledge, we are known as Kuśa and Lava, O sinless king.
कस्त्वं वीरो रणश्लाघी किमर्थं हयसत्तमः । मुक्तोऽस्ति समरे त्वद्य जेतासि बलसंयुतः
Who are you, heroic and proud of battle? For what purpose, O best of horses, have you been released in combat today, equipped with strength to conquer?
युध्यस्व त्वं मया सार्द्धं यदि वीरोऽसि भूमिप । इदानीं पातयिष्यामि भवंतं रणमूर्धनि
Fight with me, O king, if you are a hero; now I will bring you down on the battlefield.
शत्रुघ्नस्तं सुतं ज्ञात्वा सीताया रामसंभवम् । विसिष्माय स्वयं चित्ते कोपाद्धनुरुपाददत्
Śatrughna, recognizing him as Sītā's son, born of Rāma, was astonished in his heart; out of anger, he took up his bow.