ततः प्रोवाच वचनं तावुभौ पुरुषोत्तमौ
Then he spoke words to both those supreme men.
क्व तपः क्व जटाभारः क्व चेमौ प्रवरायुधौ
Where is austerity, where is the burden of matted hair, and where are these two excellent weapons?
सामर्थ्ये सति यः कुर्यात् तत्संपद्येत तस्य हि
Whatever one does, if capable, that indeed is accomplished by him.
मयि तिष्ठति दैत्येन्द्रे धर्मसेतुप्रवर्तके
While I stand here, O lord of the demons, as the establisher of the bridge of dharma,
न कश्चिच्छक्नुयाद् योद्धुं नरनारायणौ युधि
No one is able to fight against Nara and Nārāyaṇa in battle.
यथा कथञ्चिज्जेष्यामि नरनारायणौ रणे
By any means, I will defeat Nara and Nārāyaṇa in combat.
वितत्य चापं गुणमाविकृष्य तलध्वनिं घोरतरं चकार
Stringing the bow and drawing the cord, he made a most terrible sound with his palm.
मुमोच तानप्रतिमैः पृषत्कैश्चिच्छेद दैत्यस्तपनीयपुङ्खैः
He released arrows equal to those, and the demon cut them with arrows tipped with gold.
क्रुद्धः समानम्य महाधनुस्ततो मुमोच चान्यान् विविधान् पृषत्कान्
Angry, he bent the great bow and then released various other arrows.
नरस्तु बाणान् प्रमुमोच पञ्च षड् द्रत्यनाथो निशितान् पृषत्कान्
Nara released five, then six sharp arrows, protected by his bow.
षट्त्रीणि चैकं च दितीश्वरेण मुक्तानि बाणानि नराय विप्र
Six, three, and one arrows were released by the lord of the Daityas, O sage, at Nara.
षट् सप्त चाष्टौ नव षण्नरेण द्विसप्ततिं दैत्यपतिः ससर्ज्ज
Six, seven, eight, nine, and six by Nara; the lord of the demons released seventy-two.
ततो ऽप्यसंख्येयतरान् हि बाणान् मुमोचतुस्तौ सुभृशं हि कोपात्
Then both, out of intense anger, released countless arrows.
स चापि दैत्यप्रवरः पृषत्कैश्चिच्छेद वेगात् तपनीयपुङ्खैः
And that foremost demon, with arrows tipped with gold, swiftly cut them down.
युद्धे वरास्त्रैर्युध्येतां घोररूपैः परस्परम्
In battle, they fought each other with mighty weapons of terrifying form.
महेश्वरास्त्रं पुरुषोत्तमेव समं समाहत्य निपेततुस्तौ
The Maheshvara missile and the Supreme Person’s weapon collided equally and fell together.
गदां प्रगृह्य तरसा प्रचस्कन्द रथोत्तमात्
Seizing his mace with force, he swiftly leapt down from his excellent chariot.
दृष्ट्वाथ पृष्ठतश्चक्रे नरं योद्धूमनाः स्वयम्
Seeing this, he himself, eager for combat, turned to face the man from behind.
ख्यातं पुराणर्षिमुदारविक्रमं नारायणं नारद लोकपालम्
That renowned ancient sage of noble valor, Narada, the protector of the worlds, known as Narayana—
परिभ्राम्य गदां वेगात् मूर्ध्नि साध्यमताडयत्
Whirling his mace with speed, he struck Sadhya forcefully on the head.
नेत्राभ्यामपतद् वारि वह्निवर्षनिभं भुवि
From his eyes fell water to the ground, resembling a shower of fire.
जगाम शतधा ब्रह्मञ्शैलशृङ्गे यथाशनिः
O Brahman, he was shattered into a hundred pieces, like a mountain peak struck by lightning.
आदाय कार्मुकं वीरस्तूणद् बाणं समाददे
The hero took up his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver.
मुमोच साध्याय तदा क्रोधन्धकारिताननः
Then, his face darkened by anger, he released it at Sadhya.
चिच्छेद बाणैरपरैर्निर्बिभेद च दानवम्
With other arrows he cut and pierced the demon.
आविध्येतां तदान्योन्यं मर्मभिद्भिरजिह्यगैः
Then they pierced each other with serpent-like arrows that struck the vital points.
दिदृक्षूणां तदा युद्धं लघु चित्रं च सुष्ठु च
Those eager to witness saw that battle, swift, marvelous, and truly wondrous.
पुष्पवर्षमनौपम्यं मुमुचुः साध्यदैत्ययौः
The Sadhya and Daitya heroes showered incomparable rain of flowers.
अयुध्येतां महेष्वासौ प्रेक्षकप्रीतिवर्द्धनम्
Those great archers fought in a way that increased the delight of the onlookers.
दिशश्च विदिशश्चैव छादयेतां शरोत्करैः
With volleys of arrows, they covered all the directions and intermediate quarters.