आदित्य इव दुष्प्रेक्ष्यो रश्मिभिर्भाति रावणः। न व्यक्तं लक्षये ह्यस्य रूपं तेजःसमावृतम्
Ravana shines with rays, difficult to gaze upon like the sun; I cannot clearly discern his form, for it is enveloped in brilliance.
देवदानववीराणां वपुर्नैवंविधं भवेत्। यादृशं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वपुरेतद् विराजते
The form of the rakshasa king, which shines here, is not found among the heroes of gods or demons.
सर्वे पर्वतसंकाशाः सर्वे पर्वतयोधिनः। सर्वे दीप्तायुधधरा योधास्तस्य महात्मनः
All his warriors are mountain-like, all are mountain-fighters, all bear blazing weapons, those warriors of the great-souled one.
विभाति रक्षोराजोऽसौ प्रदीप्तैर्भीमदर्शनैः। भूतैः परिवृतस्तीक्ष्णैर्देहवद्भिरिवान्तकः
That king of the rakshasas shines, surrounded by fierce, terrifying beings, blazing like Death himself with embodied forms.
दिष्ट्यायमद्य पापात्मा मम दृष्टिपथं गतः। अद्य क्रोधं विमोक्ष्यामि सीताहरणसम्भवम्
By fortune, this evil-souled one has today come within my sight; today I will release the anger born from Sita's abduction.
एवमुक्त्वा ततो रामो धनुरादाय वीर्यवान्। लक्ष्मणानुचरस्तस्थौ समुद्धृत्य शरोत्तमम्
Having spoken thus, Rama, mighty in valor, took up his bow, and, accompanied by Lakshmana, stood ready, having drawn forth the finest arrow.
ततः स रक्षोधिपतिर्महात्मा रक्षांसि तान्याह महाबलानि। द्वारेषु चर्यागृहगोपुरेषु सुनिर्वृतास्तिष्ठत निर्विशङ्काः
Then the great-souled lord of the rakshasas addressed those powerful rakshasas: 'Remain secure and untroubled at the gates, in the guardhouses, and at the towers.'
इहागतं मां सहितं भवद्भि- र्वनौकसश्छिद्रमिदं विदित्वा। शून्यां पुरीं दुष्प्रसहां प्रमथ्य प्रधर्षयेयुः सहसा समेताः
'Knowing that I have arrived here together with you forest-dwellers, they may suddenly attack this empty, hard-to-conquer city, having discovered its weakness.'
विसर्जयित्वा सचिवांस्ततस्तान् गतेषु रक्षःसु यथानियोगम्। व्यदारयद् वानरसागरौघं महाझषः पूर्णमिवार्णवौघम्
After dismissing his ministers, and when the rakshasas had departed as ordered, he tore through the ocean-like mass of monkeys like a great fish through a full sea.
तमापतन्तं सहसा समीक्ष्य दीप्तेषुचापं युधि राक्षसेन्द्रम्। महत् समुत्पाट्य महीधराग्रं दुद्राव रक्षोधिपतिं हरीशः
Seeing the rakshasa king rushing swiftly in battle, with blazing arrows and bow, the monkey lord uprooted a great mountain peak and charged at the lord of the rakshasas.
तच्छैलशृङ्गं बहुवृक्षसानुं प्रगृह्य चिक्षेप निशाचराय। तमापतन्तं सहसा समीक्ष्य चिच्छेद बाणैस्तपनीयपुङ्खैः
Grasping that mountain peak, with many trees upon it, he hurled it at the night-wanderer; seeing it rushing swiftly, Ravana cut it apart with arrows tipped in gold.
तस्मिन् प्रवृद्धोत्तमसानुवृक्षे शृङ्गे विदीर्णे पतिते पृथिव्याम्। महाहिकल्पं शरमन्तकाभं समादधे राक्षसलोकनाथः
When that peak, with its great slopes and trees, was shattered and had fallen to the earth, the lord of the rakshasa world took up an arrow resembling Death, like a great serpent.
स तं गृहीत्वानिलतुल्यवेगं सविस्फुलिङ्गज्वलनप्रकाशम्। बाणं महेन्द्राशनितुल्यवेगं चिक्षेप सुग्रीववधाय रुष्टः
Seizing that arrow, swift as the wind, blazing with sparks like fire, and with the speed of Indra's thunderbolt, he hurled it in anger to slay Sugriva.
स सायको रावणबाहुमुक्तः शक्राशनिप्रख्यवपुःप्रकाशम्। सुग्रीवमासाद्य बिभेद वेगाद् गुहेरिता क्रौञ्चमिवोग्रशक्तिः
That arrow, released from Ravana's arm, shone with the form and brilliance of Indra's thunderbolt; striking Sugriva with force, it pierced him like a fierce spear wounds a crane.
स सायकार्तो विपरीतचेताः कूजन् पृथिव्यां निपपात वीरः। तं वीक्ष्य भूमौ पतितं विसंज्ञं नेदुः प्रहृष्टा युधि यातुधानाः
Struck by the arrow, the hero, his mind overturned, cried out and fell to the earth; seeing him fallen and unconscious, the delighted rakshasas roared in battle.
ततो गवाक्षो गवयः सुषेण- स्त्वथर्षभो ज्योतिमुखो नलश्च। शैलान् समुत्पाट्य विवृद्धकायाः प्रदुद्रुवुस्तं प्रति राक्षसेन्द्रम्
Then Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Suṣeṇa, and also Ṛṣabha, Jyotimukha, and Nala—those mighty ones—uprooted mountains and rushed toward the king of the Rākṣasas.
तेषां प्रहारान् स चकार मोघान् रक्षोधिपो बाणशतैः शिताग्रैः। तान् वानरेन्द्रानपि बाणजालै- र्बिभेद जाम्बूनदचित्रपुङ्खैः
The lord of the Rākṣasas made their attacks futile with hundreds of sharp arrows; he pierced those leaders of the monkeys with showers of arrows adorned with gold.
ते वानरेन्द्रास्त्रिदशारिबाणै- र्भिन्ना निपेतुर्भुवि भीमकायाः। ततस्तु तद् वानरसैन्यमुग्रं प्रच्छादयामास स बाणजालैः
Those mighty-bodied leaders of the monkeys, struck by the arrows of the lord of the immortals, fell to the ground; then that fierce monkey army was covered by a torrent of arrows.
ते वध्यमानाः पतिताश्च वीरा नानद्यमाना भयशल्यविद्धाः। शाखामृगा रावणसायकार्ता जग्मुः शरण्यं शरणं स्म रामम्
Those heroes, being slain and fallen, wounded by the arrows of Rāvaṇa and filled with the pain of fear, the monkey warriors, crying out, sought refuge in Rāma, the protector.
ततो महात्मा स धनुर्धनुष्मा- नादाय रामः सहसा जगाम। तं लक्ष्मणः प्राञ्जलिरभ्युपेत्य उवाच रामं परमार्थयुक्तम्
Then the great-souled Rāma, armed with his bow, quickly advanced; Lakṣmaṇa approached him with joined palms and spoke to Rāma words of profound meaning.
काममार्य सुपर्याप्तो वधायास्य दुरात्मनः। विधमिष्याम्यहं चैतमनुजानीहि मां विभो
Noble one, I am indeed fully capable of killing this wicked one; grant me permission, Lord, and I will slay him.
तमब्रवीन्महातेजा रामः सत्यपराक्रमः। गच्छ यत्नपरश्चापि भव लक्ष्मण संयुगे
Rāma, of great splendor and true valor, replied to him: 'Go, and be diligent and steadfast in battle, Lakṣmaṇa.'
रावणो हि महावीर्यो रणेऽद्भुतपराक्रमः। त्रैलोक्येनापि संक्रुद्धो दुष्प्रसह्यो न संशयः
For Rāvaṇa is of great might, wondrous in battle; if enraged, he is difficult to overcome even for the three worlds—there is no doubt.
तस्यच्छिद्राणि मार्गस्व स्वच्छिद्राणि च लक्षय। चक्षुषा धनुषाऽऽत्मानं गोपायस्व समाहितः
Seek out his vulnerabilities and also be mindful of your own; with focused mind, protect yourself with your eyes and your bow.
राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सम्परिष्वज्य पूज्य च। अभिवाद्य च रामाय ययौ सौमित्रिराहवे
Hearing Rāghava's words, Saumitri embraced and honored him, bowed to Rāma, and went forth to the battle.
स रावणं वारणहस्तबाहुं ददर्श भीमोद्यतदीप्तचापम्। प्रच्छादयन्तं शरवृष्टिजालै- स्तान् वानरान् भिन्नविकीर्णदेहान्
He saw Rāvaṇa, whose arms were like elephant trunks, brandishing a blazing bow, covering the monkeys—whose bodies were wounded and scattered—with showers of arrows.
तमालोक्य महातेजा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। निवार्य शरजालानि विदुद्राव स रावणम्
Seeing him, the mighty Hanumān, son of the wind, warded off the showers of arrows and rushed at Rāvaṇa.
रथं तस्य समासाद्य बाहुमुद्यम्य दक्षिणम्। त्रासयन् रावणं धीमान् हनूमान् वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Approaching his chariot, raising his right arm, Hanumān, the wise one, frightened Rāvaṇa and spoke these words.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैर्यक्षैश्च सह राक्षसैः। अवध्यत्वं त्वया प्राप्तं वानरेभ्यस्तु ते भयम्
You have obtained invulnerability from gods, demons, gandharvas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas; but from the monkeys, you have cause for fear.
एष मे दक्षिणो बाहुः पञ्चशाखः समुद्यतः। विधमिष्यति ते देहे भूतात्मानं चिरोषितम्
Here is my right arm, with five branches, raised; it will destroy your body and release the being that has long dwelled within it.