तेऽभिवाद्य महात्मानं रावणं लोकरावणम्। कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं चैव महाकायाः प्रतस्थिरे
Those great-bodied ones, having saluted the mighty Rāvaṇa, lord of the worlds, and circumambulated him, set out.
सर्वौषधीभिर्गन्धैश्च समालभ्य महाबलाः। निर्जग्मुर्नैर्ऋतश्रेष्ठाः षडेते युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः
Anointed with all kinds of herbs and fragrant scents, these six foremost of the night-walkers, eager for battle, departed.
त्रिशिराश्चातिकायश्च देवान्तकनरान्तकौ। महोदरमहापार्श्वौ निर्जग्मुः कालचोदिताः
Triśiras, Atikāya, Devāntaka, Narāntaka, Mahodara, and Mahāpārśva set out, impelled by fate.
ततः सुदर्शनं नागं नीलजीमूतसंनिभम्। ऐरावतकुले जातमारुरोह महोदरः
Then Mahodara mounted the splendid elephant Sudarśana, dark as a rain cloud, born in the lineage of Airāvata.
सर्वायुधसमायुक्तस्तूणीभिश्चाप्यलंकृतः। रराज गजमास्थाय सवितेवास्तमूर्धनि
Equipped with all weapons and adorned with quivers, he shone atop the elephant like the sun on the summit at dusk.
हयोत्तमसमायुक्तं सर्वायुधसमाकुलम्। आरुरोह रथश्रेष्ठं त्रिशिरा रावणात्मजः
Triśiras, son of Rāvaṇa, mounted the finest chariot, yoked with excellent horses and filled with all kinds of weapons.
त्रिशिरा रथमास्थाय विरराज धनुर्धरः। सविद्युदुल्कः सज्वालः सेन्द्रचाप इवाम्बुदः
Triśiras, the archer, mounted his chariot and shone like a rain cloud with lightning, meteors, and blazing fire, adorned with Indra's bow.
त्रिभिः किरीटैस्त्रिशिराः शुशुभे स रथोत्तमे। हिमवानिव शैलेन्द्रस्त्रिभिः काञ्चनपर्वतैः
Triśiras, with his three crowns, shone on his splendid chariot like Himavat, king of mountains, with three golden peaks.
अतिकायोऽतितेजस्वी राक्षसेन्द्रसुतस्तदा। आरुरोह रथश्रेष्ठं श्रेष्ठः सर्वधनुष्मताम्
Then Atikāya, supremely radiant, son of the lord of rākṣasas, the best of all archers, mounted the finest chariot.
सुचक्राक्षं सुसंयुक्तं स्वनुकर्षं सुकूबरम्। तूणीबाणासनैर्दीप्तं प्रासासिपरिघाकुलम्
It was equipped with excellent wheels, well-joined, with its own sound, a fine pole, adorned with quivers, arrows, and bows, and crowded with spears, swords, and maces.
स काञ्चनविचित्रेण किरीटेन विराजता। भूषणैश्च बभौ मेरुः प्रभाभिरिव भासयन्
He shone with a crown beautifully decorated with gold, and with ornaments, he glowed like Mount Meru illuminated by radiance.
स रराज रथे तस्मिन् राजसूनुर्महाबलः। वृतो नैर्ऋतशार्दूलैर्वज्रपाणिरिवामरैः
That mighty prince, surrounded by the tiger-like leaders of the night-dwellers, shone on that chariot like Indra with the gods.
हयमुच्चैःश्रवःप्रख्यं श्वेतं कनकभूषणम्। मनोजवं महाकायमारुरोह नरान्तकः
Narāntaka mounted a white horse, resembling Uccaiḥśravas, adorned with gold, swift as the mind, and of great size.
गृहीत्वा प्रासमुल्काभं विरराज नरान्तकः। शक्तिमादाय तेजस्वी गुहः शिखिगतो यथा
Narāntaka, taking a spear bright as fire, shone forth, and the radiant Guha, taking a weapon, was like a peacock on a mountain.
देवान्तकः समादाय परिघं हेमभूषणम्। परिगृह्य गिरिं दोर्भ्यां वपुर्विष्णोर्विडम्बयन्
Devāntaka, taking a mace adorned with gold, grasped a mountain with his arms, imitating the form of Vishnu.
महापार्श्वो महातेजा गदामादाय वीर्यवान्। विरराज गदापाणिः कुबेर इव संयुगे
Mahāpārśva, of great energy and valor, took up a mace and shone with it in his hand, like Kubera in battle.
ते प्रतस्थुर्महात्मानोऽमरावत्याः सुरा इव। तान् गजैश्च तुरङ्गैश्च रथैश्चाम्बुदनिःस्वनैः
Those great souls advanced like the gods in Amaravati; with elephants, horses, and chariots, their thunderous sounds echoed.
अनूत्पेतुर्महात्मानो राक्षसाः प्रवरायुधाः। ते विरेजुर्महात्मानः कुमाराः सूर्यवर्चसः
The mighty rakṣasas, armed with excellent weapons, rushed forth; those radiant princes shone with the brilliance of the sun.
किरीटिनः श्रिया जुष्टा ग्रहा दीप्ता इवाम्बरे। प्रगृहीता बभौ तेषां शस्त्राणामवलिः सिता
Crowned and adorned with splendor, they were like bright planets in the sky; the array of their weapons gleamed white.
शरदभ्रप्रतीकाशा हंसावलिरिवाम्बरे। मरणं वापि निश्चित्य शत्रूणां वा पराजयम्
Like a flock of swans in the sky, resembling autumn clouds, they resolved either to die or to defeat their enemies.
इति कृत्वा मतिं वीराः संजग्मुः संयुगार्थिनः। जगर्जुश्च प्रणेदुश्च चिक्षिपुश्चापि सायकान्
Thus making up their minds, the heroes went forth seeking battle; they roared, trumpeted, and hurled arrows.
जगृहुश्च महात्मानो निर्यान्तो युद्धदुर्मदाः। क्ष्वेडितास्फोटितानां वै संचचालेव मेदिनी
The great souls, fierce in battle, seized their weapons as they went out; the earth seemed to tremble with their shouts and the sounds of their blows.
रक्षसां सिंहनादैश्च संस्फोटितमिवाम्बरम्। तेऽभिनिष्क्रम्य मुदिता राक्षसेन्द्रा महाबलाः
With the lion-roars of the rakṣasas, the sky seemed to resound; those mighty rakṣasa lords emerged joyfully.
ददृशुर्वानरानीकं समुद्यतशिलानगम्। हरयोऽपि महात्मानो ददृशू राक्षसं बलम्
They saw the army of monkeys, raising rocks and trees; and the great-souled monkeys saw the rakṣasa forces.
हस्त्यश्वरथसम्बाधं किङ्किणीशतनादितम्। नीलजीमूतसंकाशं समुद्यतमहायुधम्
Crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots, ringing with hundreds of bells, dark as blue clouds, and armed with great weapons.
दीप्तानलरविप्रख्यैर्नैर्ऋतैः सर्वतो वृतम्। तद् दृष्ट्वा बलमायातं लब्धलक्षाः प्लवङ्गमाः
Surrounded on all sides by night-dwellers, blazing like fiery rays; seeing that army approaching, the monkeys gained their target.
समुद्यतमहाशैलाः सम्प्रणेदुर्मुहुर्मुहुः। अमृष्यमाणा रक्षांसि प्रतिनर्दन्त वानराः
Raising great mountains, they roared again and again; unable to bear the rakṣasas, the monkeys shouted in reply.
ततः समुत्कृष्टरवं निशम्य रक्षोगणा वानरयूथपानाम्। अमृष्यमाणाः परहर्षमुग्रं महाबला भीमतरं प्रणेदुः
Then, hearing the resounding cries of the hosts of demons and the chiefs of the monkeys, the mighty demons, unable to bear the fierce exultation of their foes, roared even more terribly.
ते राक्षसबलं घोरं प्रविश्य हरियूथपाः। विचेरुरुद्यतैः शैलैर्नगाः शिखरिणो यथा
Those chiefs of the monkeys, entering the dreadful army of the demons, roamed about with raised mountains, like peaks among the hills.
केचिदाकाशमाविश्य केचिदुर्व्यां प्लवङ्गमाः। रक्षःसैन्येषु संक्रुद्धाः केचिद् द्रुमशिलायुधाः
Some of the monkeys leapt into the sky, some onto the ground, and some, enraged, attacked the demon army wielding trees and rocks as weapons.