तं भीमवपुषं दृष्ट्वा रथस्थं रथिनां वरम्। अभिपेतुर्महात्मानः प्रधाना ये वनौकसः
Seeing him, of terrible form, standing on his chariot and foremost among warriors, the great leaders of the forest-dwellers rushed at him.
कुमुदो द्विविदो मैन्दो नीलः शरभ एव च। पादपैर्गिरिशृङ्गैश्च युगपत् समभिद्रवन्
Kumuda, Dvivida, Mainda, Nila, and Sharabha all together charged at him with trees and mountain peaks.
तेषां वृक्षांश्च शैलांश्च शरैः कनकभूषणैः। अतिकायो महातेजाश्चिच्छेदास्त्रविदां वरः
Atikaya, of great energy and foremost among those skilled in weapons, cut down their trees and mountains with his golden-adorned arrows.
तांश्चैव सर्वान् स हरीन् शरैः सर्वायसैर्बली। विव्याधाभिमुखान् संख्ये भीमकायो निशाचरः
That mighty-bodied night-stalker struck all those monkeys, who faced him in battle, with iron-tipped arrows.
तेऽर्दिता बाणवर्षेण भिन्नगात्राः पराजिताः। न शेकुरतिकायस्य प्रतिकर्तुं महाहवे
Struck by a rain of arrows, their bodies wounded and defeated, they could not withstand Atikāya in the great battle.
तत् सैन्यं हरिवीराणां त्रासयामास राक्षसः। मृगयूथमिव क्रुद्धो हरिर्यौवनदर्पितः
That army of heroic monkeys was terrified by the rākṣasa, like a herd of deer frightened by an enraged, youthful lion.
स राक्षसेन्द्रो हरियूथमध्ये नायुध्यमानं निजघान कंचित्। उत्पत्य रामं स धनुःकलापी सगर्वितं वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
The king of rākṣasas, in the midst of the monkey troops, slew some who did not fight; then, leaping up, he approached Rāma, bow in hand, and spoke these proud words.
रथे स्थितोऽहं शरचापपाणि- र्न प्राकृतं कंचन योधयामि। यस्यास्ति शक्तिर्व्यवसाययुक्तो ददातु मे शीघ्रमिहाद्य युद्धम्
Standing on my chariot, holding bow and arrows, I do not fight ordinary warriors; let whoever has strength and resolve quickly give me battle here today.
तत् तस्य वाक्यं ब्रुवतो निशम्य चुकोप सौमित्रिरमित्रहन्ता। अमृष्यमाणश्च समुत्पपात जग्राह चापं च ततः स्मयित्वा
Hearing those words spoken, Saumitri, the destroyer of enemies, grew angry; unable to endure, he sprang up, took his bow, and smiled.
क्रुद्धः सौमित्रिरुत्पत्य तूणादाक्षिप्य सायकम्। पुरस्तादतिकायस्य विचकर्ष महद्धनुः
Saumitri, enraged, leapt up, drew an arrow from his quiver, and, before Atikāya, stretched his great bow.
पूरयन् स महीं सर्वामाकाशं सागरं दिशः। ज्याशब्दो लक्ष्मणस्योग्रस्त्रासयन् रजनीचरान्
As Lakṣmaṇa filled the earth, sky, ocean, and directions with the sound of his bowstring, the fierce noise terrified the night-dwelling rākṣasas.
सौमित्रेश्चापनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा प्रतिभयं तदा। विसिस्मिये महातेजा राक्षसेन्द्रात्मजो बली
Hearing the formidable twang of Saumitri's bow, the mighty, radiant son of the rākṣasa king was astonished.
तदातिकायः कुपितो दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणमुत्थितम्। आदाय निशितं बाणमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Then Atikāya, angered at seeing Lakṣmaṇa rise, took a sharp arrow and spoke these words.
बालस्त्वमसि सौमित्रे विक्रमेष्वविचक्षणः। गच्छ किं कालसंकाशं मां योधयितुमिच्छसि
You are but a boy, Saumitri, inexperienced in valor; go away—why do you wish to fight me, who is like Time itself?
नहि मद्बाहुसृष्टानां बाणानां हिमवानपि। सोढुमुत्सहते वेगमन्तरिक्षमथो मही
Not even Himavat, nor the sky nor the earth, can withstand the force of arrows released by my arms.
सुखप्रसुप्तं कालाग्निं विबोधयितुमिच्छसि। न्यस्य चापं निवर्तस्व प्राणान्न जहि मद्गतः
You wish to awaken the fire of time while it sleeps peacefully; lay down your bow and turn back—do not lose your life to me.
अथवा त्वं प्रतिस्तब्धो न निवर्तितुमिच्छसि। तिष्ठ प्राणान् परित्यज्य गमिष्यसि यमक्षयम्
Or, if you are stubborn and do not wish to retreat, stand here, abandon your life, and you will go to Yama's abode.
पश्य मे निशितान् बाणान् रिपुदर्पनिषूदनान्। ईश्वरायुधसंकाशांस्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणान्
Behold my sharp arrows, destroyers of enemy pride, resembling the weapons of the gods, adorned with heated gold.
एष ते सर्पसंकाशो बाणः पास्यति शोणितम्। मृगराज इव क्रुद्धो नागराजस्य शोणितम्। इत्येवमुक्त्वा संक्रुद्धः शरं धनुषि संदधे
This arrow, resembling a serpent, will drink your blood, like an enraged lion drinks the blood of the king of serpents; having spoken thus in anger, he placed the arrow on his bow.
श्रुत्वातिकायस्य वचः सरोषं सगर्वितं संयति राजपुत्रः। स संचुकोपातिबलो मनस्वी उवाच वाक्यं च ततो महार्थम्
Hearing Atikāya's angry and boastful words in battle, the royal prince, strong and resolute, grew furious and then spoke these weighty words.
न वाक्यमात्रेण भवान् प्रधानो न कत्थनात् सत्पुरुषा भवन्ति। मयि स्थिते धन्विनि बाणपाणौ निदर्शयस्वात्मबलं दुरात्मन्
You are not superior by mere words, nor do noble men become great by boasting; as I stand here, bow in hand, show your own strength, wicked one.
कर्मणा सूचयात्मानं न विकत्थितुमर्हसि। पौरुषेण तु यो युक्तः स तु शूर इति स्मृतः
Demonstrate yourself by deeds, not by boasting; one who is endowed with courage is remembered as a hero.
सर्वायुधसमायुक्तो धन्वी त्वं रथमास्थितः। शरैर्वा यदि वाप्यस्त्रैर्दर्शयस्व पराक्रमम्
Armed with all weapons, with your bow, standing upon your chariot—show your valor now, whether with arrows or with missiles.
ततः शिरस्ते निशितैः पातयिष्याम्यहं शरैः। मारुतः कालसम्पक्वं वृन्तात् तालफलं यथा
Then I will strike down your head with sharp arrows, as the wind brings down a ripe palm fruit from its stalk.
अद्य ते मामका बाणास्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाः। पास्यन्ति रुधिरं गात्राद् बाणशल्यान्तरोत्थितम्
Today, my arrows adorned with heated gold will drink the blood that flows from your body, drawn out by the arrowheads lodged within.
बालोऽयमिति विज्ञाय न चावज्ञातुमर्हसि। बालो वा यदि वा वृद्धो मृत्युं जानीहि संयुगे
Do not look down on me, thinking I am a boy; whether young or old, know that death awaits in battle.
बालेन विष्णुना लोकास्त्रयः क्रान्तास्त्रिविक्रमैः। लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा हेतुमत् परमार्थवत्। अतिकायः प्रचुक्रोध बाणं चोत्तममाददे
By a boy, Viṣṇu, the three worlds were traversed in three strides; hearing Lakṣmaṇa's words, full of reason and truth, Atikāya grew furious and took up an excellent arrow.
ततो विद्याधरा भूता देवा दैत्या महर्षयः। गुह्यकाश्च महात्मानस्तद् युद्धं द्रष्टुमागमन्
Then, Vidyādharas, Bhūtas, gods, demons, great sages, and mighty spirits came to witness that battle.
ततोऽतिकायः कुपितश्चापमारोप्य सायकम्। लक्ष्मणाय प्रचिक्षेप संक्षिपन्निव चाम्बरम्
Then Atikāya, enraged, fitted an arrow to his bow and released it at Lakṣmaṇa, as if contracting the very sky.
तमापतन्तं निशितं शरमाशीविषोपमम्। अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा
That sharp arrow, rushing forth like a venomous serpent, was cut down by Lakṣmaṇa, the destroyer of enemies, with a crescent-headed shaft.