गदाशूलासिहस्तानां खादतां पिबतामपि। शयनेषु महार्हेषु प्रसुप्तानां प्रियैः सह
Of those holding maces, spears, and swords, of those eating and drinking, and even of those sleeping with their beloveds on costly beds.
त्रस्तानां गच्छतां तूर्णं पुत्रानादाय सर्वतः। तेषां शतसहस्राणि तदा लङ्कानिवासिनाम्
Of those terrified, hastily fleeing in all directions, taking their children with them; at that time, hundreds of thousands of the inhabitants of Lanka.
अदहत् पावकस्तत्र जज्वाल च पुनः पुनः। सारवन्ति महार्हाणि गम्भीरगुणवन्ति च
There, the Fire-god burned them and blazed again and again; mansions filled with precious things and possessing deep qualities.
हेमचन्द्रार्धचन्द्राणि चन्द्रशालोन्नतानि च। तत्र चित्रगवाक्षाणि साधिष्ठानानि सर्वशः
With golden and silver crescent shapes, and moon-chambered towers rising high; there, with ornate windows, all with their own platforms.
मणिविद्रुमचित्राणि स्पृशन्तीव दिवाकरम्। क्रौञ्चबर्हिणवीणानां भूषणानां च निःस्वनैः
Adorned with gems and coral, as if touching the sun; resounding with the sounds of krauncha and peacock lutes and ornaments.
नादितान्यचलाभानि वेश्मान्यग्निर्ददाह सः। ज्वलनेन परीतानि तोरणानि चकाशिरे
He, the fire, burned mansions that echoed like immovable mountains; gateways surrounded by flames shone brightly.
विद्युद्भिरिव नद्धानि मेघजालानि घर्मगे। ज्वलनेन परीतानि गृहाणि प्रचकाशिरे
Like clouds bound with lightning in the heat of summer, houses surrounded by fire shone forth.
दावाग्निदीप्तानि यथा शिखराणि महागिरेः। विमानेषु प्रसुप्ताश्च दह्यमाना वराङ्गनाः
Just as the peaks of a great mountain blaze with wildfire, so too, noble women sleeping in the mansions were being burned.
त्यक्ताभरणसंयोगा हाहेत्युच्चैर्विचुक्रुशुः। तत्र चाग्निपरीतानि निपेतुर्भवनान्यपि
Deprived of their ornaments, they cried out loudly, 'Alas! Alas!' and there, the houses surrounded by fire also collapsed.
वज्रिवज्रहतानीव शिखराणि महागिरेः। तानि निर्दह्यमानानि दूरतः प्रचकाशिरे
Like the peaks of a great mountain struck by the thunderbolt of Indra, those burning structures shone from afar.
हिमवच्छिखराणीव दह्यमानानि सर्वशः। हर्म्याग्रैर्दह्यमानैश्च ज्वालाप्रज्वलितैरपि
Like the summits of the Himalayas entirely consumed by fire, so too the rooftops, ablaze with leaping flames, were burning.
रात्रौ सा दृश्यते लङ्का पुष्पितैरिव किंशुकैः। हस्त्यध्यक्षैर्गजैर्मुक्तैर्मुक्तैश्च तुरगैरपि। बभूव लङ्का लोकान्ते भ्रान्तग्राह इवार्णवः
At night, that Lanka appeared as if adorned with blossoming kimshuka flowers; with elephants freed by their keepers, and horses also set loose, Lanka became like an ocean at the world's end, agitated by maddened sea-creatures.
अश्वं मुक्तं गजो दृष्ट्वा क्वचिद् भीतोऽपसर्पति। भीतो भीतं गजं दृष्ट्वा क्वचिदश्वो निवर्तते
Seeing a horse set free, an elephant would sometimes retreat in fear; and seeing a frightened elephant, a horse would sometimes turn back in terror.
लङ्कायां दह्यमानायां शुशुभे च महोदधिः। छायासंसक्तसलिलो लोहितोद इवार्णवः
As Lanka was burning, the great ocean shone too, its waters mingled with shadows, appearing like the red-hued sea.
सा बभूव मुहूर्तेन हरिभिर्दीपिता पुरी। लोकस्यास्य क्षये घोरे प्रदीप्तेव वसुन्धरा
In a moment, that city was set ablaze by the monkeys, as if the earth itself were burning fiercely at the end of the world.
नारीजनस्य धूमेन व्याप्तस्योच्चैर्विनेदुषः। स्वनो ज्वलनतप्तस्य शुश्रुवे शतयोजनम्
The loud cries of the women, enveloped in thick smoke, resounded for a hundred yojanas, mingled with the roar of the blazing fire.
प्रदग्धकायानपरान् राक्षसान् निर्गतान् बहिः। सहसा ह्युत्पतन्ति स्म हरयोऽथ युयुत्सवः
The monkeys, eager for battle, suddenly sprang forth upon the Rakshasas who, their bodies scorched, had come out from within.
उद्घुष्टं वानराणां च राक्षसानां च निःस्वनम्। दिशो दश समुद्रं च पृथिवीं च व्यनादयत्
The tumultuous cries of the monkeys and the Rakshasas echoed, filling the ten directions, the ocean, and the earth.
विशल्यौ च महात्मानौ तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। असम्भ्रान्तौ जगृहतुस्ते उभे धनुषी वरे
Those two great souls, Rama and Lakshmana, uninjured and undisturbed, took up their excellent bows.
ततो विस्फारयामास रामश्च धनुरुत्तमम्। बभूव तुमुलः शब्दो राक्षसानां भयावहः
Then Rama stretched his mighty bow, and a tumultuous sound arose, terrifying the Rakshasas.
अशोभत तदा रामो धनुर्विस्फारयन् महत्। भगवानिव संक्रुद्धो भवो वेदमयं धनुः
At that moment, Rama shone as he drew his great bow, like the enraged Lord Shiva with his bow made of the Vedas.
उद्घुष्टं वानराणां च राक्षसानां च निःस्वनम्। ज्याशब्दस्तावुभौ शब्दावति रामस्य शुश्रुवे
The cries of the monkeys and the Rakshasas, along with the twang of Rama's bowstring, were heard together.
वानरोद्घुष्टघोषश्च राक्षसानां च निःस्वनः। ज्याशब्दश्चापि रामस्य त्रयं व्याप दिशो दश
The uproar of the monkeys, the cries of the Rakshasas, and the sound of Rama's bowstring—all three filled the ten directions.
तस्य कार्मुकनिर्मुक्तैः शरैस्तत्पुरगोपुरम्। कैलासशृङ्गप्रतिमं विकीर्णमभवद् भुवि
Struck by arrows released from his bow, the city's gate-tower, resembling the peak of Mount Kailasa, was shattered upon the earth.
ततो रामशरान् दृष्ट्वा विमानेषु गृहेषु च। संनाहो राक्षसेन्द्राणां तुमुलः समपद्यत
Then, seeing Rama's arrows in the mansions and houses, a tumultuous preparation for battle arose among the Rakshasa lords.
तेषां संनह्यमानानां सिंहनादं च कुर्वताम्। शर्वरी राक्षसेन्द्राणां रौद्रीव समपद्यत
As they armed themselves and roared like lions, the night of the Rakshasa lords became as fearsome as the goddess of destruction.
आदिष्टा वानरेन्द्रास्ते सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। आसन्नं द्वारमासाद्य युध्यध्वं च प्लवंगमाः
Then those monkey leaders, commanded by the great-souled Sugriva, approached the nearby gate and prepared to fight.
यश्च वो वितथं कुर्यात् तत्र तत्राप्युपस्थितः। स हन्तव्योऽभिसम्प्लुत्य राजशासनदूषकः
And whoever among you acts falsely, even if present there, that violator of the king's command must be slain after being seized.
तेषु वानरमुख्येषु दीप्तोल्कोज्ज्वलपाणिषु। स्थितेषु द्वारमाश्रित्य रावणं क्रोध आविशत्
When those foremost of monkeys, holding blazing, flaming torches, stood guarding the gates, wrath entered Rāvaṇa.
तस्य जृम्भितविक्षेपाद् व्यामिश्रा वै दिशो दश। रूपवानिव रुद्रस्य मन्युर्गात्रेष्वदृश्यत
From his yawning and tossing, the ten directions seemed to mingle; on his limbs appeared, as if embodied, the wrath of Rudra himself.