शक्तिखड्गगदाकुन्तैस्तोमरैश्च निशाचराः। पट्टिशैर्भिन्दिपालैश्च बाणपातैः समन्ततः
The night-demons attacked on all sides with spears, swords, maces, lances, javelins, and arrows, as well as with pattiśas and slings.
पाशमुद्गरदण्डैश्च निर्घातैश्चापरैस्तथा। कदनं कपिसिंहानां चक्रुस्ते रजनीचराः
With nooses, clubs, and other crushing weapons, the night-demons wrought slaughter among the lion-like monkeys.
बाणौघैरर्दिताश्चापि खरपुत्रेण वानराः। सम्भ्रान्तमनसः सर्वे दुद्रुवुर्भयपीडिताः
The monkeys, struck by a torrent of arrows from Khara's son, became bewildered in mind and all fled, overcome by fear.
तान् दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाः सर्वे द्रवमाणान् वनौकसः। नेदुस्ते सिंहवद् दृप्ता राक्षसा जितकाशिनः
Seeing the forest-dwellers fleeing, all the rakshasas, proud and victorious, roared like lions.
विद्रवत्सु तदा तेषु वानरेषु समन्ततः। रामस्तान् वारयामास शरवर्षेण राक्षसान्
As the monkeys fled in all directions, Rama checked the rakshasas with a shower of arrows.
वारितान् राक्षसान् दृष्ट्वा मकराक्षो निशाचरः। कोपानलसमाविष्टो वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Seeing the rakshasas checked, Makaraksha, the night-demon, blazing with the fire of anger, spoke these words:
तिष्ठ राम मया सार्धं द्वन्द्वयुद्धं भविष्यति। त्याजयिष्यामि ते प्राणान् धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैः शरैः
"Stand, Rama! Fight with me in single combat. I will take your life with sharp arrows loosed from my bow."
यत् तदा दण्डकारण्ये पितरं हतवान् मम। तदग्रतः स्वकर्मस्थं स्मृत्वा रोषोऽभिवर्धते
Whenever I remember how you killed my father in the Dandaka forest, and see you now standing before me, intent on your own deeds, my anger grows ever stronger.
दह्यन्ते भृशमङ्गानि दुरात्मन् मम राघव। यन्मयासि न दृष्टस्त्वं तस्मिन् काले महावने
My limbs burn intensely, wicked Rāghava, because I did not see you at that time in the great forest.
दिष्ट्यासि दर्शनं राम मम त्वं प्राप्तवानिह। कांक्षितोऽसि क्षुधार्तस्य सिंहस्येवेतरो मृगः
By fortune, Rāma, you have now come into my sight here; you are as eagerly desired by me, hungry for vengeance, as another animal is by a starving lion.
अद्य मद्बाणवेगेन प्रेतराड्विषयं गतः। ये त्वया निहताः शूराः सह तैश्च वसिष्यसि
Today, struck by the force of my arrows, you will go to the realm of the dead, and you will dwell there together with those valiant ones whom you have slain.
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन शृणु राम वचो मम। पश्यन्तु सकला लोकास्त्वां मां चैव रणाजिरे
Why say much more about this? Listen, Rāma, to my words: let all the worlds witness you and me on the field of battle.
अस्त्रैर्वा गदया वापि बाहुभ्यां वा रणाजिरे। अभ्यस्तं येन वा राम वर्ततां तेन वा मृधम्
With weapons, with the mace, or with our arms in the midst of battle—let us fight with whatever skill each of us has practiced, Rāma.
मकराक्षवचः श्रुत्वा रामो दशरथात्मजः। अब्रवीत् प्रहसन् वाक्यमुत्तरोत्तरवादिनम्
Hearing Makarākṣa's words, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, laughed and spoke to him, who was ever ready with a reply.
कत्थसे किं वृथा रक्षो बहून्यसदृशानि ते। न रणे शक्यते जेतुं विना युद्धेन वाग्बलात्
Why do you boast so vainly, demon, with so many words unfitting for you? Victory in battle cannot be won by speech alone, but only by fighting.
चतुर्दश सहस्राणि रक्षसां त्वत्पिता च यः। त्रिशिरा दूषणश्चापि दण्डके निहतो मया
Fourteen thousand rākṣasas, your father, Triśiras, and Dūṣaṇa too—I slew them all in Daṇḍaka.
स्वाशिताश्चापि मांसेन गृध्रगोमायुवायसाः। भविष्यन्त्यद्य वै पाप तीक्ष्णतुण्डनखाङ्कुशाः
And today, O wicked one, vultures, jackals, and crows with sharp beaks, claws, and talons will feast on your flesh.
राघवेणैवमुक्तस्तु मकराक्षो महाबलः। बाणौघानमुचत् तस्मै राघवाय रणाजिरे
Thus addressed by Rāghava, the mighty Makarākṣa released a torrent of arrows at Rāghava on the battlefield.
ताञ्छराञ्छरवर्षेण रामश्चिच्छेद नैकधा। निपेतुर्भुवि विच्छिन्ना रुक्मपुङ्खाः सहस्रशः
Rāma, in turn, cut down those arrows in many pieces with a shower of his own; the golden-feathered shafts fell to the ground in thousands, severed.
तद् युद्धमभवत् तत्र समेत्यान्योन्यमोजसा। खरराक्षसपुत्रस्य सूनोर्दशरथस्य च
Then there was a battle there, as the son of Khara the rākṣasa and the son of Daśaratha met each other with full strength.
जीमूतयोरिवाकाशे शब्दो ज्यातलयोरिव। धनुर्मुक्तः स्वनोऽन्योन्यं श्रूयते च रणाजिरे
The sound in the battlefield was like that of two clouds in the sky, or like the twang of bowstrings; the noise of arrows released from their bows was heard as they clashed.
देवदानवगन्धर्वाः किंनराश्च महोरगाः। अन्तरिक्षगताः सर्वे द्रष्टुकामास्तदद्भुतम्
All the gods, demons, gandharvas, kinnaras, and great serpents, moving through the sky, gathered to witness that wondrous event.
विद्धमन्योन्यगात्रेषु द्विगुणं वर्धते बलम्। कृतप्रतिकृतान्योन्यं कुरुतां तौ रणाजिरे
Struck on each other's bodies, their strength doubled; each responded to the other's attacks as they fought in the midst of battle.
राममुक्तांस्तु बाणौघान् राक्षसस्त्वच्छिनद् रणे। रक्षोमुक्तांस्तु रामो वै नैकधा प्राच्छिनच्छरैः
The rākṣasa cut down the torrents of arrows released by Rāma in battle, and Rāma likewise cut down the arrows released by the rākṣasa in many pieces.
बाणौघवितताः सर्वा दिशश्च प्रदिशस्तथा। संछन्ना वसुधा चैव समन्तान्न प्रकाशते
All the directions and quarters were covered by showers of arrows, and the earth itself was so shrouded on all sides that nothing could be seen.
ततः क्रुद्धो महाबाहुर्धनुश्चिच्छेद संयुगे। अष्टाभिरथ नाराचैः सूतं विव्याध राघवः
Then, enraged, the mighty-armed Rāghava cut down the bow in battle and struck the charioteer with eight sharp arrows.
भित्त्वा रथं शरै रामो हत्वा अश्वानपातयत्। विरथो वसुधास्थः स मकराक्षो निशाचरः
Rāma shattered the chariot with his arrows, killed the horses, and brought them down; thus, Makarākṣa, the night-wanderer, stood on the ground, deprived of his chariot.
तत्तिष्ठद् वसुधां रक्षः शूलं जग्राह पाणिना। त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां युगान्ताग्निसमप्रभम्
That Rākṣasa, standing on the earth, seized a spear with his hand—a terror to all beings, blazing like the fire at the end of the world.
दुरवापं महच्छूलं रुद्रदत्तं भयंकरम्। जाज्वल्यमानमाकाशे संहारास्त्रमिवापरम्
That great spear, hard to obtain, given by Rudra and fearsome, blazed in the sky like another weapon of destruction.
यं दृष्ट्वा देवताः सर्वा भयार्ता विद्रुता दिशः। विभ्राम्य च महच्छूलं प्रज्वलन्तं निशाचरः
Seeing it, all the gods, seized by fear, fled in all directions; and the night-wanderer whirled the blazing great spear.