स वाजिभिश्चतुर्भिस्तु बाणैस्तु निशितैर्युतः। आरोपितमहाचापः शुशुभे स्यन्दनोत्तमः
That supreme chariot, drawn by four horses and equipped with sharp arrows, with the great bow mounted, shone brilliantly.
जाज्वल्यमानो वपुषा तपनीयपरिच्छदः। मृगैश्चन्द्रार्धचन्द्रैश्च स रथः समलंकृतः
Radiant in appearance, adorned with gold trappings, and decorated with images of deer, crescent moons, and half-moons, that chariot was splendidly embellished.
जाम्बूनदमहाकम्बुर्दीप्तपावकसंनिभः। बभूवेन्द्रजितः केतुर्वैदूर्यसमलंकृतः
Indrajit's banner, with a great pole of gold, blazing like fire, and adorned with cat's-eye gems, shone brightly.
तेन चादित्यकल्पेन ब्रह्मास्त्रेण च पालितः। स बभूव दुराधर्षो रावणिः सुमहाबलः
Protected by the Brahmāstra and shining like the sun, that mighty son of Rāvaṇa became invincible.
सोऽभिनिर्याय नगरादिन्द्रजित् समितिंजयः। हुत्वाग्निं राक्षसैर्मन्त्रैरन्तर्धानगतोऽब्रवीत्
Then Indrajit, the conqueror in battle, having left the city, performed the fire offering with Rākṣasa mantras and, becoming invisible, spoke these words:
अद्य हत्वा रणे यौ तौ मिथ्या प्रव्रजितौ वने। जयं पित्रे प्रदास्यामि रावणाय रणेऽधिकम्
"Today, after killing those two who falsely dwell in the forest as ascetics, I will grant my father Rāvaṇa a greater victory in battle."
अद्य निर्वानरामुर्वीं हत्वा रामं च लक्ष्मणम्। करिष्ये परमां प्रीतिमित्युक्त्वान्तरधीयत
"Today, after killing Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and making the earth free of enemies, I will attain the highest delight," so saying, he vanished.
आपपाताथ संक्रुद्धो दशग्रीवेण चोदितः। तीक्ष्णकार्मुकनाराचैस्तीक्ष्णस्त्विन्द्ररिपू रणे
Then, urged on by the enraged ten-headed Rāvaṇa, Indrajit, fierce in battle, rushed forth with sharp bow and arrows.
स ददर्श महावीर्यौ नागौ त्रिशिरसाविव। सृजन्ताविषुजालानि वीरौ वानरमध्यगौ
He saw the two mighty heroes, like two three-headed serpents, releasing streams of arrows, standing among the foremost of the Vānaras.
इमौ ताविति संचिन्त्य सज्यं कृत्वा च कार्मुकम्। संततानेषुधाराभिः पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्
Thinking, 'These are the two,' he strung his bow and, like a rain-filled cloud, showered a continuous stream of arrows.
स तु वैहायसरथो युधि तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। अचक्षुर्विषये तिष्ठन् विव्याध निशितैः शरैः
Then, riding his aerial chariot in battle, Indrajit, remaining out of sight, struck Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with sharp arrows.
तौ तस्य शरवेगेन परीतौ रामलक्ष्मणौ। धनुषी सशरे कृत्वा दिव्यमस्त्रं प्रचक्रतुः
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, overwhelmed by the force of his arrows, readied their bows with arrows and invoked a divine weapon.
प्रच्छादयन्तौ गगनं शरजालैर्महाबलौ। तमस्त्रैः सूर्यसंकाशैर्नैव पस्पर्शतुः शरैः
The mighty pair covered the sky with volleys of arrows; yet, with weapons shining like the sun, they were untouched by arrows.
स हि धूमान्धकारं च चक्रे प्रच्छादयन्नभः। दिशश्चान्तर्दधे श्रीमान् नीहारतमसा वृताः
He shrouded the heavens with smoke and darkness, and the illustrious one concealed the directions, veiled by mist and gloom.
नैव ज्यातलनिर्घोषो न च नेमिखुरस्वनः। शुश्रुवे चरतस्तस्य न च रूपं प्रकाशते
Neither the twang of the bowstring nor the sound of the wheels was heard as he moved, nor did his form become visible.
घनान्धकारे तिमिरे शिलावर्षमिवाद्भुतम्। स ववर्ष महाबाहुर्नाराचशरवृष्टिभिः
In the dense darkness, like a wondrous shower of stones, the mighty-armed one rained a torrent of nārāca arrows.
स रामं सूर्यसंकाशैः शरैर्दत्तवरैर्भृशम्। विव्याध समरे क्रुद्धः सर्वगात्रेषु रावणिः
Rāvaṇa, furious in battle, struck Rāma fiercely with arrows shining like the sun, granted as boons, piercing all his limbs.
तौ हन्यमानौ नाराचैर्धाराभिरिव पर्वतौ। हेमपुङ्खान् नरव्याघ्रौ तिग्मान् मुमुचतुः शरान्
Those two tiger-men, battered by nārāca arrows like mountains by streams, released sharp arrows with golden feathers.
अन्तरिक्षे समासाद्य रावणिं कङ्कपत्रिणः। निकृत्य पतगा भूमौ पेतुस्ते शोणिताप्लुताः
The winged arrows, meeting Rāvaṇa in the sky, were cut down and fell to the earth, drenched in blood.
अतिमात्रं शरौघेण दीप्यमानौ नरोत्तमौ। तानिषून् पततो भल्लैरनेकैर्विचकर्ततुः
The foremost men, blazing amid the excessive flood of arrows, cut down those falling shafts with numerous broad-headed arrows.
यतो हि ददृशाते तौ शरान् निपतिताञ्छितान्। ततस्तु तौ दाशरथी ससृजातेऽस्त्रमुत्तमम्
Wherever they saw arrows falling, those sons of Daśaratha then released a supreme weapon.
रावणिस्तु दिशः सर्वा रथेनातिरथोऽपतत्। विव्याध तौ दाशरथी लघ्वस्त्रो निशितैः शरैः
Rāvaṇa, the great charioteer, rushed with his chariot in all directions and struck the sons of Daśaratha with swift, sharp arrows.
तेनातिविद्धौ तौ वीरौ रुक्मपुङ्खैः सुसंहतैः। बभूवतुर्दाशरथी पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ
Pierced deeply by those well-aimed arrows with golden feathers, the sons of Daśaratha appeared like blossoming kiṃśuka trees.
नास्य वेगगतिं कश्चिन्न च रूपं धनुः शरान्। न चास्य विदितं किंचित् सूर्यस्येवाभ्रसम्प्लवे
No one could discern his speed, form, bow, or arrows; nothing about him was known, as when the sun is hidden by clouds.
तेन विद्धाश्च हरयो निहताश्च गतासवः। बभूवुः शतशस्तत्र पतिता धरणीतले
Struck by him, the monkeys were slain and lifeless; hundreds lay fallen upon the earth.
लक्ष्मणस्तु ततः क्रुद्धो भ्रातरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। ब्राह्ममस्त्रं प्रयोक्ष्यामि वधार्थं सर्वरक्षसाम्
Then Lakṣmaṇa, enraged, spoke to his brother: 'I will employ the Brahma weapon to destroy all the rākṣasas.'
तमुवाच ततो रामो लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम्। नैकस्य हेतो रक्षांसि पृथिव्यां हन्तुमर्हसि
Rāma then addressed Lakṣmaṇa, whose marks were auspicious: 'You should not kill all the rākṣasas on earth for the sake of one.'
अयुध्यमानं प्रच्छन्नं प्राञ्जलिं शरणागतम्। पलायमानं मत्तं वा न हन्तुं त्वमिहार्हसि
You must not slay one who does not fight, who is concealed, who approaches with joined palms seeking refuge, who flees, or who is intoxicated.
तस्यैव तु वधे यत्नं करिष्यामि महाभुज। आदेक्ष्यावो महावेगानस्त्रानाशीविषोपमान्
But for his death alone I will exert effort, O mighty-armed; we shall employ weapons of great speed, resembling venomous serpents.
तमेनं मायिनं क्षुद्रमन्तर्हितरथं बलात्। राक्षसं निहनिष्यन्ति दृष्ट्वा वानरयूथपाः
The chiefs of the monkeys, seeing that petty sorcerer, the Rakshasa, whose chariot is concealed, will slay him by force.