आर्तानां राक्षसीनां तु लङ्कायां वै कुले कुले। रावणः करुणं शब्दं शुश्राव परिदेवितम्
In every household of Lanka, Ravana heard the pitiful cries and lamentations of the grieving demon women.
स तु दीर्घं विनिःश्वस्य मुहूर्तं ध्यानमास्थितः। बभूव परमक्रुद्धो रावणो भीमदर्शनः
He sighed deeply, and after a moment of meditation, Ravana—terrifying in appearance—became exceedingly enraged.
संदश्य दशनैरोष्ठं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः। राक्षसैरपि दुर्दर्शः कालाग्निरिव मूर्तिमान्
Biting his lip with his teeth, his eyes bloodshot with anger, he appeared like embodied death-fire, dreadful even to the demons.
उवाच च समीपस्थान् राक्षसान् राक्षसेश्वरः। क्रोधाव्यक्तकथस्तत्र निर्दहन्निव चक्षुषा
The lord of the demons, his speech choked with wrath and his gaze as if burning, addressed the nearby demons.
महोदरं महापार्श्वं विरूपाक्षं च राक्षसम्। शीघ्रं वदत सैन्यानि निर्यातेति ममाज्ञया
To Mahodara, Mahaparsva, and the demon Virupaksha, he said: 'Quickly command the armies to march forth at my order.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसास्ते भयार्दिताः। चोदयामासुरव्यग्रान् राक्षसांस्तान् नृपाज्ञया
Hearing his words, those demons, seized by fear, hurriedly urged the other demons onward by the king's command.
ते तु सर्वे तथेत्युक्त्वा राक्षसा भीमदर्शनाः। कृतस्वस्त्ययनाः सर्वे ते रणाभिमुखा ययुः
All those dreadful-looking demons replied, 'So be it,' performed auspicious rites, and advanced toward the battle.
प्रतिपूज्य यथान्यायं रावणं ते महारथाः। तस्थुः प्राञ्जलयः सर्वे भर्तुर्विजयकाङ्क्षिणः
Having duly honored Ravana, all those great chariot-warriors stood with joined palms, desiring their master's victory.
ततोवाच प्रहस्यैतान् रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। महोदरमहापार्श्वौ विरूपाक्षं च राक्षसम्
Then Ravana, his mind overcome by anger, laughed and spoke to Mahodara, Mahaparsva, and the demon Virupaksha.
अद्य बाणैर्धनुर्मुक्तैर्युगान्तादित्यसंनिभैः। राघवं लक्ष्मणं चैव नेष्यामि यमसादनम्
Today, with arrows released from my bow, blazing like the sun at the end of an age, I will send Rama and Lakshmana to the abode of Yama.
खरस्य कुम्भकर्णस्य प्रहस्तेन्द्रजितोस्तथा। करिष्यामि प्रतीकारमद्य शत्रुवधादहम्
Today, after slaying my enemies, I will avenge Khara, Kumbhakarna, Prahasta, and Indrajit.
नैवान्तरिक्षं न दिशो न च द्यौर्नापि सागराः। प्रकाशत्वं गमिष्यन्ति मद्बाणजलदावृताः
Neither the sky, nor the directions, nor heaven, nor even the oceans will remain visible, covered by the clouds of my arrows.
अद्य वानरमुख्यानां तानि यूथानि भागशः। धनुषा शरजालेन वधिष्यामि पतत्त्रिणा
Today, with showers of arrows from my bow, I will destroy, group by group, the troops of the foremost monkeys.
अद्य वानरसैन्यानि रथेन पवनौजसा। धनुःसमुद्रादुद्भूतैर्मथिष्यामि शरोर्मिभिः
Today, with my chariot and the force of the wind, I will churn the monkey armies with waves of arrows rising from my bow like a sea.
व्याकोशपद्मवक्त्राणि पद्मकेसरवर्चसाम्। अद्य यूथतटाकानि गजवत् प्रमथाम्यहम्
Today, like elephants, I will crush the monkey battalions whose faces are like blossoming lotuses and whose splendor matches the finest lotus filaments.
सशरैरद्य वदनैः संख्ये वानरयूथपाः। मण्डयिष्यन्ति वसुधां सनालैरिव पङ्कजैः
Today, in battle, the chiefs of the monkeys will deck the earth with their faces pierced by arrows, as with lotuses along with their stalks.
अद्य यूथप्रचण्डानां हरीणां द्रुमयोधिनाम्। मुक्तेनैकेषुणा युद्धे भेत्स्यामि च शतं शतम्
Today, in battle, I will shatter hundreds upon hundreds of those fierce, troop-leading monkeys, wielders of trees, with a single released arrow.
हतो भ्राता च येषां वै येषां च तनयो हतः। वधेनाद्य रिपोस्तेषां करोम्यश्रुप्रमार्जनम्
Those whose brother has been slain, and those whose son has been killed—today, by killing my enemies, I will wipe away their tears.
अद्य मद्बाणनिर्भिन्नैः प्रस्तीर्णैर्गतचेतनैः। करोमि वानरैर्युद्धे यत्नावेक्ष्यतलां महीम्
Today, in battle, I will cover the earth with monkeys, pierced by my intoxicating arrows, lying lifeless and strewn out, so that the ground will be hard to see.
अद्य काकाश्च गृध्राश्च ये च मांसाशिनोऽपरे। सर्वांस्तांस्तर्पयिष्यामि शत्रुमांसैः शराहतैः
Today, I will satisfy all the crows, vultures, and other flesh-eaters with the flesh of enemies struck down by arrows.
कल्प्यतां मे रथः शीघ्रं क्षिप्रमानीयतां धनुः। अनुप्रयान्तु मां युद्धे येऽत्र शिष्टा निशाचराः
Let my chariot be made ready quickly, let my bow be brought at once; let all the night-dwellers who remain here follow me into battle.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा महापार्श्वोऽब्रवीद् वचः। बलाध्यक्षान् स्थितांस्तत्र बलं संत्वर्यतामिति
Hearing those words, Mahaparsva spoke: 'Let the commanders of the army, who are stationed here, urge the troops to hurry.'
बलाध्यक्षास्तु संयुक्ता राक्षसांस्तान् गृहे गृहे। चोदयन्तः परिययुर्लङ्कां लघुपराक्रमाः
Then the swift and valiant commanders, going from house to house, roused the rakshasas throughout Lanka.
ततो मुहूर्तान्निष्पेतू राक्षसा भीमदर्शनाः। नदन्तो भीमवदना नानाप्रहरणैर्भुजैः
After a short while, rakshasas of terrifying appearance, roaring with dreadful faces and bearing various weapons in their hands, emerged.
असिभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैर्गदाभिर्मुसलैर्हलैः। शक्तिभिस्तीक्ष्णधाराभिर्महद्भिः कूटमुद्गरैः
With swords, spears, tridents, maces, clubs, ploughs, sharp-bladed javelins, and great spiked hammers,
यष्टिभिर्विविधैश्चक्रैर्निशितैश्च परश्वधैः। भिन्दिपालैः शतघ्नीभिरन्यैश्चापि वरायुधैः
With staffs of various kinds, wheels, sharp axes, slings, machines for hurling stones, and other excellent weapons,
अथानयन् बलाध्यक्षाश्चत्वारो रावणाज्ञया। रथानां नियुतं साग्रं नागानां नियुतत्रयम्
Then, by Ravana's command, four commanders brought forth a full hundred thousand chariots and three hundred thousand elephants.
अश्वानां षष्टिकोट्यस्तु खरोष्ट्राणां तथैव च। पदातयस्त्वसंख्याता जग्मुस्ते राजशासनात्
There were sixty million horses, and likewise camels and mules; the foot soldiers were countless, all proceeding by the king's order.
बलाध्यक्षाश्च संस्थाप्य राज्ञः सेनां पुरःस्थिताम्। एतस्मिन्नन्तरे सूतः स्थापयामास तं रथम्
The commanders arranged the king's army in front, and at that moment the charioteer brought forth the chariot.
दिव्यास्त्रवरसम्पन्नं नानालंकारभूषितम्। नानायुधसमाकीर्णं किङ्किणीजालसंयुतम्
It was endowed with the best divine weapons, adorned with various ornaments, filled with many weapons, and fitted with a network of bells.