पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षं दीर्घबाहुमरिंदमम्। ततो रामो महातेजाः सौमित्रिसहितो बली
With eyes broad as lotus petals, long-armed, destroyer of foes—then Rāma, mighty and radiant, stood with Saumitri at his side.
वानरांश्च रणे भग्नानापतन्तं च रावणम्। समीक्ष्य राघवो हृष्टो मध्ये जग्राह कार्मुकम्
Seeing the monkeys broken in battle and Rāvaṇa advancing, Rāghava, delighted, seized his bow in the midst of the field.
विस्फारयितुमारेभे ततः स धनुरुत्तमम्। महावेगं महानादं निर्भिन्दन्निव मेदिनीम्
He began to string his excellent bow, which thundered with great force and sound, as if splitting the earth.
रावणस्य च बाणौघै रामविस्फारितेन च। शब्देन राक्षसास्तेन पेतुश्च शतशस्तदा
By the volleys of Rāvaṇa's arrows and the twanging of Rāma's bow, the rākṣasas fell by the hundreds at that moment.
तयोः शरपथं प्राप्य रावणो राजपुत्रयोः। स बभौ च यथा राहुः समीपे शशिसूर्ययोः
When Rāvaṇa reached the path of arrows of the two princes, he shone like Rāhu approaching the moon and sun.
तमिच्छन् प्रथमं योद्धुं लक्ष्मणो निशितैः शरैः। मुमोच धनुरायम्य शरानग्निशिखोपमान्
Wishing to fight first, Lakṣmaṇa drew his bow and released sharp arrows, blazing like tongues of fire.
तान् मुक्तमात्रानाकाशे लक्ष्मणेन धनुष्मता। बाणान् बाणैर्महातेजा रावणः प्रत्यवारयत्
As soon as those arrows were released into the sky by Lakṣmaṇa, the mighty Rāvaṇa countered them with his own arrows.
एकमेकेन बाणेन त्रिभिस्त्रीन् दशभिर्दश। लक्ष्मणस्य प्रचिच्छेद दर्शयन् पाणिलाघवम्
With a single arrow he cut one, with three he cut three, and with ten he cut ten of Lakshmana’s arrows, displaying the dexterity of his hand.
अभ्यतिक्रम्य सौमित्रिं रावणः समितिंजयः। आससाद रणे रामं स्थितं शैलमिवापरम्
Surpassing Saumitri, Ravana, the conqueror in battle, approached Rama on the field, standing firm like another mountain.
स राघवं समासाद्य क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः। व्यसृजच्छरवर्षाणि रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः
Confronting Raghava, his eyes reddened with rage, Ravana, lord of the Rakshasas, unleashed showers of arrows.
शरधारास्ततो रामो रावणस्य धनुश्च्युताः। दृष्ट्वैवापतिताः शीघ्रं भल्लाञ्जग्राह सत्वरम्
Then Rama, seeing the streams of arrows shot from Ravana’s bow swiftly falling, quickly seized razor-sharp shafts.
ताञ्छरौघांस्ततो भल्लैस्तीक्ष्णैश्चिच्छेद राघवः। दीप्यमानान् महाघोराञ्छरानाशीविषोपमान्
Thereupon, Raghava cut down those torrents of blazing, dreadful arrows, as fierce as deadly serpents, with his own sharp shafts.
राघवो रावणं तूर्णं रावणो राघवं तथा। अन्योन्यं विविधैस्तीक्ष्णैः शरवर्षैर्ववर्षतुः
Raghava swiftly attacked Ravana, and Ravana likewise attacked Raghava; each showered the other with various sharp volleys of arrows.
चेरतुश्च चिरं चित्रं मण्डलं सव्यदक्षिणम्। बाणवेगात् समुत्क्षिप्तावन्योन्यमपराजितौ
For a long time, the two, undefeated by each other, circled left and right in a wondrous pattern, lifted by the force of their arrows.
तयोर्भूतानि वित्रेसुर्युगपत् सम्प्रयुध्यतोः। रौद्रयोः सायकमुचोर्यमान्तकनिकाशयोः
As the two fierce archers, resembling Yama and Antaka, fought simultaneously, all beings were seized with terror.
सततं विविधैर्बाणैर्बभूव गगनं तदा। घनैरिवातपापाये विद्युन्मालासमाकुलैः
At that time, the sky was continually filled with various arrows, crowded like masses of clouds with garlands of lightning, obscuring the sun’s heat.
गवाक्षितमिवाकाशं बभूव शरवृष्टिभिः। महावेगैः सुतीक्ष्णाग्रैर्गृध्रपत्रैः सुवाजितैः
The sky became as if latticed with showers of arrows, swift and keen-tipped, feathered with vulture wings and well-fitted.
शरान्धकारमाकाशं चक्रतुः परमं तदा। गतेऽस्तं तपने चापि महामेघाविवोत्थितौ
Those arrows then made the sky utterly dark, as if great clouds had arisen when the sun had set.
तयोरभून्महायुद्धमन्योन्यवधकांक्षिणोः। अनासाद्यमचिन्त्यं च वृत्रवासवयोरिव
A great battle arose between the two, each intent on the other’s destruction, inconceivable and unapproachable, like that of Vritra and Indra.
उभौ हि परमेष्वासावुभौ युद्धविशारदौ। उभावस्त्रविदां मुख्यावुभौ युद्धे विचेरतुः
Both were supreme archers, both skilled in battle, both foremost among wielders of weapons; both moved about the field.
उभौ हि येन व्रजतस्तेन तेन शरोर्मयः। ऊर्मयो वायुना विद्धा जग्मुः सागरयोरिव
Wherever either advanced, there the waves of arrows, struck by the wind, surged like billows on the ocean.
ततः संसक्तहस्तस्तु रावणो लोकरावणः। नाराचमालां रामस्य ललाटे प्रत्यमुञ्चत
Then Ravana, the terror of the worlds, with hands engaged, launched a garland of iron arrows at Rama’s forehead.
रौद्रचापप्रयुक्तां तां नीलोत्पलदलप्रभाम्। शिरसाधारयद् रामो न व्यथामभ्यपद्यत
That weapon, charged from his terrible bow and shining like the petals of a blue lotus, Rama bore upon his head and did not waver.
अथ मन्त्रानपि जपन् रौद्रमस्त्रमुदीरयन्। शरान् भूयः समादाय रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः
Then, reciting mantras and invoking a fierce missile, Rama, filled with wrath, took up arrows once more.
मुमोच च महातेजाश्चापमायम्य वीर्यवान्। तान् शरान् राक्षसेन्द्राय चिक्षेपाच्छिन्नसायकः
The mighty and valiant Rama, drawing his bow, released those arrows—his shafts unbroken—against the king of the Rakshasas.
ते महामेघसंकाशे कवचे पतिताः शराः। अवध्ये राक्षसेन्द्रस्य न व्यथां जनयंस्तदा
Those arrows, falling upon the armor of the one resembling a great cloud, caused no distress at that time to the lord of the Rakshasas, who could not be slain.
पुनरेवाथ तं रामो रथस्थं राक्षसाधिपम्। ललाटे परमास्त्रेण सर्वास्त्रकुशलोऽभिनत्
Then again, Rama, skilled in all weapons, struck the Rakshasa king standing in his chariot on the forehead with a supreme weapon.
ते भित्त्वा बाणरूपाणि पञ्चशीर्षा इवोरगाः। श्वसन्तो विविशुर्भूमिं रावणप्रतिकूलिताः
Those arrows, taking the form of serpents with five heads, pierced through and, hissing, entered the earth, repelled by Ravana.
निहत्य राघवस्यास्त्रं रावणः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः। आसुरं सुमहाघोरमस्त्रं प्रादुश्चकार सः
Having neutralized the weapon of Raghava, Ravana, overcome with wrath, unleashed a most dreadful Asura weapon.
सिंहव्याघ्रमुखांश्चापि कङ्ककोकमुखानपि। गृध्रश्येनमुखांश्चापि शृगालवदनांस्तथा
He released sharp arrows with faces of lions and tigers, as well as faces of cranes, owls, vultures, hawks, and jackals.