ततः प्रवृत्तं सुक्रूरं रामरावणयोस्तदा। सुमहद् द्वैरथं युद्धं सर्वलोकभयावहम्
Then began that exceedingly fierce duel between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, a great chariot battle that struck terror into all the worlds.
ततो राक्षससैन्यं च हरीणां च महद्बलम्। प्रगृहीतप्रहरणं निश्चेष्टं समवर्तत
The mighty army of Rākṣasas and the powerful force of the monkeys, weapons in hand, stood motionless, watching.
सम्प्रयुद्धौ तु तौ दृष्ट्वा बलवन्नरराक्षसौ। व्याक्षिप्तहृदयाः सर्वे परं विस्मयमागताः
Seeing those two—Rāma and Rāvaṇa—mighty among men and Rākṣasas, engaged in combat, all were deeply agitated and filled with utmost wonder.
नानाप्रहरणैर्व्यग्रैर्भुजैर्विस्मितबुद्धयः। तस्थुः प्रेक्ष्य च संग्रामं नाभिजग्मुः परस्परम्
With arms ready and minds astonished, they stood watching the battle, distracted, not attacking one another.
रक्षसां रावणं चापि वानराणां च राघवम्। पश्यतां विस्मिताक्षाणां सैन्यं चित्रमिवाबभौ
The armies, their eyes wide with amazement, gazed at Rāvaṇa among the Rākṣasas and Rāghava among the monkeys, appearing like a wondrous vision.
तौ तु तत्र निमित्तानि दृष्ट्वा राघवरावणौ। कृतबुद्धी स्थिरामर्षौ युयुधाते ह्यभीतवत्
There, having seen the omens, Rāghava and Rāvaṇa, resolute and steadfast in their wrath, fought fearlessly.
जेतव्यमिति काकुत्स्थो मर्तव्यमिति रावणः। धृतौ स्ववीर्यसर्वस्वं युद्धेऽदर्शयतां तदा
Kākutstha fought to win, and Rāvaṇa to die; both displayed all their strength and resolve in battle.
ततः क्रोधाद् दशग्रीवः शरान् संधाय वीर्यवान्। मुमोच ध्वजमुद्दिश्य राघवस्य रथे स्थितम्
Then the mighty ten-headed one, enraged, set arrows to his bow and released them, aiming at the banner standing on Rāghava’s chariot.
ते शरास्तमनासाद्य पुरंदररथध्वजम्। रथशक्तिं परामृश्य निपेतुर्धरणीतले
Those arrows, not reaching their mark, touched Indra’s chariot-banner and, striking the chariot’s frame, fell to the earth.
ततो रामोऽपि संक्रुद्धश्चापमाकृष्य वीर्यवान्। कृतप्रतिकृतं कर्तुं मनसा सम्प्रचक्रमे
Thereupon Rāma too, filled with anger and strength, drew his bow, intent in his mind to repay Ravana in kind.
रावणध्वजमुद्दिश्य मुमोच निशितं शरम्। महासर्पमिवासह्यं ज्वलन्तं स्वेन तेजसा
Aiming at Ravana’s banner, he released a sharp arrow, blazing with his own radiance, like a great, irresistible serpent.
रामश्चिक्षेप तेजस्वी केतुमुद्दिश्य सायकम्। जगाम स महीं छित्त्वा दशग्रीवध्वजं शरः
The radiant Rāma shot an arrow at the banner, and that arrow, cleaving Ravana’s banner, fell to the ground.
स निकृत्तोऽपतद् भूमौ रावणस्यन्दनध्वजः। ध्वजस्योन्मथनं दृष्ट्वा रावणः स महाबलः
Thus, Ravana’s chariot-banner, cut down, fell to the earth; seeing his banner destroyed, Ravana, that mighty one—
सम्प्रदीप्तोऽभवत् क्रोधादमर्षात् प्रदहन्निव। स रोषवशमापन्नः शरवर्षं ववर्ष ह
—became inflamed with anger and, burning with indignation, seemed to blaze; overcome by wrath, he showered a rain of arrows.
रामस्य तुरगान् दीप्तैः शरैर्विव्याध रावणः। ते दिव्या हरयस्तत्र नास्खलन्नापि बभ्रमुः
Ravana struck Rāma’s horses with blazing arrows, but those divine steeds did not falter or turn away.
बभूवुः स्वस्थहृदयाः पद्मनालैरिवाहताः। तेषामसम्भ्रमं दृष्ट्वा वाजिनां रावणस्तदा
They remained steady at heart, as if struck by lotus stalks; seeing the horses undisturbed, Ravana then—
भूय एव सुसंक्रुद्धः शरवर्षं मुमोच ह। गदाश्च परिघांश्चैव चक्राणि मुसलानि च
—became even more enraged and released another shower of arrows, along with maces, iron clubs, discs, and pestles.
गिरिशृङ्गाणि वृक्षांश्च तथा शूलपरश्वधान्। मायाविहितमेतत् तु शस्त्रवर्षमपातयत्। सहस्रशस्तदा बाणानश्रान्तहृदयोद्यमः
He hurled mountain peaks, trees, spears, and axes as well; this rain of weapons, conjured by magic, he sent down in thousands, his heart tireless in effort.
तुमुलं त्रासजननं भीमं भीमप्रतिस्वनम्। तद् वर्षमभवद् युद्धे नैकशस्त्रमयं महत्
That great storm of many weapons in battle was tumultuous, terrifying, and dreadful, echoing with a fearsome roar.
विमुच्य राघवरथं समन्ताद् वानरे बले। सायकैरन्तरिक्षं च चकार सुनिरन्तरम्
He surrounded Rāghava’s chariot and the army of monkeys on all sides with arrows, making the sky densely filled.
मुमोच च दशग्रीवो निःसङ्गेनान्तरात्मना। व्यायच्छमानं तं दृष्ट्वा तत्परं रावणं रणे
And the ten-headed Ravana, without hesitation and with all his might, released his weapons, seeing Rāma striving in battle.
प्रहसन्निव काकुत्स्थः संदधे निशितान् शरान्। स मुमोच ततो बाणान् शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Kākutstha, as if laughing, set sharp arrows to his bow and then released hundreds and thousands of arrows.
तान् दृष्ट्वा रावणश्चक्रे स्वशरैः खं निरन्तरम्। ताभ्यां नियुक्तेन तदा शरवर्षेण भास्वता
Seeing this, Ravana filled the sky with his own arrows; then, by the two, a radiant shower of arrows was unleashed.
शरबद्धमिवाभाति द्वितीयं भास्वदम्बरम्। नानिमित्तोऽभवद् बाणो नानिर्भेत्ता न निष्फलः
The sky appeared as if bound by arrows, a second blazing firmament; not a single arrow was without cause, nor did any fail or go astray.
अन्योन्यमभिसंहत्य निपेतुर्धरणीतले। तथा विसृजतोर्बाणान् रामरावणयोर्मृधे
The arrows, striking one another, fell to the earth, as Rāma and Ravana released their weapons thus in battle.
प्रायुध्येतामविच्छिन्नमस्यन्तौ सव्यदक्षिणम्। चक्रतुश्च शरैर्घोरैर्निरुच्छ्वासमिवाम्बरम्
They fought on without interruption, moving to the left and right, and with their terrible arrows they made the sky seem as if it had lost its breath.
रावणस्य हयान् रामो हयान् रामस्य रावणः। जघ्नतुस्तौ तदान्योन्यं कृतानुकृतकारिणौ
Rāma struck Rāvaṇa’s horses, and Rāvaṇa struck Rāma’s horses; each imitated the other’s actions as they attacked one another.
एवं तु तौ सुसंक्रुद्धौ चक्रतुर्युद्धमुत्तमम्। मुहूर्तमभवद् युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
Thus, those two, deeply enraged, engaged in a supreme battle; for a moment, the fight was tumultuous and hair-raising.
तौ तथा युध्यमानौ तु समरे रामरावणौ। ददृशुः सर्वभूतानि विस्मितेनान्तरात्मना
As Rāma and Rāvaṇa fought in that way on the battlefield, all beings watched them in astonishment, their hearts filled with wonder.
अर्दयन्तौ तु समरे तयोस्तौ स्यन्दनोत्तमौ। परस्परमभिक्रुद्धौ परस्परमभिद्रुतौ
Assaulting each other in battle, those two, in their excellent chariots, rushed at one another, each burning with anger toward the other.