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.
परस्परवधे युक्तौ घोररूपौ बभूवतुः। मण्डलानि च वीथीश्च गतप्रत्यागतानि च
Intent on each other’s destruction, they became fearsome in appearance, moving in circles and lines, advancing and retreating.
दर्शयन्तौ बहुविधां सूतौ सारथ्यजां गतिम्। अर्दयन् रावणं रामो राघवं चापि रावणः
Demonstrating many kinds of maneuvers born of charioteering skill, Rāma harassed Rāvaṇa, and Rāvaṇa likewise harassed Rāma.
गतिवेगं समापन्नौ प्रवर्तननिवर्तने। क्षिपतोः शरजालानि तयोस्तौ स्यन्दनोत्तमौ
Both matched each other in speed and force, advancing and withdrawing, as their excellent chariots hurled volleys of arrows at one another.
चेरतुः संयुगमहीं सासारौ जलदाविव। दर्शयित्वा तदा तौ तु गतिं बहुविधां रणे
They moved across the battlefield like rain-filled clouds, showing many kinds of movement in combat.
परस्परस्याभिमुखौ पुनरेव च तस्थतुः। धुरं धुरेण रथयोर्वक्त्रं वक्त्रेण वाजिनाम्
Once again, facing each other, they stood with the yokes of their chariots aligned, and the faces of their horses directly opposed.
पताकाश्च पताकाभिः समीयुः स्थितयोस्तदा। रावणस्य ततो रामो धनुर्मुक्तैः शितैः शरैः
At that moment, their flags met each other as they stood; then Rāma released sharp arrows from his bow at Rāvaṇa.
चतुर्भिश्चतुरो दीप्तान् हयान् प्रत्यपसर्पयत्। स क्रोधवशमापन्नो हयानामपसर्पणे
With four blazing arrows, he drove back Rāvaṇa’s four horses; overcome by anger at the retreat of his horses—
मुमोच निशितान् बाणान् राघवाय दशाननः। सोऽतिविद्धो बलवता दशग्रीवेण राघवः
The ten-headed Rāvaṇa released sharp arrows at Rāghava; though struck forcefully by Rāvaṇa, Rāghava—
जगाम न विकारं च न चापि व्यथितोऽभवत्। चिक्षेप च पुनर्बाणान् वज्रसारसमस्वनान्
Did not show any change, nor was he disturbed; again he shot arrows that rang with the sound of thunderbolts.
सारथिं वज्रहस्तस्य समुद्दिश्य दशाननः। मातलेस्तु महावेगाः शरीरे पतिताः शराः
Aiming at the charioteer of the thunderbolt-wielding one, the ten-headed Rāvaṇa shot arrows at Mātali’s body with great speed.
न सूक्ष्ममपि सम्मोहं व्यथां वा प्रददुर्युधि। तया धर्षणया क्रुद्धो मातलेर्न तथाऽऽत्मनः
But even as those arrows struck, Mātali did not experience the slightest confusion or pain in battle; angered by that attack, not so much for himself—
चकार शरजालेन राघवो विमुखं रिपुम्। विंशतिं त्रिंशतिं षष्टिं शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Rāghava made his enemy turn away with a hail of arrows—twenty, thirty, sixty, by the hundreds and thousands.
मुमोच राघवो वीरः सायकान् स्यन्दने रिपोः। रावणोऽपि ततः क्रुद्धो रथस्थो राक्षसेश्वरः
The heroic Rāghava released arrows by the hundreds at his enemy’s chariot; then Rāvaṇa, enraged, standing in his chariot, lord of the rākṣasas—
गदामुसलवर्षेण रामं प्रत्यर्दयद् रणे। तत् प्रवृत्तं पुनर्युद्धं तुमुलं रोमहर्षणम्
With a rain of maces and clubs, he assailed Rama in battle; then again arose a tumultuous and hair-raising combat.
गदानां मुसलानां च परिघाणां च निःस्वनैः। शराणां पुङ्खवातैश्च क्षुभिताः सप्त सागराः
By the crashing sounds of maces, clubs, and iron bars, and by the wind of feathered arrows, the seven oceans were agitated.
क्षुब्धानां सागराणां च पातालतलवासिनः। व्यथिता दानवाः सर्वे पन्नगाश्च सहस्रशः
And as the oceans were disturbed, all the Danavas dwelling in the netherworld, and thousands of serpents, were afflicted.
चकम्पे मेदिनी कृत्स्ना सशैलवनकानना। भास्करो निष्प्रभश्चासीन्न ववौ चापि मारुतः
The entire earth trembled, with its mountains, forests, and groves; the sun lost its brilliance, and the wind did not blow.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। चिन्तामापेदिरे सर्वे सकिंनरमहोरगाः
Then all the gods, along with the Gandharvas, Siddhas, and great sages, together with Kinnaras and mighty serpents, were seized by anxiety.
स्वस्ति गोब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तु लोकास्तिष्ठन्तु शाश्वताः। जयतां राघवः संख्ये रावणं राक्षसेश्वरम्
"May there be welfare for cows and Brahmins, may the worlds endure forever; let Raghava be victorious in battle over Ravana, lord of the Rakshasas."
एवं जपन्तोऽपश्यंस्ते देवाः सर्षिगणास्तदा। रामरावणयोर्युद्धं सुघोरं रोमहर्षणम्
Thus chanting, the gods and hosts of sages beheld that dreadful and hair-raising battle between Rama and Ravana.