एवं सम्मन्त्र्य बलिनः सर्वे सैन्यसमावृताः । उद्योगं घोषयित्वा तु सर्वे नैर्ऋतपुङ्गवाः ७.६.
Having thus deliberated, all the mighty ones, accompanied by their armies, proclaimed the call to arms, all the foremost of the night-walkers.
इति ते राम सम्मन्त्र्य सर्वोद्योगेन राक्षसाः । युद्धाय निर्ययुः सर्वे महाकाया महाबलाः ।। ७.६.
So, having conferred, all the Rakshasas, of immense size and great strength, set out with full preparations for battle.
स्यन्दनैर्वारणैश्चैव हयैश्च गिरिसन्निभैः । खरैर्गोभी रथोष्ट्रैश्च शिंशुमारैर्भुजङ्गमैः ।। ७.६.
They departed in chariots, on elephants, on horses as massive as mountains, on donkeys, bulls, war-camels, crocodiles, and serpents.
मकरैः कच्छपैर्मीनैर्विहङ्गैर्गरुडोपमैः । सिंहैर्व्याघ्रैर्वराहैश्च सृमरैश्चमरैरपि ।। ७.६.
On makaras, turtles, fish, birds like Garuda, lions, tigers, boars, antelopes, and yaks as well.
त्यक्त्वा लङ्कां गताः सर्वे राक्षसा बलगर्विताः । प्रयाता देवलोकाय योद्धुं दैवतशत्रवः ।। ७.६.
Leaving Lanka behind, all the Rakshasas, proud of their strength, set out for the realm of the gods to fight their divine foes.
लङ्काविपर्ययं दृष्ट्वा यानि लङ्कालयान्यथ । भूतानि भयदर्शीनि विमनस्कानि सर्वशः ।। ७.६.
Seeing the upheaval in Lanka, all the beings dwelling there became fearful and utterly disheartened.
रथोत्तमैरुह्यमानाः शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः ।। ७.६.
They were borne away by the hundreds and thousands in splendid chariots.
प्रयाता राक्षसास्तूर्णं देवलोकं प्रयत्नतः । रक्षसामेव मार्गेण दैवतान्यपचक्रमुः ।। ७.६.
The Rakshasas swiftly proceeded with great effort toward the realm of the gods, and the deities withdrew from the path of the Rakshasas.
भौमाश्चैवान्तरिक्षाश्च कालाज्ञप्ता भयावहाः । उत्पाता राक्षसेन्द्राणामभावाय समुत्थिताः ।। ७.६.
Portents, both earthly and celestial, terrifying and commanded by Time, arose to bring about the destruction of the Rakshasa lords.
अस्थीनि मेघा ववृषुरुष्णं शोणितमेव च । वेलां समुद्राश्चोत्क्रान्ताश्चेलुश्चाप्यथ भूधराः ।। ७.६.
Clouds rained down bones and hot blood; the oceans crossed their shores, and mountains began to move.
अट्टहासान्विमुञ्चन्तो घननादसमस्वनाः । वाश्यन्त्यश्च शिवास्तत्र दारुणं घोरदर्शनाः ।। ७.६.
There, dreadful and fearsome Shivas let out peals of laughter, their voices as loud as thunderclouds, and wailed terribly.
सम्पतन्त्यथ भूतानि दृश्यन्ते च यथाक्रमम् । गृध्रचक्रं महच्चात्र ज्वलनोद्गारिभिर्मुखैः ।। ७.६.
Then, beings were seen flying through the air in order, and a great circle of vultures appeared, their mouths spewing fire.
राक्षसानामुपरि खे भ्रमते ऽलातचक्रवत् । कपोता रक्तपादाश्च शारिका विद्रुता ययुः ७.६.
Above the Rakshasas in the sky, a wheel of fire whirled like a blazing disc; doves with red feet and mynah birds scattered in flight.
उत्पातांस्ताननादृत्य राक्षसा बलगर्विताः । यान्त्येव न निवर्त्तन्ते मृत्युपाशावपाशिताः ।। ७.६.
Ignoring these omens, the Rakshasas, proud of their strength, kept advancing, not turning back, ensnared by the noose of death.
माल्यवांश्च सुमाली च माली च सुमहाबलाः । आसन्पुरःसरास्तेषां क्रतूनामिव पावकाः ।। ७.६.
Malyavan, Sumali, and Mali, all of immense might, led them at the front, like fires leading sacrifices.
माल्यवन्तं च ते सर्वे माल्यवन्तमिवाचलम् । निशाचरा ह्याश्रयन्ति धातारमिव देवताः ।। ७.६.
All the night-walkers gathered around Malyavan as if he were a mountain, just as the gods gather around their creator.
तद्बलं राक्षसेन्द्राणां महाभ्रघननादितम् । जयेप्सया देवलोकं ययौ मालिवशे स्थितम् ।। ७.६.
That army of the Rakshasa lords, roaring like a mass of great clouds, advanced toward the realm of the gods, eager for victory, under Mali's command.
राक्षसानां समुद्योगं तं तु नारायणः प्रभुः । देवदूतादुपश्रुत्य चक्रे युद्धे तदा मनः ।। ७.६.
The mighty Nārāyaṇa, having heard from the messenger of the gods about the preparations of the Rākṣasas, then resolved in his mind to engage in battle.
स सज्जायुधतूणीरो वैनतेयोपरि स्थितः । आसज्ज्य कवचं दिव्यं सहस्रार्कसमद्युति ।। ७.६.
He, equipped with bow and quiver, stood upon Garuḍa, and donned a divine armor, radiant as a thousand suns.
आबध्य शरसम्पूर्णे इषुधी विमले तदा । श्रोणिसूत्रं च खड्गं च विमलं कमलेक्षणः ७.६.
Then, O lotus-eyed one, he fastened his pure quivers filled with arrows, girded on his sword and waist-belt.
सुपर्णं गिरिसङ्काशं वैनतेयमथास्थितः । राक्षसानामभावाय ययौ तूर्णतरं प्रभुः ।। ७.६.
Mounted upon Garuḍa, who resembled a mountain, the Lord swiftly set out for the destruction of the Rākṣasas.
सुपर्णपृष्ठे स बभौ श्यामः पीताम्बरो हरिः । काञ्चनस्य गिरेः शृङ्गे सतडित्तोयदो यथा ।। ७.६.
Hari, dark-hued and clad in yellow garments, shone upon the back of Garuḍa like a rain-cloud with lightning on the golden peak of a mountain.
स सिद्धदेवर्षिमहोरगैश्च गन्धर्वयक्षैरुपगीयमानः । समाससादासुरसैन्यशत्रूंश्चक्रासिशार्ङ्गायुधशङ्खपाणिः ।। ७.६.
Accompanied by the praises of Siddhas, divine sages, great serpents, Gandharvas, and Yakṣas, he approached the armies of the Asuras and their leaders, bearing discus, sword, bow, and conch in his hands.
सुपर्णपक्षानिलनुन्नपक्षं भ्रमत्पताकं प्रविकीर्णशस्त्रम् । चचाल तद्राक्षसराजसैन्यं चलोपलं नील इवाचलेन्द्रः ।। ७.६.
That army of the Rākṣasa king, its banners whirling, its weapons scattered, and its wings tossed by the wind from Garuḍa’s wings, trembled like a moving blue mountain struck by stones.
ततः शरैः शोणितमांसरूषितैर्युगान्तवैश्वानरतुल्यविग्रहैः । निशाचराः सम्परिवार्य माधवं वरायुधैर्निर्बिभिदुः सहस्रशः ।। ७.६.
Then the night-wandering Rākṣasas, surrounding Mādhava, struck him by thousands with their best weapons and arrows, smeared with blood and flesh, and fierce as the fire of destruction.
नारायणगिरिं ते तु गर्जन्तो राक्षसाम्बुदाः । ववर्षुः शरवर्षेण वर्षेणेवाद्रिमम्बुदाः ।। ७.७.
The Rākṣasas, roaring like clouds, showered volleys of arrows upon the mountain-like Nārāyaṇa, just as clouds pour rain upon a mountain.
श्यामावदातस्तैर्विष्णुर्नीलैर्नक्तञ्चरोत्तमैः । वृतो ऽञ्जनगिरीवासीत् वर्षमाणैः पयोधरैः ।। ७.७.
Surrounded by those foremost of dark and fair-skinned night-wanderers, Viṣṇu stood like a mountain of collyrium encircled by rain-bearing clouds.
शलभा इव केदारं मशका इव पर्वतम् । यथामृतघटं दंशा मकरा इव चार्णवम् ।। ७.७.
Just as locusts swarm a field, mosquitoes a mountain, flies a pot of nectar, or crocodiles the ocean—
तथा रक्षोधनुर्मुक्ता वज्रानिलमनोजवाः । हरिं विशन्ति स्म शरा लोका इव विपर्यये ।। ७.७.
So too did the arrows, released from the bows of the Rākṣasas, swift as the wind and thunderbolt, enter Hari as worlds would at the time of dissolution.
स्यन्दनैः स्यन्दनगता गजैश्च गजपृष्ठगाः । अश्वारोहास्तथाश्वैश्च पादाताश्चाम्बरे स्थिताः ।। ७.७.
Mounted on chariots, elephants, horses, and even standing in the sky, the warriors advanced—charioteers, elephant-riders, horsemen, and foot soldiers alike.