यं समाश्रित्य जीवन्ति फेनपाः परमर्षयः । अमृतं यत्र चोत्पन्नं स्वधा च स्वधभोजिनाम् ।। ७.२३.
Relying on her, the foam-born sages and the great seers live; there, too, arose the nectar of immortality and the sacred oblation for those who partake of it.
यां ब्रुवन्ति नरा लोके सुरभिं नाम नामतः । प्रदक्षिणं तु तां कृत्वा रावणः परमाद्भुताम् ।। ७.२३.
Men in the world call her by name Surabhi; having circumambulated her, that most marvelous being, Ravana proceeded onward.
प्रविवेश महाघोरं गुप्तं बहुविधैर्बलैः । ततो धाराशताकीर्णं शारदाभ्रनिभं तदा । नित्यप्रहृष्टं ददृशे वरुणस्य गृहोत्तमम् ।। ७.२३.
He entered then the exceedingly dreadful abode, guarded by many kinds of forces; there, covered with hundreds of streams and resembling an autumn cloud, he beheld the splendid, ever-joyful mansion of Varuna.
ततो हत्वा बलाध्यक्षान्समरे तैश्च ताडितः । अब्रवीच्च ततो योधान्राजा शीघ्रं निवेद्यताम् ।। ७.२३.
Then, having slain the commanders of the forces in battle and being struck by them, he spoke to the warriors, 'Quickly inform the king.'
युद्धार्थी रावणः प्राप्तस्तस्य युद्धं प्रदीयताम् । वद वा न भयं ते ऽस्ति निर्जितो ऽस्मीति साञ्जलिः ।। ७.२३.
'Ravana, seeking battle, has arrived; let him be granted combat. Or, if you have no fear, say with joined palms, "I have been defeated."'
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रुद्धा वरुणस्य महात्मनः । पुत्राः पौत्राश्च निष्क्रामन्गौश्च पुष्कर एव च ।। ७.२३.
Meanwhile, the sons and grandsons of the great-souled Varuna, along with the cows and the lotus-born, came forth in anger.
ते तु वीर्यगुणोपेता बलैः परिवृताः स्वकैः । युङ्क्त्वा रथान्कामगमानुद्यद्भास्वरवर्चसः ।। ७.२३.
Endowed with valor and virtues, surrounded by their own forces, they yoked their wish-moving chariots, shining with blazing splendor.
ततो युद्धं समभवद्दारुणं रोमहर्षणम् । सलिलेन्द्रस्य पुत्राणां रावणस्य च धीमतः ।। ७.२३.
Then there arose a fierce and hair-raising battle between the sons of the lord of waters and the wise Ravana.
अमात्यैश्च महावीर्यैर्दशग्रीवस्य रक्षसः । वारुणं तद्बलं कृत्स्नं क्षणेन विनिपातितम् ।। ७.२३.
And with the mighty ministers of the ten-headed Rakshasa, the entire force of Varuna was destroyed in a moment.
समीक्ष्य स्वबलं सङ्ख्ये वरुणस्य सुतास्तदा । अर्दिताः शरजालेन निवृत्ता रणकर्मणः ।। ७.२३.
Seeing their own army struck down in battle, the sons of Varuna, overwhelmed by a shower of arrows, withdrew from the fight.
महीतलगतास्ते तु रावणं दृश्य पुष्पके । आकाशमाशु विविशुः स्यन्दनैः शीघ्रगामिभिः ।। ७.२३.
Those who had fallen to the ground, seeing Ravana in the Pushpaka chariot, swiftly entered the sky in their fast-moving vehicles.
महादासीत्ततस्तेषां तुल्यं स्थानमवाप्य तत् । आकाशयुद्धं तुमुलं देवदानवयोरिव ।। ७.२३.
There, having reached an equal position, a tumultuous aerial battle arose among them, like that between gods and demons.
ततस्ते रावणं युद्धे शरैः पावकसन्निभैः । विमुखीकृत्य सन्तुष्टा विनेदुर्विविधान्रवान् ।। ७.२३.
Then, in battle, they turned Ravana away with arrows blazing like fire; satisfied, they uttered various loud cries.
ततो महोदरः क्रुद्धो राजानं दृश्य धर्षितम् । त्यक्त्वा मृत्युभयं वीरो युद्धकाङ्क्षी व्यलोकयत् ।। ७.२३.
Then Mahodara, enraged on seeing the king humiliated, disregarding fear of death, the hero, eager for battle, gazed intently.
तेन ते दारुणा युद्धे कामगाः पवनोपमाः । महोदरेण गदया हता वै प्रययुः क्षितिम् ।। ७.२३.
By Mahodara, with his mace, those fierce, wish-moving, wind-like chariots were struck down in battle and fell to the earth.
तेषां वरुणपुत्राणां हत्वा योधान्हयाञ्छतान् । मुमोचाशु महानादं विरथान्प्रेक्ष्य तान्स्थितान् ।। ७.२३.
Having slain hundreds of warriors, horses, and charioteers among the sons of Varuna, he let out a great roar, seeing them stand deprived of their chariots.
ते तु तेषां रथाः साश्वाः सह सारथिभिर्हतैः । महोदरेण निहताः पतिताः पृथिवीतले ।। ७.२३.
Their chariots, with horses and charioteers slain by Mahodara, fell to the ground together.
ते तु त्यक्त्वा रथान्पुत्रा वरुणस्य महात्मनः । आकाशे विष्ठिताः शूराः स्वप्रभावान्न विव्यथुः ।। ७.२३.
But those sons of the great-souled Varuṇa, abandoning their chariots, stood firm in the sky; courageous, they did not waver, relying on their own power.
धनूंषि कृत्वा सज्जानि विनिर्भिद्य महोदरम् । रावणं समरे क्रुद्धाः सहिताः समभिद्रवन् ।। ७.२३.
Having readied their bows and pierced Rāvaṇa's great chest, the enraged warriors together charged at him in battle.
सायकैश्चापविभ्रष्टैर्वज्रकल्पैः सुदारुणैः । दारयन्ति स्म सङ्क्रुद्धा मेघा इव महागिरिम् ।। ७.२३.
Furious, they tore at him with arrows fallen from their bows, dreadful as thunderbolts, as clouds would rend a great mountain.
ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः कालाग्निरिव निर्गतः । शरवर्षैर्महाघोरैस्तेषां मर्मस्वताडयत् ।। ७.२३.
Then the enraged ten-headed one, like the fire of destruction unleashed, struck their vital points with a most terrible shower of arrows.
ततस्तेनैव सहसा सीदन्ति स्म पदातयः । मुसलानि विचित्राणि ततो भल्लशतानि च ।। ७.२३.
Thereupon, because of that sudden onslaught, the foot soldiers began to sink; then appeared various maces and hundreds of arrowheads.
पट्टिशांश्चैव शक्तीश्च शतघ्नीस्तोमरांस्तथा । पातयामास दुर्धर्षस्तेषामुपरि विष्ठितः ।। ७.२३.
Standing above them, the formidable one rained down spears, javelins, spiked clubs, and weapons that slay by the hundred.
अपविद्धास्तु ते वीरा विनिष्पेतुः पदातयः । महापङ्कमिवासाद्य कुञ्जराष्षष्टिहायनाः ।। ७.२३.
Struck down, those heroic foot soldiers fell, like sixty-year-old elephants collapsing after entering deep mud.
सीदमानान्सुतान्दृष्ट्वा विह्वलान्सुमहौजसः । ननाद रावणो हर्षान्महानम्बुधरो यथा ।। ७.२३.
Seeing his sons, of immense energy, faltering and distressed, Rāvaṇa roared with delight like a great thundercloud.
ततो रक्षो महानादान्मुक्त्वा हन्ति स्म वारुणान् । नानाप्रहरणोपेतैर्धारापातैरिवाम्बुदः ।। ७.२३.
Then that Rākṣasa, letting out a mighty roar, began to slay the Vāruṇas, equipped with various weapons, as a raincloud pours down torrents.
ततस्ते विमुखाः सर्वे पतिता धरणीतले । रणात्स्वपुरुषैः शीघ्रं गृहाण्येव प्रवेशिताः ।। ७.२३.
Then all of them, defeated, fell to the ground in battle and were quickly brought into their homes by their own people.
तानब्रवीत्ततो रक्षो वरुणाय निवेद्यताम् ।। ७.२३.
Then the Rākṣasa said to them, 'Let Varuṇa be informed of this.'
रावणं त्वब्रवीन्मन्त्री प्रहस्तो (प्रहसो) नाम वारुणः । गतः खलु महाराजो ब्रह्मलोकं जलेश्वरः ।। ७.२३.
But Rāvaṇa was told by his counselor, named Prahasta, a Vāruṇa: 'The great king, lord of waters, has gone to Brahmā's world.'
गान्धर्वं वरुणः श्रोतुं यं त्वमाह्वयसे युधि । तत्किं तव वृथा वीर परिश्रम्य गते नृपे । ये तु सन्निहिता वीराः कुमारास्ते पराजिताः ।। ७.२३.
'The Gandharva whom you summon to battle, Varuṇa, is gone—why exhaust yourself in vain, hero, when the king has departed? The valiant sons who were present have been defeated.'