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.'
राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तच्छ्रुत्वा नाम विश्राव्य चात्मनः । हर्षान्नादं विमुञ्चन्वै निष्क्रान्तो वरुणालयात् ।। ७.२३.
Hearing this, the lord of the Rākṣasas announced his own name, and, roaring with joy, departed from Varuṇa's abode.
आगतस्तु पथा येन तेनैव विनिवृत्य सः । लङ्कामभिमुखो रक्षो नभस्तलगतो ययौ ।। ७.२३.
Turning back along the same path by which he had come, the Rākṣasa, aiming for Laṅkā, traveled through the sky.
निवर्तमानः संहृष्टो रावणस्सुदुरात्मवान् । जह्रे पथि नरेन्द्रर्षिदेवगन्धर्वकन्यकाः ।। ७.२४.
Returning, elated, that Rāvaṇa of wicked resolve seized on the way the daughters of kings, sages, gods, and Gandharvas.
दर्शनीयां हि रक्षः स कन्यां स्त्रीं वापि पश्यति । हत्वा बन्धुजनं तस्या विमाने तां रुरोध ह ।। ७.२४.
Whenever that Rākṣasa saw a beautiful maiden or woman, he would slay her relatives and confine her in his aerial chariot.
एवं पन्नगकन्याश्च राक्षसासुरमानुषीः । यक्षदानवकन्याश्च विमाने सो ऽध्यरोपयत् ।। ७.२४.
In this way, he placed in his chariot the daughters of serpents, Rākṣasas, Asuras, humans, Yakṣas, and Dānavas.
ताश्च सर्वाः समं दुःखान्मुमुचुर्बाष्पजं जलम् । तुल्यमग्न्यर्चिषां तत्र शोकाग्निभयसम्भवम् ।। ७.२४.
All of them together shed tears born of sorrow, equally, like water springing from the fire of grief and fear.
ताभिः सर्वानवद्याभिर्नदीभिरिव सागरः । आपूरितं विमानं तद्भयशोकाशिवाश्रुभिः ।। ७.२४.
That aerial palace was filled, like the ocean by rivers, with tears of fear and grief from all those faultless women.
नागगन्धर्वकन्याश्च महर्षितनयाश्च याः । दैत्यदानवकन्याश्च विमाने शतशो ऽरुदन् ।। ७.२४.
Hundreds of serpent-maidens, daughters of Gandharvas and great sages, and daughters of Daityas and Dānavas wept in the palace.
दीर्घकेश्यः सुचार्वङ्ग्यः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाः । पीनस्तन्यस्तथा वज्रवेदिमध्यसमप्रभाः ।। ७.२४.
They had long hair, beautiful limbs, faces like the full moon, full breasts, and waists slender as the middle of a thunderbolt altar.
रथकूबरसङ्काशैः श्रोणिदेशैर्मनोहराः । स्त्रियः सुराङ्गनाप्रख्या निष्टप्तकनकप्रभाः ।। ७.२४.
Their hips resembled the hubs of chariot wheels, enchanting women, radiant as refined gold, comparable to the nymphs of the gods.