तुल्य आसीन्नृपस्तस्य प्रभावाद्वसुरेतसः । अर्जुनो नाम यत्राग्निः शरकुण्डेशयः सदा ।। ७.३१.
The king there, equal in power to Vasuretas, was named Arjuna, who was always devoted to the fire in the arrow-pit.
तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ हैहयाधिपतिर्बली । अर्जुनो नर्मदां रन्तुं गतः स्त्रीभिः सहेश्वरः ।। ७.३१.
On that very day, the mighty lord of the Haihayas, Arjuna, had gone to the Narmadā river to enjoy himself with his wives.
तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ रावणस्तत्र आगतः । रावणो राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तस्यामात्यानपृच्छत ।। ७.३१.
On that same day, Rāvaṇa, king of the rākṣasas, arrived there and questioned the ministers of Arjuna.
क्वार्जुनो नृपतिः शीघ्रं सम्यगाख्यातुमर्हथ । रावणो ऽहमनुप्राप्तो युद्धेप्सुर्नृवरेण ह । ममागमनमप्यग्रे युष्माभिः सन्निवेद्यताम् ।। ७.३१.
'Where is King Arjuna? You must quickly and properly tell me. I, Rāvaṇa, have come, desiring battle with that foremost of men. Announce my arrival to him at once.'
इत्येवं रावणेनोक्तास्ते ऽमात्याः सुविपश्चितः । अब्रुवन्राक्षसपतिमसान्निध्यं महीपतेः ।। ७.३१.
Thus addressed by Rāvaṇa, those wise ministers informed him of the king's whereabouts.
श्रुत्वा विश्रवसः पुत्रः पौराणामर्जुनं गतम् । अपसृत्यागतो विन्ध्यं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् ।। ७.३१.
Hearing that the son of Viśravas had reached the ancient Arjuna, he departed and arrived at the Vindhya, a mountain resembling the Himalayas.
स तमभ्रमिवाविष्टमुद्भ्रन्तमिव मेदिनीम् । अपश्यद्रावणो विन्ध्यमालिखन्तमिवाम्बरम् ।। ७.३१.
Rāvaṇa saw the Vindhya, enveloped like a cloud, rising as if to touch the earth, and seeming to scratch the sky.
सहस्रशिखरोपेतं सिंहाध्युषितकन्दरम् । प्रपातपतितैस्तोयैः साट्टहासमिवाम्बुधिम् ।। ७.३१.
With a thousand peaks, its caves inhabited by lions, its waters falling from precipices, it roared like the ocean with laughter.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः साप्सरोगणकिन्नरैः । स्वस्त्रीभिः क्रीडमानैश्च स्वर्गभूतं महोच्छ्रयम् ।। ७.३१.
With gods, demons, gandharvas, apsaras groups, and kinnaras, playing with their own women, it appeared as heaven, lofty and grand.
नदीभिः स्यन्दमानाभिः स्फटिकप्रतिमं जलम् । फणाभिश्चलजिह्वाभिरनन्तमिव विष्ठितम् ।। ७.३१.
With rivers flowing, water clear as crystal, and serpents with moving tongues, it seemed endless and vast.
उत्क्रामन्तं दरीवन्तं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् । पश्यमानस्ततो विन्ध्यं रावणो नर्मदां ययौ ।। ७.३१.
Seeing the mountain rising and stretching, resembling the Himalayas, Rāvaṇa then went to the Narmadā.
चलोपलजलां पुण्यां पश्चिमोदधिगामिनीम् ।। ७.३१.
He approached the sacred river, with moving stones and waters, flowing westward to the ocean.
महिषैः सृमरैः सिंहैः शार्दूलर्क्षगजोत्तमैः । उष्णाभितप्तैस्तृषितैः सङ्क्षोभितजलाशयाम् ।। ७.३१.
Its waters disturbed by buffaloes, crocodiles, lions, tigers, bears, and elephants, all scorched by heat and thirst.
चक्रवाकैः सकारण्डैः सहंसजलकुक्कुटैः । सारसैश्च सदा मत्तैः सुकूजद्भिः समावृताम् ।। ७.३१.
Filled with chakravākas, karandhas, swans, waterfowl, and cranes, always intoxicated and singing sweetly.
फुल्लद्रुमकृतोत्तंसां चक्रवाकयुगस्तनीम् । विस्तीर्णपुलिनश्रोणीं हंसावलिसुमेखलाम् ।। ७.३१.
Adorned with blooming trees, breasts like pairs of chakravākas, wide sandy banks like hips, and rows of swans like beautiful girdles.
पुष्परेण्वनुलिप्ताङ्गीं जलफेनामलांशुकाम् । जलावगाहसंस्पर्शां फुल्लोत्पलशुभेक्षणाम् । पुष्पकादवरुह्याशु नर्मदां सरितां वराम् ।। ७.३१.
Her limbs smeared with pollen, her garments pure as foam, touched by the water, her eyes shining like blossoming lotuses; swiftly descending from his aerial chariot, he entered the Narmadā, best of rivers.
इष्टामिव वरां नारीमवगाह्य दशाननः । स तस्याः पुलिने रम्ये नानामुनिनिषेविते ।। ७.३१.
Immersing himself in her, as one would a beloved woman, Daśānana, on her delightful bank frequented by many sages,
उपोपविष्टैः सचिवैः सार्धं राक्षसपुङ्गवः । प्रख्याय नर्मदां सो ऽथ गङ्गेयमिति रावणः ।। ७.३१.
The foremost of rākṣasas, seated with his ministers, praised the Narmadā, and then Rāvaṇa called her 'daughter of Gaṅga.'
नर्मदादर्शजं हर्षमाप्तवान् राक्षसाधिपः । उवाच सचिवांस्तत्र सलीलं शुकसारणौ ।। ७.३१.
The lord of rākṣasas, delighted by the sight of Narmadā, spoke playfully to his ministers, Śuka and Sāraṇa.
एष रश्मिसहस्रेण जगत्कृत्वैव काञ्चनम् । तीक्ष्णतापकरः सूर्यो नभसो ऽर्धं समाश्रितः ।। ७.३१.
This sun, with a thousand rays, has made the world golden, and with intense heat, occupies half the sky.
मामासीनं विदित्वैव चन्द्रायति दिवाकरः ।। ७.३१.
Knowing that I am seated here, the sun now becomes like the moon.
नर्मदाजलशीतश्च सुगन्धिः श्रमनाशनः । मद्भयादनिलो ऽप्यत्र वात्येष सुसमाहितः ।। ७.३१.
The cool, fragrant water of Narmadā relieves fatigue; even the wind here, fearing me, blows gently and calmly.
इयं वापि सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा नर्मदा नर्मवर्धिनी । नक्रमीनविहङ्गोर्मिः सभयेवाङ्गना स्थिता ।। ७.३१.
This best of rivers, Narmadā, increasing delight, with crocodiles, birds, and waves, stands timid like a woman.
तद्भवन्तः क्षताः शस्त्रैर्नृपैरिन्द्रसमैर्युधि । चन्दनस्य रसेनेव रुधिरेण समुक्षिताः ।। ७.३१.
Then you, wounded by weapons in battle by kings equal to Indra, are covered with blood as if with the essence of sandalwood.
ते यूयमवगाहध्वं नर्मदां शर्मदां शुभाम् । महापद्ममुखा मत्ता गङ्गामिव गहागजाः । अस्यां स्नात्वा महानद्यां पाप्मानं विप्रमोक्ष्यथ ।। ७.३१.
Now you all should enter the auspicious Narmada, the giver of happiness, just as intoxicated elephants enter the Ganga at the mouth of the great lotus; by bathing in this great river, you will be freed from sin.
अहमप्यद्य पुलिने शरदिन्दुसमप्रभे । पुष्पोपहारं शनकैः करिष्यामि कपर्दिनः ।। ७.३१.
Today, I too, on the shining bank, radiant as the autumn moon, will slowly offer flowers to the matted-haired One.
रावणेनैवमुक्तास्तु प्रहस्तशुकसारणाः । समहोदरधूम्राक्षा नर्मदां विजगाहिरे ।। ७.३१.
Thus addressed by Ravana, Prahasta, Shuka, Sarana, along with Mahodara and Dhumraksha, entered the Narmada.
राक्षसेन्द्रगजैस्तैस्तु क्षोभिता नर्मदा नदी । वामनाञ्जनपद्माद्यैर्गङ्गा इव महागजैः ।। ७.३१.
Disturbed by those elephant-like leaders of the Rakshasas, the river Narmada was like the Ganga agitated by great elephants such as Vamana, Anjana, and Padma.
ततस्ते राक्षसाः स्नात्वा नर्मदायां महाबलाः । उत्तीर्य पुष्पाण्याजह्रुर्बल्यर्थं रावणस्य तु ।। ७.३१.
Then those mighty Rakshasas, having bathed in the Narmada, crossed over and gathered flowers for Ravana's offering.
नर्मदापुलिने हृद्ये शुभ्राभ्रसदृशप्रभे । राक्षसैस्तु मुहूर्तेन कृतः पुष्पमयो गिरिः ।। ७.३१.
On the lovely bank of the Narmada, shining like a white cloud, the Rakshasas in a moment made a mountain of flowers.