स रोषाद्रक्तनयनो राक्षसेन्द्रो बलोद्धतः ।। ७.३२.
The lord of the Rakshasas, his eyes red with anger, was swollen with strength.
इत्येवमर्जुनामात्यनाह गम्भीरया गिरा । अमात्याः क्षिप्रमाख्यात हैहयस्य नृपस्य वै ।। ७.३२.
Thus, Arjuna's minister spoke with a deep voice: 'Quickly announce to the king Haihaya.'
युद्धार्थी समनुप्राप्तो रावणो नाम राक्षसः । रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा मन्त्रिणो ऽथार्जुनस्य ते । उत्तस्थुः सायुधास्त्राश्च रावणं वाक्यमब्रुवन् ।। ७.३२.
Ravana, the Rakshasa, has arrived seeking battle. Hearing Ravana's words, Arjuna's ministers rose, armed and equipped, and addressed Ravana.
युद्धस्य कालो विज्ञेयः साधु भोः साधु रावण ।। ७.३२.
The time for battle must be determined. Well done, Ravana, well done.
चः श्रुत्वा मन्त्रिणो ऽथार्जुनस्य ते । यः क्षीबं स्त्रीवृतं चैव योद्धुमुत्सहते नृपम् । स्त्रीसमक्षं कथं यत्तद्योद्धुमुत्सहसे ऽर्जुनम् । वाशितामध्यगं मत्तं शार्दूल इव कुञ्जरम् ।। ७.३२.
Hearing this, Arjuna's ministers said: 'Who would dare to fight a king surrounded by women? How can you, Arjuna, wish to fight in the presence of women, like a tiger attacking a drunken elephant among trumpeting females?'
क्षमस्वाद्य दशग्रीव चोष्यतां रजनी त्वया । युद्धे श्रद्धा च यद्यस्ति श्वस्तात समरे ऽर्जुनम् ।। ७.३२.
Forgive now, O ten-headed one; let the night be spent by you. If you have faith in battle, tomorrow you may fight Arjuna.
यद्यद्यास्ति मतिर्योद्धुं युद्धतृष्णासमावृता । निहत्यास्मांस्ततो युद्धमर्जुनेनोपयास्यसि ।। ७.३२.
If you truly desire to fight, your mind filled with thirst for battle, then, after defeating us, you may approach Arjuna for combat.
ततस्ते रावणामात्यैरमात्याः पार्थिवस्य तु । सूदिताश्चापि ते युद्धे भक्षिताश्च बुभुक्षितैः ।। ७.३२.
Then, by Ravana's ministers, the ministers of the king were slain in battle, and devoured by the hungry ones.
ततो हलहलाशब्दो नर्मदातीर आबभौ । अर्जुनस्यानुयातऽणां रावणस्य च मन्त्रिणाम् ।। ७.३२.
Then a tumultuous sound arose on the banks of the Narmada, from Arjuna's followers and Ravana's ministers.
इषुभिस्तोमरैः शूलैस्त्रिशूलैर्वज्रकर्षणैः । सरावणानर्दयन्तः समन्तात्समभिद्रुताः ।। ७.३२.
With arrows, spears, tridents, and thunderbolt-drawing weapons, they rushed from all sides, tormenting the Rakshasas.
हैहयाधिपयोधानां वेग आसीत्सुदारुणः । सनक्रमीनमकरसमुद्रस्येव निःस्वनः ।। ७.३२.
The force of the Haihaya king's warriors was exceedingly fierce, like the roar of an ocean filled with crocodiles and sharks.
रावणस्य तु ते ऽमात्याः प्रहस्तशुकसारणाः । कार्तवीर्यबलं क्रुद्धा निर्दहन्ति स्म तेजसा ।। ७.३२.
Ravana's ministers, Prahasta, Shuka, and Sarana, enraged, burned Kartavirya's army with their brilliance.
अर्जुनाय तु तत्कर्म रावणस्य समन्त्रिणः । क्रीडमानाय कथितं पुरुषैर्द्वाररक्षिभिः ।। ७.३२.
The deed of Ravana and his ministers was reported to Arjuna, who was playing, by the guards at the gate.
श्रुत्वा न भेतव्यमिति स्त्रीजनं तं ततो ऽर्जुनः । उत्ततार जलात्तस्माद्गङ्गातोयादिवाञ्जनः ।। ७.३२.
Hearing, 'Do not be afraid,' Arjuna then emerged from the water, like a black ointment from the waters of the Ganga.
क्रोधदूषितनेत्रस्तु स ततो ऽर्जुनपावकः । प्रजज्वाल महाघोरो युगान्त इव पावकः ।। ७.३२.
His eyes tainted by anger, Arjuna blazed forth, dreadful as fire at the end of an age.
स तूर्णतरमादाय वरहेमाङ्गदो गदाम् । अभिदुद्राव रक्षांसि तमांसीव दिवाकरः ।। ७.३२.
He swiftly seized his mighty golden-armlet mace and rushed at the Rakshasas, like the sun dispelling darkness.
बाहुविक्षेपकरणां समुद्यम्य महागदाम् । गारुडं वेगमास्थाय चापपातैव सो ऽर्जुनः ।। ७.३२.
Raising his great mace for striking with his arm, Arjuna, adopting the speed of Garuda, descended like a swooping bird.
तस्य मार्गं समारुद्ध्य विन्ध्यो ऽर्कस्येव पर्वतः । स्थितो विन्ध्य इवाकम्प्यः प्रहस्तो मुसलायुधः ।। ७.३२.
Blocking his path like the Vindhya mountain before the sun, Prahasta, armed with a mace, stood firm and unshakable like the Vindhya itself.
ततो ऽस्य मुसलं घोरं लोहबद्धं महोद्धतः । प्रहस्तः प्रेषयन्क्रुद्धो ररास च यथाम्बुदः ।। ७.३२.
Then Prahasta, furious, sent forth his dreadful mace, bound with iron and immense in size, roaring like a thundercloud.
तस्याग्रे मुसलस्याग्निरशोकापीडसन्निभः । प्रहस्तकरमुक्तस्य बभूव प्रदहन्निव ।। ७.३२.
At the front of that mace, released by Prahasta's hand, a fire blazed, resembling the crest of an ashoka tree, as if burning everything in its path.
अथायान्तं तु मुसलं कार्तवीर्यस्तदार्जुनः । निपुणं वञ्चयामास सगदो ऽगदविक्रमः ।। ७.३२.
As the mace approached, Arjuna, the descendant of Kartavirya, skillfully evaded it, wielding his own mace with unmatched prowess.
ततस्तमभिदुद्राव प्रहस्तं हैहयाधिपः । भ्रामयानो गदां गुर्वीं पञ्चबाहुशतोच्छ्रयाम् ।। ७.३२.
Then the lord of the Haihayas rushed at Prahasta, whirling his massive mace, which towered with a hundred arms.
तथा हतो ऽतिवेगेन प्रहस्तो गदया तदा । निपपात स्थितः शैलो वज्रिवज्रहतो यथा ।। ७.३२.
Thus, Prahasta was struck with great force by the mace and fell, like a mountain struck by Indra's thunderbolt.
प्रहस्तं पतितं दृष्ट्वा मारीचशुकसारणाः । समहोदरधूम्राक्षा ह्यपसृष्टा रणाजिरात् ।। ७.३२.
Seeing Prahasta fallen, Marica, Shuka, Sarana, Mahodara, and Dhumraksha fled from the battlefield.
अपक्रान्तेष्वमात्येषु प्रहस्ते वै निपातिते । रावणो ऽभ्यद्रवत्तूर्णमर्जुनं नृपसत्तमम् ।। ७.३२.
When Prahasta was slain and his ministers had retreated, Ravana swiftly charged at Arjuna, the foremost among kings.
सहस्रबाहोस्तद्युद्धं विंशद्बाहोश्च दारुणम् । नृपराक्षसयोस्तत्र चारब्धं रोमहर्षणम् ।। ७.३२.
There began a fierce battle between the thousand-armed Ravana and the twenty-armed Arjuna, a contest between king and rakshasa that thrilled all who witnessed it.
सागराविव संरब्धौ चलन्मूलाविवाचलौ । तेजोयुक्ताविवादित्यौ प्रदहन्ताविवानलौ ।। ७.३२.
Like two raging oceans, like immovable roots shaken, like two radiant suns, like two blazing fires, they confronted each other with energy and fury.
बलोद्धतौ यथा नागौ वाशितार्थे यथा वृषौ । मेघाविव विनर्दन्तौ सिंहाविव बलोत्कटौ ।। ७.३२.
Like two powerful elephants in contest, like two bulls fighting for dominance, like roaring clouds, like mighty lions, they clashed with strength and ferocity.
रुद्रकालाविव क्रुद्धौ तदा तौ राक्षसार्जुनौ । परस्परं गदाभ्यां तौ ताडयामासतुर्भृशम् ।। ७.३२.
Like Rudra and Kala in anger, those two—Arjuna and the rakshasa—struck each other fiercely with their maces.
वज्रप्रहारानचला यथा घोरान्विषेहिरे । गदाप्रहारांस्तौ तत्र सेहाते नरराक्षसौ ।। ७.३२.
Just as mountains withstand the blows of thunderbolts, so the man and the rakshasa endured the terrible strikes of each other's maces.