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.
यथा ऽ शनिरवेभ्यस्तु जायते ऽथ प्रतिश्रुतिः । तथा तयोर्गदापोथैर्दिशः सर्वाः प्रतिश्रुताः ।। ७.३२.
As echoes arise from thunderclaps, so the blows of their maces resounded in all directions.
अर्जुनस्य गदा सा तु पात्यमाना ऽहितोरसि । काञ्चनाभं नभश्चक्रे विद्युत्सौदामिनी यथा ।। ७.३२.
Arjuna's mace, when hurled at Ravana's chest, created a golden glow in the sky, like a flash of lightning.
तथैव रावणेनापि पात्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः । अर्जुनोरसि निर्भाति गदोल्केव महागिरौ ।। ७.३२.
Likewise, Ravana's mace, repeatedly thrown at Arjuna's chest, shone like a blazing meteor striking a great mountain.
नार्जुनः खेदमायाति न राक्षसगणेश्वरः । इदमासीत्तयोर्युद्धं यथा पूर्वं बलीन्द्रयोः ।। ७.३२.
Neither Arjuna nor the lord of the rakshasas grew weary; their battle was like that of the ancient mighty ones.
शृङ्गैरिव वृषायुध्यन्दन्ताग्रैरिव कुञ्जरौ । परस्परं तौ निघ्नन्तौ नरराक्षससत्तमौ ।। ७.३२.
Like bulls fighting with their horns, like elephants with their tusks, the foremost man and rakshasa struck each other again and again.
ततो ऽर्जुनेन क्रुद्धेन सर्वप्राणेन सा गदा । स्तनयोरन्तरे मुक्ता रावणस्य महोरसि ।। ७.३२.
Then, Arjuna, enraged and with all his strength, released his mace between Ravana’s breasts, striking his mighty chest.
वरदानकृतत्राणे सा गदा रावणोरसि । दुर्बलेव यथावेगं द्विधाभूत्वा ऽपतत्क्षितौ ।। ७.३२.
That mace, protected by the boon, struck Ravana’s chest, but, as if weakened, split in two and fell to the ground with its force.
स त्वर्जुनप्रमुक्तेन गदापातेन रावणः । अपासर्पद्धनुर्मात्रं निषसाद च निष्टनन् ।। ७.३२.
Ravana, struck by Arjuna’s mace, retreated the distance of a bow and sat down, groaning.
स विह्वलं तदालक्ष्य दशग्रीवं ततो ऽर्जुनः । सहसोत्पत्य जग्राह गरुत्मानिव पन्नगम् ।। ७.३२.
Seeing Ravana bewildered, Arjuna swiftly leapt up and seized him, like Garuda grasping a serpent.
स तु बाहुसहस्रेण बलाद्गृह्य दशाननम् । बबन्ध बलवान्राजा बलिं नारायणो यथा ।। ७.३२.
With a thousand arms, the powerful king forcibly bound the ten-headed Ravana, as Narayana binds Bali.