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.
बध्यमाने दशग्रीवे सिद्धचारणदेवताः । साध्वीतिवादिनः पुष्पैः किरन्त्यर्जुनमूर्धनि ।। ७.३२.
As Ravana was being bound, the Siddhas, Charanas, and gods, praising Arjuna, showered flowers upon his head.
व्याघ्रो मृगमिवादाय मृगराडिव दन्तिनम् । ननाद हैहयो राजा हर्षादम्बुदवन्मुहुः ।। ७.३२.
Like a tiger seizing a deer, or a lord of beasts taking an elephant, the Haihaya king roared repeatedly with joy, like thunderclouds.
प्रहस्तस्तु समाश्वस्तो दृष्ट्वा बद्धं दशाननम् । सह तै राक्षसैः क्रुद्धश्चाभिदुद्राव पार्थिवम् ।। ७.३२.
Prahasta, regaining courage upon seeing Ravana bound, rushed angrily at the king along with the Rakshasas.
नक्तञ्चराणां वेगस्तु तेषामापततां बभौ । उद्भूत आतपापाये पयोदानामिवाम्बुधौ ।। ७.३२.
The speed of those night-dwellers, as they charged, shone forth like clouds rising after the heat of the sun has passed.
मुञ्च मुञ्चेति भाषन्तस्तिष्ठतिष्ठेति चासकृत् । मुसलानि सशूलानि सोत्ससर्ज तदार्जुने ।। ७.३२.
They shouted, 'Release! Release!' and 'Stop! Stop!' again and again, hurling maces and spears at Arjuna.
अप्राप्तान्येव तान्याशु असम्भ्रान्तस्तदार्जुनः । आयुधान्यमरारीणां जग्राहारिनिषूदनः ।। ७.३२.
Arjuna, undisturbed, swiftly caught those weapons before they reached him, seizing the arms of his enemies.
ततस्तैरेव रक्षांसि दुर्धरैः प्रवरायुधैः । भित्त्वा विद्रावयामास वायुरम्बुधरानिव ।। ७.३२.
Then, with those formidable weapons, he pierced and scattered the Rakshasas, as the wind disperses thunderclouds.
राक्षसांस्त्रासयित्वा तु कार्तवीर्यो ऽर्जुनस्तदा । रावणं गृह्य नगरं प्रविवेश सुहृद्वृतः ।। ७.३२.
Having terrified the Rakshasas, Kartavirya Arjuna took Ravana and entered the city, surrounded by his friends.
स कीर्यमाणः कुसुमाक्षतोत्करैर्द्विजैः सपौरैः पुरुहूतसन्निभः । तदा ऽर्जुनः सम्प्रविवेश तां पुरीं बलिं निगृह्येव सहस्रलोचनः ।। ७.३२.
Arjuna, showered with heaps of flowers and rice by Brahmins and citizens, entered that city, resembling Indra, having subdued his foe, like the thousand-eyed god.
रावणग्रहणं तत्तु वायुग्रहणसन्निभम् । ततः पुलस्त्यः शुश्राव कथितं दिवि दैवतैः ।। ७.३३.
The capture of Ravana was like the capture of the wind; then Pulastya heard what was spoken by the gods in heaven.