चक्रशूलभुसुण्डर्ष्टिप्रासायुधसमाकुलौ । सहस्रेण सहस्रेण वीराणां परिवारितौ
Surrounded on all sides by thousands upon thousands of warriors, they were equipped with discus, spear, club, dart, and other weapons.
विचरन्तौ यथाकामं मण्डले विततावनौ । सचीत्कारमहाचक्रपिष्टानेकमृतामृतौ
They roamed as they pleased across the wide expanse of the field, amid the cries of warriors and the grinding of great wheels, amidst the slain and the survivors.
तरन्तौ रक्तसरितो मत्तवारणलीलया । केशशेवलसञ्छन्नचक्ररक्तजलार्द्रकौ
They crossed rivers of blood with the playful ease of intoxicated elephants, their wheels soaked with red water and covered with clinging hair and entrails.
वहच्चक्राहतिक्षोभपातिताकुलवारणौ । मणिमुक्ताझणत्काररणत्कूवरकोटरौ
Their chariots, shaking and toppling maddened elephants by the force of their wheels, echoed with the jingling of gems and the clatter of ornamented yokes.
वाताहतपताकाग्रपटत्पटपटारवौ । अनुयातौ महावीरैर् भूरिभिर् भीतसैनिकैः
The flapping of their banners, struck by the wind, made a loud rattling sound, as they were followed by many great heroes and countless frightened soldiers.
भारान् दधद्भिः कुन्तानां शराणां धनुषाम् अपि । शक्तीनां प्रासशङ्कूनां चक्राणां कचतां रुचा
They bore heavy loads of spears, arrows, bows, lances, darts, spikes, and the shining brilliance of whirling discs.
तत्र तौ क्षणम् आवृत्य मण्डलैर् भूरिमण्डलैः । उभौ व्यतिबभूवाते संमुखाव् आयुधाम्बुदौ
There, for a moment, the two, surrounded by vast circles, stood face to face like clouds of weapons, each confronting the other.
नाराचधारानिकरविक्षेपकरकाघनौ । अन्योऽन्यम् अभिगर्जन्तौ मत्ताब्धिजलदाव् इव
With hands thick from hurling volleys of arrows, each roared at the other like maddened, stormy clouds.
तयोः प्रहरतोर् बाणान् वसुधा नरसिंहयोः । पाषाणमुसुलाकारा व्योमविस्तारिणो ऽभवन्
As those two lion-like warriors fought, their arrows became like stones and maces, spreading wide through the sky.
करवालफलाः केचिन् मुद्गराननकाः परे । शितचक्रमुखाः केचित् केचित् परशुवक्त्रकाः
Some were shaped like sword-blades, others like hammers and clubs; some had sharp disc-edges, and some had axe-like mouths.
केचिच् छक्तिमुखा बाणाः केचित् क्षुरमुखा अपि । केचित् कुन्तोग्रफलका अर्धचन्द्रमुखास् तथा
Some arrows had spear-points, some were razor-edged; some were shaped like the tip of a lance, and others like half-moons.
सिंहोपलमुखाः केचित् केचिच् छूलशिखामुखाः । त्रिशूलवदनाः केचित् स्थूला इव महाशिलाः
Some had lion-faced heads, some bore trident-tips; others had three-pronged faces, massive as great stones.
प्रलयपवनपातिताः शिलौघा इव विचरन्ति शिलीमुखास् तदा स्म । प्रमिलितम् अभवत् तयोस् तदानीं प्रलयविजृम्भितसिन्धुसंभ्रमेण
The stone-headed arrows flew about like showers of rocks driven by doomsday winds; and in that moment, all was confusion, as if the tumult of the end-time ocean had arisen between them.
प्राप्य राजा पुरः प्राप्तं सिन्धुम् उद्धुरकन्धरम् । मध्याह्नतपनाभेन कोपेन विततो ऽभवत्
The king, arriving before the ocean whose waves rose high, became spread out with wrath, blazing like the midday sun.
धनुर् आस्फालयाम् आस परिरावितदिङ्मुखम् । कल्पान्तपवनास्फोट इवामरगिरेस् तटम्
He drew his bow, making all directions resound, like the thunderous blast of the world-ending wind striking the slopes of the gods’ mountain.
विससर्जोर्जितो राजा प्रातर् अर्कः करान् इव । तूणीररजनीबद्धाश् शिलीमुखपरम्पराः
The mighty king released volleys of arrows, strung in his quiver like the morning sun sends forth its rays.
एक एव विनिर्याति गुणात् तस्य शरो महान् । सहस्रं पतति व्योम्नि गच्छन् पतति लक्षशः
From his bowstring, a single great arrow would emerge, but as it flew, thousands and hundreds of thousands fell through the sky.
सिन्धोर् अपि तथैवासीच् छक्तिर् लाघवम् एव च । रवेर् आननसाम्यं वै विष्णोर् धानुष्कता तयोः
The ocean’s force and swiftness were his, the radiance of the sun’s face, and the might of Vishnu’s bow belonged to them both.
मुसुला नाम ते बाणा मुसुलाकृतयो ऽम्बरम् । छादयाम् आसुर् उन्नादाः कल्पान्तगिरयो यथा
His arrows were called Musulā, shaped like clubs; with their roar, they covered the sky as if they were mountains at the end of an age.
रेजुः कनकनाराचराजयो व्योम्नि तस्य ताः । शरव्याः कल्पवातार्ताः पतन्त्य इव तारकाः
Those golden-tipped arrows of his flashed in the sky, scattered by the storm of missiles, like stars falling in distress at the world’s end.
विदूरथाच् छरासारा अजस्रम् अभिनिर्ययुः । अब्धेर् इव पयःपूरास् सूर्याद् इव मरीचयः
From Viduratha, streams of arrows poured forth ceaselessly, like floods from the ocean or rays from the sun.
प्रचण्डपवनोद्धूतपुष्पाणीव महातरोः । अयःपिण्डाद् इवोत्तप्तताडिताः कणपङ्क्तयः
They flew like flowers swept from a great tree by a fierce wind, or like showers of sparks struck from red-hot iron.
धाराः पयोमुच इव शीकरा इव निर्झरात् । तत्पुराग्निमहादाहात् स्फुलिङ्गा इव भास्वराः
Like streams from a rain-cloud, like droplets from a waterfall, like brilliant sparks from a great city fire—
तयोश् चटचटास्फोटं शृण्वन् कोदण्डयोर् द्वयोः । बलद्वयम् अभूत् प्रेक्षामूकं शान्त इवाम्बुधिः
Hearing the sharp crackling of the two bows, the two forces stood silent, as if the ocean itself had grown calm, watching in mute attention.
वहन्ति स्म शरापूरा गङ्गापूर इवाम्बरे । सिन्धोर् अभिमुखं यक्षघर्घरारवरंहसः
A flood of arrows surged through the sky, like the swelling of the Ganges, rushing toward the ocean with the roaring tumult of yakṣas.
कचत्कनकनाराचशरवर्षाण्य् अनारतम् । वहच्छवशवाशब्दं निर्ययुर् धनुर् अम्बुदात्
From the cloud of bows came an unceasing rain of golden-tipped arrows, accompanied by the dreadful cries of the dying, pouring forth like thunder.
बाणमन्दाकिनीपूरं व्रजन्तं सिन्धुपूरणे । वातायनात् तम् आलोक्य लीला तत्पुरवासिनी
Seeing, through her window, the river of arrows advancing to flood the ocean, the lady of the city watched with playful curiosity.
तेन बाणसमूहेन जयम् आशङ्क्य भर्तरि । उवाच वाक्यम् आनन्दविकसन्मुखपङ्कजा
Beholding that mass of arrows and anticipating her husband's victory, her lotus face blossoming with joy, she spoke these words:
जय देवि जयत्य् एष नाथो ऽस्माकं विलोकय । किलानेन शरौघेन मेरुर् अप्य् एति चूर्णताम्
Victory, O goddess! Our lord triumphs—look! Even Mount Meru would be reduced to dust by this torrent of arrows.
तस्याम् एवं वदन्त्यां तु घनस्नेहरवाकुलम् । प्रेक्षणव्यग्रयोर् देव्योर् हसन्त्योर् मानुषं हृदा
As she spoke thus, her voice thick with deep affection, the two goddesses, their eyes intent and faces bright with laughter, felt a human tenderness in their hearts.