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.
तच् छरार्णवम् आमत्तम् अपिबत् सिन्धुवाडवः । शरोष्मणाप्य् अगम्येन जह्नुर् मन्दाकिनीम् इव
That ocean of arrows was drunk up by the Sindhu fire, just as the river Jahnu, with its unapproachable heat, swallowed the Mandakini.
बाणवर्षेण सकलं सायकौघं घनं घनम् । भित्त्वा ततो ऽप्य् अधःकृत्वा चिक्षेप गगनार्णवे
With a dense shower of arrows, he pierced through that mass of shafts, drove it downward, and cast it into the ocean of the sky.
यथा दीपस्य शान्तस्य न परिज्ञायते गतिः । तस्य सायकसङ्घस्य न विज्ञाता तथा गतिः
Just as the movement of a lamp that has gone out cannot be discerned, so too the course of that multitude of arrows was not known.
तं छित्त्वा सायकासारं स्वशराम्बुधरं घनम् । व्योम्नि प्रसारयाम् आस सरच्छवशवान्वितम्
Cutting through that torrent of arrows, he spread his own dense cloud of shafts in the sky, accompanied by the corpses of warriors.
विदूरथस् तम् अप्य् आशु व्यधमत् सायकोत्तमैः । सामान्यजलदं मत्तकल्पान्तपवनो यथा
Viduratha swiftly scattered that as well with his finest arrows, like a furious doomsday wind dispersing a common raincloud.
कृतप्रतिकृतैर् एवं बाणवर्षैर् महीपती । व्यर्थीकृतैर् अनयतां प्रहारम् अविरामिणौ
Thus, with countering showers of arrows, the two kings delivered ceaseless blows, each rendering the other's attacks futile.
अथाददे मोहनास्त्रं सिन्धुर् गन्धर्वसौहृदात् । प्राप्तं तेन ययुर् लोका विना मोहं विदूरथम्
Then Sindhu, out of friendship for the Gandharvas, took up the weapon of stupefaction; by its power, all beings except Viduratha fell under delusion.
न्यस्तशस्त्राम्बरा मूका विषण्णवदनेक्षणाः । मृता इवाभवन् योधाश् चित्रन्यस्ता इवाथवा
The warriors, laying aside their weapons and garments, became mute, their faces downcast; they appeared as if dead, or like figures painted on a canvas.
यावद् विदूरथरथो मोहेनायाति मन्दताम् । तावद् विदूरथो राजा प्रबोधास्त्रम् उपादधे
As long as Viduratha’s chariot slowed down under the influence of delusion, so long did King Viduratha take up the weapon of awakening.
ततः प्रबोधम् आपन्ना प्रजा प्रातर् इवाब्जिनी । विदूरथे ऽभवत् सिन्धुः क्रुद्धोत्क इव राक्षसे
Then, as the people attained awakening, like lotuses at dawn, a flood arose in Viduratha, as if an ocean surged in anger against a demon.
नागास्त्रम् आदधे भीमं पाशबन्धनखेददम् । तेनाभवन् नभो व्याप्तं भोगिभिः पर्वतोपमैः
He took up the dreadful serpent-weapon, causing the pain of binding fetters; by it, the sky became filled with serpents, resembling mountains.
सर्पैर् विवलिता भूमिर् मृणालैस् सरसी यथा । सम्पन्ना गिरयस् सर्वे कृष्णपन्नगकम्बलाः
The earth was writhing with snakes, just as a lake is with lotuses’ stalks; all the mountains became covered with black serpent-blankets.
पदार्थास् सर्व एवेमे पिहिता अहिविग्रहैः । सपर्वतवनाभोगा ययौ विवशतां मही
All these objects were concealed by the forms of serpents; the earth, with its mountains and forests, became helpless.
धूताङ्गारकणाकीर्णा विषवेगस्य शंसिनी । ववुर् उष्णोष्णनीहारा वातज्वलनरेणवः
Hot winds, carrying embers and ashes, heralding the force of poison, blew fiercely, their heat like fiery dust-storms.
विदूरथो ऽथ सौपर्णम् आदधे ऽस्त्रं महास्त्रवित् । उदगुर् गरुडास् तेन सौवर्णा इव पर्वताः
Then Viduratha, master of great weapons, took up the Suparna-weapon; by it, Garuḍas arose, golden like mountains.
काञ्चनीकृतसर्वाशास् सर्वाशपरिपूरकाः । पक्षपर्वतसंरम्भजनितप्रलयानिलाः
All directions became golden, fulfilling every direction; winds of dissolution arose, born from the tumult of mountain-winged birds.
घोणाविवलनाकृष्टश्वसद्भुजगमण्डलाः । महाघरघरारावपूरिताम्भोदषण्डकाः
The circles of serpents, breathing and hissing, were drawn about by the swaying of their hoods, filling the masses of clouds with a great, rumbling roar.
भूपूरकं तु सर्पौघं स सुपर्णघनो ऽपिबत् । कृष्टं शलशलायन्तम् अगस्त्य इव वारिधिम्
Then the mighty Garuda devoured that host of serpents covering the earth, as Agastya once drank the ocean, while they hissed and rustled as they were seized.
सर्पकम्बलनिर्मुक्तं भूमण्डलम् अराजत । विशालम् इव नीरन्ध्रम् इव निर्वारि राशि वा
Freed from the serpent-blanket, the earth appeared vast, seamless, and shining, like a great, uninterrupted, and waterless expanse of silver.
ततस् तद्गरुडानीकं क्वाप्य् अगच्छद् अदृश्यताम् । दीपौघ इव वातेन शरदीवाभ्रमण्डलम्
Then that host of Garudas vanished somewhere, becoming invisible, like a cluster of lamps scattered by the wind, or like a mass of autumn clouds.