Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— ततश्च फाल्गुने शुक्लप्रतिपद्दिवसादनु। यावच्चतुर्थीदिवसं विख्याता भुवनत्रये॥१॥
Brahmā said: “Then, from the first lunar day of bright Phālguna through the fourth day, events renowned throughout the three worlds occurred.
Passage 2
नरान्तकमुखाः पञ्च राक्षसा घोरविक्रमाः। नानाशस्त्रप्रहरणा नानायुद्धविशारदाः॥२॥
“Five rākṣasas headed by Narāntaka, fearsome in valor, bore many kinds of weapons and were expert in many modes of combat.
Passage 3
आज्ञया स्वामिनस्तस्य लङ्केशस्य महाबलाः। गर्जन्तो मध्यसमरे युद्धवन्तोऽतिकर्कशाः॥३॥
“At the command of their master, the lord of Laṅkā, those immensely powerful and exceedingly fierce warriors roared in the midst of battle.
Passage 4
हताश्च विभुना सर्वे लोककण्टकनाशिना। रामेण निशितैर्बाणैर्वज्रनिर्घातराविभिः॥४॥
“All of them were slain by all-powerful Rāma, destroyer of the world's afflictions, with sharp arrows that crashed like thunderbolts.
Passage 5
पतिता भुवि पञ्चापि महाद्रिशिखरोपमाः। छित्त्वा छित्त्वावयवशो दत्ताश्च बलयो दिशाम्॥५॥
“All five fell to the earth like peaks of great mountains. Cut repeatedly limb from limb, they became offerings to the directions.
Passage 6
पञ्चम्यामथ सम्प्राप्तो रावणस्य महाभटः। अतिकायो नाम महान् राक्षसो घोरविक्रमः॥६॥
“On the fifth lunar day there arrived Rāvaṇa's great warrior, the immense and terribly valiant rākṣasa named Atikāya.
Passage 7
नानाशस्त्राणि चास्त्राणि वर्षन् युद्धे महाभुजः। त्रासयन् कपिसैन्यानि भ्रुकुटीभङ्गभीषणः॥७॥
“The mighty-armed warrior rained down many weapons and missiles in battle, terrifying the monkey armies with his fearsome knitted brow.
Passage 8
दंष्ट्राविकटघोरास्यो रोषविस्फुरिताधरः। युयुधे रघुवीरेण दिनानि त्रीणि कर्कशः॥८॥
“His dreadful mouth formidable with fangs and his lips quivering in rage, the savage warrior fought the hero of the Raghus for three days.
Passage 9
सोऽपि छित्त्वा शरैर्घोरैर्वज्रसम्पातभीषणैः। पातितो मेदिनीं कृत्स्नां कम्पयन्नङ्गगौरवात्॥९॥
“He too was cut apart by terrible arrows, fearsome as falling thunderbolts, and was brought down, shaking the whole earth with the weight of his body.
Passage 10
अष्टम्यामथ सम्प्राप्तौ राक्षसौ रणदारुणौ। उभौ कुम्भनिकुम्भाख्यौ भ्रातरौ सहयोधिनौ॥१०॥
“On the eighth lunar day two rākṣasas terrible in battle arrived: the brothers and fellow warriors named Kumbha and Nikumbha.
Passage 11
वीरौ लङ्कापतेर्घोरौ त्रैलोक्यमथनक्षमौ। नानाशस्त्रास्त्रसंदोहप्रहारविधिपण्डितौ॥११॥
“These fearsome heroes of Laṅkā's king were capable of churning the three worlds and were expert in striking with hosts of varied weapons and missiles.
Passage 12
दर्शयन्तौ रणमुखे सुघोरं स्वं पराक्रमम्। त्रासयन्तौ कपिभटान् महावीर्यौ दुरासदौ॥१२॥
“Displaying their dreadful prowess at the front of battle, those mighty and unassailable warriors terrified the monkey soldiers.
Passage 13
कृत्वा पञ्च दिनान्युच्चैः संग्रामं रोमहर्षणम्। निहतौ रामवीरेण मार्गणैर्जववत्तरैः॥१३॥
“After sustaining a hair-raising battle for five days, both were killed by heroic Rāma with exceedingly swift arrows.
Passage 14
छिन्नभिन्नाखिलतनू निर्भिन्नकवचौ च तौ। पातितौ शत्रुवज्रेण छिन्नपक्षाविवाचलौ॥१४॥
“Their entire bodies cut and torn and their armor split open, the two fell beneath their enemy's thunderbolt like mountains whose wings had been severed.
Passage 15
मकराक्ष इति ख्यातस्ततश्च रजनीचरः। सुघोरं विक्रमं कुर्वन् नानाशस्त्रास्त्रवर्षणः॥१५॥
“Next came the night-roamer renowned as Makarākṣa, displaying exceedingly dreadful valor and raining down many weapons and missiles.
Passage 16
चतुर्भिर्दिवसैर्युद्धे हतो वानरपुङ्गवैः। इत्थं राक्षसमुख्येषु हतेषु बहुषु क्रमात्॥१६॥
“After four days he was killed in battle by the foremost monkeys. Thus many leading rākṣasas were slain one after another. The Monkeys' Victory Cries Sting Rāvaṇa
Passage 17
जगर्जुर्वानरभटाः सूचयन्तो रणे जयम्। गोमुखान् वादयामासुर्दुन्दुभीन् पटहानपि॥१७॥
“The monkey warriors roared to proclaim victory in battle and sounded gomukhas, kettledrums, and paṭahas.
Passage 18
श्रुत्वैषां जयनिर्घोषं तदा लङ्कापतेरुरः। निर्ददार द्विषत्पक्षजयशल्यगणाहतम्॥१८॥
“Hearing their thunderous victory cry, the heart of Laṅkā's king split, struck by the many barbs of his enemies' success.
Passage 19
ततश्चेन्द्रजितं वीरं सस्मार प्रहितुं रणे। अहो रे राक्षसा ब्रूत क्व सम्प्रति स शक्रजित्॥१९॥
“He then thought of sending heroic Indrajit into battle. ‘Ho, rākṣasas! Tell me, where is the conqueror of Indra now?
Passage 20
किं करोति गृहे तिष्ठन् यातु योद्धुं महाबलः। गर्जन्त्येते कपिभटा लघवः क्षुल्लका अपि॥२०॥
“‘Why does the mighty warrior remain at home? Let him go and fight! Even these insignificant little monkey soldiers are roaring.
Passage 21
आस्फोटयन्ति दोर्दण्डान् महोत्साहपरायणाः। इदं सोढुं कथं शक्यं मयामर्षणचेतसा॥२१॥
“‘Filled with tremendous ardor, they slap their massive arms. How can my impatient heart endure this?
Passage 22
एतेऽद्य बिभ्रति मदं निहतेषु तेषु वीरेषु पञ्चसु नरान्तकसम्मुखेषु। रक्षोऽतिकायमुखकुम्भनिकुम्भमुख्येष्वत्युद्धतेषु मकराक्षमुखेषु चाजौ॥२२॥
“‘They are proud today because those five heroes headed by Narāntaka have been slain, along with the foremost and fiercely arrogant rākṣasas headed by Atikāya, Kumbha, Nikumbha, and Makarākṣa.
Passage 23
नास्त्यद्य कुम्भकर्णश्च य एतान् भक्षयेत्क्षणात्। एषां भाग्यात् स मद्भाग्यविपर्यासाच्च सम्प्रति॥२३॥
“‘Kumbhakarṇa, who would devour them in a moment, is no longer here—through their good fortune and the present reversal of mine.
Passage 24
पूर्वमेव गतः स्वर्गं कृत्वा युद्धं सुदारुणम्। गृहीत्वा विजयाशां मे महावीरो महाभुजः॥२४॥
“‘That immensely heroic, mighty-armed warrior fought a terrible battle and went to heaven, taking my hope of victory with him.
Passage 25
योद्धव्यमिति योद्धव्यं तथापि खलु शत्रुभिः। इति शक्रजितं गत्वा ब्रूत मद्वचसेरिताः॥२५॥
“‘Even so, since battle must be fought, we must fight our enemies. Go to Indrajit and convey these words from me.
Passage 26
किं करोषि महाबाहो ताडयैतान् मदोद्धतान्। वानरान् गर्जतो हर्षाज्जहि रामं च लक्ष्मणम्॥२६॥
“‘What are you doing, mighty-armed one? Strike these arrogant monkeys who roar for joy, and kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa!’ Indrajit Completes His Fire Rite
Passage 27
इति तस्याज्ञया केचिद्राक्षसाः प्रययुस्तदा। यत्रेन्द्रजिन्महामन्त्रं साधयित्वा जयोजितः॥२७॥
“At his command some rākṣasas went to the place where Indrajit, seeking victory, had perfected a great mantra.
Passage 28
सोऽग्निं संतर्प्य मन्त्राहुतिभिरविरतं देवतोपास्तिशीलो लब्ध्वा दिव्यं च तस्माद्रथमतुलतरं दिव्यशस्त्रास्त्रयुक्तम्। ज्वालामालापरीतं गगनचरमथो वर्म दिव्यं च वीरः सज्जो युद्धाय गर्जन् निगदितविजयाशीर्द्विजेन्द्रैः प्रतस्थौ॥२८॥
“Constantly offering mantra-charged oblations, the hero devoted to worship satisfied the fire. From it he obtained an incomparable divine chariot furnished with celestial weapons and missiles, wreathed in flames and able to travel the sky, together with divine armor. Armed for battle, Indrajit roared and set out as foremost brāhmaṇas pronounced blessings for his victory.”