Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— अथेन्द्रः प्रेषयामास रथं मातलिसारथिम्। पद्भ्यां चरन्तं विज्ञाय रामं त्रिभुवनेश्वरम्॥१॥
Brahmā said: “Indra learned that Rāma, Lord of the three worlds, was fighting on foot, and so he sent him a chariot driven by Mātali.
Passage 2
रावणं च रथोपस्थमास्थितं मदशालिनम्। ततो मातलिरागच्छदेकादश्यां महारथम्॥२॥
“Rāvaṇa, swollen with pride, already stood upon his chariot. Mātali therefore arrived with the great chariot on the eleventh day.
Passage 3
नीत्वा श्रीरामचन्द्राय चण्डविक्रमशालिने। द्वादश्यां रथमास्थाय काकुत्स्थः सज्यकार्मुकः॥३॥
“He brought it to Śrī Rāmacandra, whose valor was fierce. On the twelfth day Kākutstha mounted the chariot with his bow strung.
Passage 4
ययौ दशमुखं हन्तुं क्रूरं त्रैलोक्यकण्टकम्। तयोः प्रतिदिनं युद्धं द्वादशीदिवसादभूत्॥४॥
“He advanced to kill the cruel ten-headed thorn of the three worlds. Beginning on that twelfth day, the two fought daily—
Passage 5
यावद्वैशाखमासस्य भवेत्कृष्णचतुर्दशी। सुरकिन्नरसिद्धानां पश्यतां विस्मयावहम्॥५॥
“—until the dark fortnight's fourteenth day in the month of Vaiśākha, while the gods, kinnaras, and siddhas watched in amazement.
Passage 6
स रथः पवनोत्तालवाजिवाहनसंयुतः। स्वर्गगङ्गावीचिपवनव्याधूतविपुलध्वजः॥६॥
“That chariot was yoked to horses swift and high-leaping as the wind. Its immense banner billowed in the breeze from the waves of the heavenly Gaṅgā.
Passage 7
मातलेः करचातुर्यान्नीयमानो जयावहः। गम्भीरघननिर्घोषः शुशुभे समराङ्गणे॥७॥
“Guided by Mātali's skillful hands, the victory-bearing chariot resounded like a deep thundercloud and shone upon the battlefield.
Passage 8
तमारूढश्च शुशुभे साक्षाद्धर्मिपुरन्दरः। रामः शस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठः सज्यकार्मुकमण्डलः॥८॥
“Mounted upon it, Rāma—the best of weapon-bearers, his curved bow strung—shone like Purandara himself, protector of the righteous.
Passage 9
देवसूतसमानीतं माहेन्द्रकवचं महत्। बिभ्राणः पुष्पवद्यत्र भवन्त्यसुरमार्गणाः॥९॥
“He wore the great armor of Indra brought by the divine charioteer, against which the asuras' arrows became as harmless as flowers. Rāma and Rāvaṇa Meet in the Decisive Duel
Passage 10
तावन्योन्यं संगतौ तत्र युद्धे जयैषिणौ सुमहोत्साहयुक्तौ। चिरात्परिप्राप्तपराक्रमक्षणौ श्रीराघवेन्द्रक्षणदाचरेन्द्रौ॥१०॥
“The Lord of the Raghus and the lord of the night-roamers met there in battle, both seeking victory and filled with immense ardor. At last the long-awaited moment to display their prowess had come.
Passage 11
दोष्णां विंशतिसंख्यानां दशानां शिरसामपि। रावणो गौरवं बिभ्रद्ददृशे मदसंवृतः॥११॥
“Enveloped in pride, Rāvaṇa appeared imposing with his twenty arms and ten heads.
Passage 12
हेलाजितमहेन्द्रादिसुरलक्ष्म्येकभोगिनम्। बलान्निकृत्तशीर्षौघपूजितेशाङ्घ्रिपद्धुजम्॥१२॥
“He had casually conquered Indra and the other gods and enjoyed their splendor alone; he had forcefully severed hosts of his own heads to worship the lotus feet of Lord Śiva.
Passage 13
स्वदोर्दण्डमदोत्क्षिप्तकैलासगिरिगौरवम्। रामो रावणमालोक्य योग्यं रिपुममन्यत॥१३॥
“Rāvaṇa's pride in the clubs of his own arms had once lifted mighty Mount Kailāsa. Seeing him, Rāma judged him a worthy enemy.
Passage 14
अथास्फाल्य धनुः क्रोधाद्भ्रुकुटीभङ्गभीषणः। रामस्य दक्षिणे दोष्णि रावणो बाणमाक्षिपत्॥१४॥
“Rāvaṇa resounded his bow in anger, terrifying with his knitted brow, and shot an arrow into Rāma's right arm.
Passage 15
स बाणस्तस्य दोर्मूलमप्रविश्यापतद्भुवि। न विवेद क्षणं रामः सीतासोत्कण्ठमानसः॥१५॥
“The arrow failed to penetrate the root of his arm and fell to the ground. For a moment Rāma, whose mind longed intensely for Sītā, did not even notice it.
Passage 16
रामेण वेगनिर्मुक्तो बाणः कुलिशदारणः। रावणस्याशु हृदयं विवेश भृशकर्कशम्॥१६॥
“Rāma released with tremendous force an arrow capable of splitting a thunderbolt, and it swiftly entered Rāvaṇa's exceedingly hard heart.
Passage 17
अन्योन्यबाणभल्लाग्रनिकृत्तान्योन्यमार्गणौ। तौ मुहूर्तमयुध्येतामक्षतावेव संगरे॥१७॥
“Each cut down the other's missiles with the sharp heads of his own arrows. For a time they fought on, both still unwounded in the clash.
Passage 18
अन्योन्यं लक्ष्यनिर्मग्नसुतीक्ष्णान्योन्यसायकौ। युयुधाते मुहूर्तं तावनिर्मुक्तशराविव॥१८॥
“Each one's keen arrows sank into the other's target, yet for a time they fought as though neither had released an arrow at all.
Passage 19
रामस्य बाणपूगेन समच्छन्नोऽथ रावणः। रावणस्य च रामोऽपि ततोऽसूयाभवत्तयोः॥१९॥
“Rāvaṇa became completely hidden beneath Rāma's flights of arrows, and Rāma beneath Rāvaṇa's. Their mutual fury only increased.
Passage 20
आविरास्तामथो बाणैरुत्क्षिप्य शरजालकम्। विनिरस्तहिमानीकौ द्वौ भास्वन्मण्डलाविव॥२०॥
“Then each cast off the other's net of arrows and reappeared like two radiant solar discs freed from banks of mist.
Passage 21
अन्योन्यरणसंरम्भस्तयोस्तुल्यो व्यदृश्यत। परस्परस्य सादृश्याद्युध्यतो वै परस्परम्॥२१॥
“As they fought one another, their battle fury appeared equal because each matched the other so closely.
Passage 22
परस्परजयाकाङ्क्षानिर्मुक्तशरसंचयोः। तयोरुपरि निस्तुल्यविक्रमप्रीतमानसाः॥२२॥
“Both longed to conquer the other and loosed masses of arrows. Delighted by their incomparable valor, the onlookers above them—
Passage 23
सुराश्चैवासुराश्चक्रुः पुष्पवृष्टिरनुक्षणम्। शुशुभाते भृशं ताभिस्तौ नितान्तप्रपूजितौ॥२३॥
“—gods and asuras alike showered flowers every moment. Honored by those blossoms, the two warriors shone magnificently. Rāma Destroys Rāvaṇa's Śataghnī
Passage 24
अथ रावण आक्षिप्य रामं दुर्वचसां भरैः। दक्षेण पाणिनोत्तोल्य शतघ्नीं वेगवत्तराम्॥२४॥
“Rāvaṇa then assailed Rāma with torrents of harsh words and raised a swiftly moving śataghnī in his right hand.
Passage 25
लोहशङ्कुशतव्याप्तां वज्रसम्पातभीषणाम्। प्राक्षिपत्तरसा वीरो जितमित्यसुरा जगुः॥२५॥
“The hero hurled that weapon, studded with a hundred iron spikes and terrible as a falling thunderbolt. The asuras cried, ‘Victory!’
Passage 26
सा यावत्स्यन्दनोपान्तमभ्याप्ता विद्युदुज्ज्वला। तावत्तां रघुशार्दूलः सोऽर्धचन्द्रमुखैः शरैः॥२६॥
“That lightning-bright weapon had nearly reached the chariot when the tiger of the Raghus met it with crescent-headed arrows.
Passage 27
चिच्छेद शतधा व्योम्नि रम्भामिव सुकोमलाम्। भूत्वा च खण्डशो भूमौ पपात वितथैव सा॥२७॥
“He cut it into a hundred pieces in the sky as easily as a tender plantain trunk. Broken into fragments, it fell uselessly to the earth. The Brahmāstra Arrow Severs Rāvaṇa's Heads
Passage 28
अथ रामः समादाय शरमेकं महोजितम्। ब्रह्मास्त्रमन्त्रितं कृत्वा वीरो धनुषि संदधे॥२८॥
“Rāma then took up a single immensely powerful arrow. The hero consecrated it with the Brahmāstra mantra and set it upon his bow.
Passage 29
अमोघः स तडिद्वृन्ददीप्तिदीपितदिग्गणः। दशधा ददृशे व्योम्नि पश्यद्भिः सुरकिन्नरैः॥२९॥
“The unfailing arrow lit every quarter with the brilliance of clustered lightning. As the gods and kinnaras watched, it appeared tenfold in the sky.
Passage 30
फणादशकविस्फारवदनो भोगिवानिव। युयुजे दशकण्ठस्य कण्ठेषु सहसैव सः॥३०॥
“Like a great serpent opening ten hoods as its mouths, it struck all ten of the ten-necked king's throats at once.
Passage 31
अज्ञातक्षतपीडस्य रावणस्य शिरांसि सः। दशापि पातयामास दशास्यो राममार्गणः॥३१॥
“Before Rāvaṇa could comprehend the pain of his wounds, Rāma's ten-faced arrow brought down all ten of his heads.
Passage 32
छिन्नेषु तस्य कण्ठेषु दशस्वपि स तत्क्षणात्। पपात राक्षसपतिः कम्पयन् धरणीतलम्॥३२॥
“With all ten necks severed, the lord of the rākṣasas fell that very instant, shaking the surface of the earth. Victory Fills the Three Worlds
Passage 33
अथ जय जय राम श्रीपते राघवेन्द्र त्रिभुवनजनचेतःकण्टकोत्सारणशील। इति विरचितभूयःसंस्तुतीनां सुराणां तदुपरि करवृन्दात्पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात॥३३॥
“‘Victory, victory to Rāma! Lord of Śrī, Lord of the Raghus, you remove the thorn lodged in the hearts of the three worlds!’ As the gods offered abundant praises in these words, showers of flowers fell from their gathered hands upon him.
Passage 34
एवं स वैशाखचतुर्दशीदिने कृष्णे त्रिलोकीजनचित्तकण्टकः। पपात रामस्य शरेर्विनिहतः कीशावली भूरिजयेत्यवोचत्॥३४॥
“Thus, on Vaiśākha's dark-fortnight fourteenth day, the thorn in the hearts of the three worlds fell, struck down by Rāma's arrow. The ranks of monkeys shouted, ‘Great victory!’
Passage 35
स्वर्लोकानकदुन्दुभिध्वनिरभूदुच्चैर्जगर्जुस्तरां सुग्रीवप्रमुखाः कपीन्द्रकरिणस्त्रैलोक्यमासीत्तदा। रामोत्कर्षभवप्रमोदविसरणव्याप्तं हते कण्टके तस्मिन् दुःखकरे दुरात्मनि दशग्रीवाभिधे राक्षसे॥३५॥
“The heavenly drums and dundubhis resounded, and the elephant-like monkey chiefs led by Sugrīva roared exceedingly loud. When that wicked, misery-making thorn—the rākṣasa called Ten-necked—had been slain, all three worlds were pervaded by the spreading joy born of Rāma's triumph.” --- Source Note - Source witness: Bhuśuṇḍi Rāmāyaṇa, Volume 2, Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa. - This chapter was collated directly from physical PDF pages 743–745; all 35 numbered passages are present continuously between the Chapter 240 and Chapter 242 colophons. - The chapter itself dates the beginning of the decisive chariot duel to the bright-fortnight twelfth day and Rāvaṇa's death to Vaiśākha's dark-fortnight fourteenth day. That internal chronology is preserved rather than harmonized with another Rāmāyaṇa recension. - The English is a fresh, direct translation prepared for this edition.