Pātāla-khaṇḍa · Chapter 42
Sourceशेष उवाच। आह्वयंतं महासैन्यवारिधौ पुष्कलं नृपम् । समालक्ष्य कपींद्रोऽपि हनूमांस्तमधावत १। लांगूलमुद्यम्य विशालदेहं । सरावमातत्य पयोदघोषम् । रणस्थितान्वीरवरान्कपींद्रो । जगाम तं वीरमणिं नृपेन्द्रम् २। आयांतं तं हनूमंतं वीक्ष्य पुष्कल उद्भटः । विलोकयामासदृशा वैरिक्रोध सुशोणया ३। जगाद तं हनूमंतं पुष्कलः परमास्त्रवित् । मेघगंभीरया वाचा नादयन्रणमंडलम् ४। पुष्कल उवाच। कथं त्वं समरे योद्धुमागतोसि महाकपे । कियद्बलं स्वल्पमेतद्राज्ञो वीरमणेर्महत् ५। यत्र त्रिजगती सर्वा संमुखे समुपागता । तत्र त्वं लीलया योद्धुं यातुमिच्छसि वा न वा ६। कोयं राजा वीरमणिः कियद्बलमथाल्पकम् । अत्रागमनमत्युग्रं तव वीर न भाव्यते ७। रघुनाथकृपापांगादहं निस्तीर्य दुस्तरम् । क्षणान्निर्यामि कीशेंद्र मा चित्तं कुरु संगरे ८। त्वया राक्षसपाथोधिस्तीर्णो रामकृपाव्रजात् । तथा रामं सुसंस्मृत्य निस्तरिष्यामि दुस्तरम् ९। ये केचिद्दुस्तरं प्राप्य रघुनाथं स्मरंति च । तेषां दुःखोदधिः शुष्को भविष्यति न संशयः १०। तस्माद्व्रज महावीर शत्रुघ्नसविधे बलिन् । एष आयामि निर्जित्य भूपं वीरमणिं क्षणात् ११। शेष उवाच। इति धीरां समाकर्ण्य वाणीं पुष्कलभाषिताम् । जगाद वचनं भूयः पुष्कलं परवीरहा १२। हनुमानुवाच। पुत्र मा साहसं कार्षीर्भूपं वीरमणिं प्रति । एष दाता शरण्यश्च बलशौर्यसमन्वितः १३। त्वं बालः स्थविरो भूपोऽखिलशस्त्रास्त्रवित्तमः । अनेके विजिताः संख्ये वीराः शौर्यसुशोभिनः १४। जानीहि पार्श्वे तस्य त्वं रक्षितारं सदाशिवम् । भक्त्या वशीकृतं स्थाणुं सोमं चैतत्पुरिस्थितम् १५। तस्मादहमनेनैव योत्स्ये भूपेन पुष्कल । अन्यान्वीरान्विजित्वा त्वं कीर्तिमाप्नुहि पुष्कलाम् १६। पुष्कल उवाच। शिवो भक्त्या वशीकृत्य स्वपुरे स्थापितोऽमुना । परमस्याशु हृदयेन तिष्ठति महेश्वरः १७। सदाशिवोयमाराध्य परमं स्थानमागतः । स रामो मन्मनस्त्यक्त्वा न क्वापि परिगच्छति १८। यत्र रामस्तत्र विश्वं सर्वं स्थास्नु चरिष्णु च । तस्मादहं जयिष्यामि रणे वीरमणिं नृपम् १९। व्रज त्वं समरे योद्धुमन्यान्मानिवरान्नृपान् । वीरसिंहमुखान्कीश मच्चिंतां मा कुरु प्रभो २०। वाचमित्थं समाकर्ण्य हनूमान्धीरसेविताम् । जगाम समरे योद्धुं वीरसिंहं नृपानुजम् २१। लक्ष्मीनिधिः सुतेनास्य शुभांगदसुसंज्ञिना । द्वैरथेन प्रयुयुधे महाशस्त्रास्त्रवेदिना २२। बलमित्रेण सुमदः स्वप्रतापबलोर्जितः । योद्धुं सशस्त्रः संग्रामं विचचार नृपात्मजः २३। आह्वयंतं नृपं दृष्ट्वा द्वैरथे युद्धकोविदः । पुष्कलो रुक्मखचिते रथे तिष्ठन्ययौ हि तम् २४। राजा तमागतं दृष्ट्वा पुष्कलं युद्धकोविदम् । उवाच निर्भिया वाण्या रणमध्ये सुभाषितः २५। वीरमणिरुवाच। बालमायाहि मां क्रुद्धं संग्रामे चंडकोपनम् । गच्छ प्राणपरीप्सायै मा युद्धं कुरु मे सह २६। त्वादृशान्बालकान्भूपा मादृशाः कृपयंति हि । प्रहरंति न चैतान्वै तस्माद्गच्छ रणाद्बहिः २७। यावत्त्वं न मया दृष्टश्चक्षुर्भ्यां तावदुन्मनाः । सांप्रतं त्वां प्रहर्तुं न मनः समभिकांक्षति २८। यत्त्वया मत्सुतो बाणैर्भिन्नो मूर्च्छीकृतः पुनः । सर्वं मया क्षांतमद्य तवबालधियो महत् २९। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य पुष्कलो निजगाद तम् । पुष्कल उवाच। बालोऽहं त्वं महावृद्धः सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रकोविदः ३०। क्षत्रियाणां मतं चैव ये बलाधिक्यसंयुताः । त एव वृद्धा भूपाग्र्य न वयोवृद्धतां गताः ३१। मया ते मूर्च्छितः पुत्रः सशौर्यबलदर्पितः । इदानीं त्वामहं शस्त्रैः पातयिष्यामि संगरे ३२। तस्मात्त्वं यत्नतस्तिष्ठ राजन्संग्राममूर्धनि । रामभक्तं न मां कश्चिज्जयतींद्रपदे स्थितः ३३। इत्थं भाषितमाश्रुत्य पुष्कलस्य नृपाग्रणीः । जहास बालं संवीक्ष्य कोपं च व्यदधात्पुनः ३४। तं वै कुपितमालक्ष्य भरतात्मज उन्मदः । जघान शरविंशत्या राजानं हृदि तीक्ष्णया ३५। राजा तानागतान्दृष्ट्वा बाणांस्तेन विमोचितान् । चिच्छेद परमक्रुद्धः शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरनेकधा ३६। तद्बाणच्छेदनं दृष्ट्वा भारतिः परवीरहा । चुकोप हृदयेऽत्यंतं राजानं च त्रिभिः शरैः ३७। विव्याध भाले भूपाल पुत्रः पुष्कलसंज्ञकः । तत्र लग्ना विरेजुस्ते त्रिकूटशिखराणि किम् ३८। तैर्बाणैर्व्यथितो राजा जघान नवभिः शरैः । हृदये पुष्कलं वीरं महाकोपसमन्वितः । तैर्वत्सदन्तैर्बह्वस्रं पीतं रामानुजाङ्गजम् ३९। सर्पा आशीविषा यद्वत्क्रुद्धास्तद्वपुषि स्थिताः । परमं कोपमापन्नः पुष्कलो भूमिपं पुनः ४०। बाणानां शतकेनाशु बिभेद शितपर्वणाम् । तैर्बाणैः कवचं भिन्नं किरीटः सशिरस्त्रकः ४१। रथो धनुर्महत्सज्यं छिन्नं कोपपरिप्लवात् । क्षतजेन परिप्लुष्टो बाणभिन्नकलेवरः ४२। अन्यं स्यंदनमारुह्य जगाम भरतात्मजम् । धन्योसि वीर रामस्य चरणाब्जमधुव्रत ४३। महत्कृतं कर्म तेऽद्य यदहं विरथीकृतः । प्राणान्रक्षस्व भो वीर सांप्रतं मयि युद्ध्यति ४४। सुलभा न तव प्राणाः कालरूपे मयि स्थिते । इत्युक्त्वा व्यहनद्बाणैरसंख्यैः शस्त्रकोविदः ४५। भूमौ दिशि च तद्बाणा नान्यद्दृश्येत तत्र ह । अनेके गजसाहस्रा भिन्ना अश्वाः समंततः ४६। रथारथियुतास्तेन छिन्ना भिन्ना द्विधाकृताः । शोणितौघा सरित्तत्र प्रसुस्राव रणांगणे ४७। यत्रोन्मदा हि मातंगा दृश्यंते शैलशृंगवत् । केशाः शैवाललक्ष्यास्ते मुहुः प्राणिशिरः स्थिताः ४८। अनेके पाणयश्छिन्ना वीराणां मुद्रिकाश्रियः । दृश्यंते अहिवत्तत्र चंदनादिकरूषिताः ४९। शिरांसि च भटाग्र्याणां कच्छपाभां वहंति वै । मांसानि पंका यत्रासन्वीराणां महतां ततः ५०। एवं व्यतिकरे वृत्ते योगिन्यः शतशो रणे । पपुः पात्रेण रुधिरं प्राणिनां रणपातिनाम् ५१। मांसानि बुभुजुस्ता वै हर्षकौतुकसंयुताः । पीत्वा तु शोणितं तत्र भक्षित्वा मांसमुन्मदाः ५२। ननृतुर्जहसुः प्रोच्चैरुज्जगुः प्रधनांगणे । पिशाचास्तत्र समरे प्राणिनां मस्तकानि वै ५३। धृत्वा कराभ्यां मत्तांगास्तालवद्वादनोद्यताः । शिवास्तत्र महामांसं पतितानां रणांगणे ५४। भक्षित्वा व्यनदन्मत्ताः कातराणां भयप्रदाः । कातरास्त्राः समापन्ना गताः कुंजरकोटरे ५५। भक्षिता योगिनीभिस्ते पापिनां क्वापि न स्थितिः । एतत्कदनमालक्ष्य स्वसैन्यस्य रथाग्रणीः ५६। पुष्कलोऽपि चकारात्र कदनं रणमंडले । भिद्यंते गजशीर्षाणि पतंति मौक्तिकानि तु ५७। दृश्यते लोमभिः पूर्णा ताम्रपर्णीव तन्नदी । पुष्कलप्रहिता बाणा नृणामंगेषु संगताः । कुर्वंति प्राणविच्छेदं वीराणामपि सर्वतः ५८। सर्वे रुधिरसिक्तांगाः सर्वे च्छिन्ननिजांगकाः । दृश्यंते किंशुका यद्वत्सुभटाः प्रधनांगणे ५९। एतस्मिन्समये क्रुद्धः समाभाष्य महीपतिम् । जघान बहुबाणैस्तं रोषपूरपरिप्लुतः ६०। तद्बाणवेधभिन्नांगो विशीर्णकवचो नृपः । महाबलं तं मन्वानः प्राहरच्छरकोटिभिः ६१। तैर्बाणैः कवचान्मुक्तं सुस्राव बहुशोणितम् । वपुर्बभूव रुचिरं शरपंजरगोचरम् ६२। शरपंजरमध्यस्थो विह्वलीकृतमानसः । शरान्नेतुं च संधातुं न क्षमः स च भारतिः ६३। रामं स्मृत्वा धनुर्धृत्वा करे सज्जं महद्दृढम् । मुमोच बाणान्निशितान्वैरिवृंदनिवारणान् ६४। तैर्बाणैः शरजालं तद्विधूय मुनिपुंगव । शंखं प्रध्माय समरे जगाद गतभीर्नृपम् ६५। पुष्कल उवाच। त्वया कृतं महत्कर्म यन्मां बाणस्य पंजरे । गोचरं कृतवान्वीर वीरतापनमुद्भटम् ६६। वृद्धत्वान्मम मान्योसि सांप्रतं रणमंडले । पश्यमेऽद्य पराक्रांतं राजन्वीरमणे महत् ६७। बाणत्रयेण भो वीर मूर्च्छितं करवै नहि । तर्हि प्रतिज्ञां शृणु वै सर्ववीरविमोहिनीम् ६८। गंगां प्राप्यापि यो वै तां निंदित्वा पापहारिणीम् । न मज्जति महापापो महामूढविचेष्टितः ६९। तस्य पापं ममैवास्तु चेन्न त्वां रणमंडले । पातये मूर्च्छया वीर सन्नद्धो भव भूपते ७०। इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य पुष्कलस्य नृपोत्तमः । चुकोप भृशमुद्विग्नः संदधे निशिताञ्छरान् ७१। ते शरा हृदयं भित्त्वा गतास्ते भारतेर्महत् । पेतुः क्षितावधो यद्वद्रामभक्तिपराङ्मुखाः ७२। ततः शरं मुमोचास्मै निशितं वह्निसप्रभम् । लक्षीकृत्य महद्वक्षः कपाटतटविस्तृतम् ७३। स बाणो भूमिपतिना द्विधा छिन्नः शरेण हि । पपात रथमध्ये स रविमंडलवज्ज्वलन् ७४। अपरं बाणमाधत्त मातृभक्तिभवं ततः । निधाय पुण्यं सोऽप्येष चिच्छेद महता पुनः ७५। तदा खिन्नः स हृदये किंकर्तव्यमिति स्मरन् । रामं हृदि निजार्तिघ्नं मुमोच परमास्त्रवित् ७६। स बाणस्तस्य हृदये लग्न आशीविषोपमः । मूर्च्छामप्रापयत्तं वै ज्वलन्सूर्यसमप्रभः ७७। ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं पलायनपरायणम् । राज्ञि संमूर्च्छिते जाते पुष्कलो जयमाप्तवान् ७८। इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे पातालखंडे शेषवात्स्यायनसंवादे रामाश्वमेधे वीरमणेः पराभवोनाम द्विचत्वारिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः ४२ ।
śeṣa uvāca| āhvayaṃtaṃ mahāsainyavāridhau puṣkalaṃ nṛpam | samālakṣya kapīṃdro'pi hanūmāṃstamadhāvata 1| lāṃgūlamudyamya viśāladehaṃ | sarāvamātatya payodaghoṣam | raṇasthitānvīravarānkapīṃdro | jagāma taṃ vīramaṇiṃ nṛpendram 2| āyāṃtaṃ taṃ hanūmaṃtaṃ vīkṣya puṣkala udbhaṭaḥ | vilokayāmāsadṛśā vairikrodha suśoṇayā 3| jagāda taṃ hanūmaṃtaṃ puṣkalaḥ paramāstravit | meghagaṃbhīrayā vācā nādayanraṇamaṃḍalam 4| puṣkala uvāca| kathaṃ tvaṃ samare yoddhumāgatosi mahākape | kiyadbalaṃ svalpametadrājño vīramaṇermahat 5| yatra trijagatī sarvā saṃmukhe samupāgatā | tatra tvaṃ līlayā yoddhuṃ yātumicchasi vā na vā 6| koyaṃ rājā vīramaṇiḥ kiyadbalamathālpakam | atrāgamanamatyugraṃ tava vīra na bhāvyate 7| raghunāthakṛpāpāṃgādahaṃ nistīrya dustaram | kṣaṇānniryāmi kīśeṃdra mā cittaṃ kuru saṃgare 8| tvayā rākṣasapāthodhistīrṇo rāmakṛpāvrajāt | tathā rāmaṃ susaṃsmṛtya nistariṣyāmi dustaram 9| ye keciddustaraṃ prāpya raghunāthaṃ smaraṃti ca | teṣāṃ duḥkhodadhiḥ śuṣko bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ 10| tasmādvraja mahāvīra śatrughnasavidhe balin | eṣa āyāmi nirjitya bhūpaṃ vīramaṇiṃ kṣaṇāt 11| śeṣa uvāca| iti dhīrāṃ samākarṇya vāṇīṃ puṣkalabhāṣitām | jagāda vacanaṃ bhūyaḥ puṣkalaṃ paravīrahā 12| hanumānuvāca| putra mā sāhasaṃ kārṣīrbhūpaṃ vīramaṇiṃ prati | eṣa dātā śaraṇyaśca balaśauryasamanvitaḥ 13| tvaṃ bālaḥ sthaviro bhūpo'khilaśastrāstravittamaḥ | aneke vijitāḥ saṃkhye vīrāḥ śauryasuśobhinaḥ 14| jānīhi pārśve tasya tvaṃ rakṣitāraṃ sadāśivam | bhaktyā vaśīkṛtaṃ sthāṇuṃ somaṃ caitatpuristhitam 15| tasmādahamanenaiva yotsye bhūpena puṣkala | anyānvīrānvijitvā tvaṃ kīrtimāpnuhi puṣkalām 16| puṣkala uvāca| śivo bhaktyā vaśīkṛtya svapure sthāpito'munā | paramasyāśu hṛdayena tiṣṭhati maheśvaraḥ 17| sadāśivoyamārādhya paramaṃ sthānamāgataḥ | sa rāmo manmanastyaktvā na kvāpi parigacchati 18| yatra rāmastatra viśvaṃ sarvaṃ sthāsnu cariṣṇu ca | tasmādahaṃ jayiṣyāmi raṇe vīramaṇiṃ nṛpam 19| vraja tvaṃ samare yoddhumanyānmānivarānnṛpān | vīrasiṃhamukhānkīśa macciṃtāṃ mā kuru prabho 20| vācamitthaṃ samākarṇya hanūmāndhīrasevitām | jagāma samare yoddhuṃ vīrasiṃhaṃ nṛpānujam 21| lakṣmīnidhiḥ sutenāsya śubhāṃgadasusaṃjñinā | dvairathena prayuyudhe mahāśastrāstravedinā 22| balamitreṇa sumadaḥ svapratāpabalorjitaḥ | yoddhuṃ saśastraḥ saṃgrāmaṃ vicacāra nṛpātmajaḥ 23| āhvayaṃtaṃ nṛpaṃ dṛṣṭvā dvairathe yuddhakovidaḥ | puṣkalo rukmakhacite rathe tiṣṭhanyayau hi tam 24| rājā tamāgataṃ dṛṣṭvā puṣkalaṃ yuddhakovidam | uvāca nirbhiyā vāṇyā raṇamadhye subhāṣitaḥ 25| vīramaṇiruvāca| bālamāyāhi māṃ kruddhaṃ saṃgrāme caṃḍakopanam | gaccha prāṇaparīpsāyai mā yuddhaṃ kuru me saha 26| tvādṛśānbālakānbhūpā mādṛśāḥ kṛpayaṃti hi | praharaṃti na caitānvai tasmādgaccha raṇādbahiḥ 27| yāvattvaṃ na mayā dṛṣṭaścakṣurbhyāṃ tāvadunmanāḥ | sāṃprataṃ tvāṃ prahartuṃ na manaḥ samabhikāṃkṣati 28| yattvayā matsuto bāṇairbhinno mūrcchīkṛtaḥ punaḥ | sarvaṃ mayā kṣāṃtamadya tavabāladhiyo mahat 29| iti vākyaṃ samākarṇya puṣkalo nijagāda tam | puṣkala uvāca| bālo'haṃ tvaṃ mahāvṛddhaḥ sarvaśastrāstrakovidaḥ 30| kṣatriyāṇāṃ mataṃ caiva ye balādhikyasaṃyutāḥ | ta eva vṛddhā bhūpāgrya na vayovṛddhatāṃ gatāḥ 31| mayā te mūrcchitaḥ putraḥ saśauryabaladarpitaḥ | idānīṃ tvāmahaṃ śastraiḥ pātayiṣyāmi saṃgare 32| tasmāttvaṃ yatnatastiṣṭha rājansaṃgrāmamūrdhani | rāmabhaktaṃ na māṃ kaścijjayatīṃdrapade sthitaḥ 33| itthaṃ bhāṣitamāśrutya puṣkalasya nṛpāgraṇīḥ | jahāsa bālaṃ saṃvīkṣya kopaṃ ca vyadadhātpunaḥ 34| taṃ vai kupitamālakṣya bharatātmaja unmadaḥ | jaghāna śaraviṃśatyā rājānaṃ hṛdi tīkṣṇayā 35| rājā tānāgatāndṛṣṭvā bāṇāṃstena vimocitān | ciccheda paramakruddhaḥ śaraistīkṣṇairanekadhā 36| tadbāṇacchedanaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhāratiḥ paravīrahā | cukopa hṛdaye'tyaṃtaṃ rājānaṃ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ 37| vivyādha bhāle bhūpāla putraḥ puṣkalasaṃjñakaḥ | tatra lagnā virejuste trikūṭaśikharāṇi kim 38| tairbāṇairvyathito rājā jaghāna navabhiḥ śaraiḥ | hṛdaye puṣkalaṃ vīraṃ mahākopasamanvitaḥ | tairvatsadantairbahvasraṃ pītaṃ rāmānujāṅgajam 39| sarpā āśīviṣā yadvatkruddhāstadvapuṣi sthitāḥ | paramaṃ kopamāpannaḥ puṣkalo bhūmipaṃ punaḥ 40| bāṇānāṃ śatakenāśu bibheda śitaparvaṇām | tairbāṇaiḥ kavacaṃ bhinnaṃ kirīṭaḥ saśirastrakaḥ 41| ratho dhanurmahatsajyaṃ chinnaṃ kopapariplavāt | kṣatajena paripluṣṭo bāṇabhinnakalevaraḥ 42| anyaṃ syaṃdanamāruhya jagāma bharatātmajam | dhanyosi vīra rāmasya caraṇābjamadhuvrata 43| mahatkṛtaṃ karma te'dya yadahaṃ virathīkṛtaḥ | prāṇānrakṣasva bho vīra sāṃprataṃ mayi yuddhyati 44| sulabhā na tava prāṇāḥ kālarūpe mayi sthite | ityuktvā vyahanadbāṇairasaṃkhyaiḥ śastrakovidaḥ 45| bhūmau diśi ca tadbāṇā nānyaddṛśyeta tatra ha | aneke gajasāhasrā bhinnā aśvāḥ samaṃtataḥ 46| rathārathiyutāstena chinnā bhinnā dvidhākṛtāḥ | śoṇitaughā sarittatra prasusrāva raṇāṃgaṇe 47| yatronmadā hi mātaṃgā dṛśyaṃte śailaśṛṃgavat | keśāḥ śaivālalakṣyāste muhuḥ prāṇiśiraḥ sthitāḥ 48| aneke pāṇayaśchinnā vīrāṇāṃ mudrikāśriyaḥ | dṛśyaṃte ahivattatra caṃdanādikarūṣitāḥ 49| śirāṃsi ca bhaṭāgryāṇāṃ kacchapābhāṃ vahaṃti vai | māṃsāni paṃkā yatrāsanvīrāṇāṃ mahatāṃ tataḥ 50| evaṃ vyatikare vṛtte yoginyaḥ śataśo raṇe | papuḥ pātreṇa rudhiraṃ prāṇināṃ raṇapātinām 51| māṃsāni bubhujustā vai harṣakautukasaṃyutāḥ | pītvā tu śoṇitaṃ tatra bhakṣitvā māṃsamunmadāḥ 52| nanṛturjahasuḥ proccairujjaguḥ pradhanāṃgaṇe | piśācāstatra samare prāṇināṃ mastakāni vai 53| dhṛtvā karābhyāṃ mattāṃgāstālavadvādanodyatāḥ | śivāstatra mahāmāṃsaṃ patitānāṃ raṇāṃgaṇe 54| bhakṣitvā vyanadanmattāḥ kātarāṇāṃ bhayapradāḥ | kātarāstrāḥ samāpannā gatāḥ kuṃjarakoṭare 55| bhakṣitā yoginībhiste pāpināṃ kvāpi na sthitiḥ | etatkadanamālakṣya svasainyasya rathāgraṇīḥ 56| puṣkalo'pi cakārātra kadanaṃ raṇamaṃḍale | bhidyaṃte gajaśīrṣāṇi pataṃti mauktikāni tu 57| dṛśyate lomabhiḥ pūrṇā tāmraparṇīva tannadī | puṣkalaprahitā bāṇā nṛṇāmaṃgeṣu saṃgatāḥ | kurvaṃti prāṇavicchedaṃ vīrāṇāmapi sarvataḥ 58| sarve rudhirasiktāṃgāḥ sarve cchinnanijāṃgakāḥ | dṛśyaṃte kiṃśukā yadvatsubhaṭāḥ pradhanāṃgaṇe 59| etasminsamaye kruddhaḥ samābhāṣya mahīpatim | jaghāna bahubāṇaistaṃ roṣapūrapariplutaḥ 60| tadbāṇavedhabhinnāṃgo viśīrṇakavaco nṛpaḥ | mahābalaṃ taṃ manvānaḥ prāharaccharakoṭibhiḥ 61| tairbāṇaiḥ kavacānmuktaṃ susrāva bahuśoṇitam | vapurbabhūva ruciraṃ śarapaṃjaragocaram 62| śarapaṃjaramadhyastho vihvalīkṛtamānasaḥ | śarānnetuṃ ca saṃdhātuṃ na kṣamaḥ sa ca bhāratiḥ 63| rāmaṃ smṛtvā dhanurdhṛtvā kare sajjaṃ mahaddṛḍham | mumoca bāṇānniśitānvairivṛṃdanivāraṇān 64| tairbāṇaiḥ śarajālaṃ tadvidhūya munipuṃgava | śaṃkhaṃ pradhmāya samare jagāda gatabhīrnṛpam 65| puṣkala uvāca| tvayā kṛtaṃ mahatkarma yanmāṃ bāṇasya paṃjare | gocaraṃ kṛtavānvīra vīratāpanamudbhaṭam 66| vṛddhatvānmama mānyosi sāṃprataṃ raṇamaṃḍale | paśyame'dya parākrāṃtaṃ rājanvīramaṇe mahat 67| bāṇatrayeṇa bho vīra mūrcchitaṃ karavai nahi | tarhi pratijñāṃ śṛṇu vai sarvavīravimohinīm 68| gaṃgāṃ prāpyāpi yo vai tāṃ niṃditvā pāpahāriṇīm | na majjati mahāpāpo mahāmūḍhaviceṣṭitaḥ 69| tasya pāpaṃ mamaivāstu cenna tvāṃ raṇamaṃḍale | pātaye mūrcchayā vīra sannaddho bhava bhūpate 70| iti vākyaṃ samākarṇya puṣkalasya nṛpottamaḥ | cukopa bhṛśamudvignaḥ saṃdadhe niśitāñcharān 71| te śarā hṛdayaṃ bhittvā gatāste bhāratermahat | petuḥ kṣitāvadho yadvadrāmabhaktiparāṅmukhāḥ 72| tataḥ śaraṃ mumocāsmai niśitaṃ vahnisaprabham | lakṣīkṛtya mahadvakṣaḥ kapāṭataṭavistṛtam 73| sa bāṇo bhūmipatinā dvidhā chinnaḥ śareṇa hi | papāta rathamadhye sa ravimaṃḍalavajjvalan 74| aparaṃ bāṇamādhatta mātṛbhaktibhavaṃ tataḥ | nidhāya puṇyaṃ so'pyeṣa ciccheda mahatā punaḥ 75| tadā khinnaḥ sa hṛdaye kiṃkartavyamiti smaran | rāmaṃ hṛdi nijārtighnaṃ mumoca paramāstravit 76| sa bāṇastasya hṛdaye lagna āśīviṣopamaḥ | mūrcchāmaprāpayattaṃ vai jvalansūryasamaprabhaḥ 77| tato hāhākṛtaṃ sarvaṃ palāyanaparāyaṇam | rājñi saṃmūrcchite jāte puṣkalo jayamāptavān 78| iti śrīpadmapurāṇe pātālakhaṃḍe śeṣavātsyāyanasaṃvāde rāmāśvamedhe vīramaṇeḥ parābhavonāma dvicatvāriṃśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 42 |
English translation
Śeṣa said :
1-4. Seeing him challenging king Puṣkala in the ocean of the great army, even Hanūmat, the lord of monkeys, having with a sound raised the tail of his big body and having made a sound like that of a cloud, ran to him. When the best heroes stood in the battlefield, the lord of monkeys went to the best king. Seeing Hanūmat coming the mighty hero Puṣkala looked at him with his eyes full of much blood (i.e. very red) due to anger towards his enemy with a deep-sounding voice like (the sound of) a cloud and filling the battlefield with his sound Puṣkala who knew (the use of) great missiles, spoke to that Hanūmat:
Puṣkala said :
5-10. O great monkey, how (i.e. why) have you come to fight in this battle? How much is the ‘great’ power of the king Vīramaṇi ? It is very little. When the three worlds coming together stand before you, (even) then you may or may not desire to go to fight. Who is this king Vīramaṇi (before you)? How much is his power? It is battle. O hero, your fierce arrival (i.e. the arrival of you, the fierce one) here is not considered (necessary). By virtue of the side glance in the form of the grace of Raghunātha I shall come out after overcoming him who is difficult to be subdued. O lord of monkeys, do not have a mind to fight. With the heap of Rāma ’s grace you crossed the ocean in the form of demons. Similarly by remembering Rāma well I shall overcome this one difficult to be subdued. There is no doubt that the ocean of the miseries of them who after having encountered a difficulty remember Rāma, gets dried.
11. Therefore, O mighty hero, O powerful one, go near Śatrughna . I shall just come, after having vanquished king Vīramaṇi in a moment.
Śeṣa said :
12. Having heard these courageous words uttered by Puṣkala (Hanūmat), the killer of the heroes of the enemy, again spoke (these) words to Puṣkala.
Hanūmat said - .
13-16. O son, do not act rashly towards king Vīramaṇi. He is a donor, a protector and is endowed with might and valour. You are young, (while) the king is old and the best among those who know (the use of) all weapons and missiles. In a battle he has conquered many heroes adorned with (i.e. characterized by) bravery. Know that by his side is protector Śiva , won over by means of devotion and living in his city with Umā (i.e. Pārvatī ). Therefore, O Puṣkala, I will fight with this king only. Having vanquished other heroes, obtain great fame.
Puṣkala said :
17-23. Having won over Śiva through devotion he has installed him (i.e. his image) in his city; but the great lord does not directly live in his heart. That Rāma, having propitiated whom Sadāśiva reached the highest position, does not go to any other place after leaving my heart. The entire immobile and mobile world remains where Rāma remains. Therefore, I shall conquer king Vīramaṇi in the battle. O monkey, go to fight with other kings who are very haughty, in the battle. Do not be worried (about me), O lord.
Having heard these courageous words, Hanūmatwent to fight with Vīrasiṃha , the younger brother of king (Vīramaṇi), in the battle. Lakṣmīnidhi, fought in a single combat in chariots with his son named Śubhāṅgada who knew the use of great weapons and missiles. Prince Sumada , distinguished by his own valour and might, (equipped) with weapons went to fight with Balamitra .
24-25. Seeing the king and challenging him, Puṣkala, skilled in a single combat in chariots, seated in a chariot decked with gold went to him. The king who spoke well, seeing Puṣkala, skilled in fight, to have come (there), said (to him) with fearless words on the battlefield.
Vīramaṇi said :
26-30a. O child, do not march against me who am angry and fierce and irascible in a battle; go (back) with a desire for (i.e. in order to save) your life. Do not fight with me. Kings like me favour children like you. They do not strike them. Therefore, go out of the battlefield. I was eager (to fight with you) till I had not seen you with my eyes. Now my mind does not desire to strike you. All that great act of you, having (but) a child’s intelligence, viz. that you pierced my son with arrows and caused him to swoon, is forgiven by me.
Hearing these words, Puṣkala said to him:
Puṣkala said :
30b-33. (You say) I am a child, and you are very old, proficient in (the use of) all weapons and missiles. But the view of kṣatriyas is: Those alone who have a superior power are old and not those who are old in age. I made unconscious your son who was proud of his valour and might. Now I shall knock you down with (my) weapons in the battle. Therefore, O king, stand with care in the battle. Nobody (even if) he remains at Indra ’s position, can conquer me, a devotee of Rama .
34-45a. Hearing these words of Puṣkala, the best king, seeing (i.e. knowing him to be) young, laughed, but again became angry. The furious son of Bharata , having seen him to be angry, struck the king in his chest with twenty sharp arrows. The king, seeing those arrows, discharged by him (i.e. Puṣkala) coming to him got very angry and cut them off in many ways with sharp arrows. Seeing the arrows being cut off he, the prince named Puṣkala and the son of Bharata, was very angry at heart, and struck the king on his forehead with three arrows. Stuck there, they shone as if they were the three peaks of the Trikūṭa (mountain). The king afflicted by the arrows and full of great anger, struck the hero Puṣkala, in his heart with nine arrows. By these arrows profuse blood was quaffed from the body of the son of the younger brother of Rāma, as (it were) angry poisonous snakes had clung on his body. Puṣkala who was extremely angry, again quickly pierced the king with a hundred arrows of sharp joints. By the arrows his armour was cut off. His crown along with the helmet (was broken). His chariot (was) broken. His great bow which was made ready, was also cut off due to the flood of (i.e. profuse) anger. Wet with the blood and with his body pierced with arrows the king getting into another chariot marched against the son of Bharata. (He said to Puṣkala:) “O hero, O bee (howering round) the lotus-like feet of Rāma, you are blessed. Today you have done a great feat that I was deprived of my chariot. Now, O hero, protect your life when I am fighting (with you). For you, (to save) your life is not easy when I stand (before you) in the form of death.”
45b-56a. Speaking like this, he, proficient in (the use of) many weapons, struck (him) with innumerable arrows. On the earth and in (every) direction (only) his arrows (were seen) there. On all sides he pierced and cut into two the chariots along with the warriors (in them). On the battlefield flowed a river having the stream of blood, where the intoxicated elephants looked like peaks of mountains, the hair on the heads of beings again and again appeared like moss. Many arms of the heroes, which were beautified with rings and which were smeared with sandal, appeared after they were cut off like serpents. The heads of the best heroes had the resemblance of turtles. There the flesh of the great heroes was (i.e. looked like) mud. When such an incident took place, hundreds of witches drank, with vessels, the blood of the creatures falling in the battle on the battlefields. With joy and eagerness they enjoyed the flesh. Having drunk the blood and having eaten the flesh, the furious (witches) danced, laughed and sang loudly on the battlefield. The goblins there on the battlefield with their bodies intoxicated, holding with their hands the heads of creatures, were engaged in sounding them like musical instruments made of bell-metal. The furious jackals, causing fear to cowards, having eaten much flesh of those that fell on the battlefield roared. The cowards who were frightened got into the hollows of aśvattha trees. They were eaten up by the witches. Sinners survive nowhere.
56b-64. Seeing this destruction of his army, Puṣkala, the best among the heroes, also, brought about destruction on the battlefield. The heads of elephants were cut asunder, pearls fell (from their heads). That river(of blood) full of hair, appeared like the Tāmraparṇī (river). The arrows discharged by Puṣkala and stuck into the bodies of men destroyed the life of the heroes on all sides. On the battlefield, all the excellent warriors with their bodies wetted with blood, with their bodies pierced appeared like the kiṃśuka (trees). At that time Puṣkala who was angry and full of wrath, having spoken (a few words) to the king, struck him with many arrows. The king with his body pierced by his arrows and with his armour shattered, regarding him as very powerful, struck him with crores of arrows. Due to those arrows profuse blood discharged from the armour flowed (down). His body in the grip of the cage of arrows, became brilliant. That son of Bharata, remaining in the cage of arrows and with his mind afflicted, was not able either to take or to fix his arrows. Remembering Rāma, and holding tightly the great bow in his hand, he discharged sharp arrows keeping off the hosts of his enemies.
65. O best of sages, having shaken off the net of those arrows with those arrows, and having blown his conch, he with his fear gone said to the king in the battle.
Puṣkala said :
66-70. O hero, you have done a great feat by putting me, a great warrior and tormentor of heroes, into the cage of arrows. Due to your old age you are venerable to me; (but) O king Vīramaṇi, today, now, see my great act of valour on the battlefield. O hero, if with three arrows I shall not make you unconscious, then listen to my pledge deluding all the heroes: O hero, if I do not cause you to fall into a swoon in the battle, let me have the sin of him who, a great sinner and of very foolish deeds, even after reaching Gaṅgā that removes sins, censures her and does not plunge into her (water). Be ready, O king.
71-78. Hearing these words of Puṣkala, the best king (Vīramaṇi) was angry, and being very much afflicted fixed sharp arrows (on his bow). Those arrows went (off) after piercing the great chest of the son of Bharata and fell down on the earth like those who are averse to the devotion to Rāma. Then he aiming at his large expansive chest, discharged a sharp arrow, bright like fire. The lord of the earth cut it into two with his arrow; and burning like the orb of the sun it fell into the chariot. He fixed another auspicious arrow through (i.e. remembering) his devotion to his mother. He too cut it off with a big arrow. Then dejected in heart and remembering Rāma, the destroyer of his affliction, as to what to do (then), the knower of (i.e. he who was proficient in the use of) great missiles discharged (an arrow). The arrow resembling a serpent and burning with the sun’s radiance, stuck into his chest, and made him unconscious. Then all wailed and were intent on fleeing. When the king became unconscious, Puṣkala obtained victory.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 43936, revision 336115 (2022-04-18T20:31:03Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365353.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.