Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 102 of 128 · 70 verses
Indra Sends His Chariot
Hearing Lakshmana’s words, mighty Raghava takes his bow, fits arrows and looses terrible arrows at Ravana at the front of the army. Ravana, mounting another chariot, rushes at Kakutstha as Svarbhanu rushes at the sun and strikes Rama with arrows like thunderbolts, like a cloud pouring streams on a great mountain; Rama, collected, rains gold-adorned arrows like blazing fire on him. Gods, gandharvas and kinnaras say: the fight is not equal, Rama on the ground and the rakshasa in a chariot. Hearing their nectar-like words, glorious Shakra, best of gods, summons Matali: take my chariot quickly to the best of the Raghus, standing on the ground; go down to earth, call him, and do the gods a great service. Matali, charioteer of the gods, bows his head and yokes the finest chariot with bay horses: decorated with gold, adorned with hundreds of bells, bright as the morning sun, its pole of beryl, drawn by fine sun-bright bay horses with golden crests, white plumes and nets of gold, with a golden flagstaff: the excellent chariot of the king of the gods. Descending from heaven at Indra’s command, Matali comes to Kakutstha and, standing in the chariot with whip in hand, says with joined palms: Kakutstha, this chariot has been given you by the thousand-eyed one for your victory, great, glorious destroyer of foes; here are Indra’s great bow, armour like fire, arrows like the sun and a spotless, auspicious spear. Mount this chariot, hero, and kill the rakshasa Ravana with me as charioteer, as great Indra killed the danavas. Rama walks around the chariot, salutes it and mounts, lighting up the worlds with his splendour.
A wondrous, hair-raising duel of chariots begins between mighty-armed Rama and the rakshasa Ravana. Raghava, knower of the supreme weapons, destroys the rakshasa king’s Gandharva weapon with the Gandharva and the Daiva with the Daiva. Enraged, the lord of the rakshasas looses the supreme, terrible Rakshasa weapon; his gold-adorned arrows turn into deadly venomous serpents and rush at Kakutstha, wide-mouthed and terrible, vomiting fire, covering every direction with their blazing coils, with a touch like Vasuki’s. Seeing those serpents fall on him, Rama brings forth the fearful Garuda weapon; his golden-feathered arrows, bright as flame, become golden Garudas, the enemies of serpents, and destroy all those swift serpent-shaped arrows. His weapon defeated, Ravana rains terrible showers of arrows on Rama, harasses him with a thousand arrows, pierces Matali, cuts down the golden banner with a single arrow so that it falls on the chariot floor, and strikes Indra’s horses with a net of arrows. Gods, gandharvas, charanas and danavas are dismayed; the siddhas and great sages are pained to see Rama in distress, and so are the monkey lords and Vibhishana, seeing the moon that is Rama swallowed by the Rahu that is Ravana. Mercury, bringing harm to creatures, stands occupying Rohini, the moon’s beloved constellation presided over by Prajapati; the ocean, its waves wreathed in smoke, rises in anger as if blazing, as if to touch the sun; the sun, weapon-coloured, very harsh, its rays dim, appears marked with a headless trunk and joined with a comet; Mars stands in the sky striking Vishakha, the constellation of the Kosalas, presided over by Indra and Agni. Ten-faced, twenty-armed, bow in hand, Ten-necked looks like Mount Mainaka. Pressed back by Ten-necked, Rama cannot fit his arrows at the head of the battle.
Then Rama, frowning, his eyes reddening a little, goes into a very great anger, as if to burn the rakshasas. Seeing wise Rama’s angry face, all beings tremble and the earth quakes; the mountain with its lions and tigers shakes, its trees swaying; the ocean, lord of rivers, is churned; harsh-voiced, harsh clouds of ill omen circle roaring everywhere. Seeing Rama so enraged and the dreadful omens, all beings are terrified and fear comes upon Ravana. Gods in their aerial chariots, gandharvas, great serpents, sages, danavas, daityas and the birds of the sky watch the battle, which stands like the dissolution of the worlds, the two heroes fighting with many terrible weapons; gods and asuras, taking sides, watching the great battle, call out with devotion and delight: the asuras cry “Ten-necked, win!”, and the gods tell Rama again and again, “Win!” Meanwhile evil Ravana, wanting in his anger to strike Raghava, grasps a great spear, hard as diamond, with a great sound, destroyer of all enemies, with spikes like mountain peaks, terrifying to mind and eye, sharp-pointed as if smoking, like a heap of fire at the end of an age, very fierce, unapproachable even by Time, terrifying to all beings, piercing and splitting. Blazing with rage, surrounded by brave rakshasa divisions, the huge one raises it and roars terribly, eyes red with fury, cheering his army; the dreadful sound shakes earth, sky and every direction; at the roar of that huge, evil one all beings tremble and the ocean is churned. Gripping the great spear, he roars and says harshly to Rama: Rama, this spear, hard as diamond, raised by me in anger, will at once take your life, you who have your brother to help you; having killed you, boaster of battle, I will at once make you equal to the brave rakshasas killed at the front of the army. Stand now; I will kill you with this spear, Raghava. Saying this, the rakshasa lord hurls it. Loosed from Ravana’s hand, wrapped in garlands of lightning, with eight bells and a great sound, it shines in the sky. Seeing that blazing, terrible spear, mighty Rama draws his bow and looses arrows, checking it with a flood of arrows as Vasava checks the rising fire at the end of an age with floods of water; but Ravana’s great spear burns up the arrows from Rama’s bow as fire burns moths. Seeing his arrows in the sky turned to ash, crushed at the spear’s touch, Raghava grows angry and takes the spear, honoured by Vasava, which Matali has brought. Raised by the mighty one, sounding with its bells, it lights up the sky like a meteor at the end of an age; hurled, it falls on the rakshasa king’s spear, and the great spear, split, falls, its light gone. Then Rama pierces Ravana’s very swift horses with sharp, swift, straight-flying arrows like thunderbolts, and with great care pierces Ravana’s chest with sharp arrows and his forehead with three feathered shafts. Pierced in every limb, blood flowing from his body, the rakshasa king standing amid his host looks like a flowering ashoka tree; his body deeply pierced by Rama’s arrows, wet with blood, the lord of the night-wanderers grows weary in the midst of his assembly, and his anger becomes very great.
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लक्ष्मणेन तु तद् वाक्यमुक्तं श्रुत्वा स राघवः । संदधे परवीरघ्नो धनुरादाय वीर्यवान् ॥ १ ॥
Hearing those words spoken by Lakshmana, Raghava, valiant slayer of enemy heroes, took his bow and fitted arrows,
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रावणाय शरान् घोरान् विससर्ज चमूमुखे । अथान्यं रथमास्थाय रावणो राक्षसाधिपः ॥ २ ॥
and loosed terrible arrows at Ravana at the head of the army. Then Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, mounting another chariot,
अभ्यधावत काकुत्स्थं स्वर्भानुरिव भास्करम् । दशग्रीवो रथस्थस्तु रामं वज्रोपमैः शरैः । आजघान महाशैलं धाराभिरिव तोयदः ॥ ३ ॥
rushed at Kakutstha, as Svarbhanu at the sun. Ten-necked, standing in his chariot, struck Rama with arrows like thunderbolts, as a cloud strikes a great mountain with streams.
दीप्तपावकसंकाशैः शरैः काञ्चनभूषणैः । अभ्यवर्षद् रणे रामो दशग्रीवं समाहितः ॥ ४ ॥
With arrows like blazing fire, adorned with gold, Rama, collected, rained on Ten-necked in battle.
भूमौ स्थितस्य रामस्य रथस्थस्य स रक्षसः । न समं युद्धमित्याहुर्देवगन्धर्वकिंनराः ॥ ५ ॥
“Between Rama standing on the ground and that rakshasa standing in a chariot, the battle is not equal”, said gods, gandharvas and kinnaras.
ततो देववरः श्रीमान् श्रुत्वा तेषां वचोऽमृतम् । आहूय मातलिं शक्रो वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ ६ ॥
Then glorious Shakra, best of gods, hearing their nectar-like words, summoning Matali, said these words:
रथेन मम भूमिष्ठं शीघ्रं याहि रघूत्तमम् । आहूय भूतलं यात कुरु देवहितं महत् ॥ ७ ॥
“Go quickly with my chariot to the best of the Raghus, standing on the ground; calling him, go down to the earth; do a great service to the gods.”
इत्युक्तो देवराजेन मातलिर्देवसारथिः । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ८ ॥
Spoken to so by the king of the gods, Matali, charioteer of the gods, bowing his head to the god, then said these words:
शीघ्रं यास्यामि देवेन्द्र सारथ्यं च करोम्यहम् । ततो हयैश्च संयोज्य हरितैः स्यन्दनोत्तमम् ॥ ९ ॥
“I will go quickly, lord of the gods, and I will do the charioteer’s work.” Then, yoking the finest chariot with bay horses,
ततः काञ्चनचित्राङ्गः किङ्किणीशतभूषितः । तरुणादित्यसंकाशो वैदूर्यमयकूबरः । सदश्वैः काञ्चनापीडैर्युक्तः श्वेतप्रकीर्णकैः ॥ १० ॥
then, its body decorated with gold, adorned with hundreds of bells, like the young sun, its pole made of beryl, yoked with fine horses with golden crests and white plumes,
हरिभिः सूर्यसंकाशैर्हेमजालविभूषितैः । रुक्मवेणुध्वजः श्रीमान् देवराजरथो वरः ॥ ११ ॥
with bay horses like the sun, adorned with nets of gold, with a golden flagstaff, the glorious, excellent chariot of the king of the gods,
देवराजेन संदिष्टो रथमारुह्य मातलिः । अभ्यवर्तत काकुत्स्थमवतीर्य त्रिविष्टपात् ॥ १२ ॥
mounting the chariot as commanded by the king of the gods, Matali, descending from heaven, came to Kakutstha.
अब्रवीच्च तदा रामं सप्रतोदो रथे स्थितः । प्राञ्जलिर्मातलिर्वाक्यं सहस्राक्षस्य सारथिः ॥ १३ ॥
And standing in the chariot with his whip, Matali, charioteer of the thousand-eyed one, with joined palms, said these words to Rama then:
सहस्राक्षेण काकुत्स्थ रथोऽयं विजयाय ते । दत्तस्तव महासत्त्व श्रीमन् शत्रुनिबर्हण ॥ १४ ॥
“Kakutstha, this chariot has been given to you for your victory by the thousand-eyed one, you of great courage, glorious destroyer of enemies.
इदमैन्द्रं महच्चापं कवचं चाग्निसंनिभम् । शराश्चादित्यसंकाशाः शक्तिश्च विमला शिवा ॥ १५ ॥
“This great bow of Indra, and armour like fire, and arrows like the sun, and a spotless, auspicious spear:
आरुह्येमं रथं वीर राक्षसं जहि रावणम् । मया सारथिना देव महेन्द्र इव दानवान् ॥ १६ ॥
“mount this chariot, hero, and kill the rakshasa Ravana, with me as charioteer, lord, as great Indra did the danavas.”
इत्युक्तः सम्परिक्रम्य रथं तमभिवाद्य च । आरुरोह तदा रामो लोकाँल्लक्ष्म्या विराजयन् ॥ १७ ॥
Spoken to so, walking round the chariot and saluting it, Rama mounted it then, lighting up the worlds with splendour.
तद् बभौ चाद्भुतं युद्धं द्वैरथं रोमहर्षणम् । रामस्य च महाबाहो रावणस्य च रक्षसः ॥ १८ ॥
And that wondrous, hair-raising chariot duel shone, between mighty-armed Rama and the rakshasa Ravana.
स गान्धर्वेण गान्धर्वं दैवं दैवेन राघवः । अस्त्रं राक्षसराजस्य जघान परमास्त्रवित् ॥ १९ ॥
With the Gandharva the Gandharva, with the Daiva the Daiva, Raghava, knower of supreme weapons, destroyed the weapon of the king of the rakshasas.
अस्त्रं तु परमं घोरं राक्षसं राक्षसाधिपः । ससर्ज परमक्रुद्धः पुनरेव निशाचरः ॥ २० ॥
The lord of the rakshasas, the night-wanderer, greatly enraged, loosed again the supreme, terrible Rakshasa weapon.
ते रावणधनुर्मुक्ताः शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः । अभ्यवर्तन्त काकुत्स्थं सर्पा भूत्वा महाविषाः ॥ २१ ॥
Those arrows loosed from Ravana’s bow, adorned with gold, came at Kakutstha, having become serpents of great venom.
ते दीप्तवदना दीप्तं वमन्तो ज्वलनं मुखैः । राममेवाभ्यवर्तन्त व्यादितास्या भयानकाः ॥ २२ ॥
With blazing faces, vomiting blazing fire from their mouths, they came at Rama himself, wide-mouthed, terrifying.
तैर्वासुकिसमस्पर्शैर्दीप्तभोगैर्महाविषैः । दिशश्च संतताः सर्वा विदिशश्च समावृताः ॥ २३ ॥
With those, whose touch was like Vasuki’s, with blazing coils and great venom, all the directions were spread over and the intermediate directions covered.
तान् दृष्ट्वा पन्नगान् रामः समापतत आहवे । अस्त्रं गारुत्मतं घोरं प्रादुश्चक्रे भयावहम् ॥ २४ ॥
Seeing those serpents falling in battle, Rama brought forth the terrible, fearful Garuda weapon.
ते राघवधनुर्मुक्ता रुक्मपुङ्खाः शिखिप्रभाः । सुपर्णाः काञ्चना भूत्वा विचेरुः सर्पशत्रवः ॥ २५ ॥
Those arrows loosed from Raghava’s bow, gold-feathered, bright as flame, became golden Suparnas and moved about, enemies of serpents.
ते तान् सर्वान् शराञ्जघ्नुः सर्परूपान् महाजवान् । सुपर्णरूपा रामस्य विशिखाः कामरूपिणः ॥ २६ ॥
Those arrows of Rama, in Suparna form, taking any form at will, killed all those very swift arrows in serpent form.
अस्त्रे प्रतिहते क्रुद्धो रावणो राक्षसाधिपः । अभ्यवर्षत् तदा रामं घोराभिः शरवृष्टिभिः ॥ २७ ॥
With his weapon checked, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, enraged, rained on Rama then terrible showers of arrows.
ततः शरसहस्रेण राममक्लिष्टकारिणम् । अर्दयित्वा शरौघेण मातलिं प्रत्यविध्यत ॥ २८ ॥
Then, having harassed Rama of untiring deeds with a thousand arrows, with a flood of arrows he pierced Matali.
चिच्छेद केतुमुद्दिश्य शरेणैकेन रावणः । पातयित्वा रथोपस्थे रथात् केतुं च काञ्चनम् ॥ २९ ॥
Ravana, aiming at the banner, cut it with a single arrow, bringing the golden banner down from the chariot onto the chariot floor.
ऐन्द्रानपि जघानाश्वान् शरजालेन रावणः । विषेदुर्देवगन्धर्वचारणा दानवैः सह ॥ ३० ॥
Ravana struck Indra’s horses too with a net of arrows. Gods, gandharvas and charanas, with the danavas, were dismayed.
राममार्तं तदा दृष्ट्वा सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः । व्यथिता वानरेन्द्राश्च बभूवुः सविभीषणाः ॥ ३१ ॥
Seeing Rama in distress then, the siddhas and supreme sages were pained, and so were the monkey lords with Vibhishana,
रामचन्द्रमसं दृष्ट्वा ग्रस्तं रावणराहुणा । प्राजापत्यं च नक्षत्रं रोहिणीं शशिनः प्रियाम् ॥ ३२ ॥
seeing the moon that was Rama seized by the Rahu that was Ravana. And the constellation of Prajapati, Rohini, the moon’s beloved,
समाक्रम्य बुधस्तस्थौ प्रजानामहितावहः । सधूमपरिवृर्त्तोमिः प्रज्वलन्निव सागरः ॥ ३३ ॥
Mercury occupied and stood there, bringing harm to creatures. The ocean, its waves surrounded with smoke, as if blazing,
उत्पपात तदा क्रुद्धः स्पृशन्निव दिवाकरम् । शस्त्रवर्णः सुपरुषो मन्दरश्मिर्दिवाकरः ॥ ३४ ॥
rose up then in anger, as if touching the sun. The sun, weapon-coloured, very harsh, its rays dim,
अदृश्यत कबन्धाङ्कः संसक्तो धूमकेतुना । कोसलानां च नक्षत्रं व्यक्तमिन्द्राग्निदैवतम् ॥ ३५ ॥
appeared marked with a headless trunk, joined with a comet. And the constellation of the Kosalas, plainly presided over by Indra and Agni,
आहत्याङ्गारकस्तस्थौ विशाखमपि चाम्बरे । दशास्यो विंशतिभुजः प्रगृहीतशरासनः ॥ ३६ ॥
Vishakha, Mars stood striking in the sky. Ten-faced, twenty-armed, holding his bow,
अदृश्यत दशग्रीवो मैनाक इव पर्वतः । निरस्यमानो रामस्तु दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा ॥ ३७ ॥
Ten-necked appeared like Mount Mainaka. And Rama, being repelled by the rakshasa Ten-necked,
नाशक्नोदभिसंधातुं सायकान् रणमूर्धनि । स कृत्वा भ्रुकुटिं क्रुद्धः किंचित् संरक्तलोचनः ॥ ३८ ॥
could not fit arrows at the head of the battle. Frowning, angry, his eyes a little reddened,
जगाम सुमहाक्रोधं निर्दहन्निव राक्षसान् । तस्य क्रुद्धस्य वदनं दृष्ट्वा रामस्य धीमतः । सर्वभूतानि वित्रेसुः प्राकम्पत च मेदिनी ॥ ३९ ॥
he went into very great anger, as if burning up the rakshasas. Seeing the face of wise Rama in his anger, all beings trembled and the earth shook.
सिंहशार्दूलवाञ्छैलः संचचाल चलद् द्रुमः । बभूव चापि क्षुभितः समुद्रः सरितां पतिः ॥ ४० ॥
The mountain with its lions and tigers shook, its trees swaying; and the ocean, lord of rivers, was churned.
खराश्च खरनिर्घोषा गगने परुषा घनाः । औत्पातिकाश्च नर्दन्तः समन्तात् परिचक्रमुः ॥ ४१ ॥
Harsh-voiced, harsh clouds of ill omen in the sky, roaring, circled about on every side.
रामं दृष्ट्वा सुसंक्रुद्धमुत्पातांश्चैव दारुणान् । वित्रेसुः सर्वभूतानि रावणस्याभवद् भयम् ॥ ४२ ॥
Seeing Rama greatly enraged and the dreadful omens, all beings were terrified, and fear came upon Ravana.
विमानस्थास्तदा देवा गन्धर्वाश्च महोरगाः । ऋषिदानवदैत्याश्च गरुत्मन्तश्च खेचराः ॥ ४३ ॥
Then the gods in their aerial chariots, the gandharvas and great serpents, sages, danavas and daityas, and the Garudas moving in the sky,
ददृशुस्ते तदा युद्धं लोकसंवर्तसंस्थितम् । नानाप्रहरणैर्भीमैः शूरयोः सम्प्रयुध्यतोः ॥ ४४ ॥
watched then the battle, standing like the dissolution of the world, of the two heroes fighting with many terrible weapons.
ऊचुः सुरासुराः सर्वे तदा विग्रहमागताः । प्रेक्षमाणा महायुद्धं वाक्यं भक्त्या प्रहृष्टवत् ॥ ४५ ॥
All the gods and asuras, come to take sides then, watching the great battle, spoke words with devotion, as if delighted.
दशग्रीवं जयेत्याहुरसुराः समवस्थिताः । देवा राममथोचुस्ते त्वं जयेति पुनः पुनः ॥ ४६ ॥
The asuras standing there said, “Ten-necked, win!”; and the gods said to Rama again and again, “You win!”
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे क्रोधाद् राघवस्य च रावणः । प्रहर्तुकामो दुष्टात्मा स्पृशन् प्रहरणं महत् ॥ ४७ ॥
Meanwhile, from anger, evil-souled Ravana, wishing to strike Raghava, touching a great weapon,
वज्रसारं महानादं सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम् । शैलशृङ्गनिभैः कूटैश्चित्तदृष्टिभयावहम् ॥ ४८ ॥
hard as diamond, with a great sound, destroyer of all enemies, with spikes like mountain peaks, terrifying to mind and sight,
सधूममिव तीक्ष्णाग्रं युगान्ताग्निचयोपमम् । अतिरौद्रमनासाद्यं कालेनापि दुरासदम् ॥ ४९ ॥
sharp-pointed as if smoking, like a heap of fire at the end of an age, very fierce, unapproachable, hard to reach even for Time,
त्रासनं सर्वभूतानां दारणं भेदनं तथा । प्रदीप्त इव रोषेण शूलं जग्राह रावणः ॥ ५० ॥
terrifying to all beings, splitting and piercing: Ravana, as if blazing with rage, took up a spear.
तच्छूलं परमक्रुद्धो जग्राह युधि वीर्यवान् । अनीकैः समरे शूरै राक्षसैः परिवारितः ॥ ५१ ॥
That spear the valiant one, greatly enraged, took up in battle, surrounded in battle by divisions of brave rakshasas.
समुद्यम्य महाकायो ननाद युधि भैरवम् । संरक्तनयनो रोषात् स्वसैन्यमभिहर्षयन् ॥ ५२ ॥
Raising it, the huge one roared terribly in battle, his eyes red with rage, cheering his own army.
पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च दिशश्च प्रदिशस्तथा । प्राकम्पयत् तदा शब्दो राक्षसेन्द्रस्य दारुणः ॥ ५३ ॥
The dreadful sound of the rakshasa lord shook the earth and the sky, and the directions and intermediate directions then.
अतिकायस्य नादेन तेन तस्य दुरात्मनः । सर्वभूतानि वित्रेसुः सागरश्च प्रचुक्षुभे ॥ ५४ ॥
At that roar of the huge, evil-souled one, all beings were terrified, and the ocean was churned.
स गृहीत्वा महावीर्यः शूलं तद् रावणो महत् । विनद्य सुमहानादं रामं परुषमब्रवीत् ॥ ५५ ॥
Taking that great spear, very valiant Ravana, roaring a very great roar, spoke harshly to Rama:
शूलोऽयं वज्रसारस्ते राम रोषान्मयोद्यतः । तव भ्रातृसहायस्य सद्यः प्राणान् हरिष्यति ॥ ५६ ॥
“Rama, this spear, hard as diamond, raised by me in anger, will at once take your life, you who have your brother for help.
रक्षसामद्य शूराणां निहतानां चमूमुखे । त्वां निहत्य रणश्लाघिन् करोमि तरसा समम् ॥ ५७ ॥
“Having killed you, boaster of battle, I will at once make you equal to the brave rakshasas killed today at the head of the army.
तिष्ठेदानीं निहन्मि त्वामेष शूलेन राघव । एवमुक्त्वा स चिक्षेप तच्छूलं राक्षसाधिपः ॥ ५८ ॥
“Stand now; I will kill you with this spear, Raghava.” Having said this, the lord of the rakshasas hurled that spear.
तद् रावणकरान्मुक्तं विद्युन्मालासमावृतम् । अष्टघण्टं महानादं वियद्गतमशोभत ॥ ५९ ॥
Loosed from Ravana’s hand, wrapped in garlands of lightning, with eight bells and a great sound, it shone, gone into the sky.
तच्छूलं राघवो दृष्ट्वा ज्वलन्तं घोरदर्शनम् । ससर्ज विशिखान् रामश्चापमायम्य वीर्यवान् ॥ ६० ॥
Seeing that spear, blazing, terrible to see, valiant Raghava Rama, drawing his bow, loosed arrows.
आपतन्तं शरौघेण वारयामास राघवः । उत्पतन्तं युगान्ताग्निं जलौघैरिव वासवः ॥ ६१ ॥
Raghava checked it as it came with a flood of arrows, as Vasava checks the rising fire at the end of an age with floods of water.
निर्ददाह स तान् बाणान् रामकार्मुकनिःसृतान् । रावणस्य महान् शूलः पतङ्गानिव पावकः ॥ ६२ ॥
Ravana’s great spear burned up those arrows loosed from Rama’s bow, as fire burns moths.
तान् दृष्ट्वा भस्मसाद्भूतान् शूलसंस्पर्शचूर्णितान् । सायकानन्तरिक्षस्थान् राघवः क्रोधमाहरत् ॥ ६३ ॥
Seeing those arrows in the sky turned to ash, powdered by the spear’s touch, Raghava grew angry.
स तां मातलिना नीतां शक्तिं वासवसम्मताम् । जग्राह परमक्रुद्धो राघवो रघुनन्दनः ॥ ६४ ॥
That spear brought by Matali, honoured by Vasava, Raghava, delight of the Raghus, greatly enraged, took.
सा तोलिता बलवता शक्तिर्घण्टाकृतस्वना । नभः प्रज्वालयामास युगान्तोल्केव सप्रभा ॥ ६५ ॥
Raised by the mighty one, that spear, sounding with its bells, set the sky ablaze, radiant like a meteor at the end of an age.
सा क्षिप्ता राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तस्मिञ्छूले पपात ह । भिन्नः शक्त्या महान् शूलो निपपात गतद्युतिः ॥ ६६ ॥
Hurled, it fell on that spear of the rakshasa lord; split by the spear, the great spear fell, its light gone.
निर्बिभेद ततो बाणैर्हयानस्य महाजवान् । रामस्तीक्ष्णैर्महावेगैर्वज्रकल्पैरजिह्मगैः ॥ ६७ ॥
Then Rama split his very swift horses with sharp, very swift, straight-flying arrows like thunderbolts.
निर्बिभेदोरसि तदा रावणं निशितैः शरैः । राघवः परमायत्तो ललाटे पत्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः ॥ ६८ ॥
Then Raghava, with the greatest care, split Ravana in the chest with sharp arrows, and in the forehead with three feathered arrows.
स शरैर्भिन्नसर्वाङ्गो गात्रप्रस्रुतशोणितः । राक्षसेन्द्रः समूहस्थः फुल्लाशोक इवाबभौ ॥ ६९ ॥
His every limb split by arrows, blood flowing from his body, the rakshasa lord, standing amid his host, shone like a flowering ashoka.
स रामबाणैरतिविद्धगात्रो निशाचरेन्द्रः क्षतजार्द्रगात्रः । जगाम खेदं च समाजमध्ये क्रोधं च चक्रे सुभृशं तदानीम् ॥ ७० ॥
His limbs deeply pierced by Rama’s arrows, his body wet with blood, the lord of the night-wanderers grew weary in the midst of the assembly, and grew very greatly angry then.