03.274
मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥
Markandeya said.
ततः क्रुद्धो दशग्रीवः प्रिये पुत्रे निपातिते। निर्ययौ रथमास्थाय हेमरत्नविभूषितम् ॥०३-२७४-१॥
Then, Daśagrīva (Rāvaṇa), enraged upon his beloved son's fall, mounted his chariot adorned with gold and jewels and set out. (03-274-1)
संवृतो राक्षसैर्घोरैर्विविधायुधपाणिभिः। अभिदुद्राव रामं स पोथयन्हरियूथपान् ॥०३-२७४-२॥
Surrounded by terrible rākṣasas bearing various weapons in their hands, he rushed at Rāma, striking the leaders of the monkeys. (03-274-2)
तमाद्रवन्तं सङ्क्रुद्धं मैन्दनीलनलाङ्गदाः। हनूमाञ्जाम्बवांश्चैव ससैन्याः पर्यवारयन् ॥०३-२७४-३॥
As he was rushing forward in anger, Mainda, Nila, Nala, Angada, Hanuman, and Jambavan, along with their armies, surrounded him. (03-274-3)
ते दशग्रीवसैन्यं तदृक्षवानरयूथपाः। द्रुमैर्विध्वंसयां चक्रुर्दशग्रीवस्य पश्यतः ॥०३-२७४-४॥
Those chiefs of bears and monkeys attacked and destroyed the army of Daśagrīva with trees, as Daśagrīva watched. (03-274-4)
ततः स्वसैन्यमालोक्य वध्यमानमरातिभिः। मायावी व्यदधान्मायां रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः ॥०३-२७४-५॥
Then, seeing his army being slain by the enemies, Rāvaṇa, the master of illusion and lord of the rākṣasas, created a magical illusory display. (03-274-5)
तस्य देहाद्विनिष्क्रान्ताः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। राक्षसाः प्रत्यदृश्यन्त शरशक्त्यृष्टिपाणयः ॥०३-२७४-६॥
From his body, rākṣasas by hundreds and thousands, bearing arrows, spears, and lances in their hands, were seen manifesting. (03-274-6)
तान्रामो जघ्निवान्सर्वान्दिव्येनास्त्रेण राक्षसान्। अथ भूयोऽपि मायां स व्यदधाद्राक्षसाधिपः ॥०३-२७४-७॥
Rāma killed all those rākṣasas with a divine weapon. Then again, the lord of the rākṣasas created an illusion. (03-274-7)
कृत्वा रामस्य रूपाणि लक्ष्मणस्य च भारत। अभिदुद्राव रामं च लक्ष्मणं च दशाननः ॥०३-२७४-८॥
O Bhārata, having assumed the forms of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the ten-headed one (Rāvaṇa) rushed at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. (03-274-8)
ततस्ते राममर्छन्तो लक्ष्मणं च क्षपाचराः। अभिपेतुस्तदा राजन्प्रगृहीतोच्चकार्मुकाः ॥०३-२७४-९॥
Then those night-wanderers, O king, with bows raised, rushed at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
तां दृष्ट्वा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य मायामिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनः। उवाच रामं सौमित्रिरसम्भ्रान्तो बृहद्वचः ॥०३-२७४-१०॥
Having seen the magic of the king of rākṣasas, Saumitri, the descendant of Ikṣvāku, unagitated, said great words to Rāma. (03-274-10)
जहीमान्राक्षसान्पापानात्मनः प्रतिरूपकान्। जघान रामस्तांश्चान्यानात्मनः प्रतिरूपकान् ॥०३-२७४-११॥
Destroying the evil demons who resembled himself, Rama killed them as well as other demons resembling himself. (03-274-11)
ततो हर्यश्वयुक्तेन रथेनादित्यवर्चसा। उपतस्थे रणे रामं मातलिः शक्रसारथिः ॥०३-२७४-१२॥
Then Mātali, the charioteer of Śakra (Indra), approached Rāma in battle, riding a chariot hitched to green horses and shining with the brilliance of the sun. (03-274-12)
मातलिरुवाच॥
Mātali said.
अयं हर्यश्वयुग्जैत्रो मघोनः स्यन्दनोत्तमः। अनेन शक्रः काकुत्स्थ समरे दैत्यदानवान् ॥ शतशः पुरुषव्याघ्र रथोदारेण जघ्निवान् ॥०३-२७४-१३॥
This excellent, victorious chariot of Maghavan, yoked with tawny horses—O descendant of Kakutstha—Śakra (Indra) slew hundreds of Daityas and Dānavas in battle with this chariot, O tiger among men. (03-274-13)
तदनेन नरव्याघ्र मया यत्तेन संयुगे। स्यन्दनेन जहि क्षिप्रं रावणं मा चिरं कृथाः ॥०३-२७४-१४॥
O tiger among men, with this chariot prepared by me for battle, quickly kill Rāvaṇa; do not delay. (03-274-14)
इत्युक्तो राघवस्तथ्यं वचोऽशङ्कत मातलेः। मायेयं राक्षसस्येति तमुवाच विभीषणः ॥०३-२७४-१५॥
When thus addressed, Rāghava suspected the true words of Matali. Vibhīṣaṇa then said to him, "This is the illusion of the demon." (03-274-15)
नेयं माया नरव्याघ्र रावणस्य दुरात्मनः। तदातिष्ठ रथं शीघ्रमिममैन्द्रं महाद्युते ॥०३-२७४-१६॥
This is not the illusion of Rāvaṇa, O tiger among men; therefore, O greatly resplendent one, quickly mount this chariot of Indra. (03-274-16)
ततः प्रहृष्टः काकुत्स्थस्तथेत्युक्त्वा विभीषणम्। रथेनाभिपपाताशु दशग्रीवं रुषान्वितः ॥०३-२७४-१७॥
Then Kākutstha, gladdened, having said 'so be it' to Vibhīṣaṇa, swiftly rushed at Daśagrīva in his chariot, filled with anger. (03-274-17)
हाहाकृतानि भूतानि रावणे समभिद्रुते। सिंहनादाः सपटहा दिवि दिव्याश्च नानदन् ॥०३-२७४-१८॥
When Rāvaṇa was advancing, the beings uttered cries of wailing. In the sky, the divine beings also roared like lions along with drums. (03-274-18)
स रामाय महाघोरं विससर्ज निशाचरः। शूलमिन्द्राशनिप्रख्यं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम् ॥०३-२७४-१९॥
The night-stalker sent forth at Rāma a very dreadful spear, resembling Indra's thunderbolt and upraised like the staff of Brahmā. (03-274-19)
तच्छूलमन्तरा रामश्चिच्छेद निशितैः शरैः। तद्दृष्ट्वा दुष्करं कर्म रावणं भयमाविशत् ॥०३-२७४-२०॥
Rāma cut that spear in mid-air with sharp arrows. When he saw that difficult feat, fear entered Rāvaṇa. (03-274-20)
ततः क्रुद्धः ससर्जाशु दशग्रीवः शिताञ्शरान्। सहस्रायुतशो रामे शस्त्राणि विविधानि च ॥०३-२७४-२१॥
Then, enraged, the ten-headed Rāvaṇa quickly launched sharp arrows and all sorts of weapons, thousands and tens of thousands in number, at Rāma. (03-274-21)
ततो भुशुण्डीः शूलांश्च मुसलानि परश्वधान्। शक्तीश्च विविधाकाराः शतघ्नीश्च शितक्षुराः ॥०३-२७४-२२॥
Then there were slings, spears, clubs, battle-axes, javelins of various forms, machines for killing hundreds, and sharp weapons. (03-274-22)
तां मायां विकृतां दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवस्य रक्षसः। भयात्प्रदुद्रुवुः सर्वे वानराः सर्वतोदिशम् ॥०३-२७४-२३॥
Seeing that distorted magic of Daśagrīva, the demon, all the monkeys fled in all directions out of fear. (03-274-23)
ततः सुपत्रं सुमुखं हेमपुङ्खं शरोत्तमम्। तूणादादाय काकुत्स्थो ब्रह्मास्त्रेण युयोज ह ॥०३-२७४-२४॥
Then Rāma, descendant of Kakutstha, took the best arrow—well-feathered, well-pointed, and with a golden tail—from his quiver and fixed it with the Brahma-weapon. (03-274-24)
तं बाणवर्यं रामेण ब्रह्मास्त्रेणाभिमन्त्रितम्। जहृषुर्देवगन्धर्वा दृष्ट्वा शक्रपुरोगमाः ॥०३-२७४-२५॥
When Rāma consecrated that excellent arrow with the Brahmā-weapon, the gods and gandharvas, led by Indra, rejoiced on seeing it. (03-274-25)
अल्पावशेषमायुश्च ततोऽमन्यन्त रक्षसः। ब्रह्मास्त्रोदीरणाच्छत्रोर्देवगन्धर्वकिंनराः ॥०३-२७४-२६॥
Then, after the unleashing of the brahmāstra, the gods, gandharvas, and kinnaras considered that only a little of the enemy rāksasa's lifespan remained. (03-274-26)
ततः ससर्ज तं रामः शरमप्रतिमौजसम्। रावणान्तकरं घोरं ब्रह्मदण्डमिवोद्यतम् ॥०३-२७४-२७॥
Then Rāma released that arrow of unparalleled power, dread and destructive to Rāvaṇa, which was like the upraised staff of Brahmā. (03-274-27)
स तेन राक्षसश्रेष्ठः सरथः साश्वसारथिः। प्रजज्वाल महाज्वालेनाग्निनाभिपरिष्कृतः ॥०३-२७४-२८॥
He, that best among rākṣasas, together with his chariot, horses, and charioteer, was entirely enveloped by fire and blazed forth with a great flame. (03-274-28)
ततः प्रहृष्टास्त्रिदशाः सगन्धर्वाः सचारणाः। निहतं रावणं दृष्ट्वा रामेणाक्लिष्टकर्मणा ॥०३-२७४-२९॥
Then the gods, along with the gandharvas and chāraṇas, rejoiced when they saw Rāvaṇa slain by Rāma, who acts without effort. (03-274-29)
तत्यजुस्तं महाभागं पञ्च भूतानि रावणम्। भ्रंशितः सर्वलोकेषु स हि ब्रह्मास्त्रतेजसा ॥०३-२७४-३०॥
The five elements deserted the highly fortunate Rāvaṇa. Deprived in all worlds, he was indeed overcome by the power of the Brahmāstra. (03-274-30)
शरीरधातवो ह्यस्य मांसं रुधिरमेव च। नेशुर्ब्रह्मास्त्रनिर्दग्धा न च भस्माप्यदृश्यत ॥०३-२७४-३१॥
Indeed, the body elements, flesh, and blood of this person, having been burned by the Brahma-weapon, did not remain; and even ashes were not seen. (03-274-31)
