खरं तु रामाभिमुखं प्रयान्तं वीहिनीपतिः। राक्षसस्त्रिशिरा नाम संनिपत्येदमब्रवीत्॥
As Khara was advancing before Rāma, that leader of the army named Triſirā, approaching him, said.
मां नीयोजय विक्रान्तं त्वं निवर्तस्व साहसात्। पश्य रामं महाबाहुं संयुगे विनीपातितम्॥
Do you employ me, who am possessed of prowess, and yourself desist from this rashness. Behold the mighty-armed Rāma brought down in battle.
प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यमायुधं चाहमालभे। यथा रामं वधिप्यामि वधार्ह सर्वरक्षसाम्॥
I swear (to you) truly; I touch this weapon, (to say) that I will stay Rāma, who deserves to be slain by all the Rākşasas.
अहं वास्य रणे मृत्युरेष वा समरे मम। विनिवर्त्य रणोत्साहं मुहूर्तं प्राश्निको भव॥
Either I shall prove his death in battle, or he shall prove mine. Restraining your martial ardour, do you for a while become a witness.
प्रहृष्टो वा हते रामे जनस्थानं प्रयास्यसि। मयि वा निहते रामं संयुगाय प्रयास्यसि ॥
Either, joyed in consequence of Rāma being slain, you shall repair to Janasthāna; or I being slain you shall enter the field (against him).
खरस्त्रिशिरसा तेन मृत्युलोभात् प्रसादितः। गच्छ युध्येत्यनुज्ञातो राघवाभिमुखो ययौ॥
Thus satisfied by Trisirā, from his desire to meet with death, the latter, on being permitted with Go, proceeded towards Rāma.
त्रिशिरास्तु रथेनैव वाजियुक्तेन भास्वता। अभ्यद्रवद् रणे रामं त्रिशृङ्ग इव पर्वतः॥
And like a hill with three sumınits, Trisirā rushed towards Rāma on an effulgent car yoked with steeds.
शरधारासमूहान् स महामेघ इवोत्सृजन्। व्यसृजत् सदृशं नादं जलार्द्रस्येव दुन्दुभेः॥
And as a mighty cloud pours down shower, (Trisirā) discharging vollies of shafts, uttered a roar resembling the sound of a wet kettledrum.
आगच्छन्तं त्रिशिरसं राक्षसं प्रेक्ष्य राघवः। धनुषा प्रतिजग्राह विधुन्वन् सायकाशितान्॥
And seeing that the Rākşasa Trisirã was advancing, Raghava resisted (his attack) by discharging sharpened shafts.
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलो रामत्रिशिरसोस्तदा। सम्बभूवातिबलिनोः सिंहकुञ्जरयोरिव॥
And that encounter of those exceedingly powerful ones, Rāma and Triſiră was fierce, like to that between a lion and an elephant.
ततस्त्रिशिरसा बाणैर्ललाटे ताडितस्त्रिभिः। अमर्षी कुपितो रामः संरब्ध इदमब्रवीत्॥
Then struck on the forehead by a brace of shafts shot by Trisirā, the wrathful Rāma enraged, and inflamed with anger, said.
अहो विक्रमशूरस्य राक्षसस्येदृशं बलम्। पुष्पैरिव शरैर्योऽहं ललाटेऽस्मि परिक्षतः॥ ममापि प्रतिगृह्णीष्व शरांश्चापगुणाच्च्युतान्।
Ah! such is the strength of the heroic Rākşasas! I have been wounded in the forehead with shafts resembling flowers. Do you also take the arrows shot from my bow.
एवमुक्तस्तु संरब्धः शरानाशीविषोपमान्॥ त्रिशोरोवक्षसि क्रुद्धो निजघान चतुर्दश।
Saying this, (Rāma) enraged, and influenced by wrath, wounded Trisiră in the breast with fourteen arrows.
चतुर्भिस्तुरगानस्य शरैः संनतपर्वभिः॥ न्यपातयत तेजस्वी चतुरस्तस्य वाजिनः। अष्टभिः सायकैः सूतं रथोपस्थे नयपातयत्॥
And that energetic one by means of four shafts having their joints bent, brought down his four steeds. And by means of eight arrows (Rāma) laid low the charioteer from the front of the car.
रामश्चिच्छेद बाणेन ध्वजं चास्य समुच्छ्रितम्। ततो हतरथात् तस्मादुत्पतन्तं निशाचरम्॥ चिच्छेद रामस्तं बाणैर्हदये सोऽभवज्जडः।
And Rāma with a shaft severed his upraised standard. Then as that ranger of the night was descending from his broken car, Rāma pierced his breast with arrows, and thereat he was stupified.
सायकैश्चाप्रमेयात्मा सामर्षात्तस्य रक्षसः॥ शिरांस्यपातयत् त्रीणि वेगवद्भिस्त्रिभिः शरैः।
Thereupon, that one of immeasurable prowess, out of anger by means of three shafts possessed of celerity, brought down Trisira's three heads.
सधूमशोणितोद्गारी रामबाणाभिपीडितः॥ न्यपतत् पतितैः पूर्वं समरस्थो निशाचरः।
And that ranger of the night present in the field, afflicted by the shafts of Rāma, after his heads had fallen first, fell, vomiting smoking gore.
हतशेषास्ततो भग्ना राक्षसाः खरसंश्रयाः॥ द्रवन्ति स्म न तिष्ठन्ति व्याधत्रस्ता मृगा इव। तान् खरो द्रवतो दृष्ट्वा निवर्त्य रुषितस्त्वरन्।
And the Räksasas remaining after the rest had been slain, belonging to Khara's original forces losing heart, began to flee like deer terrified at a hunter.
राममेवाभिदुद्राव राहुश्चन्द्रमसं यथा॥
And seeing them fly, Khara waxing wroth, swiftly making them desist, darted towards Ráma, like Rāhu darting towards the Moon.