अथ संस्मारयामास मातली राघवं तदा। अजानन्निव किं वीर त्वमेनमनुवर्तसे॥
Thereupon Mätali reminding him, spoke to Rāghava, Why did you, o hero, as if not knowing, fear him?
विसृजास्मै वधाय त्वमा पैतामहं प्रभो। विनाशकालः कथितो यः सुरैः सोऽद्य वर्तते॥
Do you, O lord, discharge at him the weapon obtained from the great Patriarch. The time for (his) destruction, as described by the celestials, has arrived.
ततः संस्मारितो रामस्तेन वाक्येन मातलेः। जग्राह स शरं दीप्तं निःश्वसन्तमिवोरगम्॥
Being reminded by those words of Mätali, Rāma took up the flaming shaft breathing as if like a serpent.
यं तस्मै प्रथमं प्रादादगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः। ब्रह्मदत्तं महद्वाणममोघं युधि वीर्यवान्॥
The great Rși Agastya first conferred this upon him. This is a huge and dreadful shaft given by Brahma and highly useful in battle.
ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं पूर्वमिन्द्रार्थममितौजसा। दत्तं सुरपतेः पूर्व त्रिलोकजयकाक्षिणः॥
It was made by Brahmä of undecaying prowess for Indra and conferred by him upon the lord of celestials desirous of acquiring victory.
यस्य वाजेषु पवनः फले पावकभास्करौ। शरीरमाकाशमयं गौरवे मेरुमन्दरौ॥
In its wings there is wind, in its head there is fire and the Sun, in its body there is the sky and in its weight there are the Chill) Meru and Mandara.
जाज्वल्यमानं वपुषा सुपुङ्ख हेमभूषितम्। तेजसा सर्वभूतानां कृतं भास्करवर्चसम्।७।। सधूममिव कालाग्नि दीप्तमाशीविषोपमम्। नरनागाश्ववृन्दानां भेदनं क्षिप्रकारिणम्॥
It is resplendent by its own lustre, well feathered and adorned with gold-made of the essence of all objects and bright as the rays of the Sun. It is like the fire of dissolution enveloped in smoke-like the flaming serpent, capable of piercing men, serpents and horses and was swift-coursing.
द्वाराणां परिघाणां च गिरीणां चापि भेदनम्। नानारुधिरदिग्धाङ्ग मेदोदिग्धं सुदारुणम्॥ वज्रसारं महानादं नानासमितिदारणम्। सर्वचित्रासनं भीमं श्वसन्तमिव पन्नगम्॥ कङ्कगृध्रबकानां च गोमायुगणरक्षसाम्। नित्यभक्षप्रदं युद्धे यमरूपं भयावहम्॥
(It-can) rend the gateways, Parighas and hillis soaked in blood dipped in marrow, and extremely dreadful. It is hard as the lightningproducing a dreadful sound, assailing various (divisions of the) army creating terror to all, dreadful and (as if) breathing like a serpent. It is terrible as the Death in the conflict and provides food always for the herons, vultures cranes jackals and the Rākşasas.
नन्दनं वानरेन्द्राणां रक्षसामवसादनम्। वाजितं विविधैर्वाजैश्चारुचित्रैर्गरुत्मतः॥
It is the enhancer of the monkey-leaders, joy and the repressor of the Rakşasas and is feathered like to a bird with many a picturesque wing.
तमुत्तमेषु लोकानामिक्ष्वाकुभयनाशनम्। द्विषतां कीर्तिहरणं प्रहर्षकरमात्मनः॥ अभिमन्त्र्य ततो रामस्तं महेषु महाबलः। वेदप्रोक्तेन विधिना संदधे कार्मुके बली॥
The highly powerful Rāma, consecrating in accordance with the mantras laid down in the Vedas, that huge shaft-the foremost of all in the world, removing the fear of the Ikşvaku race, destroying the fame of the enemies and conduction to the joy of its own party, set it on his bow.
तस्मिन्संधीयमाने तु राघवेण शरोत्तमे। सर्वभूतानि संत्रेसुश्चचाल च वसुंधरा ॥
That excellent arrow being mounted on his bow by Rāghava all the animals were stricker. with fear and the earth shook.
स रावणाय संकृद्धो भृशमायम्य कार्मुकम्। चिक्षेप परमायत्तः शरं मर्मविदारणम्॥
And (Rāma) highly enraged, and greatly wary, suppressing (his breath) discharged that shaft at Ravana-piercing to the vitals.
स वज्र इव दुर्धर्षो वज्रिबाहुविसर्जितः। कृतान्त इव चावार्यो न्यपतद्रावणोरसि॥
(That Brahma weapon) irrepressible as the thunder, dreadful as the Death and discharged by Rama, fell down on Ravana's breast.
स विसृष्टो महावेगः शरीरान्तकरः परः। बिभेद हृदयं तस्य रावणस्य दुरात्मनः॥
That shaft, capable of bringing about death and gifted with velocity, when discharged, cleft the breast of the vicious-souled Rāvana.
रुधिराक्तः स वेगेन शरीरान्तकरः शरः। रावणस्य हरन्प्राणान्विवेश धरणीतलम्॥
That body-ending arrow bathed in blood stealing away the life of Råvana entered the earth.
स शरो रावणं हत्वा रुधिरार्द्रकृतच्छविः। कृतकर्मा निभृतवत्स तूणीं पुनराविशत्॥
That shaft, slaying Răvaņa soaked in blood and successful, again entered the quiver* humbly. *In some texts there is "na punaravisat" i.e. did not enter the quiver.
तस्य हस्ताद्धतस्याशु कार्मुकं चापि सायकम्। निपपात सह प्राणैर्धश्यमानश्च जीवितात्॥
And from his hand who was deprived of his life fell down instantly on earth his shafts and bow. v
गतासुीभवेगस्तु नैर्ऋतेन्द्रो महाद्युतिः। पपा स्यन्दनाद्भूमौ वृत्रो वज्रहतो यथा॥
And fell down on the earth from the chariot, the highly effulgent Rāvaņa, gifted with dreadful velocity and shom of his life.
तं दृष्ट्वा पतितं भूमौ हतशेषा निशाचराः। हतनाथा भयत्रस्ताः सर्वतः संप्रदुद्रुवुः॥
Beholding him thus fallen down, the remaining night-rangers, deprived of their lord and stricken with terror fled away to various quarters.
सर्वतश्चाभिपेतुस्तान्वानरान्दुमयोधिनः। दशग्रीववधं दृष्ट्वा वानरा जितकाशिनः॥
Beholding the destruction of the Ten-necked (demon) and the victory of Raghava, the monkeys fighting with trees, pursued them on all sides.
अर्दिता वानरैभ्रष्टा लङ्कामभ्यपतन्भयात्। हताश्रयत्वात्करुणैर्वाष्पप्रस्रवणैर्मुखैः॥
Being assailed by the monkeys and having their countenances full of tears in consequence of their lord being slain they fled away to Lankā in fear.
ततो विनेदुः संहृष्टा वानरा जितकाशिनः। वदन्तो राघवजयं रावणस्य त तद्वधम्॥
Thereupon the monkeys being greatly delighted roared out the victory of Rāma.
अथान्तरिक्षे व्यनदत्सौम्यस्त्रिदशदुन्दुभिः। दिव्यगन्धवहस्तत्र मारुतः सुसुखो ववौ॥
The celestial bugle was sounded in the sky and there blew the excellent air carrying the celestial fragrance.
निपपातान्तरिक्षाच्च पुष्पवृष्टिस्तदा भुवि। किरन्ती राघवरथं दुरावापा मनोहरा ॥
Flowers were showered upon Rama's car which was covered therewith.
राघवस्तवसंयुक्ता गगने च विशुश्रुवे। साधुसाध्विति वागग्र्या देवतानां महात्मनाम्॥
The celestials in the sky began to chaunt the glory of Rāma and praise him.
आविवेश महान्हर्षों देवानां चारणैः सह। रावणे निहते रौद्रे सर्वलोकभयंकरे॥
And Ravana, the dread of all people, being slain, the celestials with the Cäraņas were greatly delighted.
ततः सकामं सुग्रीवमङ्गदं च विभीषणम्। चकार राघवः प्रीतो हत्वा राक्षसपुङ्गवम्॥
And slaying that foremost of the Rākşasas Rāma satisfied the desire of Sugriva, Angada and Vibhisana.
ततः प्रजग्मुः प्रशमं मरुद्गणा दिशः प्रसेदुर्विमलं नभोऽभवत्। मही चकम्पे न च मारुतो ववौ स्थिरप्रभश्चाप्यभवद्दिवाकरः॥
Thereupon the celestials attained their peace, the quarters were delighted, the atmosphere was clear, calm air began to prevail all over the earth, and the Sun appeared in its full rays.
ततस्तु सुग्रीवविभीषणाङ्गदाः सुहृद्विशिष्टाः सहलक्ष्मणास्तदा। समेत्य हृष्टा विजयेन राघवं रणेऽभिरामं विधिनाभ्यपूजयन्॥
Thereupon Sugrīva Vibhișana and Lakşmaņa, welcomed Rāma, of unmitigated prowess singing his glory.
स तु निहतरिपुः स्थिरप्रतिज्ञः स्वजनबलाभिवृतो रणे बभूव। स्त्रिदशगणैरभिसंवृतो महेन्द्रः॥
There appeared beautiful at the battle-field Rāma of firm promise, slaying his enemy and encircled by his army and friends like to the lord of the celestials surrounded by the gods.