The ministers’ sons

ततस्ते राक्षसेन्द्रेण चोदिता मन्त्रिणः सुताः ।

tataste rākṣasendreṇa coditā mantriṇaḥ sutāḥ |

Then, commanded by the rakshasa king, the seven ministers’ sons

निर्ययुर्भवनात् तस्मात् सप्त सप्तार्चिवर्चसः ॥

niryayurbhavanāt tasmāt sapta saptārcivarcasaḥ ||

came out of the palace, shining like the seven-flamed fire.

महद‍्बलपरीवारा धनुष्मन्तो महाबलाः ।

mahadbalaparīvārā dhanuṣmanto mahābalāḥ |

Mighty archers surrounded by great forces,

कृतास्त्रास्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठाः परस्परजयैषिणः ॥

kṛtāstrāstravidāṃ śreṣṭhāḥ parasparajayaiṣiṇaḥ ||

trained in weapons and foremost among those skilled in them, each sought to surpass the others.

हेमजालपरिक्षिप्तैर्ध्वजवद्भिः पताकिभिः ।

hemajālaparikṣiptairdhvajavadbhiḥ patākibhiḥ |

They rode great horse-drawn chariots covered in golden latticework,

तोयदस्वननिर्घोषैर्वाजियुक्तैर्महारथैः ॥

toyadasvananirghoṣairvājiyuktairmahārathaiḥ ||

bearing flags and banners and rumbling like storm clouds.

तप्तकाञ्चनचित्राणि चापान्यमितविक्रमाः ।

taptakāñcanacitrāṇi cāpānyamitavikramāḥ |

These warriors of boundless prowess joyfully drew their bows,

विस्फारयन्तः संहृष्टास्तडिद्वन्त इवाम्बुदाः ॥

visphārayantaḥ saṃhṛṣṭāstaḍidvanta ivāmbudāḥ ||

decorated with refined gold, like clouds carrying lightning.

जनन्यस्तास्ततस्तेषां विदित्वा किंकरान् हतान् ।

jananyastāstatasteṣāṃ viditvā kiṃkarān hatān |

Their mothers, knowing that the Kinkaras had been slain,

बभूवुः शोकसम्भ्रान्ताः सबान्धवसुहृज्जनाः ॥

babhūvuḥ śokasambhrāntāḥ sabāndhavasuhṛjjanāḥ ||

were overwhelmed with grief and anxiety, together with relatives and friends.

ते परस्परसंघर्षात् तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणाः ।

te parasparasaṃgharṣāt taptakāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ |

Competing eagerly with one another, wearing ornaments of refined gold,

अभिपेतुर्हनूमन्तं तोरणस्थमवस्थितम् ॥

abhipeturhanūmantaṃ toraṇasthamavasthitam ||

they rushed at Hanuman, who stood upon the gateway.

सृजन्तो बाणवृष्टिं ते रथगर्जितनिःस्वनाः ।

sṛjanto bāṇavṛṣṭiṃ te rathagarjitaniḥsvanāḥ |

Pouring showers of arrows while their chariots thundered,

प्रावृट्काल इवाम्भोदा विचेरुर्नैर्ऋताम्बुदाः ॥

prāvṛṭkāla ivāmbhodā vicerurnairṛtāmbudāḥ ||

those cloud-like rakshasas moved about like clouds in the rainy season.

अवकीर्णस्ततस्ताभिर्हनूमान् शरवृष्टिभिः ।

avakīrṇastatastābhirhanūmān śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ |

Covered by those showers of arrows, Hanuman

अभवत् संवृताकारः शैलराडिव वृष्टिभिः ॥

abhavat saṃvṛtākāraḥ śailarāḍiva vṛṣṭibhiḥ ||

had his form hidden, like the king of mountains veiled by rain.

स शरान् वञ्चयामास तेषामाशुचरः कपिः ।

sa śarān vañcayāmāsa teṣāmāśucaraḥ kapiḥ |

Moving swiftly through the clear sky, the vanara evaded their arrows

रथवेगांश्च वीराणां विचरन् विमलेऽम्बरे ॥

rathavegāṃśca vīrāṇāṃ vicaran vimale’mbare ||

and the rushes of those warriors’ chariots.

स तैः क्रीडन् धनुष्मद्भिर्व्योम्नि वीरः प्रकाशते ।

sa taiḥ krīḍan dhanuṣmadbhirvyomni vīraḥ prakāśate |

The hero shone as he played with those bow-bearing warriors in the sky,

धनुष्मद्भिर्यथा मेघैर्मारुतः प्रभुरम्बरे ॥

dhanuṣmadbhiryathā meghairmārutaḥ prabhurambare ||

like the mighty wind playing among rainbow-bearing clouds.

स कृत्वा निनदं घोरं त्रासयंस्तां महाचमूम् ।

sa kṛtvā ninadaṃ ghoraṃ trāsayaṃstāṃ mahācamūm |

Giving a dreadful roar that terrified that great army,

चकार हनुमान् वेगं तेषु रक्षःसु वीर्यवान् ॥

cakāra hanumān vegaṃ teṣu rakṣaḥsu vīryavān ||

valiant Hanuman rushed upon the rakshasas.

तलेनाभिहनत् कांश्चित् पादैः कांश्चित् परंतपः ।

talenābhihanat kāṃścit pādaiḥ kāṃścit paraṃtapaḥ |

The tormentor of enemies struck some with his palms and others with his feet;

मुष्टिभिश्चाहनत् कांश्चिन्नखैः कांश्चिद् व्यदारयत् ॥

muṣṭibhiścāhanat kāṃścinnakhaiḥ kāṃścid vyadārayat ||

some he struck with his fists, and others he tore with his nails.

प्रममाथोरसा कांश्चिदूरुभ्यामपरानपि ।

pramamāthorasā kāṃścidūrubhyāmaparānapi |

He crushed some with his chest and others with his thighs;

केचित् तस्यैव नादेन तत्रैव पतिता भुवि ॥

kecit tasyaiva nādena tatraiva patitā bhuvi ||

some fell to the ground there at the sound of his roar alone.

ततस्तेष्ववसन् नेषु भूमौ निपतितेषु च ।

tatasteṣvavasan neṣu bhūmau nipatiteṣu ca |

When those warriors were overcome and had fallen to the ground,

तत्सैन्यमगमत् सर्वं दिशो दश भयार्दितम् ॥

tatsainyamagamat sarvaṃ diśo daśa bhayārditam ||

their whole army fled in terror in all ten directions.

विनेदुर्विस्वरं नागा निपेतुर्भुवि वाजिनः ।

vinedurvisvaraṃ nāgā nipeturbhuvi vājinaḥ |

Elephants cried out harshly, and horses fell to the earth;

भग्ननीडध्वजच्छत्रैर्भूश्च कीर्णाभवद् रथैः ॥

bhagnanīḍadhvajacchatrairbhūśca kīrṇābhavad rathaiḥ ||

the ground was strewn with chariots whose platforms, standards, and canopies were broken.

स्रवता रुधिरेणाथ स्रवन्त्यो दर्शिताः पथि ।

sravatā rudhireṇātha sravantyo darśitāḥ pathi |

Streams of flowing blood appeared along the roads,

विविधैश्च स्वनैर्लङ्का ननाद विकृतं तदा ॥

vividhaiśca svanairlaṅkā nanāda vikṛtaṃ tadā ||

and Lanka resounded strangely with many kinds of cries.

स तान् प्रवृद्धान् विनिहत्य राक्षसान्

sa tān pravṛddhān vinihatya rākṣasān

Having slain those formidable rakshasas,

महाबलश्चण्डपराक्रमः कपिः ।

mahābalaścaṇḍaparākramaḥ kapiḥ |

the immensely strong vanara of fierce prowess,

युयुत्सुरन्यैः पुनरेव राक्षसै-

yuyutsuranyaiḥ punareva rākṣasai-

eager to fight still other rakshasas,

स्तदेव वीरोऽभिजगाम तोरणम् ॥

stadeva vīro’bhijagāma toraṇam ||

returned once again to that same gateway.