कस्मिन्नामः कुले जातः किंवीर्यः किंपराक्रमः। रावणः कस्य पुत्रो वा किं वैरं तस् तेन ह
In what family was Rāvaṇa born, what is his valor, what is his prowess, whose son is he, and what enmity did he have?
एतन्मे भगवन्सर्वं सम्यगाख्यातुमर्हसि। `त्वया प्रत्यक्षोदृष्टं यथासर्वमशेषतः।' श्रोतुमिच्छामि चरितं रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः
O venerable one, you ought to tell me all this properly, as you have seen everything directly and completely; I wish to hear the deeds of Rāma, whose actions are untainted.
अजोनामाभवद्राजा महानिक्ष्वाकुवंशजः। तस् पुत्रो दशरथःशश्वत्स्वाध्यायवाञ्छुचिः
There was a king named Aja, born in the great Ikṣvāku lineage; his son was Daśaratha, always devoted to study and pure in conduct.
अभवंस्तस्य चत्वारः पुत्रा धर्मार्थकोविदाः। रामलक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्ना भरतश्च महाबलः
He had four sons, skilled in righteousness and wealth: Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Śatrughna, and the mighty Bharata.
रामस्य माता कौसल्या कैकेयी भरतस्य तु। सुतौ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ सुमित्रायाः परंतपौ
Kausalyā was Rāma's mother, Kaikeyī was Bharata's, and the two sons Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, subduers of foes, were born of Sumitrā.
विदेहराजो जनकः सीता तस्यात्मजा विमो। यां चकार स्वयं त्वष्टा रामस्य महिषीं प्रियाम्
Janaka, king of Videha, had a daughter named Sītā, whom the divine Tvaṣṭṛ himself made the beloved queen of Rāma.
एतद्रामस्य ते जन्म सीतायाश्च प्रकीर्तितम्। रावणस्यापि ते जन्म व्याख्यास्यामि रजनेश्वर
Thus the birth of Rāma and Sītā has been recounted to you; now, O lord of the night, I shall explain to you the birth of Rāvaṇa.
पितामहो रावणस्य साक्षाद्देवः प्रजापतिः। स्वयंभूः सर्वलोकानां प्रभुः स्रष्टा महातपाः
Rāvaṇa's grandfather was directly the god Prajāpati, the self-born, lord, and creator of all worlds, possessed of great austerity.
पुलस्त्यो नाम तस्यासीन्मानसो दयितः सुतः। तस्य वैश्रवणो नाम गवि पुत्रोऽभवत्प्रभुः
He had a beloved mind-born son named Pulastya; to him was born a son named Vaiśravaṇa, a lord, through a cow.
पितरं स समुत्सृज्य पितामहमुपस्थितः। तस्य कोपात्पिता राजन्ससर्जात्मानमात्मना
Abandoning his father, he approached his grandfather; then, out of anger, the father, the king, created another self from himself.
स जज्ञे विश्रवा नाम तस्यात्मार्धेन वै द्विजः। प्रतीकाराय सक्रोधस्ततो वैश्रवणस्य वै
From half of his own being, the sage Viśravā was born, filled with wrath, for the sake of retaliation against Vaiśravaṇa.
पितामहस्तुप्रीतात्मा ददौ वैश्रवणस् ह। अमरत्वं धनेशत्वं लोकपालत्वमेव च
The grandfather, pleased in heart, granted Vaiśravaṇa immortality, lordship over wealth, and the office of guardian of the world.
ईशानन तथा सख्यं पुत्रं च नलकूवरम्। राजधानीनिवेसं च लङ्कांरक्षोगणान्विताम्
He also gave him friendship with Śiva, a son named Nalakūvara, and the capital city Laṅkā, filled with hosts of Rākṣasas.
विमानं पुष्पकं नाम कामगं च ददौ प्रभुः। यक्षाणामाधिपत्यंच राजराजत्वमेव च
The lord gave him the flying chariot called Puṣpaka, which could go anywhere at will, lordship over the Yakṣas, and the status of king of kings.
पुलस्त्यस् तु यः क्रोधादर्धदेहोऽभवन्मुनिः। विश्रवानाम सक्रोधं पितरं राक्षसेश्वरः
Pulastya, who out of anger became half-bodied, was the sage; Viśravā, filled with wrath, was the father of the lord of the Rākṣasas.
बुबुधे तं तु सक्रोधं पितरं राक्षसेश्वरः। कुबेरस्तत्प्रसादार्थं यतते स्म सदा नृप
Kubera, the lord of wealth, understood that his father, Viśravā, was angry, and always strove, O king, to win his favor.
स राजराजो लङ्कायां न्यवसन्नरवाहनः। राक्षसीः प्रददौ तिस्रः पितुर्वै परिचारिकाः
That king of kings, Ravana, who resided in Lanka, gave three Rakshasi attendants—his father's servants—to him.
ताः सदा तं महात्मानं संतोषयितुमुद्यताः। ऋषिं भरतशार्दूल नृत्यगीतविशारदाः
Those women, always intent on pleasing that great-souled sage, O tiger among the Bharatas, were skilled in dance and song.
पुष्पोत्कटा च राका च मालिनी च विशांपते। अन्योन्यस्पर्धयाराजञ्श्रेयस्कामाः सुमध्यमाः
Pushpotkata, Raka, and Malini, O lord of the people, each with lovely waists, competed with one another, each desiring superiority.
स तासां भगवांस्तुष्टो महात्मा प्रददौ वरान्। लोकपालोपमान्पुत्रानकैकस्या यथेप्सितान्
Pleased with them, the blessed, great-souled sage granted them boons—sons equal to the guardians of the worlds, as each desired.
पुष्पोत्कटायां जज्ञाते द्वौ पुत्रौ राक्षसेश्वरौ। कुम्भकर्णदशग्रीवौ बलेनाप्रतिमौ भुवि
To Pushpotkata were born two sons, the lords of the Rakshasas—Kumbhakarna and Dashagriva—unmatched in strength on earth.
मालिन जनयामास पुत्रमेकं विभीषणम्। राकार्या मिथुनं जज्ञे खरः शूर्पणखा तथा
Malini gave birth to one son, Vibhishana; and from Raka was born a pair—Khara and Shurpanakha.
विभीषणस्तु रूपेण सर्वेभ्योऽभ्यधिकोऽभवत्। स बभूव महाभागो धर्मगोप्ता क्रियारतिः
Vibhishana surpassed all in appearance; he became greatly fortunate, a protector of righteousness, devoted to sacred rites.
दशग्रीवस्तु सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठो राक्षसपुङ्गवः। महोत्साहो महावीर्यो महासत्वपराक्रमः
But Dashagriva was the foremost of all, the chief among Rakshasas—of great energy, great might, and supreme valor.
कुम्भकर्णओ बलेनासीत्सर्वेभ्योऽभ्यधिको युधि। मायावी रणशौण्डश्चरौद्रश्च रजनीचरः
Kumbhakarna, in strength, surpassed all in battle; he was a master of illusion, skilled in war, fierce, and a night-wanderer.
खरो धनुषि विक्रान्तो ब्रह्मद्विट् पिशिताशनः। सिद्धविघ्नकरी चापि रौद्री शूर्पणखा तदा
Khara was mighty with the bow, a hater of Brahmanas, eater of flesh; and Shurpanakha, fierce, was an obstacle to the accomplished.
सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वेसुचरितव्रताः। ऊषुः पित्रा सह रता गन्धमादनपर्वते
All were learned in the Vedas, heroic, and steadfast in good vows; they dwelled with their father, delighting on Mount Gandhamadana.
ततो वैश्रवणं तत्र ददृशुर्नरवाहनम्। पित्रा सार्धं समासीनमृद्ध्या परमया युतम्
There they saw Vaishravana, riding his celestial vehicle, seated with his father, endowed with supreme prosperity.
जातामर्षास्ततस्ते तु तपसे धृतनिश्चयाः। ब्रह्माणं तोषयामासुर्घोरेण तपसा तदा
Then, filled with jealousy, they became resolute in asceticism and sought to please Brahma with fierce austerities.
अतिष्ठदेकपादेन सहस्रं परिवत्सरान्। वायुभक्षो दशग्रीवः पञ्चाग्निः सुसमाहितः
Dashagriva stood on one foot for a thousand years, subsisting on air, steadfast amid five fires.