मातः शृणु ममोत्साहात्प्रतिज्ञां करुणान्विते । न केनापि कृतां कर्त्रा महाभाग्ये हि कैकसि
'Mother, listen to my vow, spoken with enthusiasm, O compassionate one: no one, O supremely fortunate Kaikasī, has ever made such a pledge.'
यद्यहं भुवनं सर्वं वशेन स्थापयामि वै । तपोभिर्दुष्कृतैः कृत्वा ब्रह्मसंतोषकारकैः
'If I bring the whole world under my control by severe austerities, performing deeds that satisfy Brahmā—'
अन्नोदके सदा त्यक्त्वा निद्रां क्रीडां तथा पुनः । चेत्तदा पितृलोकस्य घातात्पापं भवेन्मम
If, while food and water are present, I ever abandon sleep or play, then at that time, let the sin of destroying the world of the ancestors fall upon me.
कुंभकर्णोऽपि कृतवान्विभीषणसमन्वितः । रावणेन सहभ्रात्रेत्युक्त्वागाद्गिरिकाननम्
Even Kumbhakarna, together with Vibhishana, did so; having said farewell to his brother Ravana, he went to the mountain forest.
अगस्त्य उवाच। अथोग्रं स तपो दैत्यो दशवर्षसहस्रकम् । चकार भानुमक्ष्णा च पश्यन्नूर्ध्वपदे स्थितः
Agastya said: Then that fierce demon performed severe austerity for ten thousand years, standing on tiptoe, gazing at the sun without blinking.
कुंभकर्णोऽपि कृतवांस्तपः परमदुश्चरम् । विभीषणस्तु धर्मात्मा चचार परमं तपः
Kumbhakarna also undertook an extremely difficult penance, while Vibhishana, righteous in nature, performed supreme austerity.
तदा प्रसन्नो भगवान्देवदेवः प्रजापतिः । देवदानवयक्षादि मुकुटैः परिसेवितः
Then the blessed Lord of gods and progenitors, attended by gods, demons, yakshas, and others adorned with crowns, became pleased.
ददौ राज्यं च सुमहद्भुवनत्रयभास्वरम् । वपुश्च कृतवान्रम्यं देवदानवसेवितम्
He granted a great kingdom, shining over the three worlds, and bestowed a beautiful form, attended by gods and demons.
तदा संतापितो भ्राता धनदो धर्मबुद्धिमान् । विमानं तु ततो नीतं लंका च नगरी हठात्
Then the brother, Kubera, afflicted and possessing a righteous mind, had his aerial chariot and the city of Lanka forcibly taken away.
भुवनं तापितं सर्वं देवाश्चैव दिवो गताः । हतवान्ब्राह्मणकुलं मुनीनां मूलकृंतनः
The entire world was tormented, and the gods went to heaven; he destroyed the families of Brahmins, uprooting the sages.
तदातिदुःखिता देवाः सेंद्रा ब्रह्माणमाययुः । स्तुतिं चक्रुर्महात्मानो दंडवत्प्रणतिं गताः
Then the gods, greatly distressed, along with Indra, approached Brahma; those great souls offered praise, bowing down in reverence.
ते तुष्टुवुः सुराः सर्वे वाग्भिरर्थ्याभिरादृताः । ततः प्रसन्नो भगवान्किंकरोमीति चाब्रवीत्
All the gods praised him with respectful and earnest words; then the blessed Lord, pleased, said, 'What shall I do?'
ततो निवेदयांचक्रुर्ब्रह्मणे विबुधाः पुरः । दशग्रीवाच्च संकष्टं तथा निजपराभवम्
Then the wise ones presented before Brahma the distress caused by the ten-headed one, as well as their own defeat.
क्षणं ध्यात्वा ययौ ब्रह्मा कैलासं त्रिदशैः सह । तस्य शैलस्य पार्श्वे तु वैचित्र्येण समाकुलाः
After meditating for a moment, Brahma went to Kailasa together with the gods; at the side of that mountain, they were filled with wonder.
स्थिताः संतुष्टुवुर्देवाः शंभुं शक्रपुरोगमाः । नमो भवाय शर्वाय नीलग्रीवाय ते नमः
Standing there, the gods led by Indra praised Shambhu, saying: 'Salutations to Bhava, to Sharva, to you with the blue throat.'
नमः स्थूलाय सूक्ष्माय बहुरूपाय ते नमः । इति सर्वमुखेनोक्तां वाणीमाकर्ण्य शंकरः
'Salutations to you who are gross and subtle, who have many forms.' Hearing these words spoken by all, Shankara—
प्रोवाच नंदिनं देवा नानयेति ममांतिकम् । एतस्मिन्नंतरे देवा आहूता नंदिना च ते
—said to Nandi, 'Do not let the gods come near me.' Meanwhile, the gods were summoned by Nandi.
प्रविश्यांतःपुरे देवा ददृशुर्विस्मितेक्षणाः । ब्रह्मागत्य ददर्शाथ शंकरं लोकशंकरम्
Entering the inner palace, the gods, their eyes wide with wonder, saw Brahma arrive and beheld Shankara, the benefactor of the worlds.
गणकोटिसहस्रैस्तु सेवितं मोदशालिभिः । नग्नैर्विरूपैः कुटिलैर्धूसरैर्विकटैस्तथा
He was attended by thousands of hosts of ganas, joyful, naked, deformed, crooked, ash-covered, and monstrous in form.
प्रणिपत्याग्रतः स्थित्वा सह देवैः पितामहः । उवाच देवदेवेशं पश्यावस्थां दिवौकसाम्
Having bowed and stood before him together with the gods, the grandsire said to the Lord of gods, 'Behold the condition of the dwellers of heaven.'
कृपां कुरु महादेव शरणागतवत्सल । दुष्टदैत्यवधार्थं त्वं समुद्योगं विधेहि भोः
Show mercy, O Mahadeva, lover of those who seek refuge; arise and make effort for the destruction of the wicked demon.
सोऽपि तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दैन्यशोकसमन्वितम् । त्रिदशैः सहितैः सर्वैराजगाम हरेः पदम्
He too, hearing those words filled with distress and sorrow, came together with all the gods to the abode of Hari.
तुष्टुवुर्मुनयः सर्वे ससुरोरगकिन्नराः । जय माधव देवेश जय भक्तजनार्तिहन्
All the sages, along with gods, serpents, and kinnaras, praised him: 'Victory to Madhava, Lord of gods, victory to the remover of devotees' suffering.'
विलोकय महादेव लोकयस्व स्वसेवकान् । इत्युच्चैर्जगदुः सर्वे देवाः शर्वपुरोगमाः
Look, O Mahadeva, behold your servants; thus, loudly spoke all the gods, led by Shiva.
इत्युक्तमाकर्ण्य सुराधिनाथो दृष्ट्वा सुरार्तिं परिचिंत्य विष्णुः । जगाद देवाञ्जलदोच्चया गिरा दुःखं तु तेषां प्रशमं नयन्निव
Hearing this, the lord of the gods, Vishnu, seeing the gods' distress and reflecting upon it, spoke to the gods with a voice like thunderclouds, as if bringing relief to their sorrow.
भो ब्रह्मशर्वेंद्र पुरोगमामराः शृण्वंतु वाचं भवतां हितेरताम् । जाने दशग्रीवकृतं भयं वस्तन्नाशयाम्यद्य कृतावतारः
O Brahma, Shiva, Indra, and other gods, listen to my words, spoken for your welfare. I know the fear caused by Dashagriva; I will destroy it today, having descended for this purpose.
पुरी त्वयोध्या रविवंशजातैर्नृपैर्महादानमखादिसत्क्रियैः । प्रपालिता भूतलमंडनीया विराजते राजतभूमिभागैः
The city of Ayodhya, ruled by kings born of the solar dynasty, has been protected with great gifts, sacrifices, and noble deeds; it shines, adorned with splendid lands.
तस्यां दशरथो राजा निरपत्यः श्रियान्वितः । पालयत्यधुना राज्यं दिक्चक्रजयवान्विभुः
There, King Dasharatha, childless but endowed with prosperity, now rules the kingdom, victorious in all directions, a mighty sovereign.
स तु वंद्यादृष्यशृंगात्प्रार्थितात्पुत्रकाम्यया । पुत्रेष्ट्यां विधिना यज्वा महाबलसमन्वितः
He, desiring a son, was urged by the sage Rishyasringa; performing the son-giving sacrifice according to the rite, he was endowed with great strength.
ततोऽहं प्रार्थितः पूर्वं तपसा तेन भोः सुराः । पत्नीषु तिसृषु प्रीत्या चतुर्धापि भवत्कृते
Then, O gods, I was previously invoked by his austerity; out of affection for his three wives, I will divide myself into four for your sake.