चाराणां रावणः श्रुत्वा प्राप्तं रामं महाबलम्। जातोद्वेगोऽभवत् किंचित् सचिवानिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing from the spies that mighty Rama had arrived, Ravana became somewhat anxious and spoke to his ministers.
मन्त्रिणः शीघ्रमायान्तु सर्वे वै सुसमाहिताः। अयं नो मन्त्रकालो हि सम्प्राप्त इति राक्षसाः
Let all the counselors come quickly, fully attentive; for now, O rakshasas, is the time for counsel.
तस्य तच्छासनं श्रुत्वा मन्त्रिणोऽभ्यागमन् द्रुतम्। ततः स मन्त्रयामास राक्षसैः सचिवैः सह
Hearing his command, the ministers came swiftly; then he began to deliberate with his rakshasa counselors.
मन्त्रयित्वा तु दुर्धर्षः क्षमं यत् तदनन्तरम्। विसर्जयित्वा सचिवान् प्रविवेश स्वमालयम्
Having taken counsel, the indomitable one did what was fitting; then, dismissing his ministers, he entered his own palace.
ततो राक्षसमादाय विद्युज्जिह्वं महाबलम्। मायाविनं महामायं प्राविशद् यत्र मैथिली
Then, taking with him the mighty rakshasa Vidyujjihva, master of illusions and great in magic, he entered where Maithili was.
विद्युज्जिह्वं च मायाज्ञमब्रवीद् राक्षसाधिपः। मोहयिष्यावहे सीतां मायया जनकात्मजाम्
The lord of the Rākṣasas spoke to Vidyujjihva, master of illusion: 'Let us bewilder Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, by means of magic.'
शिरो मायामयं गृह्य राघवस्य निशाचर। मां त्वं समुपतिष्ठस्व महच्च सशरं धनुः
Take this illusory head of Rāghava, O night-wanderer, and approach me, holding also the great bow with arrows.
एवमुक्तस्तथेत्याह विद्युज्जिह्वो निशाचरः। दर्शयामास तां मायां सुप्रयुक्तां स रावणे
Thus addressed, Vidyujjihva, the night-wanderer, replied, 'So be it,' and skillfully displayed that illusion before Rāvaṇa.
तस्य तुष्टोऽभवद् राजा प्रददौ च विभूषणम्। अशोकवनिकायां च सीतादर्शनलालसः
The king was pleased with him and gave him a reward; eager to see Sītā in the Aśoka grove.
नैर्ऋतानामधिपतिः संविवेश महाबलः। ततो दीनामदैन्यार्हां ददर्श धनदानुजः
The mighty lord of the Niṣādas entered, and the younger brother of Kubera saw her, who was deserving of pity and dejection.
अधोमुखीं शोकपरामुपविष्टां महीतले। भर्तारं समनुध्यान्तीमशोकवनिकां गताम्
He saw her sitting on the ground, her face cast down, overwhelmed with grief, constantly thinking of her husband, having gone to the Aśoka grove.
उपास्यमानां घोराभी राक्षसीभिरदूरतः। उपसृत्य ततः सीतां प्रहर्षं नाम कीर्तयन्
Surrounded closely by terrifying Rākṣasī women, he approached Sītā and, proclaiming his joy, spoke her name.
इदं च वचनं धृष्टमुवाच जनकात्मजाम्। सान्त्व्यमाना मया भद्रे यमाश्रित्य विमन्यसे
And he spoke these bold words to the daughter of Janaka: 'O gentle one, whom do you rely on, that you are consoled by me?'
खरहन्ता स ते भर्ता राघवः समरे हतः। छिन्नं ते सर्वथा मूलं दर्पश्च निहतो मया
Your husband, Rāghava, the slayer of Khara, has been killed in battle; your root is utterly cut off, and your pride has been destroyed by me.
व्यसनेनात्मनः सीते मम भार्या भविष्यसि। विसृजैतां मतिं मूढे किं मृतेन करिष्यसि
Because of your misfortune, Sītā, you shall become my wife; abandon this foolish resolve—what will you do with one who is dead?
भवस्व भद्रे भार्याणां सर्वासामीश्वरी मम। अल्पपुण्ये निवृत्तार्थे मूढे पण्डितमानिनि। शृणु भर्तृवधं सीते घोरं वृत्रवधं यथा
Be, O gentle one, the chief among all my wives; you of little merit, whose purpose is lost, foolish one, who think yourself wise—hear, Sītā, of your husband's dreadful death, like the slaying of Vṛtra.
समायातः समुद्रान्तं हन्तुं मां किल राघवः। वानरेन्द्रप्रणीतेन बलेन महता वृतः
Rāghava, it is said, came to the ocean's edge to kill me, surrounded by a great army led by the king of the monkeys.
संनिविष्टः समुद्रस्य पीड्य तीरमथोत्तरम्। बलेन महता रामो व्रजत्यस्तं दिवाकरे
He encamped at the northern shore of the ocean, pressing the bank with his great army; as the sun set, Rāma proceeded.
अथाध्वनि परिश्रान्तमर्धरात्रे स्थितं बलम्। सुखसुप्तं समासाद्य चरितं प्रथमं चरैः
Then, when the army was weary on the march and resting at midnight, my spies found them all sleeping soundly.
तत्प्रहस्तप्रणीतेन बलेन महता मम। बलमस्य हतं रात्रौ यत्र रामः सलक्ष्मणः
Then, with my great army led by Prahasta, their force was destroyed at night, where Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were.
पट्टिशान् परिघांश्चक्रानृष्टीन् दण्डान् महायुधान्। बाणजालानि शूलानि भास्वरान् कूटमुद्गरान्
With swords, iron clubs, discs, spears, staffs, mighty weapons, showers of arrows, shining spikes, and spiked maces,
यष्टीश्च तोमरान् प्रासांश्चक्राणि मुसलानि च। उद्यम्योद्यम्य रक्षोभिर्वानरेषु निपातिताः
Staves, javelins, lances, discs, and pestles—raising and raising them, the Rākṣasas struck them down upon the monkeys.
अथ सुप्तस्य रामस्य प्रहस्तेन प्रमाथिना। असक्तं कृतहस्तेन शिरश्छिन्नं महासिना
Then, as Rāma slept, Prahasta the destroyer, with steady hand and great sword, cut off his head without resistance.
विभीषणः समुत्पत्य निगृहीतो यदृच्छया। दिशः प्रव्राजितः सैन्यैर्लक्ष्मणः प्लवगैः सह
Vibhīṣaṇa, having leapt up, was seized by chance and driven away in all directions by the armies, along with Lakṣmaṇa and the monkeys.
सुग्रीवो ग्रीवया सीते भग्नया प्लवगाधिपः। निरस्तहनुकः सीते हनूमान् राक्षसैर्हतः
O Sītā, Sugrīva, the lord of the monkeys, had his neck broken; Hanumān, with his jaw shattered, was slain by the rākṣasas, O Sītā.
जाम्बवानथ जानुभ्यामुत्पतन् निहतो युधि। पट्टिशैर्बहुभिश्छिन्नो निकृत्तः पादपो यथा
Then Jāmbavān, rising on his knees, was struck down in battle, cut to pieces by many spears, like a tree felled.
मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चोभौ तौ वानरवरर्षभौ। निःश्वसन्तौ रुदन्तौ च रुधिरेण परिप्लुतौ
Mainda and Dvivida, those two foremost and best of monkeys, were lying there, breathing heavily and weeping, drenched in blood.
असिना व्यायतौ छिन्नौ मध्ये ह्यरिनिषूदनौ। अनुश्वसिति मेदिन्यां पनसः पनसो यथा
Those two destroyers of foes, exhausted and cut in two with swords at the waist, lie on the ground, gasping, like jackfruit trees split apart.
नाराचैर्बहुभिश्छिन्नः शेते दर्यां दरीमुखः। कुमुदस्तु महातेजा निष्कूजन् सायकैर्हतः
Darīmukha lies in a trench, cut by many iron arrows; Kumuda, of great energy, is silent, struck down by shafts.
हरयो मथिता नागै रथजालैस्तथापरे। शयाना मृदितास्तत्र वायुवेगैरिवाम्बुदाः
The monkeys were crushed by elephants, others by chariots; they lay trampled there, like clouds scattered by the force of the wind.