श्रुत्वा तु तेषां वचनमृषीणां भावितात्मनाम् । विस्मयं परमं गत्वा रामः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् ।। ७.१.
Hearing the words of those sages of purified minds, Rāma, filled with utmost wonder, spoke with joined palms.
भगवन्तः कुम्भकर्णं रावणं च निशाचरम् । अतिक्रम्य महावीर्यौ किं प्रशंसथ रावणिम् ।। ७.१.
O venerable ones, having passed over Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa, both of great might among the night-wanderers, why do you praise Rāvaṇa's son?
महोदरं प्रहस्तं च विरूपाक्षं च राक्षसम् । मत्तोन्मत्तौ च दुर्धर्षौ देवान्तकनरान्तकौ ७.१.
Mahodara, Prahasta, and the demon Virūpākṣa, as well as the frenzied and unassailable Devāntaka and Narāntaka—
अतिकायं त्रिशिरसं धूम्राक्षं च निशाचरम् । अतिक्रम्य महावीर्यान्किं प्रशंसथ रावणिम् ।। ७.१.
Atikāya, Triśiras, and the night-wanderer Dhūmrākṣa, all of great might—having passed over them, why do you praise Rāvaṇa's son?
कीदृशो वै प्रभावो ऽस्य किं बलं कः पराक्रमः । केन वा कारणेनैष रावणादतिरिच्यते ।। ७.१.
What is his power truly like, what is his strength, what is his valor? And for what reason does he surpass Rāvaṇa?
शक्यं यदि मया श्रोतुं न खल्वाज्ञापयामि वः । यदि गुह्यं न चेद्वक्तुं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथ्यताम् ।। ७.१.
If it is possible for me to hear, I do not command you; but if it is not a secret that must not be spoken, I wish to hear—please tell me.
शक्रो ऽपि विजितस्तेन कथं लब्धवरश्च सः । कथं च बलवानन्पुत्रो न पिता तस्य रावणः ।। ७.१.
Even Indra was conquered by him—how did he obtain such a boon? And how is it that the son is powerful, not his father Rāvaṇa?
कथं पितुश्चाभ्यधिको महाहवे शक्रस्य जेता हि कथं स राक्षसः । वराश्च लब्धाः कथयस्व मे ऽद्य तत्पृच्छतश्चास्य मुनीन्द्र सर्वम् ।। ७.१.
How did he surpass his father in great battle, and how did that demon become the conqueror of Indra? Tell me today about the boons he obtained, O foremost of sages, for I am asking you everything.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राघवस्य महात्मनः । कुम्भयोनिर्मिहातेजा राममेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.२.
Hearing these words of the great-souled Rāghava, Kumbhayoni, radiant in ascetic power, spoke thus to Rāma.
शृणु राम कथावृत्तं तस्य तेजोबलं महत् । जघान शत्रून्येनासौ न च वध्यः स शत्रुभिः ।। ७.२.
Hear, O Rāma, the account of his deeds, his great splendor and strength; by these he struck down his enemies, yet by them he could not be slain by his foes.
तावत्ते रावणस्येदं कुलं जन्म च राघव । वरप्रदानं च तथा तस्मै दत्तं ब्रवीमि ते ।। ७.२.
Now I will tell you, O Rāghava, of Rāvaṇa's lineage and birth, and also of the boon that was granted to him.
पुरा कृतयुगे राम प्रजापतिसुतः प्रभुः । पुलस्त्यो नाम ब्रह्मर्षिः साक्षादिव पितामहः ।। ७.२.
Long ago, in the Kṛta Yuga, O Rāma, there was a lord, a son of the progenitor, a brahmarṣi named Pulastya, who was like the Grandfather himself.
नानुकीर्त्या गुणास्तस्य धर्मतः शीलतस्तथा । प्रजापतेः पुत्र इति वक्तुं शक्यं हि नामतः ।। ७.२.
His virtues cannot be fully recounted—whether of righteousness or character; it is enough to say by name that he was the son of the progenitor.
प्रजापतिसुतत्वेन देवानां वल्लभो हि सः । हृष्टः सर्वस्य लोकस्य गुणैः शुभ्रैर्महामतिः ।। ७.२.
As the son of the progenitor, he was beloved of the gods, and, delighted by his pure virtues, the whole world rejoiced in this great-minded one.
स तु धर्मप्रसङ्गेन मेरोः पार्श्वे महागिरेः । तृणविन्द्वाश्रमं गत्वा न्यवसन्मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। ७.२.
He, through devotion to righteousness, went to the hermitage of Ṭṛṇavindya on the side of the great mountain Meru, and there the foremost of sages dwelt.
तपस्तेपे स धर्मात्मा स्वाध्यायनियतेन्द्रियः । गत्वाश्रमपदं तस्य विघ्नं कुर्वन्ति कन्यकाः ।। ७.२.
That righteous soul performed austerities, self-controlled and devoted to study; but when he reached his hermitage, maidens began to cause him disturbance.
देवपन्नगकन्याश्च राजर्षितनयाश्च याः । क्रीडन्त्यो ऽप्सरसश्चैव तं देशमुपपेदिरे ।। ७.२.
Daughters of gods and serpents, and daughters of royal sages, as well as playful apsarases, came to that place.
सर्वर्तुषृपभोग्यत्वाद्रम्यत्वात्काननस्य च । नित्यशस्तास्तु तं देशं गत्वा क्रीडन्ति कन्यकाः ।। ७.२.
Because the forest was delightful and enjoyable in every season, those maidens would always go there and play.
देशस्य रमणीयत्वात्पुलस्त्यो यत्र स द्विजः । गायन्त्यो वादयन्त्यश्च लासयन्त्यस्तथैव च । मुनेस्तपस्विनस्तस्य विघ्नं चक्रुरनिन्दिताः ।। ७.२.
Because of the beauty of that place, O Rāma, Pulastya the twice-born dwelt there; singing, playing instruments, and dancing, those blameless maidens disturbed the sage engaged in austerities.
अथ क्रुद्धो महातेजा व्याजहार महामुनिः । या मे दर्शनमागच्छेत्सा गर्भं धारयिष्यति ।। ७.२.
Then, enraged, the great sage of immense brilliance declared: 'Whichever one of you comes into my sight shall bear a child.'
तास्तु सर्वाः प्रतिश्रुत्य तस्य वाक्यं महात्मनः । ब्रह्मशापभयाद्भीतास्तं देशं नोपचक्रमुः ।। ७.२.
All of them, having promised to obey the words of that great soul, out of fear of the Brahmin's curse, did not approach that place.
तृणबिन्दोस्तु राजर्षेस्तनया न शृणोति तत् ।। ७.२.
But the daughter of the royal sage Tṛṇabindu did not hear this.
गत्वाश्रमपदं तत्र विचचार सुनिर्भया । न सापश्यत्स्थिता तत्र काञ्चिदभ्यागतां सखीम् ।। ७.२.
She went to the hermitage, wandering there without any fear; yet, standing there, she did not see any friend who had arrived.
तस्मिन्काले महातेजाः प्राजापत्यो महानृषिः । स्वाध्यायमकरोत्तत्र तपसा भावितः स्वयम् ।। ७.२.
At that time, the illustrious great sage, a descendant of Prajāpati, was engaged in reciting the Vedas there, absorbed in austerity.
सा तु वेदश्रुतिं श्रुत्वा दृष्ट्वा वै तपसो निधिम् । अभवत्पाण्डुदेहा सा सुव्यञ्जितशरीरजा ।। ७.२.
Hearing the recitation of the Vedas and seeing the embodiment of austerity, she became pale-bodied, her physical transformation clearly visible.
वभूव च समुद्विग्ना दृष्ट्वा तद्दोषमात्मनः । इदं मे किन्त्विति ज्ञात्वा पितुर्गत्वा ऽ ऽश्रमे स्थिता ।। ७.२.
She became greatly disturbed, perceiving this fault in herself; realizing, 'What is this with me?' she went to her father's hermitage and stayed there.
तां तु दृष्ट्वा तथाभूतां तृणविन्दुरथाब्रवीत् । किं त्वमेतत्त्वसदृशं धारयस्यात्मनो वपुः ।। ७.२.
Seeing her in such a state, Tṛṇabindu then said: 'Why do you bear a form so unbefitting of yourself?'
सा तु कृत्वाञ्जलिं दीना कन्योवाच तपोधनम् । न जाने कारणं तात येन मे रूपमीदृशम् ।। ७.२.
With joined palms, the distressed maiden spoke to the ascetic: 'Father, I do not know the reason why my appearance has become like this.'
किं तु पूर्वं गतास्म्येका महर्षेर्भावितात्मनः । पुलस्त्यस्याश्रमं दिव्यमन्वेष्टुं स्वसखीजनम् ।। ७.२.
'But earlier, I alone went to the divine hermitage of the great sage Pulastya, seeking my friends.'
न च पश्याम्यहं तत्र काञ्चिदभ्यागतां सखीम् । रूपस्य तु विपर्यासं दृष्ट्वा त्रासादिहागता ।। ७.२.
'Yet I did not see any friend who had arrived there; but, seeing the change in my appearance, I came here out of fear.'