एतच्च पुष्पकं नाम विमानं सूर्यसन्निभम् । प्रतिगृह्णीष्व यानार्थं त्रिदशैः समतां व्रज ।। ७.३.
And this aerial chariot named Puṣpaka, shining like the sun, accept it for your conveyance, and attain equality with the gods.
स्वस्ति ते ऽस्तु गमिष्यामः सर्व एव यथागतम् । कृतकृत्या वयं तात दत्त्वा तव वरद्वयम् ।। ७.३.
May all be well with you; we shall now depart as we came. Our purpose is fulfilled, dear one, having granted you these two boons.
इत्युक्त्वा स गतो ब्रह्मा स्वस्थानं त्रिदशैः सह ।। ७.३.
Having spoken thus, Brahmā departed to his own abode together with the gods.
गतेषु ब्रह्मपूर्वेषु देवेष्वथ नभस्थलम् । वने स पितरं प्राह प्राञ्जलिः प्रयतात्मवान् । निवासनं न मे देवो विदधे स प्रजापतिः ।। ७.३.
When Brahmā and the gods had departed to the heavens, he, with mind composed and hands joined, spoke to his father in the forest: 'The Lord, the Creator, has not provided me a dwelling.'
भगवँल्लब्धवानस्मि वरमिष्टं पितामहात् । तं पश्य भगवन्कञ्चिन्निवासं साधु मे प्रभो ।। ७.३.
'Lord, I have obtained the desired boon from Grandfather. Now, O revered one, please show me some suitable dwelling, O master.'
न च पीडा भवेद्यत्र प्राणिनो यस्य कस्यचित् । एवमुक्तस्तु पुत्रेण विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः ।। ७.३.
'And let there be no suffering there for any living being.' Thus addressed by his son, Viśravas, foremost of sages,
वचनं प्राह धर्मज्ञः श्रूयतामिति सत्तमः । दक्षिणस्योदधेस्तीरे त्रिकूटो नाम पर्वतः ।। ७.३.
The righteous sage spoke these words: 'Listen, O excellent one. On the southern shore of the ocean is a mountain called Trikūṭa.'
तस्याग्रे तु विशाला सा महेन्द्रस्य पुरी यथा । लङ्का नाम पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा ।। ७.३.
'In front of it is a vast and splendid city, like that of Mahendra, called Laṅkā, delightful and built by Viśvakarman.'
राक्षसानां निवासार्थं यथेन्द्रस्यामरावती । तत्र त्वं वस भद्रं ते लङ्कायां नात्र संशयः ।। ७.३.
'For the dwelling of the Rākṣasas, just as Amarāvatī is for Indra. There you should reside, good fortune to you, in Laṅkā; there is no doubt.'
हेमप्राकारपरिघा यन्त्रशस्त्रसमावृता । रमणीया पुरी सा हि रुक्मवैडूर्यतोरणा ।। ७.३.
'That charming city is surrounded by golden ramparts and moats, filled with machines and weapons, with gateways of gold and beryl.'
राक्षसैः सा परित्यक्ता पुरा विष्णुभयार्दितैः । शून्या रक्षोगणैः सर्वै रसातलतलं गतैः ।। ७.३.
'That city was abandoned by the Rākṣasas of old, afflicted by fear of Viṣṇu; emptied of all the hosts of Rākṣasas, who went to the nethermost regions.'
शून्या सम्प्रति लङ्का सा प्रभुस्तस्या न विद्यते । स त्वं तत्र निवासाय गच्छ पुत्र यथासुखम् ।। ७.३.
'Now Laṅkā is deserted, and has no lord. Therefore, my son, go there to dwell as you wish.'
निर्दोषस्तत्र ते वासो न बाधास्तत्र कस्यचित् । एतच्छुत्वा स धर्मात्मा धर्मिष्ठं वचनं पितुः ।। ७.३.
'Your dwelling there will be blameless; there will be no disturbance for anyone. Having heard these righteous words of his father, that righteous-souled one...'
निवासयामास तदा लङ्कां पर्वतमूर्धनि । नैर्ऋतानां सहस्रैस्तु हृष्टैः प्रमुदुतैः सह ।। ७.३.
Then he settled Lanka upon the mountain's summit, together with thousands of delighted and joyful spirits.
अचिरेणैव कालेन सम्पूर्णा तस्य शासनात् ।। ७.३.
By his command, it was soon completely filled.
स तु तत्रावसत्प्रीतो धर्मात्मा नैर्ऋतर्षभः । समुद्रपरिघायां तु लङ्कायां विश्रवात्मजः ।। ७.३.
There, the righteous lord of the spirits, son of Viśrava, dwelled happily in Lanka, which was encircled by the ocean.
काले काले तु धर्मात्मा पुष्पकेण धनेश्वरः । अभ्यागच्छद्विनीतात्मा पितरं मातरं च हि ।। ७.३.
From time to time, the righteous lord of wealth, with a disciplined mind, would come in the Puṣpaka chariot to visit his father and mother.
स देवगन्धर्वगणैरभिष्टुतस्तथाप्सरोनृत्यविभूषितालयः । गभस्तिभिः सूर्य इवावभासयन्पितुः समीपं प्रययौ स वित्तपः ।। ७.३.
Honored by hosts of gods and gandharvas, his abode adorned with the dances of apsarases, shining like the sun with its rays, that lord of wealth approached his father.
श्रुत्वागस्त्येरितं वाक्यं रामो विस्मयमागतः । कथमासीत्तु लङ्कायां सम्भवो रक्षसां पुरा ।। ७.४.
Hearing Agastya's words, Rāma was filled with wonder: 'How did the race of Rākṣasas first arise in Lanka?'
ततः शिरः कम्पयित्वा त्रेताग्निसमविग्रहम् । तमगस्त्यं मुहुर्दृष्ट्वा स्मयमानो ऽभ्यभाषत ।। ७.४.
Then, shaking his head and gazing repeatedly at Agastya, whose form was like the sacrificial fire, he spoke with a smile.
भगवन्पूर्वमप्येषा लङ्कासीत्पिशिताशिनाम् । श्रुत्वेदं भगवद्वाक्यं जातो मे विस्मयः परः ।। ७.४.
'Revered one, I had heard before that Lanka belonged to flesh-eating beings, but hearing your words now, I am greatly astonished.'
पुलस्त्यवंशादुद्भूता राक्षसा इति नः श्रुतम् । इदानीमन्यतश्चापि सम्भवः कीर्तितस्त्वया ।। ७.४.
'We have heard that the Rākṣasas were born from the lineage of Pulastya, but now you have described another origin as well.'
रावणात्कुम्भकर्णाच्च प्रहस्ताद्विकटादपि । रावणस्य च पुत्रेभ्यः किं नु ते बलवत्तराः ।। ७.४.
'Were they stronger than Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa, Prahasta, Vikaṭa, and even Rāvaṇa's sons?'
क एषां पूर्वको ब्रह्मन्किन्नामा च बलोत्कटः । अपराधं च कं प्राप्य विष्णुना द्राविताः कथम् ।। ७.४.
'Who was their ancestor, O Brāhman? What was his name, and who among them was most powerful? And for what offense were they driven away by Viṣṇu?'
एतद्विस्तरतः सर्वं कथयस्व ममानघ । कुतूहलमिदं मह्यं नुद भानुर्यथा तमः ।। ७.४.
'Tell me all this in detail, O faultless one. Satisfy my curiosity as the sun dispels darkness.'
राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा संस्कारालङ्कृतं शुभम् । ईषद्विस्मयमानस्तमगस्त्यः प्राह राघवम् ।। ७.४.
Hearing Rāghava's refined and auspicious words, Agastya, with a slight sense of wonder, spoke to Rāghava.
प्रजापतिः पुरा सृष्ट्वा ह्यपः सलिलसम्भवः । तासां गोपायने सत्त्वानसृजत्पद्मसम्भवः ।। ७.४.
Long ago, the Lord of Creatures, having created the waters, which arose from the primeval flood, then created beings to guard them, O lotus-born one.
ते सत्त्वाः सत्त्वकर्तारं विनीतवदुपस्थिताः । किं कुर्म इति भाषन्तः क्षुत्पिपासाभयार्दिताः ।। ७.४.
Those beings, afflicted by hunger, thirst, and fear, approached the creator of beings with humility, asking, 'What should we do?'
प्रजापतिस्तु तान्याह सत्वानि प्रहसन्निव । आभाष्य वाचा यत्नेन रक्षध्वमिति मानदः ।। ७.४.
The Lord of Creatures, as if smiling, addressed those beings with careful words: 'Protect (rakṣadhvam) them,' O bestower of honor.
रक्षामेति च तत्रान्ये जक्षाम इति चापरे । भुक्षिताभुक्षितैरुक्तस्ततस्तानाह भूतकृत् ।। ७.४.
Some there said, 'Let us protect (rakṣāma),' while others said, 'Let us eat (jakṣāma).' Thus, as some had eaten and others had not, the creator addressed them.