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.
रक्षामेति च यैरुक्तं राक्षसास्ते भवन्तु वः । जक्षाम इति यैरुक्तं यक्षा एव भवन्तु वः ।। ७.४.
'Those who said, "Let us protect (rakṣāma)," shall be called Rākṣasas; those who said, "Let us eat (jakṣāma)," shall be called Yakṣas.'
तत्र हेतिः प्रहेतिश्च भ्रातरौ राक्षसाधिपौ । मधुकैटभसङ्काशौ बभूवतुररिन्दमौ ।। ७.४.
There, Heti and Praheti, two brothers and lords of the Rākṣasas, equal in might to Madhu and Kaiṭabha, became formidable enemies of the gods.
प्रहेतिर्धार्मिकस्तत्र तपोवनगतस्तदा । हेतिर्दारक्रियार्थे तु परं यत्नमथाकरोत् ।। ७.४.
Among them, Praheti was righteous and at that time dwelled in the forest of ascetics, while Heti exerted himself greatly for the sake of obtaining a son.
स कालभगिनीं कन्यां भयां नाम भयावहाम् । उदावहदमेयात्मा स्वयमेव महामतिः ।। ७.४.
That self-controlled and wise Heti took as his wife Kālabhaginī, a maiden named Bhayā, who brought terror.
स तस्यां जनयामास हेती राक्षसपुङ्गवः । पुत्रं पुत्रवतां श्रेष्ठो विद्युत्केश इति श्रुतम् ।। ७.४.
From her, Heti, the foremost among Rākṣasas, begot a son—renowned as Vidyutkeśa, the best among sons.
विद्युत्केशो हेतिपुत्रः स दीप्तार्कसमप्रभः । व्यवर्धत महातेजास्तोयमध्य इवाम्बुदः ।। ७.४.
Vidyutkeśa, son of Heti, radiant as the blazing sun, grew in strength and splendor like a raincloud swelling in the midst of water.
स यदा यौवनं भद्रमनुप्राप्तो निशाचरः । ततो दारक्रियां तस्य कर्तुं व्यवसितः पिता ।। ७.४.
When that night-wanderer reached the auspicious age of youth, his father resolved to arrange his marriage.
सन्ध्यायास्तनयां सो ऽथ सन्ध्यातुल्यां प्रभावतः । वरयामास पुत्रार्थं हेती राक्षसपुङ्गवः ।। ७.४.
Then Heti, the foremost of Rākṣasas, sought for his son the daughter of Sandhyā, equal to Sandhyā herself in power.
अवश्यमेव दातव्या परस्मै सेति सन्ध्यया । चिन्तयित्वा सुता दत्ता विद्युत्केशाय राघव ।। ७.४.
Thinking, 'She must indeed be given to another,' Sandhyā gave her daughter to Vidyutkeśa, O Rāghava.
सन्ध्यायास्तनयां लब्ध्वा विद्युत्केशो निशाचरः । रमते स्म तया सार्धं पौलोम्या मघवानिव ।। ७.४.
Having obtained the daughter of Sandhyā, Vidyutkeśa, the night-wanderer, delighted in her company, as Maghavan delights in Paulomī.