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.
केनचित्त्वथ कालेन राम सालकटङ्कटा । विद्युत्केशाद्गर्भमाप घनराजिरिवार्णवात् ।। ७.४.
Then, after some time, O Rāma, Sālakaṭaṅkaṭā conceived by Vidyutkeśa, just as a line of clouds is filled by the wind.
ततः सा राक्षसी गर्भं घनगर्भसमप्रभम् । प्रसूता मन्दरं गत्वा गङ्गा गर्भमिवाग्निजम् ।। ७.४.
That Rākṣasī, bearing a child bright as a rain-filled cloud, went to Mount Mandara and there gave birth, as the Ganges brought forth Agni's child.
समुत्सृज्य तु सा गर्भं विद्युत्केशरतार्थिनी । रेमे तु सार्धं पतिना विस्मृत्य सुतमात्मजम् ।। ७.४.
Desiring union with Vidyutkeśa, she abandoned the child, and, forgetting her own son, took pleasure with her husband.
उत्सृष्टस्तु तदा गर्भो घनशब्दसमस्वनः । तयोत्सृष्टः स तु शिशुः शरदर्कसमद्युतिः । निधायास्ये स्वयं मुष्टिं रुरोद शनकैस्तदा ।। ७.४.
Then the abandoned child, whose cry was as loud as thunder, shone like the autumn sun, and, placing his fist in his mouth, began to cry softly.
ततो वृषभमास्थाय पार्वत्या सहितः शिवः । वायुमार्गेण गच्छन्वै शुश्राव रुदितस्वनम् ।। ७.४.
Then Śiva, together with Pārvatī, mounted his bull and, traveling by the path of the wind, heard the sound of weeping.
अपश्यदुमया सार्धं रुदन्तं राक्षसात्मजम् । कारुण्यभावात्पार्वत्या भवस्त्रिपुरसूदनः ।। ७.४.
With Umā, he saw the Rākṣasa child weeping; out of compassion, Pārvatī moved the heart of Bhava, the destroyer of Tripura.
तं राक्षसात्मजं चक्रे मातुरेव वयःसमम् । अमरं चैव तं कृत्वा महादेवो ऽक्षरो ऽव्ययः ।। ७.४.
Mahādeva, the imperishable and eternal, made that Rākṣasa child equal in age to his mother and granted him immortality.
पुरमाकाशगं प्रादात्पार्वत्याः प्रियकाम्यया । उमयापि वरो दत्तो राक्षसानां नृपात्मज ।। ७.४.
Out of love for Pārvatī, he gave the child a city in the sky; and Umā also granted a boon to the Rākṣasas, O prince.
सद्योपलब्धिर्गर्भस्य प्रसूतिः सद्य एव च । सद्य एव वयःप्राप्तिर्मातुरेव वयस्समम् ।। ७.४.
The child immediately attained birth, instant growth, and at once reached the same age as his mother.
ततः सुकेशो वरदानगर्वितः श्रियं प्रभोः प्राप्य हरस्य पार्श्वतः । चचार सर्वत्र महान्महामतिः खगं पुरं प्राप्य पुरन्दरो यथा ।। ७.४.
Then Sukeśa, proud of his boon, having attained the splendor of the Lord, dwelled by the side of Śiva; that great and wise one moved everywhere, having obtained a city, like Indra after gaining Amarāvatī.