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.
सुकेशं धार्मिकं दृष्ट्वा वरलब्धं च राक्षसम् । ग्रामणीर्नाम गन्धर्वो विश्वावसुसमप्रभः ।। ७.५.
Seeing Sukeśa, the righteous Rākṣasa who had received a boon, the Gandharva chief named Viśvāvasu, equal in brilliance, appeared.
तस्य देववती नाम द्वितीया श्रीरिवात्मजा । त्रिषु लोकेषु विख्याता रूपयौवनशालिनी । तां सुकेशाय धर्मेण ददौ रक्षःश्रियं यथा ।। ७.५.
He had a second daughter named Devavatī, radiant as Lakṣmī, famous in the three worlds for her beauty and youth; he gave her to Sukeśa in accordance with dharma, as one gives the wealth of the Rākṣasas.
वरदानकृतैश्वर्यं सा तं प्राप्य पतिं प्रियम् । आसीद्देववती तुष्टा धनं प्राप्येव निर्धनः ।। ७.५.
Having obtained that beloved husband, endowed with power from the boon, Devavatī was satisfied, like a poor person who has gained wealth.
स तया सह संयुक्तो रराज रजनीचरः । अञ्जनादभिनिष्क्रान्तः करेण्वेव महागजः ।। ७.५.
United with her, that night-wandering Rākṣasa shone forth, like a great elephant emerging from a dark forest.
देववत्यां सुकेशस्तु जनयामास राघव ।। ७.५.
From Devavatī, Sukeśa begot sons, O Rāghava.
त्रीन् पुत्रान् जनयामास त्रेताग्निसमविग्रहान् । माल्यवन्तं सुमालिं च मालिं च बलिनां वरम् । त्रींस्त्रिनेत्रसमान्पुत्रान्राक्षसान्राक्षसाधिपः ।। ७.५.
He begot three sons, equal in form to the sacrificial fire of the Tretā age: Mālyavat, Sumāli, and Māli, foremost among the strong; these three sons of Sukeśa, lords of Rākṣasas, were like the three-eyed god.
त्रयो लोका इवाव्यग्राः स्थितास्त्रय इवाग्नयः । त्रयो मन्त्रा इवात्युग्रास्त्रयो घोरा इवामयाः ।। ७.५.
They stood firm like the three worlds, like three blazing fires, like three powerful mantras, and like three dreadful diseases.
त्रयः सुकेशस्य सुतास्त्रेताग्निसमतेजसः । विवृद्धिमगमंस्तत्र व्याधयोपेक्षिता इव ।। ७.५.
The three sons of Sukeśa, equal in brilliance to the sacrificial fire, grew in strength there, like diseases neglected.
वरप्राप्तिं पितुस्ते तु ज्ञात्वेश्वरतपोबलात् । तपस्तप्तुं गता मेरुं भ्रातरः कृतनिश्चयाः ।। ७.५.
Knowing of their father's attainment of a boon through ascetic power, the brothers, firm in resolve, went to Mount Meru to perform austerities.
प्रगृह्य नियमान्घोरान्राक्षसा नृपसत्तम । विचेरुस्ते तपो घोरं सर्वभूतभयावहम् ।। ७.५.
Having taken up severe vows, those Rākṣasas, O best of kings, practiced fierce austerities, terrifying to all beings.