नीलजीमूतसङ्काशस्तप्तकाञ्चनकुण्डलः । कन्यां दुहितरं गृह्य विना पद्ममिव श्रियम् ।। ७.९.
Resembling a dark rain cloud, adorned with blazing golden earrings, he took his daughter, radiant like Lakshmi without the lotus.
राक्षसेन्द्रः स तु तदा विचरन्वै महीतलम् । तदापश्यत्स गच्छन्तं पुष्पकेण धनेश्वरम् ।। ७.९.
That king of the rakshasas, while wandering the earth, saw the lord of wealth traveling in the Pushpaka chariot.
गच्छन्तं पितरं द्रष्टुं पुलस्त्यतनयं विभुम् । तं दृष्ट्वा ऽमरसङ्काशं स्वच्छन्दं तपनोपमम् ।। ७.९.
He saw him going to visit his father, Pulastya's son, the illustrious one—shining like a god, moving freely, radiant like the sun.
रसातलं प्रविष्टः सन्मर्त्यलोकात्सविस्मयः । इत्येवं चिन्तयामास राक्षसानां महामतिः ।। ७.९.
Entering the netherworld from the mortal realm, filled with wonder, the wise leader of the rakshasas began to ponder.
किं कृतं श्रेय इत्येवं वर्धेमहि कथं वयम् । अथाब्रवीत्सुतां रक्षः कैकसीं नाम नामतः ।। ७.९.
What should be done for our welfare? How can we prosper? Then the rakshasa spoke to his daughter, named Kaikesi.
पुत्रि प्रदानकालो ऽयं यौवनं व्यतिवर्तते । प्रत्याख्यानाच्च भीतैस्त्वं न वरैः प्रतिगृह्यसे ।। ७.९.
Daughter, the time for your marriage has come; your youth is passing. Because you have rejected suitors out of fear, you have not accepted any proposals.
त्वत्कृते च वयं सर्वे यन्त्रिता धर्मबुद्धयः । त्वं हि सर्वगुणोपेता श्रीः साक्षादिव पुत्रिके । कन्यापितृत्वं दुःखं हि सर्वेषां मानकाङ्क्षिणाम् ।। ७.९.
For your sake, we all, guided by righteousness, have been restrained. You possess every virtue, O daughter, like Lakshmi herself. The burden of having an unmarried daughter brings sorrow to all who value honor.
न ज्ञायते च कः कन्यां वरयेदिति कन्यके ।। ७.९.
And, my child, it is not known who will choose you as his bride.
त्वं हि सर्वगुणोपेता श्रीः साक्षादिव पुत्रिके । मातुः कुलं पितृकुलं यत्र चैव प्रदीयते । कुलत्रयं सदा कन्या संशये स्थाप्य तिष्ठति ।। ७.९.
You possess every virtue, O daughter, like Lakshmi herself. Wherever a girl is given, the families of her mother, father, and husband are all involved. A daughter always places the three families in uncertainty.
सा त्वं मुनिवरं श्रेष्ठं प्रजापतिकुलोद्भवम् । भज विश्रवसं पुत्रि पौलस्त्यं वरय स्वयम् ।। ७.९.
Therefore, you should choose for yourself the foremost sage, born in the lineage of Prajapati—Visravas, the son of Pulastya.
ईदृशास्ते भविष्यन्ति पुत्राः पुत्रि न संशयः । तेजसा भास्करसमो यादृशो ऽयं धनेश्वरः ।। ७.९.
Such sons will be born to you, daughter, without doubt—equal in brilliance to the lord of wealth whom you see.
सा तु तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कन्यका पितृगौरवात् । तत्रोपागम्य सा तस्थौ विश्रवा यत्र तप्यते ।। ७.९.
Hearing these words, the maiden, out of respect for her father, approached and stood where Visravas was engaged in austerities.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे राम पुलस्त्यतनयो द्विजः । अग्निहोत्रमुपातिष्ठच्चतुर्थ इव पावकः ।। ७.९.
Meanwhile, O Rama, Pulastya's son, the twice-born sage, was performing the fire ritual, glowing like a fourth flame.
अविचिन्त्य तु तां वेलां दारुणां पितृगौरवात् । उपसृत्याग्रतस्तस्य चरणाधोमुखी स्थिता । विलिखन्ती मुहुर्भूमिमङ्गुष्ठाग्रेण भामिनी ।। ७.९.
Without considering the harshness of the moment, out of reverence for her father, she approached and stood before him, her head bowed at his feet, repeatedly tracing the ground with her toe.
स तु तां वीक्ष्य सुश्रोणीं पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । अब्रवीत्परमोदारो दीप्यमानां स्वतेजसा ।। ७.९.
Seeing her, beautiful-hipped, with a face like the full moon, the noble sage, radiant with his own brilliance, spoke to her.
भद्रे कस्यासि दुहिता कुतो वा त्वमिहागता । किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोस्तत्त्वतो ब्रूहि शोभने ।। ७.९.
O noble lady, whose daughter are you, and from where have you come here? What is your purpose, and for what reason? Tell me truly, O beautiful one.
एवमुक्ता तु सा कन्या कृताञ्जलिरथाब्रवीत् । आत्मप्रभावेण मुने ज्ञातुमर्हसि मे मतम् ।। ७.९.
Thus addressed, the maiden, with hands joined in reverence, spoke: By my own power, O sage, you are able to know my intention.
किं तु मां विद्धि ब्रह्मर्षे शासनात्पितुरागताम् । कैकसी नाम नाम्नाहं शेषं त्वं ज्ञातुमर्हसि ।। ७.९.
But know me, O Brahmin sage, as one who has come by her father's command; my name is Kaikasi. The rest you are able to know.
स तु गत्वा मुनिर्ध्यानं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह । विज्ञातं ते मया भद्रे कारणं यन्मनोगतम् ।। ७.९.
Then the sage entered into meditation and spoke these words: I have understood, O noble lady, the reason that is in your mind.
सुताभिलाषो मत्तस्ते मत्तमातङ्गगामिनि । दारुणायां तु वेलायां यस्मात्त्वं मामुपस्थिता ।। ७.९.
Your desire for sons is known to me, O one with the gait of a proud elephant; and because you have approached me at such a harsh time—
शृणु तस्मात्सुतान्भद्रे यादृशाञ्जनयिष्यसि । दारुणान्दारुणाकारान्दारुणाभिजनप्रियान् ।। ७.९.
Therefore, listen, O noble lady, to the kind of sons you will bear: fierce, of fierce appearance, and dear to those of fierce lineage.
प्रसविष्यसि सुश्रोणि राक्षसान्क्रूरकर्मणः । सा तु तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रणिपत्याब्रवीद्वचः ।। ७.९.
You will give birth, O lovely-hipped one, to rākṣasas of cruel deeds. Hearing these words, she bowed and spoke.
भगवन्नीदृशान्पुत्रांस्त्वत्तो ऽहं ब्रह्मवादिनः । नेच्छामि सुदुराचारान्प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि ।। ७.९.
O revered one, I do not wish for such sons from you, O knower of Brahman—sons of such evil conduct. Please grant me your favor.
कन्यया त्वेवमुक्तस्तु विश्रवा मुनिपुङ्गवः । उवाच कैकसीं भूयः पूर्णेन्दुरिव रोहिणीम् ।। ७.९.
Thus addressed by the maiden, the eminent sage Vishrava spoke again to Kaikasi, radiant as the full moon to Rohini.
पश्चिमो यस्तव सुतो भविष्यति शुभानने । मम वंशानुरूपः स धर्मात्मा च भविष्यति ।। ७.९.
O auspicious-faced one, your last-born son will be in accordance with my lineage, and he will be righteous.
एवमुक्ता तु सा कन्या राम कालेन केनचित् । जनयामास बीभत्सं रक्षोरूपं सुदारुणम् ।। ७.९.
Thus addressed, O Rama, the maiden, after some time, gave birth to a dreadful being, a rākṣasa of terrifying form.
दशग्रीवं महादंष्ट्रं नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम् । ताम्रोष्ठं विंशतिभुजं महास्यं दीप्तमूर्धजम् ।। ७.९.
He was ten-headed, with great fangs, resembling a mass of black collyrium; copper-lipped, twenty-armed, with a huge mouth and blazing hair.
तस्मिञ्जाते तु तत्काले सज्वालकवलाः शिवाः । क्रव्यादाश्चापसव्यानि मण्डलानि प्रचक्रमुः ।। ७.९.
At his birth, at that time, jackals with flaming mouths and flesh-eaters began to move in counterclockwise circles.
ववर्ष रुधिरं देवो मेघाश्च खरनिःस्वनाः । प्रबभौ न च सूर्यो वै महोल्काश्चापतन्भुवि ।। ७.९.
The god rained blood, clouds thundered harshly, the sun did not shine, and great meteors fell to the earth.
चकम्पे जगती चैव ववुर्वाताः सुदारुणाः । अक्षोभ्यः क्षुभितश्चैव समुद्रः सरितां पतिः ।। ७.९.
The earth trembled, fierce winds blew, and the ocean, lord of rivers, was agitated and unshakable.