पुत्र वैश्रवणं पश्य भ्रातरं तेजसा वृतम् । भ्रातृभावे समे चापि पश्यात्मानं त्वमीदृशम् ।। ७.९.
Son, look upon Vaiśravaṇa, your brother, surrounded by brilliance; and see yourself, too, as equal in brotherhood.
दशग्रीव तथा यत्नं कुरुष्वामितविक्रम । यथा त्वमसि मे पुत्र भव र्वैश्रवणोपमः ।। ७.९.
Daśagrīva, exert yourself with all your might so that you, my son, may become like Vaiśravaṇa.
मातुस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दशग्रीवः प्रतापवान् । अमर्षमतुलं लेभे प्रतिज्ञां चाकरोत्तदा ।। ७.९.
Hearing his mother's words, Daśagrīva, full of vigor, became intensely angry and made a vow.
सत्यं ते प्रतिजानामि भ्रातृतुल्यो ऽधिको ऽपि वा । भविष्याम्योजसा चैव सन्तापं त्यज हृद्गतम् ।। ७.९.
I truly promise you: I will become equal to my brother, or even greater, in strength; let go of the sorrow in your heart.
ततस्तेनैव कोपेन दशग्रीवः सहानुजः । चिकीर्षुर्दुष्करं कर्म तपसे धृतमानसः ।। ७.९.
Then, filled with that same anger, Daśagrīva, together with his younger brother, resolved to perform a difficult deed, fixing his mind on austerity.
प्राप्स्यामि तपसा काममिति कृत्वा ऽध्यवस्य च । आगच्छदात्मसिद्ध्यर्थं गोकर्णस्याश्रमं शुभम् ।। ७.९.
Having decided, 'I will attain my desire through austerity,' he went, seeking self-mastery, to the auspicious hermitage of Gokarṇa.
स राक्षसस्तत्र सहानुजस्तदा तपश्चकारातुलमुग्रविक्रमः । अतोषयच्चापि पितामहं विभुं ददौ स तुष्टश्च वराञ्जयावहान् ।। ७.९.
There, that rākṣasa, of fierce valor, performed unmatched austerity together with his brother; he satisfied the great Lord Brahmā, who, pleased, granted them boons as they wished.
अथाब्रवीन्मुनिं रामः कथं ते भ्रातरो वने । कीदृशं तु तदा ब्रह्मंस्तपस्तेपुर्महाबलाः ।। ७.१०.
Then Rāma asked the sage, 'How did your brothers dwell in the forest? What kind of austerities did those mighty ones perform at that time, O Brāhman?'
अगस्त्यस्त्वब्रवीत्तत्र रामं सुप्रीतमानसम् । तांस्तान्धर्मविधींस्तत्र भ्रातरस्ते समाविशन् ।। ७.१०.
Agastya then spoke to Rāma, whose mind was well pleased: 'There, your brothers undertook various disciplines of righteousness.'
कुम्भकर्णस्ततो यत्तो नित्यं धर्मपथे स्थितः । तताप ग्रीष्मकाले तु पञ्चाग्नीन्परितः स्थितः ।। ७.१०.
Then Kumbhakarṇa, steadfast in the path of virtue, practiced austerity, standing amidst five fires during the hot season.
मेघाम्बुसिक्तो वर्षासु वीरासनमसेवत । नित्यं च शिशिरे काले जलमध्यप्रतिश्रयः ।। ७.१०.
Drenched by rain during the rainy season, he maintained the hero's posture, and in the cold season, he always stayed immersed in water.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि दश तस्यातिचक्रमुः । धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य सत्पथे निष्ठितस्य च ।। ७.१०.
In this way, ten thousand years passed for him, as he remained devoted to righteousness and firmly established on the path of virtue.
विभीषणस्तु धर्मात्मा नित्यं धर्मपरः शुचिः । पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि पादेनैकेन तस्थिवान् ।। ७.१०.
But Vibhīṣaṇa, whose nature was righteous, ever intent on dharma and pure, stood on one foot for five thousand years.
समाप्ते नियमे तस्य ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः । पपात पुष्पवर्षं च क्षुभिताश्चापि देवताः ।। ७.१०.
When his vow was completed, the hosts of Apsarases danced, a shower of flowers fell, and even the gods were stirred.
पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि सूर्यं चैवान्ववर्तत । तस्थौ चोर्ध्वशिरोबाहुः स्वाध्यायधृतमानसः ।। ७.१०.
For five thousand years, he followed the course of the sun, standing with arms and head raised, his mind absorbed in sacred recitation.
एवं विभीषणस्यापि स्वर्गस्थस्येव नन्दने । दशवर्षसहस्राणि गतानि नियतात्मनः ।। ७.१०.
Thus, for Vibhīṣaṇa too, whose self was disciplined, ten thousand years passed as if in Nandana, the heavenly garden.
दशवर्षसहस्रं तु निराहारो दशाननः । पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शिरश्चाग्नौ जुहाव सः ।। ७.१०.
But Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed one, remained without food for ten thousand years; and at the completion of each thousand years, he offered one of his heads into the fire.
एवं वर्षसहस्राणि नव तस्यातिचक्रमुः । शिरांसि नव चाप्यस्य प्रविष्टानि हुताशनम् ।। ७.१०.
In this way, nine thousand years passed for him, and nine of his heads had entered the fire.
अथ वर्षसहस्रे तु दशमे दशमं शिरः । छेत्तुकामे दशग्रीवे प्राप्तस्तत्र पितामहः ।। ७.१०.
Then, at the tenth thousandth year, as Rāvaṇa was about to cut off his tenth head, the Grandfather (Brahmā) appeared there.
पितामहस्तु सुप्रीतः सार्धं देवैरुपस्थितः । तव तावद्दशग्रीव प्रीतो ऽस्मीत्यभ्यभाषत ।। ७.१०.
The Grandfather, well pleased, arrived together with the gods and spoke to you, O ten-headed one: 'I am pleased with you.'
शीघ्रं वरय धर्मज्ञ वरो यस्ते ऽभिकाङ्क्षितः । कं ते कामं करोम्यद्य न वृथा ते परिश्रमः ।। ७.१०.
'Quickly choose a boon, O knower of dharma, whichever boon you desire; today I will grant your wish—your effort has not been in vain.'
अथाब्रवीदृशग्रीवः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं हर्षगद्गदया गिरा ।। ७.१०.
Then the ten-headed one, his inner being delighted, bowed his head to the god and spoke with a voice choked with joy.
भगवन्प्राणिनां नित्यं नान्यत्र मरणाद्भयम् । नास्ति मृत्युसमः शत्रुरमरत्वमहं वृणे ।। ७.१०.
'Lord, for living beings there is always fear only from death; there is no enemy equal to death. I choose immortality.'
एवमुक्तस्तदा ब्रह्मा दशग्रीवमुवाच ह । नास्ति सर्वामरत्वं ते वरमन्यं वृणीष्व मे ।। ७.१०.
Thus addressed, Brahmā then spoke to the ten-headed one: 'Universal immortality is not possible for you; choose another boon from me.'
एवमुक्ते तदा राम ब्रह्मणा लोककर्तृणा । दशग्रीव उवाचेदं कृताञ्जलिरथाग्रतः ।। ७.१०.
When the creator Brahmā had spoken thus, O Rāma, the ten-headed one, with joined palms, spoke these words before him.
सुपर्णनागयक्षाणां दैत्यदानवरक्षसाम् । अवध्यो ऽहं प्रजाध्यक्ष देवतानां च शाश्वत ।। ७.१०.
'Let me be invulnerable, O lord of creatures, to Garuḍas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Daityas, Dānavas, Rākṣasas, and the gods, forever.'
नहि चिन्ता ममान्येषु प्राणिष्वमरपूजित । तृणभूता हि ते मन्ये प्राणिनो मानुषादयः ।। ७.१०.
'I have no concern for other beings, O honored immortal; for I consider humans and the like as insignificant as grass.'
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा दशग्रीवेण रक्षसा । उवाच वचनं देवः सह देवैः पितामहः ।। ७.१०.
Thus addressed by the righteous ten-headed Rākṣasa, the god Brahmā, together with the gods, spoke these words.
भविष्यत्येवमेतत्ते वचो राक्षसपुङ्गव । एवमुक्त्वा तु तं राम दशग्रीवं पितामहः ।। ७.१०.
'So shall it be as you have said, O foremost of Rākṣasas.' Having spoken thus, O Rāma, the Grandfather addressed the ten-headed one.
शृणु चापि वरो भूयः प्रीतस्येह शुभो मम । हुतानि यानि शीर्षाणि पूर्वमग्नौ त्वयानघ ।। ७.१०.
Hear also, out of affection, another excellent boon of mine: the heads which you previously offered into the fire, O faultless one, O Rakshasa, shall be restored to you.