तथेत्युक्त्वा प्रविष्टा सा प्रजापतिरथाब्रवीत् । कुम्भकर्ण महाबाहो वरं वरय यो मतः ।। ७.१०.
Saying, 'So be it,' she entered him; then the Lord of Creatures spoke: 'Kumbhakarṇa, mighty-armed one, choose the boon you desire.'
कुम्भकर्णस्तु तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा वचनमब्रवीत् । स्वप्तुं वर्षाण्यनेकानि देवदेव ममेप्सितम् ।। ७.१०.
Kumbhakarṇa, hearing these words, replied: 'O god of gods, what I desire is to sleep for many years.'
एवमस्त्विति तं चोक्त्वा प्रायाद्ब्रह्मा सुरैः समम् । देवी सरस्वती चैव राक्षसं तं जहौ पुनः ।। ७.१०.
Saying, 'So be it,' Brahmā departed together with the gods; and the goddess Sarasvatī also withdrew from that Rākṣasa.
ब्रह्मणा सह देवेषु गतेषु च नभःस्थलम् । विमुक्तो ऽसौ सरस्वत्या स्वां सञ्ज्ञां च ततो गतः ।। ७.१०.
When Brahmā and the gods had gone to the sky, he was released by Sarasvatī and regained his own awareness.
कुम्भकर्णस्तु दुष्टात्मा चिन्तयामास दुःखितः । ईदृशं किमिदं वाक्यं ममाद्य वदनाच्च्युतम् ।। ७.१०.
But Kumbhakarṇa, of wicked mind, became troubled and thought: 'What is this strange speech that has just fallen from my lips?'
अहं व्यामोहितो देवैरिति मन्ये तदा ऽ ऽगतैः । एवं लब्धवराः सर्वे भ्रातरो दीप्ततेजसः । श्लेष्मातकवनं गत्वा तत्र ते न्यवसन्सुखम् ।। ७.१०.
'I believe I was deluded by the gods who were present then.' Thus, all the brothers, blazing with energy, having obtained their boons, went to the Śleṣmātaka grove and dwelled there happily.
सुमाली वरलब्धांस्तु ज्ञात्वा चैतान्निशाचरान् । उदतिष्ठद्भयं त्यक्त्वा सानुगः स रसातलात् ।। ७.११.
Sumālī, learning that these night-wanderers had obtained boons, rose up from the netherworld with his followers, casting off fear.
मारीचश्च प्रहस्तश्च विरूपाक्षो महोदरः । उदतिष्ठन्सुसंरब्धाः सचिवास्तस्य रक्षसः ।। ७.११.
Mārīca, Prahasta, Virūpākṣa, and Mahodara—those ministers of the Rākṣasa—also rose up, greatly excited.
सुमाली सचिवैः सार्धं वृतो राक्षसपुङ्गवैः । अभिगम्य दशग्रीवं परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत् ।। ७.११.
Sumālī, surrounded by his ministers and the foremost Rākṣasas, approached Daśagrīva and embraced him, saying these words:
दिष्ट्या ते वत्स सम्प्राप्तश्चिन्तितो ऽयं मनोरथः । यस्त्वं त्रिभुवनश्रेष्ठाल्लब्धवान्वरमुत्तमम् ।। ७.११.
'By fortune, my child, this cherished desire has been fulfilled: you have obtained the supreme boon from the lord of the three worlds.'
यत्कृते च वयं लङ्कां त्यकत्वा याता रसातलम् । तद्गतं नो महाबाहो महद्विष्णुकृतं भयम् ।। ७.११.
'Because of this, O mighty-armed one, we abandoned Laṅkā and went to the netherworld; that great fear caused by Viṣṇu has now passed from us.'
असकृत्तद्भयाद्भीताः परित्यज्य स्वमालयम् । विद्रुताः सहिताः सर्वे प्रविष्टाः स्म रसातलम् ।। ७.११.
'Many times, terrified by that fear, we all together abandoned our homes and fled, entering the netherworld.'
अस्मदीया च लङ्केयं नगरी राक्षसोचिता । निवेशिता तव भ्रात्रा धनाध्यक्षेण धीमता ।। ७.११.
'And this city of Laṅkā, suitable for Rākṣasas, was established by your brother, the wise Lord of Wealth.'
यदि नामात्र शक्यं स्यात्साम्ना दानेन वानघ । तरसा वा महाबाहो प्रत्यानेतुं कृतं भवेत् ।। ७.११.
'If, O sinless one, it is possible to regain it by conciliation, by gifts, or by force, O mighty-armed one, let it be done.'
त्वं तु लङ्केश्वरस्तात भविष्यसि न संशयः । त्वया राक्षसवंशो ऽयं निमग्नो ऽपि समुद्धृतः । सर्वेषां नः प्रभुश्चैव भविष्यसि महाबल ।। ७.११.
'You, my child, will surely become lord of Laṅkā; by you, this Rākṣasa lineage, though sunken, will be raised up, and you will be the master of us all, O mighty one.'
अथाब्रवीद्दशग्रीवो मातामहमुपस्थितम् । वित्तेशो गुरुरस्माकं नार्हसे वक्तुमीदृशम् ।। ७.११.
Then the ten-headed one spoke to his grandfather who had come near: 'Kubera is our teacher; you ought not to speak in this way.'
साम्नापि राक्षसेन्द्रेण प्रत्याख्यातो गरीयसा । किञ्चिन्नाह तदा रक्षो ज्ञात्वा तस्य चकीर्षितम् ।। ७.११.
Even when addressed with conciliation by the king of the Rākṣasas, he was refused by the illustrious one; at that time, the Rākṣasa, knowing his intention, said nothing.
कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य वसन्तं रावणं ततः । उक्तवन्तं तथा वाक्यं दशग्रीवं निशाचरः ।। ७.११.
Then, after some time had passed, as Rāvaṇa was residing there, the night-wanderer spoke such words to the ten-headed one.
प्रहस्तः प्रश्रितं वाक्यमिदमाह स कारणम् ।। ७.११.
Prahasta, with humility, spoke these words, giving the reason.
दशग्रीव महाबाहो नार्हस्त्वं वक्तुमीदृशम् । सौभ्रात्रं नास्ति शूराणां शृणु चेदं वचो मम ।। ७.११.
O ten-headed one, mighty-armed, you should not speak in this way; among the valiant, there is no brotherly affection—listen to these words of mine.
अदितिश्च दितिश्चैव भगिन्यौ सहिते हि ते । भार्ये परमरूपिण्यौ कश्यपस्य प्रजापतेः ।। ७.११.
Aditi and Diti, indeed, are sisters, both supremely beautiful wives of Kaśyapa, the lord of creatures.
अदितिर्जनयामास देवांस्त्रिभुवनेश्वरान् । दितिस्त्वजनयत्पुत्रान्कश्यपस्यात्मसम्भवान् ।। ७.११.
Aditi gave birth to the gods, the rulers of the three worlds; but Diti bore sons, the offspring of Kaśyapa himself.
दैत्यानां किल धर्मज्ञ पुरीयं सवनार्णवा । सपर्वता मही वीर ते ऽभवन्प्रभविष्णवः ।। ७.११.
It is said, O knower of righteousness, that this earth with its oceans and mountains was once ruled by the powerful Daityas.
निहत्य तांस्तु समरे विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना । देवानां वशमानीतं त्रैलोक्यमिदमव्ययम् ।। ७.११.
But when those Daityas were slain in battle by Viṣṇu, the mighty one, this imperishable threefold world was brought under the dominion of the gods.
नैतदेको भवानेव करिष्यति विपर्ययम् । सुरासुरैराचरितं तत्कुरुष्व वचो मम ।। ७.११.
You alone will not bring about a reversal of this; what has been done by gods and demons—do you follow my advice.
एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवः प्रहृष्टेनान्तरात्मना । चिन्तयित्वा मुहूर्तं वै बाढमित्येव सो ऽब्रवीत् ।। ७.११.
Thus addressed, the ten-headed one, delighted in his heart, after pondering for a moment, said, 'So be it.'
स तु तेनैव हर्षेण तस्मिन्नहनि वीर्यवान् । वनं गतो दशग्रीवः सह तैः क्षणदाचरैः ।। ७.११.
Then, filled with that same joy, the valiant ten-headed one went to the forest that very day, together with those night-wanderers.
त्रिकूटस्थः स तु तदा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । प्रेषयामास दौत्येन प्रहस्तं वाक्यकोविदम् ।। ७.११.
Then, while staying on Trikūṭa, the ten-headed night-wanderer sent Prahasta, skilled in speech, as a messenger.
प्रहस्त शीघ्रं गच्छ त्वं ब्रूहि नैर्ऋतपुङ्गवम् । वचसा मम वित्तेशं सामपूर्वमिदं वचः ।। ७.११.
'Prahasta, go quickly and speak to the foremost among the Nairṛtas; say these words of mine to Kubera, first with conciliation.'
इयं लङ्का पुरी राजन्राक्षसानां महात्मनाम् । त्वया निवेशिता सौम्य नैतद्युक्तं तवानघ ।। ७.११.
'This city of Laṅkā, O king, of the great-souled Rākṣasas, was established by you, gentle one; this is not fitting for you, O faultless one.'