किमिदं वर्तसे भद्रे विरुद्धं यौवनस्य ते । नहि युक्ता तवैतस्य रूपस्यैव प्रति क्रिया ।। ७.१७.
'Why, O gentle one, do you live in a way contrary to your youth? This practice does not suit your beauty at all.'
रूपं ते ऽनुपमं भीरु कामोन्मादकरं नृणाम् । न युक्तं तपसि स्थातुं निर्गतो ह्येष निर्णयः ।। ७.१७.
'Your beauty, O timid one, is incomparable, stirring passion in men; it is not fitting for you to remain in asceticism—this is the clear conclusion.'
कस्यासि किमिदं भद्रे कश्च भर्ता वरानने । येन सम्भुज्यसे भीरु स नरः पुण्यभाग्भुवि ।। ७.१७.
'Whose daughter are you, O gentle one? Who is your husband, O lovely-faced? The man who enjoys you, O timid one, is truly fortunate on earth.'
पृच्छतः शंस मे सर्वं कस्य हेतोः परिश्रमः । एवमुक्ता तु सा कन्या रावणेन यशस्विनी ।। ७.१७.
'Tell me everything, as I ask: for what reason do you undertake this austerity?' Thus addressed by Rāvaṇa, the illustrious maiden—
अब्रवीद्विधिवत्कृत्वा तस्यातिथ्यं तपोधना । कुशध्वजो मम पिता ब्रह्मर्षिरमितप्रभः । बृहस्पतिसुतः श्रीमान्बुद्ध्या तुल्यो बृहस्पतेः ।। ७.१७.
Having offered him hospitality according to custom, the ascetic maiden said: 'Kuśadhvaja is my father, a Brahmarṣi of boundless radiance, son of Bṛhaspati, illustrious and equal to Bṛhaspati in wisdom.'
तस्याहं कुर्वतो नित्यं वेदाभ्यासं महात्मनः । सम्भूय वाङ्मयी कन्या नाम्ना वेदवती स्मृता ।। ७.१७.
'As he, the great-souled one, constantly practiced recitation of the Vedas, I was born as his daughter from his speech, and am known by the name Vedavatī.'
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वा यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः । ते ऽपि गत्वा हि पितरं वरणं रोचयन्ति मे ।। ७.१७.
'Then, gods with Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and serpents, all came to my father, seeking me in marriage.'
न च मां स पिता तेभ्यो दत्तवान्राक्षसर्षभ । कारणं तद्वदिष्यामि निशाचर निशामय ।। ७.१७.
Nor did my father give me to them, O foremost of the rākṣasas. I will tell you the reason for this, O night-wanderer, listen.
पितुस्तु मम जामाता विष्णुः किल सुरेश्वरः । अभिप्रेतस्त्रिलोकेशस्तस्मान्नान्यस्य मे पिता ।। ७.१७.
My father's son-in-law is Viṣṇu, indeed the lord of the gods; he is desired by the ruler of the three worlds, therefore I have no other father.
दातुमिच्छति तस्मै तु तच्छ्रुत्वा बलदर्पितः । दम्भुर्नाम ततो राजा दैत्यानां कुपितो ऽभवत् ।। ७.१७.
Wishing to give me to him, upon hearing this, Dambha, the king of the daityas, proud of his strength, became enraged.
तेन रात्रौ शयानो मे पिता पापेन हिंसितः ।। ७.१७.
While my father lay sleeping at night, he was harmed by that wicked one.
ततो मे जननी दीना तच्छरीरं पितुर्मम । परिष्वज्य महाभागा प्रविष्टा हव्यवाहनम् ।। ७.१७.
Then my mother, distressed, embraced my father's body, and the noble lady entered the sacrificial fire.
ततो मनोरथं सत्यं पितुर्नारायणं प्रति । करोमीति तमेवाहं हृदयेन समुद्वहे ।। ७.१७.
Then, I made a true vow regarding my father to Nārāyaṇa: 'I will fulfill this,' and I carried it in my heart.
इति प्रतिज्ञामारुह्य चरामि विपुलं तपः । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मया राक्षसपुङ्गव ।। ७.१७.
Having made this pledge, I practice intense austerity. All this has been told to you by me, O foremost of rākṣasas.
नारायणो मम पतिर्न त्वन्यः पुरुषोत्तमात् । आश्रये नियमं घोरं नारायणपरीप्सया । विज्ञातस्त्वं हि मे राजन्गच्छ पौलस्त्यनन्दन ।। ७.१७.
Nārāyaṇa is my husband, not anyone other than the supreme person. I observe severe vows out of desire for Nārāyaṇa. You are known to me, O king; go, O son of Pulastya.
जानामि तपसा सर्वं त्रैलोक्ये यद्धि वर्तते ।। ७.१७.
Through austerity, I know everything that happens in the three worlds.
सो ऽब्रवीद्रावणो भूयस्तां कन्यां सुमहाव्रताम् । अवरुह्य विमानाग्रात्कन्दर्पशरपीडितः ।। ७.१७.
Then Rāvaṇa again spoke to that maiden of great vows, descending from the top of his aerial chariot, afflicted by the arrows of Kāma.
अवलिप्ता ऽसि सुश्रोणि यस्यास्ते मतिरीदृशी । वृद्धानां मृगशावाक्षि भ्राजते पुण्यसञ्चयः ।। ७.१७.
You are proud, O lovely-hipped one, whose mind is thus. Among the elders, O fawn-eyed one, your store of merit shines.
त्वं सर्वंगुणसम्पन्ना नार्हसे वक्तुमीदृशम् । त्रैलोक्यसुन्दरी भीरु यौवनं ते निवर्तते ।। ७.१७.
You are endowed with all virtues; you should not speak in this way. O beautiful one of the three worlds, timid girl, your youth is passing.
अहं लङ्कापतिर्भद्रे दशग्रीव इति श्रुतः । तस्य मे भव भार्या त्वं भुङ्क्ष्व भोगान्यथासुखम् ।। ७.१७.
I am the lord of Laṅkā, O noble lady, known as Daśagrīva. Be my wife and enjoy pleasures as you wish.
कश्च तावदसौ यं त्वं विष्णुरित्यभिभाषसे । वीर्येण तपसा चैव भोगेन च बलेन च ७.१७.
Who is this whom you call Viṣṇu? In prowess, austerity, enjoyment, and strength—
इत्युक्तवति तस्मिंस्तु वेदवत्यथ सा ऽब्रवीत् ।। ७.१७.
When he had spoken thus, Vedavatī then replied.
ैव भोगेन च बलेन च ।। मा मैवमिति सा कन्या तमुवाच निशाचरम् । त्रैलोक्याधिपति विष्णुं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम् । त्वदृते राक्षसेन्द्रान्यः को ऽवमन्येत बुद्धिमान् ।। ७.१७.
In enjoyment and strength—do not speak so. Thus the maiden addressed the night-wanderer: 'Viṣṇu, lord of the three worlds, honored by all beings—who but you, O king of rākṣasas, would disregard him, being wise?'
एवमुक्तस्तया तत्र वेदवत्या निशाचरः । मूर्धजेषु तदा कन्यां कराग्रेण परामृशत् ।। ७.१७.
Thus addressed by Vedavatī, the night-wanderer then touched the maiden's hair with his hand.
ततो वेदवती क्रुद्धा केशान्हस्तेन सा ऽच्छिनत् । असिर्भूत्वा करस्तस्याः केशांश्छिन्नांस्तदा ऽकरोत् ।। ७.१७.
Then Vedavatī, enraged, cut her hair with her hand; her hand became a sword and cut off her hair.
सा ज्वलन्तीव रोषेण दहन्तीव निशाचरम् । उवाचाग्निं समाधाय मरणाय कृतत्वरा ।। ७.१७.
She, blazing with anger as if on fire, burning the night-demon with her fury, spoke after fixing her mind like fire, hastening toward death.
धर्षितायास्त्वयानार्य न मे जीवितमिष्यते । रक्षस्तस्मात्प्रवेक्ष्यामि पश्यतस्ते हुताशनम् ।। ७.१७.
Dishonored by you, O ignoble one, I no longer wish to live; therefore, demon, before your eyes I will enter the sacred fire.
यस्मात्तु धर्षिता चाहं त्वया पापात्मना वने । तस्मात्तव वधार्थं हि समुत्पत्स्ये ह्यहं पुनः ।। ७.१७.
Because I have been violated by you, wicked-souled, in the forest, therefore I shall be born again for your destruction.
न हि शक्यं स्त्रिया हन्तुं पुरुषः पापनिश्चः । शापे त्वयि मयोत्सृष्टे तपसश्च व्ययो भवेत् ।। ७.१७.
Indeed, a woman cannot kill a man whose mind is set on evil; if I were to curse you, my ascetic merit would be lost.
यदि त्वस्ति मया किञ्चित्कृतं दत्तं हुतं तथा । तस्मात्त्वयोनिजा साध्वी भवेयं धर्मिणः सुता ।। ७.१७.
If I have performed any act, given any gift, or offered any oblation, by that may I be born a virtuous daughter, not from a womb.