धन्यः खलु भवान्येन ज्येष्ठो भ्राता रणे जितः । न त्वया सदृशः श्लाध्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते ।। ७.१८.
Truly fortunate are you, by whom your elder brother was conquered in battle; but there is no one in the three worlds worthy of praise like you.
नाधर्मसहितं श्लाध्यं तल्लोकं प्रतिसंहितम् । कर्म दौरात्म्यकं कृत्वा श्लाघ्यसे भ्रातृनिर्जयात् ।। ७.१८.
That which is joined with unrighteousness is not praiseworthy in the world; having committed a wicked deed, you boast of conquering your brother.
क त्वं प्राक्केवलं धर्मं चरित्वा लब्धवान्वरम् । श्रूतपूर्वं हि न मया भाषसे यादृशं स्वयम् ।। ७.१८.
Who are you, who, having formerly practiced only righteousness, obtained a boon? For I have never heard before one speak as you do.
तिष्ठेदानीं न मे जीवन्प्रतियास्यसि दुर्मते । अद्य त्वां निशितैर्बाणैः प्रेषयामि यमक्षयम् ।। ७.१८.
Now you shall not escape alive, O wicked-minded one; today I will send you to the abode of Yama with sharp arrows.
ततः शरासनं गृह्य सायकांश्च नराधिपः । रणाय निर्ययौ क्रुद्धः संवर्तो मार्गमावृणोत् ।। ७.१८.
Then the king, seizing his bow and arrows, went out angrily for battle; Saṃvarta blocked his path.
सो ऽब्रवीत्स्नेहसंयुक्तं मरुत्तं तं महानृषिः । श्रोतव्यं यदि मद्वाक्यं सम्प्रहारो न ते क्षमः ।। ७.१८.
That great sage, with affection, said to Marutta, 'If you are willing to listen to my words, combat is not suitable for you.'
माहेश्वरमिदं सत्रमसमाप्तं कुलं दहेत् ।। ७.१८.
This sacrifice of Maheśvara, if unfinished, would destroy the lineage.
दीक्षितस्य कुतो युद्धं क्रोधित्वं दीक्षिते कुतः । संशयश्च जये नित्यं राक्षसश्च सुदुर्जयः ।। ७.१८.
How can one who is consecrated fight? How can one who is consecrated become angry? There is always doubt in victory, and the rākṣasa is very difficult to conquer.
स निवृत्तो गुरोर्वाक्यान्मरुत्तः पृथिवीपतिः । विसृज्य सशरं चापं स्वस्थो मखमुखो ऽभवत् ।। ७.१८.
Thus instructed by his teacher, King Marutta withdrew, set aside his bow and arrows, and calmly resumed the sacrifice.
ततस्तं निर्जितं मत्वा घोषयामास वै शुकः । रावणो जयतीत्युच्चैर्हर्षान्नादं विमुक्तवान् ।। ७.१८.
Then Śuka, thinking him defeated, loudly proclaimed, 'Rāvaṇa is victorious!' and Rāvaṇa, in delight, let out a great roar.
तान्भक्षयित्वा तत्रस्थान्महर्षीन्यज्ञमागतान् । वितृप्तो रुधिरैस्तेषां पुनः सम्प्रययौ महीम् ।। ७.१८.
Having devoured the great sages present at the sacrifice, Rāvaṇa, satisfied with their blood, again departed for the earth.
रावणे तु गते देवाः सेन्द्राश्चैव दिवौकसः । ततः स्वां योनिमासाद्य तानि सत्त्वानि चाब्रुवन् ।। ७.१८.
When Rāvaṇa had departed, the gods along with Indra and the celestial beings, having returned to their own abodes, spoke these words to their respective creations.
हर्षात्तदाब्रवीदिन्द्रो मयूरं नीलबर्हिणम् । प्रीतो ऽस्मि तव धर्मज्ञ भुजङ्गाद्धि न ते भयम् ।। ७.१८.
Then, out of joy, Indra spoke to the peacock with the blue-green tail: 'O knower of righteousness, I am pleased with you; you need not fear serpents.'
इदं नेत्रसहस्रं तु यत्त्वद्बर्हे भविष्यति । वर्षमाणे मयि मुदं प्राप्स्यसे प्रीतिलक्षणाम् । एवमिन्द्रो वरं प्रादान्मयूरस्य सुरेश्वरः ।। ७.१८.
'This thousand-eyed pattern will appear upon your tail-feathers; whenever it rains because of me, you will experience joy marked by delight.' Thus did Indra, lord of the gods, grant a boon to the peacock.
नीलाः किल पुरा बर्हा मयूराणां नराधिप । सुराधिपाद्वरं प्राप्य गताः सर्वे ऽपि बर्हिणः ।। ७.१८.
O king, formerly the tail-feathers of peacocks were blue; but having received the boon from the lord of the gods, all peacocks gained their present appearance.
धर्मराजो ऽब्रवीद्राम प्राग्वंशे वायसं स्थितम् । पक्षिंस्तवास्मि सुप्रीतः प्रीतस्य वचनं शृणु ।। ७.१८.
Dharma-rāja then spoke to the crow, who stood in the ancestral line: 'O bird, I am well pleased with you; listen to the words of one who is pleased.'
यथान्ये विविधै रोगै; पीड्यन्ते प्राणिनो मया । ते न ते प्रभविष्यन्ति मयि प्रीते न संशयः ।। ७.१८.
'Just as other beings are afflicted by various diseases through me, so shall you not be overcome by them, for I am pleased with you—of this there is no doubt.'
मृत्युतस्ते भयं नास्ति वरान्मम विहङ्गम । यावत्त्वां न वधिष्यन्ति नरास्तावद्भविष्यसि ।। ७.१८.
'O bird, you need not fear death from me because of my boon; as long as men do not kill you, so long shall you live.'
एते मद्विषयस्था वै मानवाः क्षुद्भयार्दिताः । त्वयि भुक्ते तु तृप्तास्ते भविष्यन्ति सबान्धवाः ।। ७.१८.
'These men who dwell in my domain, afflicted by hunger and fear, when you have eaten, they and their kin shall become satisfied.'
वरुणस्त्वब्रवीद्धंसं गङ्गातोयविहारिणम् । श्रूयतां प्रीतिसंयुक्तं वचः पत्ररथेश्वर ।। ७.१८.
Then Varuṇa spoke to the swan, who delights in the waters of the Ganges: 'Hear these words, filled with affection, O lord of those who ride upon wings.'
वर्णो मनोहरः सौम्यश्चन्द्रमण्डलसन्निभः । भविष्यति तवोदग्रः शुद्धफेनसमप्रभः ।। ७.१८.
'Your splendid color, gentle and beautiful as the orb of the moon, shall become prominent, shining like pure foam.'
मच्छरीरं समासाद्य कान्तो नित्यं भविष्यसि । प्राप्स्यसे चातुलां प्रीतिमेतन्मे प्रीतिलक्षणम् ।। ७.१८.
'By coming into contact with my body, you shall always be charming, and you will attain unsurpassed delight—this is the mark of my favor.'
हंसानां हि पुरा राम नीलवर्णः सपाण्डुरः । पक्षा नीलाग्रसंवीताः क्रोडाः शष्पाग्रनिर्मलाः ।। ७.१८.
O Rāma, formerly the swans were blue with some white; their wings were edged with blue, their breasts pure as the tips of grass.
अथाब्रवीद्वैश्रवणः कृकलासं गिरौ स्थितम् । हैरण्यं सम्प्रयच्छामि वर्णं प्रीतस्तवाप्यहम् ।। ७.१८.
Then Vaiśravaṇa spoke to the heron dwelling on the mountain: 'I am pleased with you and grant you a golden color.'
सद्रव्यं च शिरो नित्यं भविष्यति तवाक्षयम् । एष काञ्चनको वर्णो मत्प्रीत्या ते भविष्यति ।। ७.१८.
'Your head, along with its crest, shall always be endowed with substance and never diminish; this golden hue will be yours because of my favor.'
एवं दत्त्वा वरांस्तेभ्यस्तस्मिन्यज्ञोत्सवे सुराः । निवृत्ताः सह राज्ञा ते पुनः स्वभवनं गताः ।। ७.१८.
Thus, having granted boons to them at that sacrificial festival, the gods, along with the king, returned again to their own abodes.
अथ जित्वा मरुत्तं स प्रययौ राक्षसाधिपः । नगराणि नरेन्द्राणां युद्धकाङ्क्षी दशाननः ।। ७.१९.
Then, having defeated Marutta, the lord of the Rākṣasas, eager for battle, set out for the cities of the kings.
समासाद्य तु राजेन्द्रान्महेन्द्रवरुणोपमान् । अब्रवीद्राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु युद्धं मे दीयतामिति ।। ७.१९.
Approaching the foremost of kings, equal to Mahendra and Varuṇa, the lord of the Rākṣasas said: 'Grant me battle.'
निर्जिताः स्मेति वा ब्रूत एष मे हि सुनिश्चयः । अन्यथा कुर्वतामेवं मोक्षो नैवोपपद्यते ।। ७.१९.
'Say either that you have been defeated by me, for this is my firm resolve; otherwise, if you act differently, release will not be possible.'
ततस्त्वभीरवः प्राज्ञाः पार्थिवा धर्मनिश्चयाः । मन्त्रयित्वा ततो ऽन्योन्यं राजानः सुमहाबलाः । निर्जिताः स्मेत्यभाषन्त ज्ञात्वा वरबलं रिपोः ।। ७.१९.
Then those wise and righteous kings, after consulting together, knowing the enemy's superior strength, said, 'We have been defeated.'