त्रैलोक्ये नास्ति यो द्वन्द्वं मम दद्यान्नराधिप । शङ्के प्रसक्तो भोगेषु न शृणोषि बलं मम ।। ७.१९.
'There is no one in the three worlds, O king of men, who could stand against me in single combat; I suspect you are too attached to pleasures and do not recognize my strength.'
तस्यैवं ब्रुवतो राजा मन्दासुर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किं शक्यमिह कर्तुं वै कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ।। ७.१९.
To him speaking thus, the king, his senses dulled, replied: 'What can be done here? For time is impossible to overcome.'
नह्यहं निर्जितो रक्षस्त्वया चात्मप्रशंसिना । कालेनैव विपन्नो ऽहं हेतुभूतस्तु मे भवान् ।। ७.१९.
'I have not been defeated by you, O self-praising Rākṣasa; it is by time alone that I have fallen, and you are merely the occasion.'
किं त्विदानीं मया शक्यं कर्तुं प्राणपरिक्षये । नह्यहं विमुखी रक्षो युध्यमानस्त्वया हतः ।। ७.१९.
'What indeed can I do now, as my life comes to its end? I have not turned away in battle, nor have I been slain by you while fleeing.'
इक्ष्वाकुपरिभावित्वाद्वचो वक्ष्यामि राक्षस । यदि दत्तं यदि हुतं यदि मे सुकृतं तपः ७.१९.
'Out of respect for the Ikṣvāku line, I will speak these words to you, O Rākṣasa: if I have given, if I have offered, if I have performed good austerities—'
उत्पत्स्यते कुले ह्यस्मिन्निक्ष्वाकूणां महात्मनाम् । रामो दाशरथिर्नाम यस्ते प्राणान्हरिष्यति ।। ७.१९.
'Then, in this very lineage of the great-souled Ikṣvākus, a son named Rāma, son of Daśaratha, will be born—he will take your life.'
ततो जलधरोदग्रस्ताडितो देवदुन्दुभिः । तस्मिन्नुदाहृते शापे पुष्पवृष्टिश्च खाच्च्युता ।। ७.१९.
Then, as that curse was uttered, divine drums sounded, struck by the gods, and a rain of flowers fell from the sky.
ततः स राजा राजेन्द्र गतः स्थानं त्रिविष्टपम् । स्वर्गते च नृपे तस्मिन्राक्षसः सो ऽपसर्पत ।। ७.१९.
After that, the king, lord of kings, went to the realm of the gods; and when the king had ascended to heaven, the Rākṣasa withdrew.
ततो वित्रासयन्मर्त्यान्पृथिव्यां राक्षसाधिपः । आससाद घने तस्मिन्नारदं मुनिपुङ्गवम् ।। ७.२०.
Then, the lord of the Rākṣasas, terrifying mortals on earth, encountered Nārada, the foremost of sages, in a dense cloud.
तस्याभिवादनं कृत्वा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । अब्रवीत्कुशलं पृष्ट्वा हेतुमागमनस्य च ।। ७.२०.
Having offered his respects and inquired after his welfare and the reason for his coming, Daśagrīva, the night-wanderer, spoke to him.
नारदस्तु महातेजा देवर्षिरमितप्रभः । अब्रवीन्मेघपृष्ठस्थो रावणं पुष्पके स्थितम् ।। ७.२०.
Nārada, the great and radiant sage among the gods, standing upon a cloud, addressed Rāvaṇa, who was seated in the Puṣpaka chariot.
राक्षसाधिपते सौम्य तिष्ठ विश्रवसः सुत । प्रीतो ऽस्म्यभिजनोपेतविक्रमैरूर्जितैस्तव ।। ७.२०.
'O gentle lord of the Rākṣasas, son of Viśravas, remain here; I am pleased with your noble lineage and your mighty deeds.'
विष्णुना दैत्यघातैश्च गन्धर्वोरगधर्षणैः । त्वया समं विमर्दैश्च भृशं हि परितोषितः ।। ७.२०.
'By your battles with Viṣṇu, your slaying of Daityas, your harassment of Gandharvas and serpents, and your contests, I am greatly satisfied.'
किंचिद्वक्ष्यामि तावत्ते श्रोतव्यं श्रोष्यसे यदि । श्रुत्वा चानन्तरं कार्यं त्वया राक्षससत्तम । तन्मे निगदतस्तात समाधिं श्रवणे कुरु ।। ७.२०.
'I will now tell you something, which you should hear, if you are willing to listen; and after hearing, you must act accordingly, O best of Rākṣasas. Therefore, my son, focus your mind and listen as I speak.'
किमयं वध्यते तात त्वया ऽवध्येन दैवतैः । हत एव ह्ययं लोको यदा मृत्युवशं गतः ।। ७.२०.
'My son, can this one be slain by you, when he is protected by the gods? Indeed, the world is already destroyed when it has fallen under the sway of death.'
्तम । देवदानवदैत्यानां यक्षगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् । अवध्येन त्वया लोकः क्लेष्टुं युक्तो न मानुषः ।। ७.२०.
You are fit to trouble the world, being invulnerable to gods, asuras, daityas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and rākṣasas, but not to humans.
नित्यं श्रेयसि सम्मूढं महद्भिर्व्यसनैर्वृतम् । हन्यात्कस्तादृशं लोकं जराव्याधिशतैर्युतम् ।। ७.२०.
Who would destroy such a world, always deluded regarding the highest good, surrounded by great misfortunes, and afflicted by countless diseases and old age?
तैस्तैरनिष्टोपगमैरजस्रं यत्र कुत्र कः । मतिमान्मानुषे लोके युद्धेन प्रणयी भवेत् ।। ७.२०.
In this human world, constantly beset everywhere by various misfortunes, who, being wise, would desire conflict?
क्षीयमाणं दैवहतं श्रुत्पिपासाजरादिभिः । विषादशोकसम्मूढं लोकं त्वं क्षपयस्व मा ।। ७.२०.
Do not destroy this world, which is wasting away, struck by fate, afflicted by hunger, thirst, old age, and confusion from sorrow and grief.
पश्य तावन्महाबाहो राक्षसेश्वर मानुषम् । मूढमेवं विचित्रार्थं यस्य न ज्ञायते गतिः ।। ७.२०.
Behold, O mighty-armed lord of rākṣasas, this human race is deluded and bewildering in its ways, its course unknown.
क्वचिद्वादित्रनृत्यादि सेव्यते मुदितैर्जनैः । रुद्यते चापरैरार्तैर्धाराश्रुनयनाननैः ।। ७.२०.
At times, some people delight in music and dance, while others, distressed, weep with streams of tears flowing from their eyes.
मातापितृसुतस्नेहैर्भार्याबन्धुमनोरमैः । मोहितो ऽयं जनो ध्वस्तः क्लेशं स्वं नावबुध्यते ।। ७.२०.
This people, enchanted by affection for mother, father, children, wife, relatives, and pleasures of the mind, is ruined and does not perceive its own suffering.
अलमेनं परिक्लिश्य लोकं मोहनिराकृतम् । जित एव त्वया सौम्य मर्त्यलोको न संशयः ।। ७.२०.
Enough of tormenting this world, which is overcome by delusion; O gentle one, the mortal world is already conquered by you, without doubt.
अवश्यमेभिः सर्वैश्च गन्तव्यं यमसादनम् । तन्निगृह्णीष्व पौलस्त्य यमं परपुरञ्जय ।। ७.२०.
All must inevitably go to the abode of Yama; therefore, O Paulastya, subdue Yama, O conqueror of enemy cities.
तस्मिञ्जिते जितं सर्वं भवत्येव न संशयः । एवमुक्तस्तु लङ्केशो दीप्यमानं स्वतेजसा । अब्रवीन्नारदं तत्र सम्प्रहस्याभिवाद्य च ।। ७.२०.
When he is conquered, all is indeed conquered, without doubt. Thus addressed, the lord of Lanka, blazing with his own splendor, smiled, saluted Nārada, and spoke there.
महर्षे देवगन्धर्वविहार समरप्रिय । अहं समुद्यतो गन्तुं विजयार्थं रसातलम् ।। ७.२०.
O great sage, lover of battle and the pleasures of gods and gandharvas, I am now resolved to go to the netherworld for the sake of victory.
ततो लोकत्रयं जित्वा स्थाप्य नागान्सुरान्वशे । समुद्रममृतार्थं च मथिष्यामि रसालयम् ।। ७.२०.
Then, having conquered the three worlds and brought the nāgas and gods under my control, I will churn the ocean for the sake of nectar.
अथाब्रवीदृशग्रीवं नारदो भगवानृषिः । क्व खल्विदानीं मार्गेण त्वया ह्यन्येन गम्यते ।। ७.२०.
Then the venerable sage Nārada said to the ten-headed one: By what path, indeed, are you now proceeding?
अयं खलु सुदुर्गम्यः प्रेतराजपुरं प्रति । मार्गो गच्छति दुर्धर्षो यमस्यामित्रकर्शन ।। ७.२०.
This path, leading to the city of the lord of the dead, is indeed very difficult to traverse, O subduer of enemies, and hard to overcome.
स तु शारदमेघाभं हासं मुक्त्वा दशाननः । उवाच कृतमित्येव वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। ७.२०.
Then Daśānana, releasing a smile like an autumn cloud, said, 'It is done,' and spoke these words.