तन्न खल्वेष ते सौम्य पात्यो रावणमूर्धनि । नह्यस्मिन्पतिते कश्चिन्मुहूर्तमपि जीवति ।। ७.२२.
Therefore, gentle one, this staff must not fall upon Ravana's head; for when it falls, no one survives even for a moment.
यदि ह्यन्मिन्निपतिते न म्रियेतैष राक्षसः । म्रियते वा दशग्रीवस्तदाप्युभयतो ऽनृतम् ।। ७.२२.
If, when this staff falls, this Rakshasa does not die, or if ten-headed Ravana does die, in either case, my word would be made false.
तन्निवर्तय लङ्केशं द्दण्डमेतं समुद्यतम् । सत्यं च मां कुरुष्वाद्य लोकांस्त्वं यद्यवेक्षसे ।। ७.२२.
Therefore, withdraw this upraised staff from the lord of Lanka, and uphold my truth today, if you care for the worlds.
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा प्रत्युवाच यमस्तदा । एष व्यावर्तितो दण्डः प्रभविष्णुर्हि नो भवान् ।। ७.२२.
Thus addressed, the righteous Yama replied, 'This staff is withdrawn, for you, O Lord, are indeed supreme over us.'
किं न्विदानीं मया शक्यं कर्तुं रणगतेन हि । न मया यद्ययं शक्यो हन्तुं वरपुरस्कृतः ।। ७.२२.
What, then, can I do now, having come to the battlefield? If I am unable to slay him because of the boon, then nothing can be done by me.
एष तस्मात्प्रणश्यामि दर्शनादस्य रक्षसः । इत्युक्त्वा सरथः साश्वस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत ।। ७.२२.
Therefore, I shall vanish from the sight of this Rakshasa; having said this, he disappeared there itself, along with his chariot and horses.
दशग्रीवस्तु तं जित्वा नाम विश्राव्य चात्मनः । आरुह्य पुष्पकं भूयो निष्क्रान्तो यमसादनात् ।। ७.२२.
But Ravana, having defeated him and proclaimed his own name, mounted the Pushpaka and departed again from Yama's abode.
स तु वैवस्वतो देवैः सह ब्रह्मपुरोगमैः । जगाम त्रिदिवं हृष्टो नारदश्च महामुनिः ।। ७.२२.
Then Vaivasvata, together with the gods led by Brahma, joyfully went to heaven, as did the great sage Narada.
ततो जित्वा दशग्रीवो यमं त्रिदशपुङ्गवम् । रावणस्तु रणश्लाघी स्वसहायान्ददर्श ह ।। ७.२३.
Having thus defeated Yama, the foremost among the gods, Ravana, proud of his prowess in battle, looked upon his own companions.
ततो रुधिरसिक्ताङ्गं प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतम् । रावणं राक्षसा दृष्ट्वा ह्यष्टवत् समुपागमन् ।। ७.२३.
Then the Rakshasas, seeing Ravana with his body drenched in blood and battered by blows, approached him with affection.
जयेन वर्धयित्वा च मारीचप्रमुखास्ततः । पुष्पकं भेजिरे सर्वे सान्त्विता रावणेन तु ।। ७.२३.
After congratulating him on his victory, Maricha and the others boarded the Pushpaka, all comforted by Ravana.
ततो रसातलं गच्छन् प्रविष्टः पयसां निधिम् । दैत्योरगगणाध्युष्टं वरुणेन सुरक्षितम् ।। ७.२३.
Then, descending to the netherworld, he entered the ocean, inhabited by hosts of Daityas and serpents, and guarded by Varuṇa.
स तु भोगवतीं गत्वा पुरीं वासुकिपालिताम् । कृत्वा नागान्वशे हृष्टो ययौ मणिमयीं पुरीम् ।। ७.२३.
He went to the city of Bhogavatī, ruled by Vāsuki; having subdued the serpents, he joyfully proceeded to the jeweled city.
निवातकवचास्तत्र दैत्या लब्धवरा वसन् । राक्षसान्तान्समागम्य युद्धाय समुपाह्वयत् ।। ७.२३.
There, the Nivātakavaca Daityas, who had obtained boons, dwelled; gathering the Rākṣasas, they summoned them to battle.
ते तु सर्वे सुविक्रान्ता दैतेया बलशालिनः । नानाप्रहरणास्तत्र प्रहृष्टा युद्धदुर्मदाः ।। ७.२३.
All those Daiteyas were exceedingly valiant and strong, equipped with various weapons, exultant and intoxicated by the prospect of war.
शूलैस्त्रिशूलैः कुलिशैः पट्टिशासिपरश्वधैः । अन्योन्यं बिभिदुः क्रुद्धा राक्षसा दानवास्तथा ।। ७.२३.
With spears, tridents, thunderbolts, pikes, swords, and axes, the enraged Rākṣasas and Dānavas struck each other.
तेषां तु युध्यमानानां साग्रः संवत्सरो गतः । न चान्यतरयोस्तत्र विजयो वा क्षयो ऽपि वा ।। ७.२३.
As they fought, a full year passed, yet neither side achieved victory nor suffered destruction.
ततः पितामहस्तत्र त्रैलोक्यगतिरव्ययः । आजगाम द्रुतं देवो विमानवरमास्थितः ।। ७.२३.
Then, the Grandfather, the imperishable refuge of the three worlds, arrived swiftly, the god mounted on a splendid aerial chariot.
निवातकवचानां तु निवार्य रणकर्म तत् । वृद्धः पितामहो वाक्यमुवाच विदितार्थवत् ।। ७.२३.
The aged Grandfather restrained the battle of the Nivātakavacas there, and spoke words full of meaning.
नह्ययं रावणो युद्धे शक्यो जेतुं सुरासुरैः । न भवन्तः क्षयं नेतुमपि सामरदानवैः ।। ७.२३.
Neither the gods nor the Asuras can defeat Rāvaṇa in battle, nor can you be destroyed, even with the Devas and Dānavas allied.
राक्षसस्य सखित्वं च भवद्भिः सह रोचते । अविभक्ताश्च सर्वार्थाः सुहृदां नात्र संशयः ।। ७.२३.
It is fitting that you form a friendship with the Rākṣasa; in all matters, friends are inseparable—of this there is no doubt.
ततो ऽग्निसाक्षिकं सख्यं कृतवांस्तत्र रावणः । निवातकवचैः सार्धं प्रीतिमानभवत्तदा ।। ७.२३.
Then Rāvaṇa, together with the Nivātakavacas, made a pact of friendship with fire as witness, and was pleased.
अर्थतस्तैर्यथान्यायं संवत्सरमथोषितः । स्वपुरान्निर्विशेषं च प्रियं प्राप्तो दशाननः ।। ७.२३.
Having dwelled with them for a year as was proper, Daśānana returned to his city, having received their full affection.
ततोपधार्य मायानां शतमेकं समाप्तवान् । सलिलेन्द्रपुरान्वेषी भ्रमति स्म रसातलम् ।। ७.२३.
Then, having discerned a hundred kinds of illusions, he wandered through the netherworld seeking the cities of the lord of waters.
ततो ऽश्मनगरं नाम कालकेयैरधिष्ठितम् । गत्वा तु कालकेयांश्च हत्वा तत्र बलोत्कटान् ।। ७.२३.
He then went to the city of stone, inhabited by the Kālakeyas, and there slew the mighty Kālakeyas.
शूर्पणख्याश्च भर्तारमसिना प्राच्छिनत्तदा । श्यालं च बलवन्तं च विद्युज्जिह्वं बलोत्कटम् । जिह्वया संलिहन्तं च राक्षसं समरे तथा ।। ७.२३.
He then struck down with his sword the husband of Śūrpaṇakhā, as well as his powerful brother-in-law, Vidyujjihva, who was licking a Rākṣasa in battle with his tongue.
तं विजित्य मुहूर्तेन जघ्ने दैत्यांश्चतुःशतम् ।। ७.२३.
Having conquered him in a moment, he slew four hundred Daityas.
ततः पाण्डुरमेघाभं कैलासमिव भास्वरम् । वरुणस्यालयं दिव्यमपश्यद्राक्षसाधिपः ।। ७.२३.
Then the lord of the Rākṣasas beheld the divine abode of Varuṇa, shining like Mount Kailāsa and resembling a pale cloud.
क्षरन्तीं च पयस्तत्र सुरभिं गामवस्थिताम् । यस्याः पयोभिनिष्यन्दात्क्षीरोदो नाम सागरः ।। ७.२३.
There he saw Surabhi, the cow, standing and pouring forth milk, from whose abundant flow the ocean called Kṣīroda arose.
ददर्श रावणस्तत्र गोवृषेन्द्रवरारणिम् । यस्माच्चन्द्रः प्रभवति शीतरश्मिर्निशाकरः ।। ७.२३.
There Ravana saw the supreme wish-fulfilling cow, the best among bulls, the wondrous churner, from whom the moon, the cool-rayed lord of night, arises.