शोकदुःखभयत्रस्ता विह्वलाश्च सुमध्यमाः । तासां निश्वासवातेन सर्वतः सम्प्रदीपितम् ।। ७.२४.
Distressed by grief, sorrow, and fear, those lovely-waisted women were agitated; from their sighs, the air was stirred on all sides.
अग्निहोत्रमिवाभाति सन्निरुद्धाग्निपुष्पकम् । दशग्रीववशं प्राप्तास्तास्तु शोकाकुलाः स्त्रियः ।। ७.२४.
That Pushpaka chariot, with its fire suppressed, appeared like a sacrificial altar; those women, now under Rāvaṇa’s power, were overwhelmed by grief.
दीनवक्रेक्षणाः श्यामा मृग्यः सिंहवशा इव । काचिच्चिन्तयती तत्र किं नु मां भक्षयिष्यति ।। ७.२४.
With downcast, crooked glances, dark in complexion, like deer under the power of a lion, one among them thought, 'Will he devour me?'
काचिद्दध्यौ सुदुःखार्ता अपि मां मारयेदयम् । इति मातृपितऽन्स्मृत्वा भर्तऽन्भ्रातऽंस्तथैव च । दुःखशोकसमाविष्टा विलेपुः सहिताः स्त्रियः ।। ७.२४.
Another, deeply afflicted, thought, 'Perhaps he will kill me.' Remembering their mothers, fathers, husbands, and brothers, those women, overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, wept together.
कथं नु खलु मे पुत्रो भविष्यति मया विना । कथं माता कथं भ्राता निमग्नाः शोकसागरे ।। ७.२४.
How will my son fare without me? What of my mother, what of my brother, all plunged in the ocean of grief?
हा कथं नु करिष्यामि भर्तुस्तस्मादहं विना । मृत्यो प्रसादयामि त्वां नय मां दुःखभागिनीम् ।। ७.२४.
Alas, what shall I do, separated from my husband? O Death, I implore you, take me, who am burdened with suffering.
किन्नु तद्दुष्कृतं कर्म पुरा देहान्तरे कृतम् ।। ७.२४.
What evil deed was done by me in a previous body?
एवं स्म दुःखिताः सर्वाः पतिताः शोकसागरे । न खल्विदानीं पश्यामो दुःखस्यास्यान्तमात्मनः ।। ७.२४.
Thus, all of them, fallen into the ocean of grief, lamented; now we do not see any end to this suffering of ours.
अहो धिङ्मानुषं लोकं नास्ति खल्वधमः परः । यद्दुर्बला बलवता भर्तारो रावणेन नः ।। ७.२४.
Alas, shame upon the human world! Surely there is no one more wretched, since our husbands, though weak, have been subdued by the powerful Rāvaṇa.
सूर्येणोदयता काले नक्षत्राणीव नाशिताः । अहो सुबलवद्रक्षो वधोपायेषु युज्यते ।। ७.२४.
Like stars destroyed at sunrise, so too have we been ruined; truly, this mighty Rākṣasa excels in means of destruction.
अहो दुर्वृत्तमास्थाय नात्मानं वैजुगुप्सते । सर्वथा सदृशस्तावद्विक्रमो ऽस्य दुरात्मनः ।। ७.२४.
Alas, having adopted wicked conduct, he does not feel any shame; indeed, such is the valor of this evil-minded one.
इदं त्वसदृशं कर्म परदाराभिमर्शनम् । यस्मादेष परक्यासु रमते राक्षसाधमः ।। ७.२४.
But this act—violating other men's wives—is unworthy; for this vile Rākṣasa delights in women who belong to others.
तस्माद्वै स्त्रीकृतेनैव प्राप्स्यते दुर्मतिर्वधम् । सतीभिर्वरनारीभिरेवं वाक्ये ऽभ्युदीरिते ।। ७.२४.
Therefore, by the very women he has wronged, this wicked-minded one will meet his death; thus spoke those noble and faithful wives.
नेदुर्दुन्दुभयः खस्थाः पुष्पवृष्टिः पपात च । शप्तः स्त्रीभिः स तु समं हतौजा इव निष्प्रभः ।। ७.२४.
The drums in the sky did not resound, nor did a shower of flowers fall; cursed by the women, he became as if bereft of strength and luster.
पतिव्रताभिः साध्वीभिर्बभूव विमना इव । एवं विलपितं तासां शृण्वन्राक्षसपुङ्गवः । प्रविवेश पुरीं लङ्कां पूज्यमानो निशाचरैः ।। ७.२४.
Afflicted by the words of those virtuous and faithful wives, he seemed dispirited; hearing their lamentations, the foremost of the Rākṣasas entered the city of Laṅkā, honored by the night-dwellers.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे घोरा राक्षसी कामरूपिणी । सहसा पतिता भूमौ भगिनी रावणस्य सा ।। ७.२४.
Meanwhile, a dreadful Rākṣasī, capable of assuming any form at will, suddenly fell to the ground—she was the sister of Rāvaṇa.
तां स्वसारं समुत्थाप्य रावणः परिसान्त्वयन् । अब्रवीत्किमिदं भद्रे वक्तुकामा ऽसि मे द्रुतम् ।। ७.२४.
Rāvaṇa, raising his sister and consoling her, said: 'What is this, dear one? Tell me quickly what you wish to say.'
सा बाष्पपरिरुद्धाक्षी रक्ताक्षी वाक्यमब्रवीत् । कृता ऽस्मि विधवा राजंस्त्वया बलवता बलात् ।। ७.२४.
With eyes choked by tears and reddened, she spoke: 'I have been made a widow by your overpowering force, O king.'
एते राजंस्त्वया वीरा दैत्या विनिहता रणे । कालकेया इति ख्याताः सहस्राणि चतुर्दश ।। ७.२४.
'O king, those mighty Daityas known as the Kālakeyas, fourteen thousand in number, were slain in battle by you.'
प्राणेभ्यो ऽपि गरीयान्मे तत्र भर्ता महाबलः ।। ७.२४.
'Among them, my husband—of great might—was dearer to me than life itself.'
सो ऽपि त्वया हतस्तात रिपुणा भ्रातृगृध्नुना । त्वया ऽस्मि निहता राजन्स्वयमेव हि बन्धुना ।। ७.२४.
'He too, father, was slain by you, my enemy, greedy for brothers; by you, my own kinsman, I have been destroyed, O king.'
राजन्वैधव्यशब्दं च भोक्ष्यामि त्वत्कृते ह्यहम् । ननु नाम त्वया रक्ष्यो जामाता समरेष्वपि । स त्वया निहतो युद्धे स्वयमेव न लज्जसे ।। ७.२४.
'O king, because of you I must now bear the name of widow; surely, even in battle, a son-in-law ought to be protected by you. Yet you killed him in combat yourself, and do not feel ashamed.'
एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवो भगिन्या क्रोशमानया । अब्रवीत्सान्त्वयित्वा तां सामपूर्वमिदं वचः ।। ७.२४.
Thus addressed by his weeping sister, the ten-headed one, after consoling her, spoke these gentle words:
अलं वत्से रुदित्वा ते न भेतव्यं च सर्वशः । दानमानप्रसादैस्त्वां तोषयिष्यामि यत्नतः ।। ७.२४.
'Enough, child, with your weeping; you need not fear at all. By gifts, honor, and kindness, I will strive to satisfy you.'
युद्धप्रमत्तो व्याक्षिप्तो जयाकाङ्क्षी क्षिपञ्छरान् । नावगच्छामि युद्धेषु स्वान्परान्वाप्यहं शुभे ।। ७.२४.
'Distracted in battle, eager for victory, loosing arrows, I did not recognize friend from foe in the fight, O noble one.'
जामातरं न जाने स्म प्रहरन्युद्धदुर्मदः । तेनासौ निहतः सङ्ख्ये मया भर्ता तव स्वसः ।। ७.२४.
'In my battle-fury I did not know he was my son-in-law when I struck; thus, your husband was slain by me in combat, sister.'
अस्मिन्काले तु यत्प्राप्तं तत्करिष्यामि ते हितम् । भ्रातुरैश्वर्ययुक्तस्य खरस्य वस पार्श्वतः ।। ७.२४.
'Now, at this time, I will do what is beneficial for you; dwell near your brother Khara, who is endowed with sovereignty.'
चतुर्दशानां भ्राता ते सहस्राणां भविष्यति । प्रभुः प्रयाणे दाने च राक्षसानां महाबलः ।। ७.२४.
'He, your brother, will be lord over fourteen thousand mighty Rākṣasas, commanding them in expeditions and gifts.'
तत्र मातृष्वसेयस्ते भ्राता ऽयं वै खरः प्रभुः । भविष्यति तवादेशं सदा कुर्वन्निशाचरः ।। ७.२४.
'There, Khara, your mother's sister's son, will be your lord; this night-wanderer will always act according to your command.'
शीघ्रं गच्छत्वयं वीरो दण्डकान्परिरक्षितुम् । दूषणो ऽस्य बलाध्यक्षो भविष्यति महाबलः ।। ७.२४.
'Let this hero quickly go to protect the Daṇḍaka forest; Dūṣaṇa, of great might, will be the commander of his forces.'