गृहीत्वा सलिलं सर्वमुपस्पृश्य यथाविधि । उत्ससर्ज यथा शापं राक्षसेन्द्राय दारुणम् ।। ७.२६.
Having taken all the water and ritually purified himself as prescribed, he pronounced a dreadful curse upon the king of the Rākṣasas.
अकामा तेन यस्मात्त्वं बलाद्भद्रे प्रधर्षिता । तस्मात्स युवतीमन्यां नाकामामुपयास्यति ।। ७.२६.
Because, O blessed one, you were violated against your will by force, therefore he shall never approach another unwilling woman.
यदा ह्यकामां कामार्तो धर्षयिष्यति योषितम् । मूर्धा तु सप्तधा तस्य शकलीभविता तदा ।। ७.२६.
Whenever, driven by desire, he violates a woman who is unwilling, then his head will split into seven pieces at that very moment.
तस्मिन्नुदाहृते शापे ज्वलिताग्निसमप्रभे । देवदुन्दुभयो नेदुः पुष्पवृष्टिश्च खाच्च्युता । पितामहमुखाश्चैव सर्वे देवाः प्रहर्षिताः ।। ७.२६.
When that curse, blazing like burning fire, was uttered, divine drums resounded and a shower of flowers fell from the sky; all the gods, led by the Grandfather, rejoiced.
ज्ञात्वा लोकगतिं सर्वां तस्य मृत्युं च रक्षसः । ऋषयः पितरश्चैव प्रीतिमापुरनुत्तमाम् ।। ७.२६.
Knowing the entire course of the world and the death of that Rākṣasa, the sages and ancestors experienced supreme delight.
श्रुत्वा तु स दशग्रीवस्तं शापं रोमहर्षणम् । नारीषु मैथुने भावं नाकामास्वभ्यरोचयत् ।। ७.२६.
But when the ten-necked Rāvaṇa heard that terrifying curse, he no longer found pleasure in union with unwilling women.
तेन नीताः स्त्रियः प्रीतिमापुः सर्वाः पतिव्रताः । नलकूबरनिर्मुक्तं शापं श्रुत्वा मनःप्रियम् ।। ७.२६.
Because of this, all devoted wives whom he had taken felt joy, having heard of the pleasing curse pronounced by Nalakūbara.
कैलासं लङ्घयित्वाथ दशग्रीवः स रावणः । आससाद महातेजा इन्द्रलोकं निशाचरः ।। ७.२७.
Then Rāvaṇa, the ten-necked one, having crossed Mount Kailāsa, that mighty night-wanderer reached the realm of Indra.
तस्य राक्षससैन्यस्य समन्तादुपयास्यतः । देवलोकं ययौ शब्दो मथ्यमानार्णवोपमः ।। ७.२७.
As his Rākṣasa army advanced on all sides toward the world of the gods, a sound arose like the churning of the ocean.
श्रुत्वा तु रावणं प्राप्तमिन्द्रश्चलित आसनात् । अब्रवीत्तत्र तान् देवान् सर्वानेव समागतान् ।। ७.२७.
Hearing that Rāvaṇa had arrived, Indra was shaken from his seat and addressed all the assembled gods there.
आदित्यान्सवसून्रुद्रान्विश्वान्साध्यान्मरुद्गणान् । सज्जीभवत युद्धार्थं रावणस्य दुरात्मनः ।। ७.२७.
"Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Viśvedevas, Sādhyas, and hosts of Maruts—prepare yourselves for battle against Rāvaṇa, the wicked-hearted one!"
एवमुक्तास्तु शक्रेण देवाः शक्रसमा युधि । सन्नह्य सुमहासत्त्वा युद्धश्रद्धासमन्विताः ।। ७.२७.
Thus addressed by Śakra, the gods, equal to him in battle, donned their armor, full of great strength and eager for war.
स तु दीनः परित्रस्तो महेन्द्रो रावणं प्रति । विष्णोः समीपमागत्य वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। ७.२७.
But Mahendra, distressed and fearful of Rāvaṇa, approached Viṣṇu and spoke these words.
विष्णो कथं करिष्यामि महावीर्यपराक्रमः । असौ हि बलवद्रक्षो युद्धार्थमभिवर्तते ।। ७.२७.
"O Viṣṇu, what shall I do? That mighty and valiant Rākṣasa is advancing for battle."
वरप्रदानाद्बलवान्न खल्वन्येन हेतुना । तत्तु सत्यवचः कार्यं यदुक्तं पद्मयोनिना ।। ७.२७.
"He is powerful because of the boons granted to him, not for any other reason. What was spoken by the lotus-born must be fulfilled as truth."
तद्यथा नमुचिर्वृत्रो बलिर्नरकशम्बरौ । त्वद्बलं समवष्टभ्य मया दग्धास्तथा कुरु ।। ७.२७.
"Just as Namuci, Vṛtra, Bali, Naraka, and Śambara were destroyed by me relying on your strength, so too do this now."
नह्यन्यो देवदेवेश त्वामृते मधुसूदन । गतिः परायणं नास्ति त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे ।। ७.२७.
"O Lord of gods, O slayer of Madhu, apart from you there is no refuge or ultimate shelter in all the three worlds, moving or unmoving."
त्वं हि नारायणः श्रीमान्पद्मनाभः सनातनः । त्वयेमे स्थापिता लोकाः शक्रश्चाहं सुरेश्वरः ।। ७.२७.
You are indeed Nārāyaṇa, glorious, Padmanābha, eternal; by you these worlds have been established, along with Śakra and myself, lord of the gods.
त्वया सृष्टमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् । त्वामेव भगवन्सर्वे प्रविशन्ति युगक्षये ।। ७.२७.
All this, the three worlds with their moving and unmoving beings, has been created by you; at the end of the age, O Lord, all enter into you alone.
तदाचक्ष्व यथा तत्त्वं देवदेव मम स्वयम् । अपि चक्रसहायस्त्वं योत्स्यसे रावणं प्रभो ।। ७.२७.
Therefore, reveal to me the truth yourself, O god of gods; will you, with the aid of the discus, fight against Rāvaṇa, O Lord?
एवमुक्तः स शक्रेण देवो नारायणः प्रभुः । अब्रवीन्न परित्रासः कर्तव्यः श्रूयतां च मे ।। ७.२७.
Thus addressed by Śakra, the god Nārāyaṇa, the Lord, spoke: 'There is no need for fear; listen to me.'
न तावदेष दुष्टात्मा शक्यो जेतुं सुरासुरैः । हन्तुं चापि समासाद्य वरदानेन दुर्जयः ।। ७.२७.
This wicked-souled one cannot be conquered by gods or demons; nor can he be slain, having received a boon, for he is difficult to overcome.
सर्वथा तु महत्कर्म करिष्यति बलोत्कटः । राक्षसः पुत्रसहितो दृष्टमेतन्निसर्गतः ।। ७.२७.
Nevertheless, the mighty Rākṣasa, together with his son, will perform a great deed; this has been seen from the beginning.
यत्तु मां त्वमभाषिष्ठ युद्ध्यस्वेति सुरेश्वर । नाहं तं प्रतियोत्स्यामि रावणं राक्षसं युधि ।। ७.२७.
As for what you said to me, 'Fight,' O lord of gods, I will not engage Rāvaṇa, the Rākṣasa, in battle.
नाहत्वा समरे शत्रुं विष्णुः प्रतिनिवर्तते । दुर्लभश्चैव कामो ऽद्य वरगुप्ताद्धि रावणात् ।। ७.२७.
Viṣṇu does not turn back without slaying the enemy in battle; today, the desired outcome is hard to obtain from Rāvaṇa, protected by a boon.
प्रतिजाने च देवेन्द्र त्वत्समीपे शतक्रतो । भविता ऽस्मि यथा ऽस्याहं रक्षसो मृत्युकारणम् ।। ७.२७.
I promise you, O Indra, O hundred-sacrifices, in your presence: I shall become the cause of death for this Rākṣasa.
अहमेव निहन्ता ऽस्मि रावणं सपुरःसरम् । देवता नन्दयिष्यामि ज्ञात्वा कालमुपागतम् । एतत्ते कथितं तत्त्वं देवराज शचीपते ।। ७.२७.
I myself will slay Rāvaṇa along with his followers; I will bring joy to the gods, knowing the appointed time has come. This truth has been told to you, O king of gods, husband of Śacī.
युद्ध्यस्व विगतत्रासः सर्वैः सार्धं महाबल ।। ७.२७.
Fight, free from fear, together with all the mighty ones.
यामि ज्ञात्वा कालमुपागतम् । ततो रुद्राः सहादित्या वसवो मरुतो ऽश्वनौ । सन्नद्धा निर्ययुस्तूर्णं राक्षसानभितः पुरात् ।। ७.२७.
I depart, knowing the time has come. Then the Rudras, together with the Ādityas, Vasus, Maruts, and Aśvins, fully armed, quickly marched out from the city against the Rākṣasas.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे नादः शुश्रुवे रजनीक्षये । तस्य रावणसैन्यस्य प्रयुद्धस्य समन्ततः ।। ७.२७.
Meanwhile, during the night’s end, a sound was heard from all sides of Rāvaṇa’s army as they engaged in battle.