विभीषणस्तु रामस्य पार्श्वस्थो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । आश्चर्यं स्मारितो ऽस्म्यद्य यत्तद्दृष्टं पुरातनम् ।। ७.३०.
Standing at Rāma's side, Vibhīṣaṇa spoke: 'Today I am reminded of those wondrous things I saw in ancient times.'
अगस्त्यं त्वब्रवीद्रामः सत्यमेतच्छ्रुतं च मे ।। ७.३०.
Rāma then said to Agastya: 'All this is true, and I have heard it as well.'
एवं राम समुद्भूतो रावणो लोककण्टकः । सपुत्रो येन सङ्ग्रामे जितः शक्रः सुरेश्वरः ।। ७.३०.
Thus, Rāma, was Rāvaṇa, the scourge of the worlds, born; by him, even Indra, lord of the gods, was defeated in battle along with his son.
ततो रामो महातेजा विस्मयात्पुनरेव हि । उवाच प्रणतो वाक्यमगस्त्यमृषिसत्तमम् ।। ७.३१.
Then Rāma, radiant with great energy, once again, out of amazement, spoke reverently to the eminent sage Agastya.
भगवन्राक्षसः क्रूरो यदाप्रभृति मेदिनीम् । पर्यटत्किं तदा लोकाः शून्या आसन्द्विजोत्तम ।। ७.३१.
'Revered one, from the time that cruel rākṣasa roamed the earth, were the worlds then deserted, O best of twice-born?'
राजा वा राजमात्रो वा किं तदा नात्र कश्चन । धर्षणं यत्र न प्राप्तो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः ।। ७.३१.
'Was there any king or prince at that time who was not subjected to the oppression of Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas?'
उताहो हतवीर्यास्ते बभूवुः पृथिवीक्षितः । बहिष्कृता वरास्त्रैश्च बहवो निर्जिता नृपाः ।। ७.३१.
'Or did the rulers of the earth lose their strength, many kings being banished or defeated by superior weapons?'
राघवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा ह्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः । उवाच रामं प्रहसन्पितामह इवेश्वरम् ।। ७.३१.
Hearing Rāghava's words, the divine sage Agastya, smiling like Brahmā addressing the Lord, spoke to Rāma.
इत्येवं बाधमानस्तु पार्थिवान्पार्थिवर्षभ । चचार रावणो राम पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते ।। ७.३१.
Thus, O best of kings, Rāvaṇa, harassing the rulers, roamed the earth, O Rāma, lord of the earth.
ततो माहिष्मतीं नाम पुरीं स्वर्गपुरीप्रभाम् । सम्प्राप्तो यत्र सान्निध्यं सदासीद्वसुरेतसः ।। ७.३१.
Then he reached the city called Māhiṣmatī, shining like the city of the gods, where the presence of Vasuretas was always felt.
तुल्य आसीन्नृपस्तस्य प्रभावाद्वसुरेतसः । अर्जुनो नाम यत्राग्निः शरकुण्डेशयः सदा ।। ७.३१.
The king there, equal in power to Vasuretas, was named Arjuna, who was always devoted to the fire in the arrow-pit.
तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ हैहयाधिपतिर्बली । अर्जुनो नर्मदां रन्तुं गतः स्त्रीभिः सहेश्वरः ।। ७.३१.
On that very day, the mighty lord of the Haihayas, Arjuna, had gone to the Narmadā river to enjoy himself with his wives.
तमेव दिवसं सो ऽथ रावणस्तत्र आगतः । रावणो राक्षसेन्द्रस्तु तस्यामात्यानपृच्छत ।। ७.३१.
On that same day, Rāvaṇa, king of the rākṣasas, arrived there and questioned the ministers of Arjuna.
क्वार्जुनो नृपतिः शीघ्रं सम्यगाख्यातुमर्हथ । रावणो ऽहमनुप्राप्तो युद्धेप्सुर्नृवरेण ह । ममागमनमप्यग्रे युष्माभिः सन्निवेद्यताम् ।। ७.३१.
'Where is King Arjuna? You must quickly and properly tell me. I, Rāvaṇa, have come, desiring battle with that foremost of men. Announce my arrival to him at once.'
इत्येवं रावणेनोक्तास्ते ऽमात्याः सुविपश्चितः । अब्रुवन्राक्षसपतिमसान्निध्यं महीपतेः ।। ७.३१.
Thus addressed by Rāvaṇa, those wise ministers informed him of the king's whereabouts.
श्रुत्वा विश्रवसः पुत्रः पौराणामर्जुनं गतम् । अपसृत्यागतो विन्ध्यं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् ।। ७.३१.
Hearing that the son of Viśravas had reached the ancient Arjuna, he departed and arrived at the Vindhya, a mountain resembling the Himalayas.
स तमभ्रमिवाविष्टमुद्भ्रन्तमिव मेदिनीम् । अपश्यद्रावणो विन्ध्यमालिखन्तमिवाम्बरम् ।। ७.३१.
Rāvaṇa saw the Vindhya, enveloped like a cloud, rising as if to touch the earth, and seeming to scratch the sky.
सहस्रशिखरोपेतं सिंहाध्युषितकन्दरम् । प्रपातपतितैस्तोयैः साट्टहासमिवाम्बुधिम् ।। ७.३१.
With a thousand peaks, its caves inhabited by lions, its waters falling from precipices, it roared like the ocean with laughter.
देवदानवगन्धर्वैः साप्सरोगणकिन्नरैः । स्वस्त्रीभिः क्रीडमानैश्च स्वर्गभूतं महोच्छ्रयम् ।। ७.३१.
With gods, demons, gandharvas, apsaras groups, and kinnaras, playing with their own women, it appeared as heaven, lofty and grand.
नदीभिः स्यन्दमानाभिः स्फटिकप्रतिमं जलम् । फणाभिश्चलजिह्वाभिरनन्तमिव विष्ठितम् ।। ७.३१.
With rivers flowing, water clear as crystal, and serpents with moving tongues, it seemed endless and vast.
उत्क्रामन्तं दरीवन्तं हिमवत्सन्निभं गिरिम् । पश्यमानस्ततो विन्ध्यं रावणो नर्मदां ययौ ।। ७.३१.
Seeing the mountain rising and stretching, resembling the Himalayas, Rāvaṇa then went to the Narmadā.
चलोपलजलां पुण्यां पश्चिमोदधिगामिनीम् ।। ७.३१.
He approached the sacred river, with moving stones and waters, flowing westward to the ocean.
महिषैः सृमरैः सिंहैः शार्दूलर्क्षगजोत्तमैः । उष्णाभितप्तैस्तृषितैः सङ्क्षोभितजलाशयाम् ।। ७.३१.
Its waters disturbed by buffaloes, crocodiles, lions, tigers, bears, and elephants, all scorched by heat and thirst.
चक्रवाकैः सकारण्डैः सहंसजलकुक्कुटैः । सारसैश्च सदा मत्तैः सुकूजद्भिः समावृताम् ।। ७.३१.
Filled with chakravākas, karandhas, swans, waterfowl, and cranes, always intoxicated and singing sweetly.
फुल्लद्रुमकृतोत्तंसां चक्रवाकयुगस्तनीम् । विस्तीर्णपुलिनश्रोणीं हंसावलिसुमेखलाम् ।। ७.३१.
Adorned with blooming trees, breasts like pairs of chakravākas, wide sandy banks like hips, and rows of swans like beautiful girdles.
पुष्परेण्वनुलिप्ताङ्गीं जलफेनामलांशुकाम् । जलावगाहसंस्पर्शां फुल्लोत्पलशुभेक्षणाम् । पुष्पकादवरुह्याशु नर्मदां सरितां वराम् ।। ७.३१.
Her limbs smeared with pollen, her garments pure as foam, touched by the water, her eyes shining like blossoming lotuses; swiftly descending from his aerial chariot, he entered the Narmadā, best of rivers.
इष्टामिव वरां नारीमवगाह्य दशाननः । स तस्याः पुलिने रम्ये नानामुनिनिषेविते ।। ७.३१.
Immersing himself in her, as one would a beloved woman, Daśānana, on her delightful bank frequented by many sages,
उपोपविष्टैः सचिवैः सार्धं राक्षसपुङ्गवः । प्रख्याय नर्मदां सो ऽथ गङ्गेयमिति रावणः ।। ७.३१.
The foremost of rākṣasas, seated with his ministers, praised the Narmadā, and then Rāvaṇa called her 'daughter of Gaṅga.'
नर्मदादर्शजं हर्षमाप्तवान् राक्षसाधिपः । उवाच सचिवांस्तत्र सलीलं शुकसारणौ ।। ७.३१.
The lord of rākṣasas, delighted by the sight of Narmadā, spoke playfully to his ministers, Śuka and Sāraṇa.
एष रश्मिसहस्रेण जगत्कृत्वैव काञ्चनम् । तीक्ष्णतापकरः सूर्यो नभसो ऽर्धं समाश्रितः ।। ७.३१.
This sun, with a thousand rays, has made the world golden, and with intense heat, occupies half the sky.