‘He approached the mountain and spoke these words. “O lord of the earth!549 This mountain has prevented my progress and has impeded Pushpaka’s movement. I will destroy its foundation. O Bhava! What powers allow you to sport like a king? It should be known to me. I do not know why I should be scared.” O king! Having said this, he inserted his arms under the mountain and tried to raise it, the way a predatory beast raises a tree with an animal on it. O Rama! At this, Mahadeva laughed at what he had done. As if he was sporting, he pressed down on the mountain with the big toe of his foot. Thus pressed, the hands that were under the mountain were crushed. The rakshasa’s advisers who were present were astounded. The rakshasa became angry at his hands being crushed. He emitted an extremely loud roar that filled up the three worlds. Thinking that the worlds were about to end, humans were terrified at the sound. The gods were also agitated and were distracted from their own tasks. Mahadeva, seated on the summit of the mountain, was pleased.550 Freeing his hands, he addressed Dashanana in these words. “O roamer in the night! I am pleased with your valour and your ferocity. You let out a roar in your pain and that one was extremely terrible. Therefore, your name should be Ravana and this will be your name. Gods, humans, yakshas and others who are on the surface of this world will address you by this name—Ravana, who makes the worlds scream.551 O Poulastya! Confidently proceed along whichever path you want to follow. O lord of the rakshasas! I am giving you permission to leave.” Ravana obtained his name from Maheshvara himself. Having greeted Mahadeva, he mounted the vimana. O Rama! After this, Ravana roamed around on earth. Here and there, he started to obstruct the extremely brave kshatriyas.’
Chapter 7(17)
‘O king! After this, the mighty-armed one wandered around on earth. Ravana reached a forest in the Himalayas and roamed around there. There, he saw a maiden with matted hair, clad in black antelope skin. Like a goddess, she was observing noble rituals and performing austerities. He saw the beautiful maiden who was observing that extremely great vow. His soul was confused because of desire. He smiled and asked her, “O fortunate one! Acting against your youth, why are you behaving in this way? This kind of reaction is not right for someone who possesses your beauty. O fortunate one! Whose daughter are you? O unblemished one! Who is your husband? I am asking you. Tell me. Why are you performing austerities in this secluded place?” The maiden was thus asked by the ignoble rakshasa. The store of austerities followed the due rituals of hospitality and said, “A brahmana rishi who follows dharma is my father and his name is Kushadhvaja. The prosperous one is Brihaspati’s son and he is like Brihaspati in intelligence. The great-souled one always practises the Vedas. I have been born as his eloquent daughter.552 I am known by the name of Vedavati. Desiring to accept me as a bride, gods, gandharvas, yakshas, rakshasas and serpents have gone to my father. O lord of the rakshasas! However, my father did not bestow me on them. O mighty-armed one! I will tell you the reason. Listen. My father intended that Vishnu, supreme among the gods and the lord of the three worlds, should be his son-in-law. My father did not want anyone else. There was a king of the daityas, named Shambhu, and he was insolent because of his strength. On hearing that the one with dharma in his soul wished to bestow me in this way, he was filled with rage. While my father was asleep during the night, the evil one killed him. My distressed mother embraced my father’s head. With him, the immensely fortunate one entered the funeral pyre. My desire is to make my father’s wish about Narayana come true. That is the virtuous intention in my heart. Even if I have to die, I will accomplish my father’s wish. I have taken that pledge and am therefore undertaking these pervasive austerities. O bull among rakshasas! I have thus told you everything. Know that I have resorted to this dharma because I desire Narayana as my husband. O king! O Poulastya’s descendant! I know about you. Because of my austerities, I can know everything that goes on in the three worlds.” At this, Ravana spoke to the maiden who was observing this extremely great vow. Suffering from Kandarpa’s arrows, he alighted from the top of the vimana. “O one with the excellent hips! Since your inclinations are like that, you are blind. O one with eyes like a fawn! It is the aged who should seek to accumulate dharma. You possess all the qualities. You should not act in this way. O timid one! You are the most beautiful in the three worlds. It is a rule that youth does not last. Who is this Vishnu that you have spoken about? O fortunate one! O beautiful one! You desire him. But he is not my equal in valour, austerities, pursuing pleasure or strength.” Without any fear, the maiden replied to the roamer in the night, though the rakshasa had used his hand to seize her by the hair. Angry, Vedavati cut off the bit of hair with her hand.553 Having lit a fire and made up her mind to die, the supreme one said, “O ignoble one! Having been oppressed by you, I no longer wish to remain alive now. O rakshasa! While you look on, I will enter this fire. I am faultless and am without a protector. Since you have oppressed me, for the sake of your destruction, I will be born again. This is especially because women are incapable of killing evil ones. If I curse you, my store of austerities will be diminished.554 If I have performed good deeds, if I have given donations and I have rendered oblations, I will be born as the virtuous daughter of someone who follows dharma, but not through the womb.” Having said this, she entered the blazing fire. From the firmament, divine flowers rained down in every direction. Using your superhuman bravery, you attacked and killed an enemy who was like a mountain. However, in her rage, she had already killed him. In this way, the immensely fortunate one was born on earth again, from the mouth of a plough in the field, like the flame of a fire from a sacrificial altar. In krita yuga, her name was Vedavati. For the destruction of that rakshasa, she was born in treta yuga. She was born from a plough and people referred to her as Sita.’
Chapter 7(18)
‘When Vedavati entered the fire, Ravana ascended Pushpaka and started to roam around the earth. The rakshasa reached Ushirabija555 where, with the gods, King Marutta was performing a sacrifice. There was a brahmana rishi named Samvarta and he was just like his brother, Brihaspati. Surrounded by all the large numbers of brahmanas, the one who knew about dharma was officiating at the sacrifice. The gods saw that the rakshasa was invincible because of the boon he had obtained. Scared of being oppressed, they assumed the forms of other species. Indra turned into a peacock, Dharmaraja into a crow, the lord of treasures into a lizard and Varuna into a swan. Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, approached the king and said, “Give me a fight or say that you have been vanquished by me.” At this, King Marutta asked him, “Who are you?” The rakshasa laughed out aloud and addressed him in these words. “O king! I am pleased at your ignorance. You do not know about Ravana, Dhanada’s younger brother. Who in the three worlds does not know about my strength? I have defeated my brother and have seized his vimana.” King Marutta replied to the rakshasa, “You are indeed blessed that you have vanquished your elder brother in a battle. This is not an act that is in conformity with dharma and is condemned by the worlds. It is not something to boast about. Having performed the evil-minded act of defeating your brother, you are boasting about it. Earlier, what act of dharma have you accomplished that you obtained this boon and strength? You are praising yourself through words, but I have never heard of you before.” The king seized his bow and arrow and angrily emerged to fight. However, the great rishi, Samvarta obstructed his path and addressed Marutta in words filled with affection. “If you listen to my words, this clash will not be good for you. If this sacrifice to Maheshvara is not completed, your lineage will be destroyed. How can someone who has consecrated himself for a sacrifice fight? How can someone who has consecrated himself for a sacrifice be cruel? The outcome of a battle is always uncertain and the rakshasas are extremely difficult to defeat.” Hearing his preceptor’s words, King Marutta desisted. He cast aside his bow and arrows. Composing himself, he stationed himself near the sacrifice. Shuka556 decided that he had been defeated and announced, “Ravana is victorious.’ He uttered a roar of delight. He557 devoured the g
reat rishis who had assembled for the sacrifice. Satisfying himself with their blood, he again wandered around the earth.
‘When Ravana had left, Indra and the gods, the residents of heaven, assumed their own forms and spoke to the respective species. Delighted, Indra spoke to the peacock with the blue feathers. “O bird! O one who knows about dharma! O bird! I am pleased with you because of the good deed you have done. My one thousand eyes will be displayed on your feathers. When I shower down, as a mark of my affection, you will also be delighted.” O lord of men! Before this, the feathers of all peacocks used to be blue. Having obtained the boon from the lord of the gods, all of them became multi-hued. O Rama! Dharmaraja spoke to the crow who was standing in front of him. “O bird! I am extremely pleased with you. Hear my words of affection. I afflict other creatures with various kinds of disease. But because of my affection towards you, they will have no powers over you. There is no doubt about this. O bird! Because of the boon I am granting you, you will have no fear of death. Until men kill you, you will not die. Men who are in my dominion will be afflicted by hunger. With their relatives, they will be satisfied whenever you eat.” Varuna spoke to the swan who wanders around in the waters of the Ganga. O lord of those who use their wings to travel! Hear my words. They are full of affection. O amiable one! Your complexion will be beautiful, like that of the lunar disc. Your excellent radiance will be like that of white foam. When you approach my body,558 your form will always be handsome. As a mark of my affection, you will always enjoy unmatched joy.” O Rama! In earlier times, swans did not possess a complexion that was white all over. Their wings were blue at the tips and their breasts were smooth, but like tender grass at the ends. Vaishravana spoke to the lizard who was seated on the mountain. “I am pleased with you and am granting you a golden complexion. Till eternity, your head will always be golden in hue. Because of my affection, you will possess this golden complexion.” At the sacrifice, the gods thus bestowed these boons on them. With the king, they again returned to their own residences.’
Chapter 7(19)
‘Having defeated Marutta, the lord of the rakshasas left. Dashanana wished to fight in the cities of the Indras among men. He approached all the Indras among kings who were like the great king or Varuna. The Indra among rakshasas told them, “Give me a fight. Alternatively, say that you have been defeated by me. This is my firm determination. If you do not act in this way, you will not be able to escape from me.” O son! There were many wise kings who followed dharma. Knowing about the strength the enemy had obtained through the boon, they said that they had been defeated. Dushyanta, Suratha, Gadhi, Gaya, Pururava—all these kings said that they had been defeated. After this, Ravana, lord of the rakshasas, approached Ayodhya. Like Shakra protects Amaravati, it was protected extremely well by Anaranya. He approached this king and said, “Grant me a battle. Otherwise, say that you have been defeated by me. That is my command.” Anaranya became extremely angry and told the Indra among the rakshasas, “O lord of the rakshasas! I will grant you a duel.” The Indra among men had heard about him and had already collected an extremely large army. He emerged with this, ready to slay the rakshasa. There were thousands of elephants and tens of thousands of horses. He emerged instantly, covering the earth with his foot soldiers and chariots. Ravana’s forces clashed against the king’s forces. O king! Like oblations rendered into a fire, these lives were destroyed. The Indra among men saw that his large army was being destroyed, like the waters of the five rivers when they reach the great ocean. He himself brandished his bow, which was like Shakra’s excellent bow. Senseless with rage, the Indra among men attacked Ravana. The descendant of the Ikshvaku lineage brought down eight hundred arrows on the head of the king of the rakshasas. Though the arrows descended on him, they did not wound him even a bit. They were like torrents of rain pouring down from a cloud on the summit of a mountain. The king of the rakshasas became angry and struck the king on the head with his palm, bringing him down from the chariot. Suffering in his limbs and trembling, the king fell down on the ground. He was like a large sala tree, struck by a bolt of lightning in the forest and brought down. The rakshasa laughed and spoke to the king of the Ikshvaku lineage. “Having fought against me, what are the fruits you have obtained now? O lord of men! There is no one in the three worlds who can grant me a duel. I have a suspicion that you have been intoxicated by addiction to objects of pleasure and have not heard about my strength.” The king’s life was weakened and he uttered these words. “What can I possibly do? Destiny is difficult to cross. O rakshasa! You are praising yourself, but I have not been defeated by you. I have suffered because of destiny and you are only an instrument. What am I capable of doing now? My life is ebbing away. O rakshasa! Listen to the words that I am speaking. You have slighted the lineage of the Ikshvakus. If I have given donations, if I have offered oblations, if I have performed good deeds, if I have observed austerities and if I have protected my subjects properly, my words will come true. A great-souled one will be born in this lineage of the Ikshvakus. He will be an extremely energetic king and he will take away your life.” At this, the drums of the gods were sounded from the tops of the clouds. When this curse was pronounced, flowers were showered down from the sky. O Indra among kings! The king went to his due position in heaven. O Rama! When the king went to heaven, the rakshasa returned.’
Chapter 7(20)
‘The lord of the rakshasas terrified all the mortals on earth. In a dense forest, he approached Narada, supreme among sages. The immensely energetic divine rishi, Narada, was infinite in his radiance. Seated atop a cloud, he spoke to Ravana, who was astride Pushpaka. “O lord of the rakshasas! O amiable one! O Vishrava’s son! Wait. I am pleased with your noble lineage, your valour and your energy. Just as I was satisfied when Vishnu killed the daityas, I am extremely content that you have afflicted and crushed eagles and serpents in battles. However, I have something to tell you. If you wish to listen, it is worth hearing. O bull among the rakshasa! After hearing, it is for you to decide on your next course of action. You cannot be killed by the gods. Why are you killing people on earth? People on earth are under the subjugation of death and have already been killed. O mighty-armed one! O lord of the rakshasas! Behold humans on earth. Because they pursue different objectives, they do not know about their destination. Some people are delighted in pursuit of musical instruments and dancing. Some others are miserable, with tears flowing down from their eyes. People are confused because of their affection towards mothers, fathers, sons, wives and other loved ones, destroying themselves. They do not even understand their own hardships. These people are already devastated because of their confusion. What is the point of causing them suffering? O amiable one! There is no doubt that you have already conquered the world of the mortals.” Blazing in his energy, the lord of Lanka was thus addressed. He bowed down before Narada, smiled and said, “O maharshi! O one who sports with gods and gandharvas! O one who loves fights! Indeed, for the sake of being victorious, I will go to rasatala. Having conquered the three worlds, I will bring the serpents and the gods under my subjugation. Thereafter, I will churn the ocean, the store of juices, for the sake of amrita.” The illustrious rishi Narada spoke to Dashagriva. “If that is where you want to go, why follow any other path now? This extremely difficult path goes towards the city of the king of the dead. O extremely invincible one! O afflicter of enemies! Follow this path to Yama.” Dashanana was like an autumn cloud. Thus addressed, he smiled and said that he would do what he had been asked to. He said, “O great brahmana! Therefore, I will head towards the southern direction, so as to kill Vaivasvata, the king who is the son of the sun god. O illustrious one! O lord! Desiring to fight, I have already taken a pledge that I will defeat the four guardians of the world. Hence, I will proceed towards the city of the king of the dead. I will engage with Death, the one who causes suffering to all creatures.” Having said this, Dashagriva greeted the sage. Cheerful, with his ministers, he left towards the southern direction. The immensely energe
tic Narada thought for a while. Resembling a fire without smoke, the Indra among brahmanas thought. “How can one cause injury to Death? He follows dharma and afflicts the three worlds, with Indra included, and the mobile and immobile objects, when their lifespans decay. He always drives away the three worlds and makes them suffer with fear. How can the Indra among rakshasas voluntarily go to him? He559 is the ordainer and arranges destiny for the performers of good and bad deeds. He is the conqueror of the three worlds. How can he be conquered? And if that happens, who will be the ordainer? Full of curiosity, I will also go to Yama’s abode.”’
Chapter 7(21)
‘The Indra among brahmanas was light in his valour. Having thought, he headed for Yama’s abode, intending to tell him what had occurred. He saw Yama there, with the god Agni at the forefront. Depending on what they deserved, he was ordaining the destiny for all creatures. Yama saw that maharshi Narada had arrived. Following dharma, he welcomed him with a seat and arghya and said, “O celestial rishi! Is all well? I hope dharma is not suffering. O one who is worshipped by gods and gandharvas! Why have you come?” The illustrious rishi, Narada, addressed him in these words. “Listen to what I have to say and then determine what needs to be done. O king of the dead! There is a roamer in the night named Dashagriva. He is extremely difficult to defeat. He is coming here, intending to use his valour to subjugate you. O lord! That is the reason I have swiftly come here. You exert the staff of chastisement. What will you do now?” At this time, the rakshasa’s vimana could be seen, advancing through the sky. It could be seen from a distance, like the rays of the rising sun. The immensely strong one illuminated the spot with Pushpaka’s radiance, driving away all the darkness. He approached. The mighty-armed Dashagriva cast his eye around, here and there. He saw creatures enjoying the fruits of their good deeds and suffering from their bad deeds. Those who had committed wicked deeds were being slaughtered because of what they themselves had done. Ravana, strongest among the strong, freed them. Using his superior strength, the rakshasa freed the dead. The ones who were meant to protect the dead560 became extremely angry and attacked the Indra among the rakshasas. Those brave ones showered down hundreds and thousands of spears, clubs, javelins, bludgeons, spikes and darts on Pushpaka. Like speedy bees, they started to shatter Pushpaka’s seats, mansions, platforms and gates. Pushpaka vimana possessed a divine origin. Because of Brahma’s energy, it was indestructible. Though shattered in the battle, it became whole again. Together with King Dashanana, Ravana’s immensely valiant advisers also freely fought, resorting to their strength. The advisers of the Indra among the rakshasas fought in that great battle. Their bodies were covered with blood and they were struck with all kinds of weapons. Yama’s large forces and the rakshasa’s immensely fortunate advisers fought against each other in the clash, striking with different kinds of weapons. Then they561 abandoned the rakshasa’s immensely energetic advisers and attacked Dashanana with a shower of spears. The best among rakshasas was on the vimana and was mangled with these blows, blood flowing from his body. He looked like a blossoming ashoka tree. However, he was strongest among the strong and showered down spears, maces, javelins, spikes, darts, arrows, clubs, trees, mountains and other weapons. They countered all these with their own weapons. Hundreds and thousands of them attacked the terrible rakshasa who was fighting alone. Resembling mountains and clouds, all of them surrounded him. They incessantly showered down catapults and spears. With his armour shattered, he became angry. He became wet because of the blood that was flowing. He abandoned Pushpaka and stood on the ground. With the bow in his hand, the lord of the rakshasas stood on the ground. Having regained his senses in an instant, he was like another Death. He affixed the divine pashupata weapon to his bow. Saying, “Wait, wait,” he stretched his bow. In the battle, that arrow was garlanded by flames and was followed by predatory beasts.562 It was shot towards those forces, intending to burn them down like trees. Its energy consumed Vaivasvata’s soldiers. They fell down in the battle, like trees burnt by a conflagration. Surrounded by his advisers, the rakshasa, terrible in his valour, emitted an extremely loud roar and seemed to make the earth tremble.’
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 127