मार्कण्डेय उवाच पुलस्त्यस्य तु यः क्रोधादर्धदेहोऽभवन्मुनिः। विश्रवा नाम सक्रोधः स वैश्रवणमैक्षत॥
Markandeya said : The ascetic Vishrava, who was begotten of the half body of Pulastya, with great anger began to look upon Vaishravana.
बुबुधे तं तु सक्रोधं पितरं राक्षसेश्वरः। कुबेरस्तत्प्रसादार्थं यतते स्म सदा नृप॥
Knowing that his sire was angry with him, Kubera, the lord of Rakshasas, always tried to please him, O king.
स राजराजो लङ्कायां न्यवसन्नरवाहनः। राक्षसीः प्रददौ तिस्रः पितुर्वै परिचारिकाः॥
Living in Lanka that king of kings, borne on the shoulders of men, sent three Rakshasis to wait upon his father.
ताः सदा तं महात्मानं संतोषयितुमुद्यताः। ऋषि भरतशार्दूल नृत्यगीतविशारदाः॥
O foremost of the Bharata, they, well-versed in the art of singing and dancing, always engaged in encompassing the pleasure of the high-souled Rishi.
पुष्पोत्कटा च राका च मालिनी च विशाम्पते। अन्योन्यस्पर्धया राजन् श्रेयस्कामाः सुमध्यमाः॥
O lord of the world, O king, Pushpotkata and Raka and Malini, slender waisted, vied with one another in pleasing him.
स तासां भगवांस्तुष्टो महात्मा प्रददौ वरान्। लोकपालोपमान् पुत्रानेकैकस्या यथेप्सितान्॥
Being pleased with them, the high-souled sage conferred boons on them-and on each of them sons like Lokapalas according to their desire.
पुष्पोत्कटायां जज्ञाते द्वौ पुत्रौ राक्षसेश्वरौ। कुम्भकर्णदशग्रीवौ बलेनाप्रतिमौ भुवि॥
He begot on Pushpotkata two sons, the lords of the Rakshasas, Kumbhakarna and the tenheaded (Ravana) both unequalled in prowess on earth.
मालिनी जनयामास पुत्रमेकं विभीषणम्। राकायां मिथुनं जज्ञे खरः शूर्पणखा तथा॥
On Malini he begot one son named Vibhishana; on Raka he begot one son and one daughter named Khara and Shurpanakha.
विभीषणस्तु रूपेण सर्वेभ्योऽभ्यधिकोऽभवत्। स बभूव महाभागो धर्मगोप्ता क्रियारतिः॥
In beauty Vibhishana surpassed them all; he grew very pious and used to perform rites.
दशग्रीवस्तु सर्वेषां श्रेष्ठो राक्षसपुङ्गवः। महोत्साहो महावीर्यो महासत्त्वपराक्रमः॥
That foremost of Rakshasas, the ten-headed (Ravana) became the greatest of them all; highly energetic, powerful and gifted with great strength and prowess.
कुम्भकर्णो बलेनासीत् सर्वेभ्योऽभ्यधिको युधि। मायावी रणशौण्डश्च रौद्रश्च रजनीचरः॥
The Rakshasa Kumbhakarna was the most powerful in battle; he was fierce, terrible and a perfect master of the arts of illustration.
खरो धनुषि विक्रान्तो ब्रह्मविट् पिशिताशनः। सिद्धविघ्नकरी चापि रौद्री शूर्पणाखा तथा॥
Khara was proficient in archery, inimical towards Brahmanas and used to eat flesh; Shurpanakha used always to put impediments in the performance of ascetic observances.
सर्वे वेदविदः शूराः सर्वे सुचरितव्रताः। ऊषुः पित्रा सह रता गन्धमादनपर्वते॥
All those heroes, well-versed in the Vedas and intent on the performance of religious rites, lived with their father in the Gandhamadana mountain.
ततो वैश्रवणं तत्र ददृशुर्नरवाहनम्। पित्रा सार्धं समासीनमृद्ध्या परमया युतम्॥
There they saw Vaishravana seated with their father possessed of wealth and carried by men.
जातामर्षास्ततस्ते तु तपसे धृतनिश्चयाः। ब्रह्माणं तोषयामासुघरिण तपसा तदा॥
Possessed by jealousy they made up their mind to perform devout penances; and they pleased Brahma with severest ascetic penances.
अतिष्ठदेकपादेन सहस्रं परिवत्सरान्। वायुभक्षो दशग्रीवः पञ्चाग्निः सुसमाहितः॥
Subsisting on air only surrounded by five sacred fires and engaged in meditation the tenheaded Ravana remained standing on one leg for a thousand years.
अध:शायी कुम्भकर्णो यताहारो यतव्रतः। विभीषणः शीर्णपर्णमेकमभ्यवहारयन्॥ उपवासरतिर्धीमान् सदा जप्यपरायणः। तमेव कालमातिष्ठत् तीव्र तप उदारधीः॥
Lying down on earth and with restricted diet Kumbhakarna was engaged in penances; the wise and noble Vibhishana, fasting and living on dry leaves, engaged in meditation and practised devout penances for as long a period.
खरः शूर्पणखा चैव तेषां वै तप्यतां तपः। परिचर्यां च रक्षां च चक्रतुर्हष्टमानसौ॥
Khara and Shurpanakha with delighted hearts waited upon and protected them who were thus engaged in devout penances.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु शिरश्छित्त्वा दशाननः। जुहोत्यग्नौ दुराधर्षस्तेनातुष्यज्जगत्प्रभुः॥
After the completion of a thousand years the invincible ten-headed, cutting off his ten heads, made them an offering to the sacred fire. The Lord of the universe was pleased with this act.
ततो ब्रह्मा स्वयं गत्वा तपसस्तान् न्यवारयत्। प्रलोभ्य वरदानेन सर्वानेव पृथक् पृथक्॥
Thereupon Brahma, going there himself, made them desist from ascetic observances by promising to confer upon each one of them boons separately.
ब्रह्मोवाच प्रीतोऽस्मि वो निवर्तध्वं वरान् वृणुत पुत्रकाः। यद् यदिष्टमृते त्वेकममरत्वं तथास्तु तत्॥
Brahma said: I am pleased with you, desist, O sons and pray for boons; all your desires, with the exception of immortality only, will be fulfilled.
यद् यदग्नौ हुतं सर्वं शिरस्ते महदीप्सया। तथैव तानि ते देहे भविष्यन्ति यथेप्सया॥
As you have given your heads to fire from great ambition, they will again adorn your body as before, according to your desire.
वैरूप्यं च न ते देहे कामरूपधरस्तथा। भविष्यसि रणेऽरीणां विजेता न च संशयः॥
There will be no disfigurement in your person; you shall be able to assume any person according to your desire, you shall always vanquish your enemies in battle.
रावण उवाच गन्धर्वदेवासुरतो यक्षराक्षसतस्तथा। सर्पकिन्नरभूतेभ्यो न मे भूयात् पराभवः॥
Ravana said: May I never meet with defeat at the hands of Gandharvas, celestials, Kinnaras Asuras, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Nagas and all other creatures.
ब्रह्मोवाच य एते कीर्तिताः सर्वे न तेभ्योऽस्ति भयं तव। ऋते मनुष्याद् भद्रं ते तथा तद् विहितं मया।॥
Brahma said: You shall have no fear from those of whom you have mentioned except from men; may good betide you, this has been ordained by me.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवस्तुष्टः समभवत् तदा। अवमेने हि दुर्बुद्धिर्मनुष्यान् पुरुषादकः॥
Markandeya said : Thus accosted the ten headed Ravana was greatly delighted; on account of his perverted understanding, the man-eating (demon) disregarded human beings.
कुम्भकर्णमथोवाच तथैव प्रपितामहः। स वढे महतीं निद्रां तमसा चस्तचेतनः॥
In the same way the grandfather addressed Kumbhakarna also; his reason being clouded by darkness he prayed for long lasting sleep.
तथा भविष्यतीत्युक्त्वा विभीषणमुवाच ह। वरं वृष्णीष्व पुत्र त्वं प्रीतोऽस्मीति पुनः पुनः॥
Saying "So it shall be" he said to Vibhishana, “pray for a boon, O my son, I have been repeatedly pleased with you."
विभीषण उवाच परमापद्गतस्यापि नाधर्मे मे मतिर्भवेत्। अशिक्षितं च भगवन् ब्रह्मास्त्रं प्रतिभातु मे॥
Vibhishana said: Even in great calamity may I have no inclination for impiety; ignorant, as I am, O lord, may the light of divine knowledge appear before me.
ब्रह्मोवाच यस्माद् राक्षसयोनौ ते जातस्यामित्रकर्शन्। नाधर्मे धीयते बुद्धिरमरत्वं ददानि ते॥
Brahma said : O repressor of your enemies, as your mind is not inclined to impiety, although you are born as a Rakshasas, I grant you immortality.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच राक्षसस्तु वरं लब्ध्वा दशग्रीवो विशाम्पते। लङ्कायाश्च्यावयामास युधि जित्वा धनेश्वरम्॥
Markandeya said : Having obtained this boon, the ten-headed Ravana defeated Kubera in battle and wrested from him the sovereignty of Lanka.
हित्वा स भगवाँल्लङ्कामाविशद् गन्धमादनम्। गन्धर्वयक्षानुगतो रक्षःकिम्पुरुषैः सह॥
That Divine one leaving Lanka and followed by Gandharva, Yakshas, Rakshasas and Kinnaras went to live on the mor atain Gandhamadana.
विमानं पुष्पकं तस्य जहाराक्रम्य रावणः। शशाप तं वैश्रवणो न त्वामेतद् वहिष्यति॥
By force Ravana took from him the chariot Pushpaka. Vaishravana then cursed him, “This will not carry you;
यस्तु त्वां समरे हन्ता तमेवैतद् वहिष्यति। अवमन्य गुरुं मां च क्षिप्रं त्वं न भविष्यसि॥
It will carry him who will kill you in battle; as you have insulted me who am your adorable, you shall soon die.”
विभीषणस्तु धर्मात्मा सतां मार्गमनुस्मरन्। अन्वगच्छन्महाराज श्रिया परमया युतः॥
Always wending the way of the pious, those virtuous-souled Vibhishana, endued with great glory, followed him, O great king.
तस्मै स भगवांस्तुष्टो भ्राता भ्रात्रे धनेश्वरः। सैनापत्यं ददौ धीमान् यक्षराक्षससेनयोः॥
Then pleased with his younger brother, the Divine king of wealth, conferred upon him the command of the Yaksha and Rakshasa hosts.
राक्षसाः पुरुषादाश्च पिशाचाश्च महाबलाः। सर्वे समेत्य राजानमभ्यषिञ्चन् दशाननम्॥
The man-eating and highly powerful Rakshasas and Pishachas, having assembled together, installed the ten-headed Ravana as their king.
दशग्रीवश्च दैत्यानां देवानां च बलोत्कटः। आक्रम्य रत्नान्यहरत् कामरूपी विहङ्गमः॥
The terribly powerful, ten-headed (Ravana) assuming form at will and capable of going through the sky, attacked the gods and demons and took away by force from them their valuable property.
रावयामास लोकान् यत् तस्माद्रावण उच्यते। दशग्रीवः कामबलो देवानां भयमादधत्॥
Because he had terrified all creatures he was called Ravana. And the ten-headed demon, capable of having any might at will, struck terror even to the very gods.