मेधावी तु ततो ध्यात्वा स किंञ्चिदिदमुत्तरम्। लब्धसंज्ञस्ततस्तं तु वेदज्ञो नृपमब्रवीत्॥
Then that one of capacious intelligence, versed in the Vedas, having pondered for a time, and regained his senses, returned to the king this excellent answer.
इष्टिं तेऽहं करिष्यामि पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात्। अथर्वशिरसि प्रोक्तैर्मन्त्रैः सिद्धां विधानतः॥
On your behalf, and with the view of obtaining sons for you, I will by help of mantras laid down in the Atharva Veda, duly celebrate the famous ceremony, capable of crowning you with offspring.
ततः प्राक्रमदिष्टिं तां पुत्रीयां पुत्रकारणात्। जुहावाग्नौ च तेजस्वी मन्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा॥
Then with the view of obtaining sons (for the king,) that effulgent one set about the sonconferring ceremony; and in accordance with the ordinance, and with mantras, offered oblations to the sacrificial fire.
ततो देवाः सगन्धर्वाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः। भागप्रतिग्रहार्थं वै समवेता यथाविधि ॥
And the deities, with the Gandharvas, and the Siddhas, and the principal saints, assembled there duly with the object of each obtaining his share of the offerings.
ताः समेत्य यथान्यायं तस्मिन् सदसि देवताः। अब्रुवँल्लोककर्तारं ब्रह्माणं वचनं ततः॥
And having duly assembled there, the deities addressed these words to Brahmă the lord of creatures.
भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन रावणो नाम राक्षसः। सर्वान् नो बाधते वीर्याच्छासितुं तं न शक्नुमः॥
O you possessed of the six attributes, through your grace, a Rākşasa named Rāvaņa oppresses us all by his prowess, nor can we baffle him.
त्वया तस्मै वरो दत्तः प्रीतेन भगवंस्तदा। मानयन्तश्च तं नित्यं सर्वं तस्य क्षमामहे ॥
O lord, as you have well-pleased conferred on him a boon, we always suffer him in deference to it.
उद्वेजयति लोकांस्त्रीनुच्छ्रितान् द्वेष्टि दुर्मतिः। शक्रं त्रिदशराजानं प्रधर्षयितुमिच्छति॥
The wicked-minded one harasses the three worlds furnished with prosperity, and bears illwill against them and seek o defeat Indra, the king of Tridaśa.
ऋषीन् यक्षान् सगन्धर्वान् ब्राह्मणानसुरांस्तदा। अतिक्रामति दुर्धर्षो वरदानेन मोहितः॥
And blinded by the boon he has received, that irrepressible one intends to bring down the lord himself of the celestials, and the Yakşas, and the Gandharvas, and the Brahmanas, and the Asuras.
नैनं सूर्यः प्रतपति पार्श्वे वाति न मारुतः। चलोर्मिमाली तं दृष्ट्वा समुद्रोऽपि न कम्पते॥
And the Sun does not burn him, or the Wind blow about him; and at sight of him, that one engarlanded with billows, the Ocean, dares not stir.
तन्महन्नोभयं तस्माद् राक्षसाद् घोरदर्शनात्। वधार्थं तस्य भगवन्नुपायं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
Therefore, great is the fear that afflict us, coming from that Rākşasa of dreadful appearance. And, O lord, it behoves you to devise some means for destroying him.
एवमुक्तः सुरैः सर्वैश्चिन्तयित्वा ततोऽब्रवीत्। हन्तायं विदितस्तस्य वधोपायो दुरात्मनः॥ तेन गन्धर्वयक्षाणां देवतानां च रक्षसाम्। अवध्योऽस्मीति वागुक्ता तथेत्युक्तं च तन्मया॥
Thus addressed by the deities in a body, he said, Alas! I have, however, decided on the means of destroying that wicked-souled one. He had asked, 'May I be incapable of being slain by Gandharvas, and Yaksas, and gods, and Raksasas!,-whereat I said, 'Be it so!'
नाकीर्तयदवज्ञानात् तद् रक्षो मानुषांस्तदा। तस्मात्स मानुषाद्वध्यो मृत्युर्नान्योऽस्य विद्यते॥
Through disdain, the Rākşasa did not at that time mention men. Therefore, by men alone he is capable of being slain; nor can his end be compassed by any other means.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा प्रियं वाक्यं ब्रह्मणा समुदाहृतम्। देवा महर्षयः सर्वे प्रहृष्टास्तेऽभवंस्तदा॥
Hearing this welcome speech uttered by Brahmā, the deities and the Maharșis became exceedingly delighted.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विष्णुरुपयातो महाद्युतिः। शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः पीतवासा जगत्पतिः॥ वैनतेयं समारुह्य भास्करस्तोयदं यथा। तप्तहाटककेयूरो वन्द्यमानः सुरोत्तमैः॥ ब्रह्मणा च समागत्य तत्र तस्थौ समाहितः।
At this juncture, that lord of the universe, the highly-eifulgent Visnu, clad in yellow apparel, and bearing in his hands the conch, the discus, and the mace, and adorned with burnished Keyūras, (A bracelet worn on the upper arm.) arrived there, riding Vinatā's son; like to the Sun riding the clouds. And worshipped by the foremost of the celestials, he drew near Brahmā, and sat down with a collected mind.
तमब्रुवन् सुराः सर्वे समभिष्ट्रय संनताः॥ त्वां नियोक्ष्यामहे विष्णो लोकानां हितकाम्यया।
And bending low before him, the deities spoke to him saying, O Vişnu, for the benefit of the worlds, we shall appoint you to some work.
राज्ञो दशरथस्य त्वमयोध्याधिपतेर्विभो॥ धर्मज्ञस्य वदान्यस्य महार्षिसमतेजसः। अस्य भार्यासु तिसृषु ह्रीश्रीकीर्युपमासु च॥ विष्णो पुत्रत्वमागच्छ कृत्वाऽऽत्मानं चतुर्विधम्। तत्र त्वं मानुषो भूत्वा प्रवृद्धं लोककण्टकम्॥ अवध्यं दैवतैर्विष्णो समरे जहि रावणम्। स हि देवान् सगन्धर्वान् सिद्धांश्च ऋषिसत्तमान् ॥
Do you, O lord, dividing yourself into four, O Vişņu, become born a sons in the three wives, resembling Modesty, Auspiciousness, and Fame, of Ayodhyā's lord, king Dasaratha, cognizant of Duty, and munificent, and possessing energy, and like to a Maharsi. Do you, O Visnu, becoming man, slay in battle this thorn of the worlds, the pampered Răvaņa, incapable of being slain by the gods; for the foolish Rākşasa by virtue of sublimated prowess, baffles the deities, and the Gandharvas, and the Siddhas, and the foremost of saints.
राक्षसो रावणो मूल् वीर्योद्रेकेण बाधते। ऋषयश्च ततस्तेन गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा॥ क्रीडन्तो नन्दनवने रौद्रेण विनिपातिताः।
And by him bereft of the sense of right and wrong, have saints and Gandharvas and Apsaras sporting in the groves of Nandana, been wantonly slain.
वधार्थं वयमायातास्तस्य वै मुनिभिः सह ॥ सिद्धगन्धर्वयक्षाश्च ततस्त्वां शरणं गताः। त्वं गतिः परमा देव सर्वेषां नः परंतप ॥
It is to compass his death that accompanied by the ascetics, we have come here: it is for this that the Siddhas and the Gandharvas and the Yaksas have taken refuge in you! O God, you are the prime way of us all, O repressor of foes! Do you, for bringing destruction to the enemies of the gods, turn your thoughts to being born as man.
वधाय देवशत्रूणां नृणां लोके मनः कुरु। एवं स्तुतस्तु देवेशो विष्णुस्त्रिदशपुङ्गवः॥ पितामहपुरोगांस्तान् सर्वलोकनमस्कृतः। अब्रवीत् त्रिदशान् सर्वान् समेतान् धर्मसंहितान्॥
Thus besought, that foremost of gods and chief of celestials, Visnu, worshipped of all creatures, addressed the assembled deities, following Duty, with the grand-sire at their head, saying.
भयं त्यजत भद्रं वो हितार्थं युधि रावणम्। सपुत्रपौत्रं सामात्यं समन्त्रिज्ञातिबान्धवम्॥ हत्वा क्रूरं दुराधर्ष देवर्षीणां भयावहम्। दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च॥
Do you renounce fear! For your behoof, slaying in battle the wily and irrepressible Răvaņa, dreadful to the saints and the celestials, together with his sons, and grandsons, and friends, and counsellors, and relatives, and acquaintances, I will abide among mortals, ruling this earth for ten thousand and as many hundred years.
वत्स्यामि मानुषे लोके पालयन् पृथिवीमिमाम्। एवं दत्त्वा वरं देवो देवानां विष्णुरात्मवान्॥
Having thus conferred a boon upon the gods, the lord Vişnu of subdued soul fell to thinking as to the place where he would be born among men.
मानुष्ये चिन्तयामास जन्मभूमिमथात्मनः। ततः पद्मपलाशाक्षः कृत्वाऽऽत्मानं चतुर्विधम्॥ पितरं रोचयामास तदा दशरथं नृपम्।
Then that one of eyes resembling lotus-petals, dividing self into four parts, chose even king Dasaratha for his father.
ततो देवर्षिगन्धर्वाः सरुद्राः साप्सरोगणाः। स्तुतिभिर्दिव्यरूपाभिस्तुष्टुवुर्मधुसूदनम्॥
Thereat the celestials and the saints and the Gandharvas and the Rudras and the Apsaras hymned the Slayer of Madhu in excellent hymns.
तमुद्धतं रावणमुग्रतेजसं प्रवृद्धदर्पं त्रिदशेश्वरद्विषम्। विरावणं साधुतपस्विकण्टकं तपस्विनामुद्धर तं भयावहम्॥
Do you utterly uproot the haughty Råvaņa of fierce prowess and enhanced insolence-that foe of the lord of celestials, who is the occasion of the tears of the three * Lit. the thorns of pious ascetics.
तमेव हत्वा सबलं सबान्धवं विरावणं रावणमुग्रपौरुषम्। स्वर्लोकमागच्छ गतज्वरश्चिरं सुरेन्द्रगुप्तं गतदोषकल्मषम्॥
Slaying that one of terrible prowess, who distresses the three worlds, with his forces and friends, do you, O foremost of gods, your fever of heart removed, repair to the celestial regions protected by you and purged of all its faults and sins.