Chapter 27 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 27

Valmiki Ramayana — Sundara Kanda

Verse 27.17

कृष्यमाणः स्त्रिया मुण्डो दृष्टः कृष्णाम्बरः पुनः। रथेन खरयुक्तेन रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः॥ पिबंस्तैलं हसन्नृत्यन् भ्रान्तचित्ताकुलेन्द्रियः। गर्दभेन ययौ शीघ्रं दक्षिणां दिशमास्थितः॥

kṛṣyamāṇaḥ striyā muṇḍo dṛṣṭaḥ kṛṣṇāmbaraḥ punaḥ| rathena kharayuktena raktamālyānulepanaḥ|| pibaṃstailaṃ hasannṛtyan bhrāntacittākulendriyaḥ| gardabhena yayau śīghraṃ dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāsthitaḥ||

English Meaning

And dragged by a woman, shaved, wearing a red cloth and garlands and sprinkled with crimson paste, Rāvana was again seen by me riding in a chariot drawn by asses. And quaffing oil, laughing and dancing, that one of agitated senses, forgetting himself sped on the chariot to the South. (In the south is the region of Yama, the God of Death and hence his going to the south is not an auspicious sign.)

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)