Chapter 23 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 23

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 23.113

प्रविष्टः स तु रक्षेन्द्रो दृष्ट्वा तां चारुहासिनीम्। जिघृक्षुः सहसा साध्वी सिंहासनसमास्थिताम्॥ विनापि सचिवैस्तत्र रावणो दुर्मतिस्तदा। हस्ते ग्रहीतुमन्विच्छन्मन्मथेन वशीकृतः॥ सुप्तमाशीविषं यद्रावणः कालनोदितः। अथ सुप्तो महाबाहुः पावकेनावगुण्ठितः॥ ग्रहीतुकामं तं ज्ञात्वा व्यपविद्धपटं तदा। जहासोचैर्भृशं देवस्तं दृष्ट्वा राक्षसाधिपम्॥ तेजसा सहसा दीप्तो रावणो लोकरावणः। कृत्तमूलो यथा शाखी निपपात महीतले॥ पतितं राक्षसं ज्ञात्वा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्। उत्तिष्ठ राक्षसश्रेष्ठ मृत्युस्ते नाद्य विद्यते॥ प्रजापतिवरो रक्ष्यस्तेन जीवसि राक्षस। गच्छ रावण विस्रब्यो नाधुना मरणं तव॥

praviṣṭaḥ sa tu rakṣendro dṛṣṭvā tāṃ cāruhāsinīm| jighṛkṣuḥ sahasā sādhvī siṃhāsanasamāsthitām|| vināpi sacivaistatra rāvaṇo durmatistadā| haste grahītumanvicchanmanmathena vaśīkṛtaḥ|| suptamāśīviṣaṃ yadrāvaṇaḥ kālanoditaḥ| atha supto mahābāhuḥ pāvakenāvaguṇṭhitaḥ|| grahītukāmaṃ taṃ jñātvā vyapaviddhapaṭaṃ tadā| jahāsocairbhṛśaṃ devastaṃ dṛṣṭvā rākṣasādhipam|| tejasā sahasā dīpto rāvaṇo lokarāvaṇaḥ| kṛttamūlo yathā śākhī nipapāta mahītale|| patitaṃ rākṣasaṃ jñātvā vacanaṃ cedamabravīt| uttiṣṭha rākṣasaśreṣṭha mṛtyuste nādya vidyate|| prajāpativaro rakṣyastena jīvasi rākṣasa| gaccha rāvaṇa visrabyo nādhunā maraṇaṃ tava||

English Meaning

Having entered there without any councillor the vicious Rāvana, the lord of Räkşasas, on beholding that chaste damsel with sweet smiles seated on a royal seat, being possessed by desire, grew anxious to hold her by the hand, as one, under the influence of death, catches a sleeping serpent. Beholding that lord of Rākşasas with loose cloth and understanding him as desirous of holding (her) the deity, having huge arms, asleep and enveloped with flames, laughed aloud. And searched suddenly by his energy, Ravana, the dread of all people, fell down on earth like to an up-rooted tree. Beholding that Raksasa fallen he said the following words: “Rise up, O foremost of Raksasas, you shall not meet with death today; you shall live and be protected, O Raksasa, by the great Patriarch's boon. Do you therefore go away, O Ravana, with confidence, you shall not experience death just now."

— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)