Chapter 23 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 23

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 23.114

लब्धसंज्ञो मुहूर्तेन रावणो भयमाविशत्। एवमुक्तस्तदोत्याय रावणो देवकण्टकः॥ लोमहर्षणमापनो हाब्रवीत्तं महाद्युतिम्। को भवान्वीर्यसंपन्नो युगान्तानलसंनिभः॥ ब्रूहि त्वं को भवान्देव कुतो भूत्वा व्यवस्थितः। एवमुक्तस्ततो देवो रावणेन दुरात्मना॥ प्रत्युवाच हसन्देवो मेघगम्भीरया गिरा। किं ते मया दशग्रीव वध्योऽसि न चिरान्मम॥ एवमुक्तो दशग्रीवः प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्। प्रजापतेस्तु वचनान्नाहं मृत्युपथं गतः॥ न स जातो जनिप्यो वा मम तुल्य: सुरेष्वपि। प्रजापतिवरं यो हि लढयेवीर्यमाश्रितः॥ न तत्र परिहारोऽस्ति प्रयत्नश्चापि दुर्बलः। त्रैलोक्ये तं न पश्यामि यो मे कुर्याद्वरं वृथा॥

labdhasaṃjño muhūrtena rāvaṇo bhayamāviśat| evamuktastadotyāya rāvaṇo devakaṇṭakaḥ|| lomaharṣaṇamāpano hābravīttaṃ mahādyutim| ko bhavānvīryasaṃpanno yugāntānalasaṃnibhaḥ|| brūhi tvaṃ ko bhavāndeva kuto bhūtvā vyavasthitaḥ| evamuktastato devo rāvaṇena durātmanā|| pratyuvāca hasandevo meghagambhīrayā girā| kiṃ te mayā daśagrīva vadhyo'si na cirānmama|| evamukto daśagrīvaḥ prāñjalirvākyamabravīt| prajāpatestu vacanānnāhaṃ mṛtyupathaṃ gataḥ|| na sa jāto janipyo vā mama tulya: sureṣvapi| prajāpativaraṃ yo hi laḍhayevīryamāśritaḥ|| na tatra parihāro'sti prayatnaścāpi durbalaḥ| trailokye taṃ na paśyāmi yo me kuryādvaraṃ vṛthā||

English Meaning

Regaining his sense instantly Rāvana was stricken with fear. And being thus addressed, that enemy, of the celestials, stood up and with his down erect, said to that highly resplendent deity, “Who are you gifted with great energy and like to the fire of dissolution? Tell me, who are you, O deity and when you have come hither." Being thus accosted by the vicious-souled Ravana, the deity, smiling, replied in words, deep as the muttering of clouds, saying, "What shall you do with me O tennecked demon? You are not to be slain by me now" Being thus addressed the Ten-necked demon, with folded palms said, “By the words of the Patriarch (Brahmā) I shall not tread the path of death; there is none born among men or the celestials who can equal me, and disregard, by virtue of his prowess, the great Patriarch's boon. His words can never be falsified, every great exertion is weak before them; I do not behold any such man in the three worlds who can render that boon useless.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)