स विलोक्याथ लङ्केशं जहास दहनोपमः। आदित्य इव दुष्प्रेक्ष्यः स्थितो दानवसत्तमः॥ अथ संदर्शनादेव बलिर्वे विश्वरूपवान्। स गृहीत्वा च तद्रक्ष उत्सङ्गे स्थाप्य चाब्रवीत्॥ दशग्रीव महाबाहो कं ते कामं करोम्यहम्। किमागमनकृत्यं ते ब्रूहि त्वं राक्षसेश्वर॥ एवमुक्तस्तु बलिना रावणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।
sa vilokyātha laṅkeśaṃ jahāsa dahanopamaḥ| āditya iva duṣprekṣyaḥ sthito dānavasattamaḥ|| atha saṃdarśanādeva balirve viśvarūpavān| sa gṛhītvā ca tadrakṣa utsaṅge sthāpya cābravīt|| daśagrīva mahābāho kaṃ te kāmaṃ karomyaham| kimāgamanakṛtyaṃ te brūhi tvaṃ rākṣaseśvara|| evamuktastu balinā rāvaṇo vākyamabravīt|
English Meaning
Beholding the lord of Lankā, the foremost of Dănavas, resembling the flaming fire, and hard to look at like the sun, laughed. And taking that Rākş asa by the hand and placing him on his lap he said. 'O Ten-necked lord of Raksasas, O you having long arms, what desire of your may I satisfy? Do you tell me what for you have come hither.' Being thus addressed by Bali, Ravana said.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)