Chapter 23 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 23

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 23.78

रक्तचन्दनदिग्धाङ्गं सहस्रकिरणोज्ज्वलम्। तमादिदेवमादित्यमुचैःश्रवसवाहनम्॥ अनाद्यन्तममध्यं च लोकसाक्षिं जगत्पतिम्। तं दृष्ट्वा प्रवरं देवं रावणो रक्षसां वरः॥ स प्रहस्तमुवाचाथ रवितेजोबलार्दितः। गच्छामात्य वदस्वैनं निदेशान्मम शासनम्॥ युद्धार्थं रावणः प्राप्तो युद्धं तस्य प्रदीयताम्। निर्जितोऽस्मीति वा बूहि पक्षमेकतरं कुरु॥

raktacandanadigdhāṅgaṃ sahasrakiraṇojjvalam| tamādidevamādityamucaiḥśravasavāhanam|| anādyantamamadhyaṃ ca lokasākṣiṃ jagatpatim| taṃ dṛṣṭvā pravaraṃ devaṃ rāvaṇo rakṣasāṃ varaḥ|| sa prahastamuvācātha ravitejobalārditaḥ| gacchāmātya vadasvainaṃ nideśānmama śāsanam|| yuddhārthaṃ rāvaṇaḥ prāpto yuddhaṃ tasya pradīyatām| nirjito'smīti vā būhi pakṣamekataraṃ kuru||

English Meaning

His body was anointed with red sandal and was radiant with a thousand rays. And beholding that foremost of gods, the sun, that primeval deity, without end or middle, having Uccaiśravas as his carrier, the witness of the world and the lord of the universe, the foremost of Raksasas, being overwhelmed with his rays, said to Prahasta, “O minister, do you proceed at my behest and communicate to him my orders, 'Rāvana has arrived here for battle, do you offer him fight.' Or say 'I have been defeated.' Do you follow one of theseextremes."

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)