भगवनराक्षसः क्रूरो यदाप्रभृति मेदिनीम्। पर्यटत्किं तदा लोकाः शून्या आसन्द्विजोत्तम॥ राजा वा राजमात्रो वा किं तदा नात्र कश्चन। धर्षणं यत्र न प्राप्तो रावणो राक्षसेश्वरः॥
bhagavanarākṣasaḥ krūro yadāprabhṛti medinīm| paryaṭatkiṃ tadā lokāḥ śūnyā āsandvijottama|| rājā vā rājamātro vā kiṃ tadā nātra kaścana| dharṣaṇaṃ yatra na prāpto rāvaṇo rākṣaseśvaraḥ||
English Meaning
"O Brāhmaṇa, O foremost of twice-born ones, when that cruel Rāvana journeyed over the earth, was it void of people? Was there no king, or prince on earth to administer punishment to him?
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)