Uttara Kanda, Sarga 9

Meaning

“After sometime the Rākṣasa known as Sumālī, emerged from the nether world and actually wandered, they say, all over the world of mortals. (1)

Meaning

“Resembling a dark cloud and wearing earrings made of pure gold, he was holding by the hand his daughter, who resembled Lakṣmī without the lotus. (2)

Meaning

“While that Rākṣasa chieftain was thus actually wandering on the earth, he happened to see Kubera proceeding in the aerial car, Puṣpaka, to see his powerful father, Viśarwā, the son of Pulastya. Filled with wonder to see him, who was godlike and resplendent like fire, flying, the highly intelligent Sumālī, left the world of human beings, went to the nether world and thought as follows: (3—5)

Meaning

‘What has to be done to ensure the permanent good of the ogres! How shall we prosper?’ “Then the Rākṣasa told his daughter by name Kaikasī: (6)

Meaning

‘My child, you are passing beyond the period of youth, this is the time to give you away in marriage; suitors hold back for fear of rejection. (7)

Meaning

‘Pious-minded as we are, we have all exerted ourselves to see you married. Daughter, you are endowed with all good qualities and almost the same as Lakṣmī. (8)

Meaning

‘To be the father of an unmarried girl is a source of anxiety to all who care for their honour; for they do not know who will accept their daughter, O child! (9)

Meaning

‘An unmarried girl ever exposes to risk the reputation of three families, the family of her mother, of her father and that to which she is gifted. (10)

Meaning

‘Hence, O daughter, you had better choose yourself and accept as your husband the excellent sage Viśravā, the best of sages, born in the family of Prajāpati (Brahmā) and the son of Pulastya. (11)

Meaning

‘O daughter, sons will be born to you equal to the lord of riches, whose lustre is like that of the sun: about this there is no doubt.’ (12)

Meaning

“Hearing these words, that girl, out of respect for her father, went to the spot where Viśravā was doing Tapas and stood there. (13)

Meaning

“In the meantime, O Rāma, that Brāhmaṇa, the son of Pulastya, resembling a fourth fire, was performing Agnihotra (sacrificial feeding of fire). (14)

Meaning

“Not realizing that the time was inauspicious, out of respect for her father’s words, the young girl went near him and stood in front of him with her face bent downwards and eyes fixed on her feet and repeatedly scratching the ground with the tip of her great toe. Seeing that girl of shapely limbs, whose face resembled the full moon and who was brilliant with her own lustre, that supremely magnanimous sage said: ‘Blessed girl, whose daughter are you, wherefrom and with what motive have you come here and what is your purpose? Tell me the truth, O beautiful one!’ (15—18)

Meaning

“Addressed thus, that girl forthwith said with folded hands: ‘O sage, you should read my mind by your spiritual insight. (19)

Meaning

‘O Brahmarṣi, I am Kaikasī by name; know me to have come at the behest of my father; the rest you should comprehend for yourself.’ (20)

Meaning

The sage went into meditation and said, ‘O auspicious one, I have divined the intention in your mind. (21)

Meaning

‘O lady, whose gait is like that of an elephant in rut, you are eager to have sons by me. But since you have approached me at an inauspicious time, know, therefore, the kind of sons you will give birth to; they will be cruel-minded, fierce-looking and fond of people equally cruel. O lady of shapely limbs, you will bring forth Rākṣasas given to cruel deeds.’ Hearing these words of Viśravā, she made obeisance and spoke as follows: ‘O revered sir, from you, who are a Brahmavādī (one who discourses on Brahma), I do not desire such sons, given to heinous deeds; be gracious to me.’ (22—25)

Meaning

Implored thus by the maiden, Viśravā, the best of sages, who resembled the full moon, for his part spoke again to Kaikasī, who looked like Rohiṇī, (a lunar asterism):(26)

Meaning

‘O lady with a lovely face, he who will be your last son, will be pious-minded and fully in accord with my family: about this there is no doubt.’ (27)

Meaning

“Spoken to in these words, O Rāma, that girl in course of time brought forth a hideous child having the form of a Rākṣasa, very cruel, with ten heads, huge teeth, resembling a heap of antimony, having coppery lips, with twenty hands, vast mouths, and fiery hair. (28-29)

Meaning

“At the time of his birth vixens emitting flames through their mouths, and other carnivorous animals circled from left to right. (30)

Meaning

“The rain-god showered blood; clouds thundered fiercely; the sun did not shine brightly; and huge meteors fell on the ground. (31)

Meaning

“Nay, the earth rocked; and fierce winds blew; the sea, the lord of rivers, which is incapable of being thrown into commotion, was agitated. (32)

Meaning

“His father, equal to the creator, named him Daśagrīva, since he was born with ten heads. (33)

Meaning

“After him was born the exceptionally mighty Kumbhakarṇa, other than whose dimensions no one has greater magnitude on earth. (34)

Meaning

“Then was born Śūrpaṇakhā with an ugly face; the pious-minded Vibhīṣaṇa was the last son of Kaikasī. (35)

Meaning

“When this noble soul was born, flowers, they say, fell in showers on the earth, and kettledrums of the gods sounded in the heavens. ‘Good, excellent!’ were the words spoken in mid heaven. (36)

Meaning

“Then both, Kumbhakarṇa and Daśagrīva, of great strength and tormentors of the world, grew up in that big forest. (37)

Meaning

“Wanton Kumbhakarṇa, ever discontented, roamed about the three worlds devouring the great sages fond of righteousness. (38)

Meaning

“The pious-minded Vibhīṣaṇa, who was ever fully established in rectitude and highly self-controlled, lived on a sparse diet, and was given to the study of the Vedas. (39)

Meaning

“Now after sometime god Kubera (son of Viśravā), the lord of riches, came in his aerial car to see his father. (40)

Meaning

“On seeing him, blazing as it were with lustre, the ogress, Kaikasī came up there and said to Daśagrīva: (41)

Meaning

‘Son, look at your (half-) brother, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera), full of lustre; look upon yourself, who are so poor, though equal to him as a brother. (42)

Meaning

‘Make every effort, so that you too become like him, O Daśagrīva! you have limitless prowess, my son.’ (43)

Meaning

“Hearing these words of his mother, the valiant Daśagrīva became immeasurably envious and took the following vow: (44)

Meaning

‘I swear to you truly, I will rise equal to Vaiśravaṇa and even excel him in respect of power; give up grieving in your heart.’ (45)

Meaning

“Then in a fit of spleen, Daśagrīva, having set his mind on performing Tapas, and seeking to accomplish a difficult task, came to the holy Āśrama at Gokarṇa for achieving success determined to gain his ends by practising austerities with his younger brothers. (46-47)

Meaning

“That Rākṣasa of terrible prowess, in the company of his younger brothers, practised unsurpassed Tapas in that place; thereby he pleased the all-powerful Brahmā who, in the plenitude of his pleasure, granted boons which would bring victory.” (48)