Uttara Kanda, Sarga 12

राक्षसेन्द्रो ऽभिषिक्तस्तु भ्रातृभ्यां सहितस्तदा । ततः प्रदानं राक्षस्या भगिन्याः समचिन्तयत् ।। 7.12.1 ।।

rākṣasendro 'bhiṣiktastu bhrātṛbhyāṃ sahitastadā | tataḥ pradānaṃ rākṣasyā bhaginyāḥ samacintayat || 7.12.1 ||

The lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, having been crowned and accompanied by his two brothers, then thought about giving his Rakshasi sister in marriage.

स्वसारं कालकेयाय दानवेन्द्राय राक्षसीम् । ददौ शूर्पणखां नाम विद्युज्जिह्वाय नामतः ।। 7.12.2 ।।

svasāraṃ kālakeyāya dānavendrāya rākṣasīm | dadau śūrpaṇakhāṃ nāma vidyujjihvāya nāmataḥ || 7.12.2 ||

He gave his Rakshasi sister, named Surpanakha, to Vidyujjihva, who was a lord among the Danavas of the Kalakeya clan.

अथ दत्त्वा स्वयं रक्षो मृगयामटते स्म तत् । तत्रापश्यत्ततो राम मयं नाम दितेः सुतम् ।। 7.12.3 ।।

atha dattvā svayaṃ rakṣo mṛgayāmaṭate sma tat | tatrāpaśyattato rāma mayaṃ nāma diteḥ sutam || 7.12.3 ||

Then, Ravana himself, having given (leave to others), wandered for hunting, and there, O Rama, he saw Maya, the son of Diti.

कन्यासहायं तं दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । अपृच्छत्को भवानेको निर्मनुष्यमृगे वने । अनया मृगशावाक्ष्या किमर्थं सह तिष्ठसि ।। 7.12.4 ।।

kanyāsahāyaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā daśagrīvo niśācaraḥ | apṛcchatko bhavāneko nirmanuṣyamṛge vane | anayā mṛgaśāvākṣyā kimarthaṃ saha tiṣṭhasi || 7.12.4 ||

Seeing him accompanied by a maiden, Ravana, the night-wanderer, asked, "Who are you, alone in this forest devoid of humans and animals, and for what purpose do you stay with this fawn-eyed maiden?"

मयस्तथाब्रवीद्राम पृच्छन्तं तं निशाचरम् । श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये यथावृत्तमिदं मम ।। 7.12.5 ।।

mayastathābravīdrāma pṛcchantaṃ taṃ niśācaram | śrūyatāṃ sarvamākhyāsye yathāvṛttamidaṃ mama || 7.12.5 ||

O Rama, Maya thus spoke to the inquiring night-wanderer, "Listen, I shall narrate all that has happened concerning me."

हेमा नामाप्सरास्तात श्रुतपूर्वा यदि त्वया । दैवतैर्मम सा दत्ता पौलोमीव शतक्रतोः ।। 7.12.6 ।।

hemā nāmāpsarāstāta śrutapūrvā yadi tvayā | daivatairmama sā dattā paulomīva śatakratoḥ || 7.12.6 ||

O dear one, if you have heard of an Apsara named Hema before, she was given to me by the gods, just as Paulomi was given to Indra.

तस्यां सक्तमनास्तात पञ्चवर्षशतान्यहम् । सा च दैवतकार्येण त्रयोदश समा गताः ।। 7.12.7 ।।

tasyāṃ saktamanāstāta pañcavarṣaśatānyaham | sā ca daivatakāryeṇa trayodaśa samā gatāḥ || 7.12.7 ||

O dear one, I was devoted to her for five hundred years, and she has now been gone for thirteen years for a divine purpose.

वर्षं चतुर्दशं चैव ततो हेममयं पुरम् । वज्रवैडूर्यचित्रं च मायया निर्मितं मया ।। 7.12.8 ।।

varṣaṃ caturdaśaṃ caiva tato hemamayaṃ puram | vajravaiḍūryacitraṃ ca māyayā nirmitaṃ mayā || 7.12.8 ||

Then, for the fourteenth year, a golden city, adorned with diamonds and lapis lazuli, was created by me through illusion.

तत्राहमवसं दीनस्तया हीनः सुदुःखितः ।। 7.12.9 ।।

tatrāhamavasaṃ dīnastayā hīnaḥ suduḥkhitaḥ || 7.12.9 ||

There I resided, miserable, deprived of her, and exceedingly sorrowful.

तस्मात्पुराद्दुहितरं गृहीत्वा वनमागतः । इयं ममात्मजा राजंस्तस्याः कुक्षौ विवर्धिता ।। 7.12.10 ।।

tasmātpurādduhitaraṃ gṛhītvā vanamāgataḥ | iyaṃ mamātmajā rājaṃstasyāḥ kukṣau vivardhitā || 7.12.10 ||

Having taken my daughter from that city, I came to the forest; this is my daughter, O King, who grew in her womb.

भर्तारमनया सार्धमस्याः प्राप्तो ऽस्मि मार्गितुम् । कन्यापितृत्वं दुःखं हि सर्वेषां मानकाङ्क्षिणाम् ।। 7.12.11 ।।

bhartāramanayā sārdhamasyāḥ prāpto 'smi mārgitum | kanyāpitṛtvaṃ duḥkhaṃ hi sarveṣāṃ mānakāṅkṣiṇām || 7.12.11 ||

I have come with her to seek a husband for her, for indeed, the fatherhood of a daughter is a sorrow for all who desire honor.

कन्या हि द्वे कुले नित्यं संशये स्थाप्य तिष्ठति । पुत्रद्वयं ममाप्यस्यां भार्यायां सम्बभूव ह ।। 7.12.12 ।।

kanyā hi dve kule nityaṃ saṃśaye sthāpya tiṣṭhati | putradvayaṃ mamāpyasyāṃ bhāryāyāṃ sambabhūva ha || 7.12.12 ||

Indeed, a daughter always keeps two families in a state of uncertainty; also, two sons were born to me from this wife.

मायावी प्रथमस्तात दुन्दुभिस्तदनन्तरः । एवं ते सर्वमाख्यातं याथातथ्येन पृच्छतः ।। 7.12.13 ।।

māyāvī prathamastāta dundubhistadanantaraḥ | evaṃ te sarvamākhyātaṃ yāthātathyena pṛcchataḥ || 7.12.13 ||

O dear one, Mayavi was the first, and Dundubhi came after him; thus, everything has been truthfully told to you who asked.

त्वामिदानीं कथं तात जानीयां को भवानिति । एवमुक्तस्तु तद्रक्षो विनीतमिदमब्रवीत् ।। 7.12.14 ।।

tvāmidānīṃ kathaṃ tāta jānīyāṃ ko bhavāniti | evamuktastu tadrakṣo vinītamidamabravīt || 7.12.14 ||

"How shall I know you now, dear one, who are you?" When thus spoken to, that demon humbly replied this.

अहं पौलस्त्यतनयो दशग्रीवश्च नामतः । मुनेर्विश्रवसो यस्तु तृतीयो ब्रह्मणो ऽभवत् ।। 7.12.15 ।।

ahaṃ paulastyatanayo daśagrīvaśca nāmataḥ | munerviśravaso yastu tṛtīyo brahmaṇo 'bhavat || 7.12.15 ||

"I am the son of Pulastya, named Dashagriva, and I am the son of Sage Vishrava, who was the third (generation) from Brahma."

एवमुक्तस्तदा राम राक्षसेन्द्रेण दानवः । महर्षेस्तनयं ज्ञात्वा मयो हर्षमुपागतः । दातुं दुहितरं तस्मै रोचयामास यत्र वै ।। 7.12.16 ।।

evamuktastadā rāma rākṣasendreṇa dānavaḥ | maharṣestanayaṃ jñātvā mayo harṣamupāgataḥ | dātuṃ duhitaraṃ tasmai rocayāmāsa yatra vai || 7.12.16 ||

O Rama, when the king of demons spoke thus, Maya, the Danava, felt joy upon knowing him to be the son of the great sage, and indeed desired to give his daughter to him.

करेण तु करं तस्या ग्राहयित्वा मयस्तदा । प्रहसन्प्राह दैत्येन्द्रो राक्षसेन्द्रमिदं वचः ।। 7.12.17 ।।

kareṇa tu karaṃ tasyā grāhayitvā mayastadā | prahasanprāha daityendro rākṣasendramidaṃ vacaḥ || 7.12.17 ||

Then, Maya, the king of Daityas, having made the king of Rakshasas grasp his daughter's hand with his own, laughed and spoke these words to him.

इयं ममात्मजा राजन्हेमया ऽप्सरसा धृता । कन्या मन्दोदरी नाम पत्न्यर्थं प्रतिगृह्यताम् ।। 7.12.18 ।।

iyaṃ mamātmajā rājanhemayā 'psarasā dhṛtā | kanyā mandodarī nāma patnyarthaṃ pratigṛhyatām || 7.12.18 ||

O King, this is my daughter, born of the Apsara Hema, named Mandodari; let her be accepted as your wife.

बाढमित्येव तं राम दशग्रीवो ऽभ्यभाषत । प्रज्चाल्य तत्र चैवाग्निमकरोत्पाणिसङ्ग्रहम् ।। 7.12.19 ।।

bāḍhamityeva taṃ rāma daśagrīvo 'bhyabhāṣata | prajcālya tatra caivāgnimakarotpāṇisaṅgraham || 7.12.19 ||

O Rama, Dashagriva indeed said "Agreed" to him, and having kindled a fire there, he performed the marriage ceremony.

स हि तस्य मयो राम शापाभिज्ञस्तपोधनात् । विदित्वा तेन सा दत्ता तस्य पैतामहं कुलम् ।। 7.12.20 ।।

sa hi tasya mayo rāma śāpābhijñastapodhanāt | viditvā tena sā dattā tasya paitāmahaṃ kulam || 7.12.20 ||

O Rama, Maya, indeed knowing of the curse from the ascetic regarding Ravana's paternal grandfather's lineage, gave his daughter to him.

अमोघां तस्य शक्तिं च प्रददौ परमाद्भुताम् । परेण तपसा लब्धां जघ्निवाँल्लक्ष्मणं यया ।। 7.12.21 ।।

amoghāṃ tasya śaktiṃ ca pradadau paramādbhutām | pareṇa tapasā labdhāṃ jaghnivāँllakṣmaṇaṃ yayā || 7.12.21 ||

And he also gave him the supremely wonderful and unfailing spear, obtained through great penance, by which Lakshmana was struck.

एवं सीकृतदारो वै लङ्काया ईश्वरः प्रभुः । गत्वा तु नगरीं भार्ये भ्रातृभ्यां समुपाहरत् ।। 7.12.22 ।।

evaṃ sīkṛtadāro vai laṅkāyā īśvaraḥ prabhuḥ | gatvā tu nagarīṃ bhārye bhrātṛbhyāṃ samupāharat || 7.12.22 ||

Thus, the mighty lord of Lanka, Ravana, having taken wives for himself, went to the city and presented two wives to his brothers.

वैरोचनस्य दौहित्रीं वज्रज्वालेति नामतः । तां भार्यां कुम्भकर्णस्य रावणः समकल्पयत् ।। 7.12.23 ।।

vairocanasya dauhitrīṃ vajrajvāleti nāmataḥ | tāṃ bhāryāṃ kumbhakarṇasya rāvaṇaḥ samakalpayat || 7.12.23 ||

Ravana arranged for Vajrajvala, the granddaughter of Virochana, to be Kumbhakarna's wife.

गन्धर्वराजस्य सुतां शैलूषस्य महात्मनः । सरमां नाम धर्मज्ञां लेभे भार्यां विभीषणः ।। 7.12.24 ।।

gandharvarājasya sutāṃ śailūṣasya mahātmanaḥ | saramāṃ nāma dharmajñāṃ lebhe bhāryāṃ vibhīṣaṇaḥ || 7.12.24 ||

Vibhishana obtained as his wife Sarama, the righteous daughter of the great-souled Gandharva king Shailusha.

तीरे तु सरसो वै तु सञ्जज्ञे मानसस्य हि । सरस्तदा मानसं तु ववृधे जलदागमे ।। 7.12.25 ।।

tīre tu saraso vai tu sañjajñe mānasasya hi | sarastadā mānasaṃ tu vavṛdhe jaladāgame || 7.12.25 ||

She was born on the bank of Lake Manasa, and at that time, during the rainy season, Lake Manasa was overflowing.

मात्रा तु तस्याः कन्यायाः स्नेहेनाक्रन्दितं वचः । सरो मा वर्धयस्वेति ततः सा सरमा ऽभवत् ।। 7.12.26 ।।

mātrā tu tasyāḥ kanyāyāḥ snehenākranditaṃ vacaḥ | saro mā vardhayasveti tataḥ sā saramā 'bhavat || 7.12.26 ||

And with affection, the mother of that girl cried out, "O lake, do not grow!", and from that incident, she became known as Sarama.

एवं ते कृतदारा वै रेमिरे तत्र राक्षसाः । स्वां स्वां भार्यामुपागम्य गन्धर्वा इव नन्दने ।। 7.12.27 ।।

evaṃ te kṛtadārā vai remire tatra rākṣasāḥ | svāṃ svāṃ bhāryāmupāgamya gandharvā iva nandane || 7.12.27 ||

Thus, having taken wives, those Rakshasas indeed enjoyed themselves there, approaching their respective wives, just like Gandharvas in the Nandana garden.

ततो मन्दोदरी पुत्रं मेघनादमजीजनत् । स एष इन्द्रजिन्नाम युष्माभिरभिधीयते ।। 7.12.28 ।।

tato mandodarī putraṃ meghanādamajījanat | sa eṣa indrajinnāma yuṣmābhirabhidhīyate || 7.12.28 ||

Mandodari then gave birth to a son named Meghanada, who is known to you all as Indrajit.

जातमात्रेण हि पुरा तेन रावणसूनुना । रुदता सुमहान्मुक्तो नादो जलधरोपमः ।। 7.12.29 ।।

jātamātreṇa hi purā tena rāvaṇasūnunā | rudatā sumahānmukto nādo jaladharopamaḥ || 7.12.29 ||

Indeed, immediately after his birth, Ravana's son, while crying, emitted a tremendous roar resembling a thundercloud.

जडीकृता च सा लङ्का तस्य नादेन राघव । पिता तस्याकरोन्नाम मेघनाद इति स्वयम् ।। 7.12.30 ।।

jaḍīkṛtā ca sā laṅkā tasya nādena rāghava | pitā tasyākaronnāma meghanāda iti svayam || 7.12.30 ||

O Raghava, that Lanka was stunned by his roar, and his father himself named him Meghanada.

सो ऽवर्धत तदा राम रावणान्तःपुरे शुभे । रक्ष्यमाणो वरस्त्रीभिश्छन्नः काष्ठैरिवानलः ।। 7.12.31 ।।

so 'vardhata tadā rāma rāvaṇāntaḥpure śubhe | rakṣyamāṇo varastrībhiśchannaḥ kāṣṭhairivānalaḥ || 7.12.31 ||

O Rama, he then grew up in Ravana's beautiful inner palace, protected by excellent women, like a fire hidden by wood.

मातापित्रोर्महाहर्षं जनयन्रावणात्मजः ।। 7.12.32 ।।

mātāpitrormahāharṣaṃ janayanrāvaṇātmajaḥ || 7.12.32 ||

Ravana's son was causing great joy to his mother and father. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः ।। 12 ।। Thus ends the twelfth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.