एवमस्मि तदा मुक्तः कथंचित् तेन संयुगे। इदानीमपि यद् वृत्तं तच्छृणुष्व यदुत्तरम्॥
I Was however somehow saved by Rāma in that conflict. Listen what happened afterwards.
राक्षसाभ्यामहं द्वाभ्यामनिर्विण्णस्तथाकृतः। सहितो मृगरूपाभ्यां प्रविष्टो दण्डकावने॥
I was not humbled even by the danger of my life. Once again I entered the forest of Dandaka accompanied by two Rākşasas assuming the shape of deer.
दीप्तजिह्वो महादंष्ट्रस्तीक्ष्णशृङ्गो महाबलः। व्यचरन् दण्डकारण्यं मांसभक्षो महामृगः॥ अग्निहोत्रेषु तीर्थेषु चैत्यवृक्षेषु रावण। अत्यन्तघोरो व्यचरंस्तापसांस्तान् प्रधर्षयन्॥ निहत्य दण्डकारण्ये तापमान् धर्मचारिणः। रुधिराणि पिबंस्तेषां तन्मासानि च भक्षयन्॥
I had a flaming tongue, huge teeth, sharpened horns and lived on the flesh of ascetics. Assuming such a terrible appearance I began to traverse with great vehemence the Tīrtha, Agnihotri and the place of worship; eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the ascetics after killing them I began to hinder all religious services.
ऋषिमांसाशनः क्रूरस्त्रासयन् वनगोचरान्। तदा रुधिरमत्तोऽहं वचरं दण्डकावनम्॥
I had a most ugly figure and was maddened with drinking blood, and all the animals of the forest were exceedingly frightened at me.
तदाहं दण्डकारण्ये विचरन् धर्मदूषकः। आसादयं तदा रामं तापसं धर्ममाश्रितम्॥ वैदेहीं च महाभागां लक्ष्मणं च महारथम्। तापसं नियताहारं सर्वभूतहिते रतम्॥
While I was thus traversing the forest of Dandaka throwing obstacles in the way of religious services I saw the pious ascetic Răma living on a restricted fare, the honoured Sītā and the mighty Lakşmaņa, taking recourse to asceticism, moderate in eating and ever engaged in the welfare of created beings.
सोऽहं वनगतं रामं परिभूय महाबलम्। तापसोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन्॥ अभ्यधावं सुसंक्रुद्धस्तीक्ष्णशृङ्गो मृगाकृतिः। जिघांसुरकृतप्रज्ञस्तं प्रहारमनुस्मरन्॥
Remembering his former enmity and aggrandisement, I, being extremely wrathful, in my deer shape and with my sharpened horns, darted towards him with a view to kill him, considering through my ignorance the effulgent Rāma as none other but an ascetic living in the forest.
तेन त्यक्ताश्रयो बाणाः शिताः शत्रुनिवर्हणाः। विकृष्य सुमहच्चापं सुपर्णानिलतुल्यगाः॥ ते बाणा वज्रसंकाशाः सुघोरा रक्तभोजनाः। आजग्मुः सहिताः सर्वे त्रयः संनतपर्वणः॥
Then stringing his huge bow he darted three sharpened arrows at me. Those three terrible arrows with bent knots resembling thunderbolts, killing enemies and drinking blood and having the motion of Garuda and air, coalescing with each other came before us.
पराक्रमज्ञो रामस्य शठो दृष्टभयः पुरा। समुत्क्रान्तस्ततो मुक्तस्तावुभौ राक्षसौ हतौ॥
Wicked as I am, I was fully aware of his prowess having been frightened by him on a former occasion, and so I saved myself by escaping, but those two Raksasas were killed.
शरेण मुक्तो रामस्य कथंचित् प्राप्य जीवितम्। इह प्रव्राजितो युक्तस्तापसोऽहं समाहितः॥
O Rāvana, any how saved from the arrows of Rāma and having got my life back I have resorted to the life of an ascetic and have been carrying on asceticism here being absorbed in Yoga.
वृक्षे वृक्षे हि पश्यामि चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्। गृहीतधनुषं रामं पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्॥
From that very day I see Rāma wearing bark and deerskin even in the very trees before me like to Death with the noose in his hands.
अपि रामसहस्राणि भीतः पश्यामि रावण। रामभूतमिदं सर्वमरण्यं प्रतिभाति मे॥
Terrified as I am I always see thousands of Rāma around me. Me seems the entire forest is inhabited by Rāma only.
रोममेव हि पश्यामि रहिते राक्षसेश्वर। दृष्ट्वा स्वप्नगतं राममुद्धमामीव चेतनः॥
O king of Räksasas, I see Rāma even in the quarter where there is no Rāma. Seeing him in my dreams even I look around like one awaken.
रकारादीनि नामानि रामत्रस्तस्य रावण। रत्नानि च रथाश्चैव वित्रासं जनयन्ति मे॥
O Rāvana what more shall I speak to you, I am so much afraid of Rāma that such words as Ratna (jewel), Ratha (chariot) which begin with the letter Ra administer consternation to me.
अहं तस्य प्रभावज्ञो न युद्धं तेन ते क्षमम्। बलिं वा नमुचिं वापि हन्याद्धि रघुनन्दनः॥
I am fully apprised of the prowess of that descendant of Raghu; it dose not behove you to enter into conflict with him; he can destroy Vāli and Namuci.
रणे रामेण युध्यस्व क्षमा वा कुरु रावण। न ते रामकथा कार्या यति मां द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ॥
O Rāvana, whether do you fight with Rāma or not, do not mention him to me if do you wish to see me.
बहवः साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्ममनुष्ठिताः। परेषामपराधेन विनष्टाः सपरिच्छदाः ॥
Many persons pious and devoted to asceticism on this earth have met with destruction for another's misdeeds.
सोऽहं परापराधेम विनशेयं निशाचर। कुरु यत् ते क्षमं तत्त्वमहं त्वां नानुयामि वै॥
And I shall meet with a similar fate for your sins. O you the ranger of night do whatever you like, I shall not follow you.
रामश्च हि महातेजा महासत्त्वो महाबलः। अपि राक्षसलोकस्य भवेदन्तकरोऽपि हि॥
Truely is that highly intelligent and effulgent Rāma of mighty prowess, like death itself to the rangers of night.
यदि शूर्पणखाहेतोर्जनस्थानगतः खरः। अतिवृत्तो हतः पूर्वं रामेणक्लिष्टकर्मणा। अत्र ब्रूहि यथातत्वं को रामस्य वयतिक्रमः॥
Though the wicked Khara of Janasthāna has been slain by him on Sūrpanakhā's account, yet how is he to blame for it do you truly speak.
इदं वचो बन्धुहितार्थिना मया यथोच्यमानं यदि नाभिपत्स्यसे। सबान्धवस्त्यक्ष्यसि जीवितं रणे हतोऽद्य रामेण शरैरजिह्मगैः॥
You are my friend; it is for this and for your welfare that I speak this truth to you. If do you not follow my words, yourself with all your kinsmen, shall be slain in battle by Rāma.