The Marriages of Ravana's House and the Birth of Indrajit

Shloka 1 (uttara.12.1)

राक्षसेन्द्रो ऽभिषिक्तस्तु भ्रातृभ्यां सहितस्तदा । ततः प्रदानं राक्षस्या भगिन्याः समचिन्तयत् ।। १२.१ ।।

rākṣasendro 'bhiṣiktas tu bhrātṛbhyāṃ sahitas tadā | tataḥ pradānaṃ rākṣasyā bhaginyāḥ samacintayat || 12.1 ||

The lord of the rakshasas, now consecrated, together with his brothers, then considered giving his rakshasi sister in marriage to someone.

Shloka 2 (uttara.12.2)

स्वसारं कालकेयाय दानवेन्द्राय राक्षसीम् । ददौ शूर्पणखां नाम विद्युज्जिह्वाय नामतः ।। १२.२ ।।

svasāraṃ kālakeyāya dānavendrāya rākṣasīm | dadau śūrpaṇakhāṃ nāma vidyujjihvāya nāmataḥ || 12.2 ||

He gave his rakshasi sister, named Shurpanakha, to Vidyujjihva, the Kalakeya lord of the Danavas.

Shloka 3 (uttara.12.3)

अथ दत्त्वा स्वयं रक्षो मृगयामटते स्म तत् । तत्रापश्यत्ततो राम मयं नाम दितेः सुतम् ।। १२.३ ।।

atha dattvā svayaṃ rakṣo mṛgayām aṭate sma tat | tatrāpaśyat tato rāma mayaṃ nāma diteḥ sutam || 12.3 ||

Having given his sister away, the rakshasa himself went roaming in the hunt; there, O Rama, he saw Maya, the son of Diti.

Shloka 4 (uttara.12.4)

कन्यासहायं तं दृष्ट्वा दशग्रीवो निशाचरः । अपृच्छत्को भवानेको निर्मनुष्यमृगे वने । अनया मृगशावाक्ष्या किमर्थं सह तिष्ठसि ।। १२.४ ।।

kanyāsahāyaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā daśagrīvo niśācaraḥ | apṛcchat ko bhavān eko nirmanuṣyamṛge vane | anayā mṛgaśāvākṣyā kimarthaṃ saha tiṣṭhasi || 12.4 ||

Seeing him accompanied by a maiden, the night-ranger Dashagriva asked: 'Who are you, alone in this forest empty of men but full of deer, and why do you stay here with this fawn-eyed girl?'

Shloka 5 (uttara.12.5)

मयस्तथाब्रवीद्राम पृच्छन्तं तं निशाचरम् । श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये यथावृत्तमिदं मम ।। १२.५ ।।

mayas tathābravīd rāma pṛcchantaṃ taṃ niśācaram | śrūyatāṃ sarvam ākhyāsye yathāvṛttam idaṃ mama || 12.5 ||

Then, O Rama, Maya said to the questioning night-ranger: 'Listen, I shall tell you all, exactly as it happened to me.'

Shloka 6 (uttara.12.6)

हेमा नामाप्सरास्तात श्रुतपूर्वा यदि त्वया । दैवतैर्मम सा दत्ता पौलोमीव शतक्रतोः ।। १२.६ ।।

hemā nāmāpsarās tāta śrutapūrvā yadi tvayā | daivatair mama sā dattā paulomīva śatakratoḥ || 12.6 ||

'Father, if you have heard before of the apsaras named Hema, the gods gave her to me, as Pauloma's daughter was given to Shatakratu.'

Shloka 7 (uttara.12.7)

तस्यां सक्तमनास्तात पञ्चवर्षशतान्यहम् । सा च दैवतकार्येण त्रयोदश समा गताः ।। १२.७ ।।

tasyāṃ saktamanās tāta pañcavarṣaśatāny aham | sā ca daivatakāryeṇa trayodaśa samā gatāḥ || 12.7 ||

'Father, my mind fixed on her, I remained thus for five hundred years; but she went away for thirteen years on account of some errand of the gods.'

Shloka 8 (uttara.12.8)

वर्षं चतुर्दशं चैव ततो हेममयं पुरम् । वज्रवैडूर्यचित्रं च मायया निर्मितं मया ।। १२.८ ।।

varṣaṃ caturdaśaṃ caiva tato hemamayaṃ puram | vajravaiḍūryacitraṃ ca māyayā nirmitaṃ mayā || 12.8 ||

'And in the fourteenth year, I built by illusion-craft a city of gold, adorned with diamond and beryl.'

Shloka 9 (uttara.12.9)

तत्राहमवसं दीनस्तया हीनः सुदुःखितः ।। १२.९ ।।

tatrāham avasaṃ dīnas tayā hīnaḥ suduḥkhitaḥ || 12.9 ||

'There I dwelt, wretched and greatly grieved, deprived of her.'

Shloka 10 (uttara.12.10)

तस्मात्पुराद्दुहितरं गृहीत्वा वनमागतः । इयं ममात्मजा राजंस्तस्याः कुक्षौ विवर्धिता ।। १२.१० ।।

tasmāt purād duhitaraṃ gṛhītvā vanam āgataḥ | iyaṃ mamātmajā rājaṃs tasyāḥ kukṣau vivardhitā || 12.10 ||

'From that city I have come to the forest, bringing my daughter; O king, this is my own daughter, grown in her womb.'

Shloka 11 (uttara.12.11)

भर्तारमनया सार्धमस्याः प्राप्तो ऽस्मि मार्गितुम् । कन्यापितृत्वं दुःखं हि सर्वेषां मानकाङ्क्षिणाम् ।। १२.११ ।।

bhartāram anayā sārdham asyāḥ prāpto 'smi mārgitum | kanyāpitṛtvaṃ duḥkhaṃ hi sarveṣāṃ mānakāṅkṣiṇām || 12.11 ||

'I have come with her to seek a husband for her; for to all who desire honor, being the father of a daughter is a source of sorrow.'

Shloka 12 (uttara.12.12)

कन्या हि द्वे कुले नित्यं संशये स्थाप्य तिष्ठति । पुत्रद्वयं ममाप्यस्यां भार्यायां सम्बभूव ह ।। १२.१२ ।।

kanyā hi dve kule nityaṃ saṃśaye sthāpya tiṣṭhati | putradvayaṃ mamāpy asyāṃ bhāryāyāṃ sambabhūva ha || 12.12 ||

'A daughter always keeps both families in constant uncertainty. From this same wife, two sons were also born to me.'

Shloka 13 (uttara.12.13)

मायावी प्रथमस्तात दुन्दुभिस्तदनन्तरः । एवं ते सर्वमाख्यातं याथातथ्येन पृच्छतः ।। १२.१३ ।।

māyāvī prathamas tāta dundubhis tadanantaraḥ | evaṃ te sarvam ākhyātaṃ yāthātathyena pṛcchataḥ || 12.13 ||

'The first, father, was Mayavi, and after him Dundubhi. Thus I have told you everything truthfully, as you asked.'

Shloka 14 (uttara.12.14)

त्वामिदानीं कथं तात जानीयां को भवानिति । एवमुक्तस्तु तद्रक्षो विनीतमिदमब्रवीत् ।। १२.१४ ।।

tvām idānīṃ kathaṃ tāta jānīyāṃ ko bhavān iti | evam uktas tu tad rakṣo vinītam idam abravīt || 12.14 ||

'Now, father, how am I to know who you are?' Thus asked, that rakshasa spoke humbly in reply.

Shloka 15 (uttara.12.15)

अहं पौलस्त्यतनयो दशग्रीवश्च नामतः । मुनेर्विश्रवसो यस्तु तृतीयो ब्रह्मणो ऽभवत् ।। १२.१५ ।।

ahaṃ paulastyatanayo daśagrīvaś ca nāmataḥ | muner viśravaso yas tu tṛtīyo brahmaṇo 'bhavat || 12.15 ||

'I am the son of Paulastya, named Dashagriva; the sage Vishrava was the third in descent from Brahma.'

Shloka 16 (uttara.12.16)

एवमुक्तस्तदा राम राक्षसेन्द्रेण दानवः । महर्षेस्तनयं ज्ञात्वा मयो हर्षमुपागतः । दातुं दुहितरं तस्मै रोचयामास यत्र वै ।। १२.१६ ।।

evam uktas tadā rāma rākṣasendreṇa dānavaḥ | maharṣes tanayaṃ jñātvā mayo harṣam upāgataḥ | dātuṃ duhitaraṃ tasmai rocayāmāsa yatra vai || 12.16 ||

Thus told, O Rama, by the lord of the rakshasas, the danava Maya, learning him to be the son of a great sage, was filled with joy, and gladly resolved to give his daughter to him.

Shloka 17 (uttara.12.17)

करेण तु करं तस्या ग्राहयित्वा मयस्तदा । प्रहसन्प्राह दैत्येन्द्रो राक्षसेन्द्रमिदं वचः ।। १२.१७ ।।

kareṇa tu karaṃ tasyā grāhayitvā mayas tadā | prahasan prāha daityendro rākṣasendram idaṃ vacaḥ || 12.17 ||

Then Maya, placing her hand in his, smilingly said this to the lord of the rakshasas.

Shloka 18 (uttara.12.18)

इयं ममात्मजा राजन्हेमया ऽप्सरसा धृता । कन्या मन्दोदरी नाम पत्न्यर्थं प्रतिगृह्यताम् ।। १२.१८ ।।

iyaṃ mamātmajā rājan hemayāpsarasā dhṛtā | kanyā mandodarī nāma patny arthaṃ pratigṛhyatām || 12.18 ||

'O king, this daughter of mine, borne by the apsaras Hema, this maiden named Mandodari, may you accept as your wife.'

Shloka 19 (uttara.12.19)

बाढमित्येव तं राम दशग्रीवो ऽभ्यभाषत । प्रज्वाल्य तत्र चैवाग्निमकरोत्पाणिसङ्ग्रहम् ।। १२.१९ ।।

bāḍham ity eva taṃ rāma daśagrīvo 'bhyabhāṣata | prajvālya tatra caivāgnim akarot pāṇisaṅgraham || 12.19 ||

'So be it,' O Rama, Dashagriva replied to him, and there, kindling the sacred fire, he took her hand in marriage.

Shloka 20 (uttara.12.20)

स हि तस्य मयो राम शापाभिज्ञस्तपोधनात् । विदित्वा तेन सा दत्ता तस्य पैतामहं कुलम् ।। १२.२० ।।

sa hi tasya mayo rāma śāpābhijñas tapodhanāt | viditvā tena sā dattā tasya paitāmahaṃ kulam || 12.20 ||

For Maya, O Rama, being aware — through that store of ascetic power — of the curse pertaining to him, and knowing him to be of the lineage of the Grandfather Brahma, gave her to him.

Shloka 21 (uttara.12.21)

अमोघां तस्य शक्तिं च प्रददौ परमाद्भुताम् । परेण तपसा लब्धां जघ्निवाँल्लक्ष्मणं यया ।। १२.२१ ।।

amoghāṃ tasya śaktiṃ ca pradadau paramādbhutām | pareṇa tapasā labdhāṃ jaghnivāṁl lakṣmaṇaṃ yayā || 12.21 ||

He also gave him an unfailing and wondrous Shakti-weapon, won by supreme austerity — the very weapon with which he later struck down Lakshmana.

Shloka 22 (uttara.12.22)

एवं स कृतदारो वै लङ्काया ईश्वरः प्रभुः । गत्वा तु नगरीं भार्ये भ्रातृभ्यां समुपाहरत् ।। १२.२२ ।।

evaṃ sa kṛtadāro vai laṅkāyā īśvaraḥ prabhuḥ | gatvā tu nagarīṃ bhārye bhrātṛbhyāṃ samupāharat || 12.22 ||

Thus married, that lord and master of Lanka returned to the city, and brought wives for his two brothers as well.

Shloka 23 (uttara.12.23)

वैरोचनस्य दौहित्रीं वज्रज्वालेति नामतः । तां भार्यां कुम्भकर्णस्य रावणः समकल्पयत् ।। १२.२३ ।।

vairocanasya dauhitrīṃ vajrajvāleti nāmataḥ | tāṃ bhāryāṃ kumbhakarṇasya rāvaṇaḥ samakalpayat || 12.23 ||

Ravana arranged for Kumbhakarna the granddaughter of Virochana, named Vajrajvala, to be his wife.

Shloka 24 (uttara.12.24)

गन्धर्वराजस्य सुतां शैलूषस्य महात्मनः । सरमां नाम धर्मज्ञां लेभे भार्यां विभीषणः ।। १२.२४ ।।

gandharvarājasya sutāṃ śailūṣasya mahātmanaḥ | saramāṃ nāma dharmajñāṃ lebhe bhāryāṃ vibhīṣaṇaḥ || 12.24 ||

Vibhishana obtained as his wife the daughter of the great-souled Shailusha, king of the Gandharvas — the righteous maiden named Sarama.

Shloka 25 (uttara.12.25)

तीरे तु सरसो वै तु सञ्जज्ञे मानसस्य हि । सरस्तदा मानसं तु ववृधे जलदागमे ।। १२.२५ ।।

tīre tu saraso vai tu sañjajñe mānasasya hi | saras tadā mānasaṃ tu vavṛdhe jaladāgame || 12.25 ||

She was born on the shore of Lake Manasa, at a time when that lake had swelled at the coming of the rains.

Shloka 26 (uttara.12.26)

मात्रा तु तस्याः कन्यायाः स्नेहेनाक्रन्दितं वचः । सरो मा वर्धयस्वेति ततः सा सरमा ऽभवत् ।। १२.२६ ।।

mātrā tu tasyāḥ kanyāyāḥ snehenākranditaṃ vacaḥ | saro mā vardhayasveti tataḥ sā saramābhavat || 12.26 ||

The mother of that maiden, in affection, had cried out the words 'O lake, do not swell' — and so she came to be called Sarama.

Shloka 27 (uttara.12.27)

एवं ते कृतदारा वै रेमिरे तत्र राक्षसाः । स्वां स्वां भार्यामुपागम्य गन्धर्वा इव नन्दने ।। १२.२७ ।।

evaṃ te kṛtadārā vai remire tatra rākṣasāḥ | svāṃ svāṃ bhāryām upāgamya gandharvā iva nandane || 12.27 ||

Thus married, those rakshasas took delight there, each with his own wife, like Gandharvas in the Nandana grove.

Shloka 28 (uttara.12.28)

ततो मन्दोदरी पुत्रं मेघनादमजीजनत् । स एष इन्द्रजिन्नाम युष्माभिरभिधीयते ।। १२.२८ ।।

tato mandodarī putraṃ meghanādam ajījanat | sa eṣa indrajin nāma yuṣmābhir abhidhīyate || 12.28 ||

Then Mandodari gave birth to a son named Meghanada — this is the one whom you call by the name Indrajit.

Shloka 29 (uttara.12.29)

जातमात्रेण हि पुरा तेन रावणसूनुना । रुदता सुमहान्मुक्तो नादो जलधरोपमः ।। १२.२९ ।।

jātamātreṇa hi purā tena rāvaṇasūnunā | rudatā sumahān mukto nādo jaladharopamaḥ || 12.29 ||

For, as soon as he was born, that son of Ravana, crying, let forth a tremendous roar resembling the thunder of a cloud.

Shloka 30 (uttara.12.30)

जडीकृता च सा लङ्का तस्य नादेन राघव । पिता तस्याकरोन्नाम मेघनाद इति स्वयम् ।। १२.३० ।।

jaḍīkṛtā ca sā laṅkā tasya nādena rāghava | pitā tasyākaron nāma meghanāda iti svayam || 12.30 ||

O Raghava, by that roar of his, Lanka itself was struck numb; and so his father himself gave him the name Meghanada.

Shloka 31 (uttara.12.31)

सो ऽवर्धत तदा राम रावणान्तःपुरे शुभे । रक्ष्यमाणो वरस्त्रीभिश्छन्नः काष्ठैरिवानलः ।। १२.३१ ।।

so 'vardhata tadā rāma rāvaṇāntaḥpure śubhe | rakṣyamāṇo varastrībhiś channaḥ kāṣṭhair ivānalaḥ || 12.31 ||

O Rama, he grew up then in the auspicious inner apartments of Ravana, guarded by excellent women, like a fire covered over by kindling wood.

Shloka 32 (uttara.12.32)

मातापित्रोर्महाहर्षं जनयन्रावणात्मजः ।। १२.३२ ।।

mātāpitror mahāharṣaṃ janayan rāvaṇātmajaḥ || 12.32 ||

That son of Ravana grew, bringing great joy to his mother and father.