Having spent the night on the picturesque summit of the mount Meru and thinking (for some time) the powerful lord of Lanka went to the region of the moon. (And he saw a person) proceeding, seated on a car, sprinkled with heavenly unguents and attended upon by Apsaras. And worn out with the satisfaction of desire he was being kissed there. Seeing such a person his curiosity was greatly excited. And beholding a Rishi there he said to him— “Welcome thou art, O celestial saint. Indeed thou hast come at a proper season. Who is this shameless wight that is going seated on a car and attended by Apsaras? Does he not perceive his object of fear?” Being thus addressed by Ravana, Parvata said— “O my child, O thou gifted with great intellect—Hear I shall describe to thee the truth. By him all the worlds have been conquered and Brahma hath been propitiated. And he is now proceeding to that excellent region full of bliss for obtaining final liberation. As all the worlds have been conquered by thee by virtue of thy asceticism, O lord of Rakshasas, so is he going, undoubtedly performing many pious actions and drinking Soma juice. O foremost of Rakshasas, thou art heroic, and hast truth for thy prowess. The powerful are never offended with the pious.” Thereupon he espied an excellent, huge car, filled with all radiance and effulgence and the sound of musical instruments and singing. (And Ravana said)— “O great Rishi, who is that person, gifted with great effulgence, who goeth surrounded by charming songsters, dancing-girls and Kinnaras?” Hearing his words Parvata, the foremost of saints, again said— “He is heroic and a great warrior—he never returneth unsucessful from a battle-field. Having performed many heroic feats in battle, and slain many enemies, he hath been assailed with many wounds in fighting and hath renounced his life for his master. Having destroyed many in battle, he hath at last been slain by his enemies and is perhaps now going either to the region of Indra or to some such place. This best of men is now being entertained by these well-versed in the art of singing and dancing.”
Ravana again said— “Who goeth there effulgent like unto the sun?” Hearing the words of Ravana, Parvata said— “The person, resembling the full moon and wearing diverse ornaments and cloths, whom thou beholdest, O great king, in the golden car abounding in Apasaras, distributed gold. He, gifted with great effulgence, is now going in a swift-coursing car.” Hearing the words of Parvata, Ravana said— “O foremost of Rishis, do thou tell me, who, of these kings going, if prayed for, may offer me the hospitality of a battle? For sooth thou art my father; do thou point out (such man to me) O thou conversant with piety.” Being thus addressed, Parvata again said to Ravana— “O great king, all these kings wish for heaven not for battle. I shall point out such a man, O great one, as shall enter into conflict with thee. There is a highly powerful king—the lord of seven islands, well known by the name of Mandhata; he shall enter into an encounter with thee.” Hearing the words of Parvata, Ravana again said— “Do thou tell me, O thou of great devotion, where this king resides. I shall go where lives this foremost of men.” Hearing the words of Ravana, the sage again said— “The son of Yuvanaswha hath conquered the world consisting of seven islands begining with the sea; Mandhata, the foremost of kings, is just coming to meet him.” Thereupon (Ravana) having long arms, proud of the boon conferred upon him in the three worlds, beheld the heroic Mandhata, the lord of Ayodhya and the foremost of kings. Theking of seven islands proceeded in golden and well-painted car resplendant like that of Mahendra, shining in his beauty and sprinkled with celestial unguents. The Ten-naked demon said to him–”Do thou give me battle.” Being thus addressed, he, laughing, said to the ten-necked demon— “lf thy life is not dear unto thee, do thou fight with me, O Rakshasa.” Hearing the words of Mandhata, Ravana said— “Ravana did not experience any affliction from Varuna Kuvera or Yama; why should he experience fear from thee, who art a man?” Having said this, the lord of Rakshasas as if burning in ire, ordered the Rakshasas irrepressible in battle. Thereupon the ministers of the vicious-souled Ravana, highly enraged and well-skilled in warfare, began to make a downpour of arrows. Thereupon the highly powerful king Mandhata, with sharpened shafts, assailed Prahasta, Shuka, Sarana, Mahodara, Birupaksha, Akampana and other foremost heroes. Prahasta covered the king with his arrows--but before they had approached him, that foremost of men shattered them into pieces. Like unto fire burning down grass, the host of Rakshasas were burnt down by the king Mandhata by means of hundreds of Bhushundis, Vallas, Vindipalas and Tomaras. As Kartikeya, the son of fire, sundered the mount Krauncha with his shafts so Mandhata, enraged, pierced Prahasta with five Tomaras gifted with great velocity. Then hurling his mace again and again resembling that of Yama, he struck, vehemently, Ravana’s car therewith. That club, resembling the lightning, vehemently descended (upon Ravana’s car) and Ravana, like Sakra’s banner, was speedily upset by that. Like unto the rising of the waters of the salt ocean on the full moon, the king Mandhata’s joy and strength were greatly increased. Thereupon the entire Rakshasa host, emitting loud cries, stood encircling on all sides the lord of Rakshasas. Thereat speedily regaining his sense, Ravana, a terror unto all people, the lord of Lanka, greatly assailed the person of Mandhata. And beholding that king in a swoon, the highly powerful night-rangers were greatly delighted and emitted leonine roars. Regaining his sense in moment the king of Ayodhya beheld his enemy worshipped by the courtiers and night-rangers. He was instantly worked up with ire; and assuming a person resplendant like that of the sun and the moon he began to slay the Rakshasa host with a dreadful downpour of shafts. With his arrows and the noise thereof the entire Rakshasa army were overwhelmed like the agitated deep. Thereupon there arose a dreadful conflict between men and demons. And those two heroic, high-souled and foremost of men and Rakshasas seated on warriors’ seats and holding bow and ‘daggers entered (the field). And possessed by great anger they began to assail one another with shafts—Mandhata Ravana and he again the king. They, being assailed by one another, were both wounded. And setting the Raudra shaft upon his bow Ravana discharged it and Mandhata baffled it by means of his fiery shafts. The Ten-necked demon took up the Gandharva weapon and the king Mandhata the Brahma-weapon stricking terror unto all. Ravana then took up the celestial Pasupata weapon, dreadful and increasing the fright of the three worlds, obtained by him from Rudra by virtue of his rigid penances. Seeing this all animals, mobile and immobile, were stricken with terror. Thereupon trembled all the three worlds consisting of mobile and immobile beings —the celestials and all the serpents became inert. Being apprised (of this conflict) by virtue of meditation the two foremost of ascetics Pulastya and Galava remonstrated with them in many a way and prevented the king (Mandhata) and the foremost of Rakshasas. Thereupon that man and demon being reconciled with one another went back by the ways they had respectively come.
Those two Brahmans having departed, Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, proceeded, at first, by the aerial way, ten-thousand leagues. He then went to the excellent uppper aerial region where live perpetually ganders gifted with many accomplishments. The extent thereof is also counted by ten thousand leagues and there are stationed closely three classes of clouds* namely Agneya, Pakshaja and Brahma. He, then proceeded to the third excellent aerial region where perpetual ly reside the high-minded Siddhas and Charanas and the extent whereof is also ten thousand leagues. slayer of enemies, he then speedily proceeded to the fourth aerial region where perpetually dwell the goblins and Vinayakas. He quickly went to the fifth aerial region which also extends over ten thousand yoyanas where exist Ganga, the foremost of rivers, and the elephants headed by Kumuda, who pour down waters. They sport in the waters of the Ganges and pour down her holy waters. And those waters, parched by the rays of the sun and softened by the wind, pour down holy waters and dews, Raghava. Thereupon that Rakshasa went to the sixth aerial region, thou gifted with high radiance, which also extends over ten thousand yoyanas and where dwells Garuda perpetually respected of his kinsmen and friends. He then went to the seventh aerial region which is ten thousand leagues above and where dewell the seven Rishis And again going up ten thousand leagues he reached the eighth aerial region where Ganga, known as the Ganges of the sky, having strong currents and sending high roars, and upheld by air, is situated on the sun’s way. shall now describe the region higher than that where resides the moon, and the extent whereof is counted by eighty thousand leagues. There dwells the moon encircled by stars and planets from whom proceed hundreds and thousands of rays which light up the worlds and conduce to the pleasure of all animals. Thereupon beholding the Ten-necked demon the moon as if burnt (him) down speedily with his cold fiery rays. And stricken with the fear of those rays his councillors could not stand them. Thereupon exclaiming his victory Prahasta said to Ravana— “O king, we are destroyed by cold, so we must go away from here. The Rakshasas have been terrified by the rays of the moon; foremost of kings, the cold rays of the moon have the natural property of fire in them.” Hearing the words of Prahasta, Ravana, beside himself with wrath, having uplifted his bow and twanged it, began to assail him with Narachas. Thereupon Brahma came speedily to the region of the moon and said— “O Ten-necked one, thou having mighty arms, direct son of Visravas, gentle one, do thou repair hence speedily—do not oppress the moon-(for) this highly effulgent king of twice-born ones wisheth well-being unto all. shall communicate to thee mystical incantation; He who recollects it at the time of death, does not come by it.” Being thus addressed the ten-necked demon, with folded hands, said— “If thou art pleased with me god! lord of the worlds, thou of great penances, if dost thou wish to communicate that incantation, do thou impart it upon me, thou of great piety; reciting which, great one, may be released of the fear of the celestials. Forsooth, by thy favour, lord of the celestials, I shall be invincible by all the Asuras, Danavas and birds.” Being thus accosted Brahma said to the ten-necked demon— “O lord of Rakshasas, do thou recite it at the time of death and not every day. Taking string of beads, thou shouldst recite this holy incantation, on which, thou, lord of Rashasas, shalt be invincible, And if dost thou not recite it thou shalt not meet with success. Hear, shall communicate to thee the incantation, foremost of Rakshasas, reciting which thou shalt obtain victory in the encounter. Salutation unto thee, god, lord of gods, thou worshipped of the celestials and Asuras. thou identical with past and future, O great god, thou having red eyes—thou art boy albeit, thou assumest the form of an old man; thou wearest tiger skin. god, thou art worthy of being worshipped, and the Ford of the three worlds. Thou art Hara, Haritanemi, Yugantadahaka and Valadeva. Thou art Ganesha, Loka Sambhu, Lokapala, and of huge arms; thou art great, the holder of huge dart, having dreadful teeth, and the greatest of gods. Thou art time, the strength and hast blue neck and large belly; thou art the destroyer of the celestials—the foremost of the ascetics and the lord of all created beings. Thou art the holder of dart and hast the bull as thy emblem, art the leader, protector, the destroyer and the preserver; thou hast beared locks, art Mundi, Sikhandi, hast crown, and art greatly illustrious. Thou art the lord of sprites and goblins, the soul of all, the protector of all, omniscient, the destroyer of all, the creator and the eternal preceptor. Thou art lord, carriest a Kamandalu* in thy hand, art the holder of Pinaka† and Dhurjati‡ thou art, worthy of veneration, the most excellent OM, the first chanter of Saman, the death, the element of death, Parijatra* and observant of penances. Thou art an ascetic, livest in cave and carriest Vina† Panava,‡ and quiver in thy hands; thou art immortal and art like the newly-risen sun to behold. Thou livest in cremation ground, art the illustrious lord of Uma and above all blemishes Thou didst uproot the eyes of Vagadeva and teeth of Pusha. Thou art the destroyer of fever, holdest mace in thy hand and art (the very) dissolution and time. Thou hast got fire-brand in thy mouth, hast fire as thy emblem, art highly resplendent and lord of men. Thou art mad, makest people tremble, art the fourth, and most respected of men; thou art dwarf, Vamanadeva and the dwarf who circumambulates the east. Thou art beggar, wearest the semblance of beggar and art by nature crooked thou didst assail Indra’s hands and the Vasus. Thou art, the season, the maker of seasons, time, honey, and hast honeyed eyes. Thou art tree bearing fruits and blossoms, hast arrows as thy seat and worshipped by people of all conditions perpetually. Thou art the protector and the creator of the universe, the Purusha, eternal and certain the lord of all religions, Virupaksha, the three qualities and the protector of all beings. Thou art three-eyed, assumest many forms and brilliant as the Ajuta suns; thou art the lord of all celestials, the foremost deity and wearest bearded locks having the impressions of the moon; thou art connected with Brahman, worthy of being resorted to and identical with all created beings. Thou blowest all bugles, severest all ties; thou dost charm and bind (all) and dost always bring about death. Thou hast flowery teeth, art division, the foremost and the destroyer of all; thou hast dreadful beards, holdest bow, art fearful and gifted with dreadful might. These eight hundred holy and excellent names have been uttered by me which remove all iniquities, are holy and afford shelter to those who seek for it; if do thou recite them, O ten-necked one, thou shalt be able to destroy thy enemies.”
* The three classes are (1) Agnija or produced from fire (2) Pakshaja or produced in fortnight (3) Bráhma or produced from Brahma.
* An earthen or wooden water pot used by the ascetic and religious student.
† The bow of Shiva. A trident or three-pronged spear.
‡ A name of Shiva from dhur, burden and jati, collection; who collects or bears the burthen of the three worlds.
* The name of mountain, apparently the central or western portion of the Vindhya chain.
† A kind of stringed musical instrument.
‡ A sort of musical instrument; small drum or tabor.