Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— सोऽभ्येत्य कैलासगिरिमारराध सदाशिवम्। अतितीव्रेण तपसा भक्त्या च व्रततत्परः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Reaching Mount Kailāsa, Rāvaṇa devoted himself to sacred observance and worshipped Sadāśiva with intense austerity and devotion.
Passage 2
अर्चित्वा निबिडैर्गन्धैः स्वर्गगङ्गाजलशीतलैः। कुसुमैर्नन्दनोद्भूतैस्तथान्यैरुपचारकैः॥२॥
He worshipped with rich fragrances cooled by the waters of the celestial Gaṅgā, flowers grown in Nandana, and other offerings.
Passage 3
मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं दास्यन्निदमाह सुभक्तिमान्। नृत्यन् पुलकपूर्णाङ्गो गायन्नुच्चैश्च सामभिः॥३॥
Preparing to offer flowers with mantras, the deeply devoted Rāvaṇa spoke as he danced, his body thrilled with rapture, and sang the Sāman chants aloud.
Passage 4
जय देव महावरदाधिपते हिमदीधितभाललसत्तिलक। नरकिन्नरनागसुरासुरहृत्सुखदानमते गिरिजाधिपते॥४॥
“Victory, O divine lord of the greatest boon-givers, whose brow bears the radiant moon as its ornament! O lord of Girijā, your gracious purpose gives joy to humans, Kinnaras, Nāgas, gods, and Asuras.
Passage 5
जय सर्वजगत्करुणाजलधेऽखिलसौख्यनिधे नतविष्णुविधे। भवभौतिकभूतिनिदान भवप्रभुतागुणसीम समस्तगते॥५॥
“Victory, ocean of compassion for every world, treasury of all happiness, before whom Viṣṇu and Brahmā bow! You are the source of existence, its elements and prosperity, the limit of lordly qualities, and the one present everywhere.
Passage 6
यदिदं किल दृश्यमशेषमपि त्वयि कारणरूपतया स्थितिमत्। तदुदेति पुनस्तदवस्थमिव प्रमितं प्रतिमीयत ईश भिदा॥६॥
“All this visible universe abides in you in causal form. It rises again in that same condition, O Lord, though limited understanding imagines it as divided.
Passage 7
पुनरेव महाप्रलये गिरिश त्वयि ताण्डवचण्डिमरूपभृति। प्रविलीयत एतदशेषमपि त्रिविधं जगदप्रकटत्वमितम्॥७॥
“At the great dissolution, O Giriśa, when you assume the fierce form of the tāṇḍava, this entire threefold world again merges into you and becomes unmanifest.
Passage 8
इति बीजमिव प्रकटस्य तरोस्त्वमसीश भवस्य निदानमतः। करुणार्णव देव भवन्तमहं प्रणतोऽस्मि गतोऽस्मि परं शरणम्॥८॥
“Thus, like the seed of a manifest tree, you are the source of existence. Divine ocean of compassion, I bow to you and have come to you as my supreme refuge.
Passage 9
त्वयि ये शिव बद्धधियः सततं दृढभक्तिवशादनुरक्तिमिताः। न च ते क्व च यान्ति पराभवनं सुखसारसमृद्धिविवृद्धिमिताः॥९॥
“Those whose minds are fixed upon you, Śiva, and who remain attached through firm devotion never meet defeat; the essential wealth of their happiness continually increases.
Passage 10
वसुधाधिपतिर्वसुधामपतिर्वसुधामगतिविबुधाधिपतिः। विधिसद्मपतिर्वरमुक्तिपतिर्भवति त्वयि भक्तिविशिष्टमतिः॥१०॥
“One whose mind excels in devotion to you becomes lord of the earth, master of its wealth, leader of the gods, possessor of Brahmā's realm, and master of excellent liberation.
Passage 11
किमु भोगसुखं किमु योगसुखं किमु मोक्षनिरञ्जनभावशुभम्। किमु धातुपदं किमु शक्रपुरं त्वयि भूतपतेऽद्भुतभक्तिमतः॥११॥
“What are sensual pleasure, yogic bliss, the pure blessed state of liberation, Brahmā's station, or Indra's city to one endowed with wondrous devotion to you, O lord of beings?
Passage 12
सुरकिन्नरमौलिकिरीटमणिद्युतिरञ्जितपादसरोजनखाः। त्वयि भक्तिकलामधिगम्य हर प्रभवन्ति जगत्पति फल्गुनराः॥१२॥
“The nails of your lotus feet are colored by the radiance of jewels in the crowns of gods and Kinnaras. By gaining even a portion of devotion to you, O Hara, the insignificant become lords of the world.
Passage 13
हिमशैलसितं रजताद्रिमितं वरभूतिभृतं गिरिजालसितम्। निगमप्रमितं निजभक्तिजितं प्रभजामि भवन्तमहं त्वरितम्॥१३॥
“White as a snowy mountain and resembling a silver peak, covered with sacred ash and radiant beside Girijā, known through the Veda yet conquered by your own devotees—I hasten to worship you.
Passage 14
रजनीपतिचन्द्रकलालसिते परभक्तिभवत्करुणाहसिते। घनसारमनोरमभस्मसिते निगमावसिते त्वयि यातु मतिः॥१४॥
“May my mind rest in you, radiant with the moon's crescent, smiling compassionately upon the highest devotee, lovely and white with camphor and ash, and established by the Veda.
Passage 15
इति येऽर्चनकर्मसमाप्तिविधौ कुसुमाञ्जलिबन्धसनाथकराः। कलयन्ति गिरीश तव स्तवनं न हि तैः किमपीह दुराप्यतमम्॥१५॥
“Those who, at the completion of worship, join their hands with an offering of flowers and recite this praise of you, O Giriśa, find nothing in this world exceedingly difficult to attain.” The Offering of Rāvaṇa's Heads
Passage 16
इति स्तुत्वा दशमुखो मन्त्रपुष्पाञ्जलिं न्यधात्। गिरीशचरणद्वन्द्वे करुणामृतवर्षिणि॥१६॥
After praising him in this way, the ten-headed king placed his mantra-charged flower offering at Giriśa's two feet, which rain the nectar of compassion.
Passage 17
एकदा भूतनाथस्य भक्तिभावमहोजितः। प्रभुर्बुभूषुर्लोकानामकरोत्कर्म भीषणम्॥१७॥
One day, overcome by the greatness of his devotion to the lord of beings and desiring sovereignty over the worlds, he performed a terrifying act.
Passage 18
विधाय पूजामीशस्य पादयोः पद्ममालया। निकृत्य निजशीर्षाणि निदधौ धीरमानसः॥१८॥
Having worshipped the Lord's feet with a garland of lotuses, the resolute Rāvaṇa cut off his own heads and laid them there.
Passage 19
एकैकमुत्कृत्य शिरो महासिना विनिर्गलन्नूतनरक्तशोणितम्। अभ्युक्षितं पद्ममिवारुणप्रभावभासितं भूतपतेः पदे न्यधात्॥१९॥
One by one he severed each head with his great sword. Streaming with fresh red blood, each looked like a lotus sprinkled crimson and radiant; he placed it at the lord of beings' feet.
Passage 20
अधावदङ्घ्री करुणाम्बुधेर्विभोः कैलासशैलावनिधूलिधूसरे। निकृत्तमूर्धोदरलब्धवाहिता विनिर्गलद्रक्तसमूहपावसा॥२०॥
The flood of blood pouring from the openings of his severed heads flowed over the feet of the compassionate Lord, feet grey with dust from the grounds of Mount Kailāsa.
Passage 21
एवं स यावद्दशमं शिरः शिवं प्रपूजयामास शिरोभिरात्मनः। प्रतिप्रकर्षं प्रपठन् मनोरमान्मन्त्रानखण्डान् विदधच्च स स्तुतीः॥२१॥
Thus he worshipped Śiva with his own heads until only the tenth remained, continually reciting powerful, pleasing mantras and offering uninterrupted praises.
Passage 22
समाधिसम्मीलितलोचनो हरस्ततः समुन्मील्य दृशावुदैक्षत। एकावशिष्टं कुणपाधिपस्य तच्छिरः पराण्यस्य शिरांसि पादयोः॥२२॥
Hara's eyes had been closed in meditation. Opening them, he saw that the lord of the Rākṣasas had only one head remaining while the others lay at his feet.
Passage 23
चिकर्तिषुर्घोरमतिस्तदप्यथो भूतानुकम्पाम्बुधिना कपालिना। निवारितोऽङ्के करयोः प्रगृह्य स स्वयं वरं ब्रूहि ममेति चोदितः॥२३॥
As the fierce-minded Rāvaṇa prepared to cut off that head also, Kapālin, ocean of compassion for all beings, stopped him, took him by the hands into his embrace, and said, “Name the boon you desire from me.” Śiva Grants the Boons
Passage 24
स तं ययाचे वरभक्तिभावतो वशंवदं भूतपतिं त्रिलोचनम्। सर्वत्रिलोकाधिपतिं त्वमात्मनः पुनर्न मृत्युं च सुरासुरादिभिः॥२४॥
With supreme devotion, Rāvaṇa asked the three-eyed lord of beings to remain responsive to him, to make him sovereign of all three worlds, and to grant that gods, Asuras, and others could not cause his death.
Passage 25
ब्रह्मादिदेवोपरिवर्तिनीं निजामाज्ञां ययाचेऽप्रतिमं च विक्रमम्। पुरन्दरादप्यधिकाश्च सम्पदस्तेजः कृशानोश्च विभावसोरपि॥२५॥
He asked that his command prevail even over Brahmā and the other gods, that his prowess be unrivalled, his riches exceed Indra's, and his brilliance surpass the blazing fire.
Passage 26
यद्यच्च काम्यं मनसि स्थितं परं भोगं वरायुश्च सुखं तथाधिकम्। स तद्ययाचे गिरिशात्प्रसादितात्कृपावलोकामृतवीचिवारिधेः॥२६॥
Whatever else his mind desired—supreme enjoyments, excellent longevity, and abundant happiness—he requested from the gracious Giriśa, an ocean whose merciful glance sends forth waves of nectar.
Passage 27
इत्थं स सिद्धवरलाभउमाधिनाथात्सद्यःप्रभूतदशमस्तकशोभमानः। घोरो न्यवर्तततमां प्रभुमाशु नत्वा कैलासशैलशिखरान्नगरीं प्रति स्वाम्॥२७॥
Having thus obtained accomplished boons from Umā's lord, the terrible Rāvaṇa immediately shone once more with all ten heads. Bowing quickly to the Lord, he departed from Kailāsa's peak for his own city. Source Note The Sanskrit follows source leaves 393–395 (printed pages 366–368). All twenty-seven independent passages are continuously numbered in the source.