Hinduism

The Ramayana in Sanskrit: Book 7: Chapter 53

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This is a passage of Sanskrit verse from the Uttara Kanda (seventh book) of the Valmiki Ramayana, presented in both Roman transliteration and Devanagari script. The sages (rishis) appeal to Rama (addressed as Kakutstha) to protect them from the demon Lavana, and they narrate the backstory explaining why Lavana is so dangerous. In the Krita Yuga, the great demon Madhu earned such devotion from Rudra (Shiva) that the god drew his own trident and gifted it to him, with the condition that its power would hold only so long as Madhu never opposed gods or brahmins. When Madhu asked that the boon extend to his entire lineage, Shiva modified the grant: the trident would pass to one son only. Madhu's son Lavana, born of wicked disposition from childhood, inherited the weapon and uses it together with his own cruelty to torment the three worlds, targeting ascetics especially. The passage closes with the sages telling Rama that many kings before him failed to protect them, but upon hearing of his defeat of Ravana, they now recognize him as their sole refuge and beg him to destroy Lavana. The text is a narrative setup verse typical of the Ramayana's later books, establishing a villain's mythological origins and divine weapon before the hero's campaign against him.

The Ramayana in Sanskrit: Book 7: Chapter 53

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