"Oh, you scum of the rakshasas! My wife Sita was helpless and ignorant of who you were when she was abducted by you from Janasthana. It shows you for what you are - surely not valorous.
"When I was not around, in that great forest, you forcibly lifted off my wife Sita, daughter of Videha, even though you could see she was helpless and desperate. Then how can you consider yourself brave!?"
Sri Rama continued: "How can someone who steals others' wives when they are unprotected and helpless be considered worthy in any way?"
भिन्नमर्याद निर्लज्ज चारित्रेष्वनवस्थित । दर्पान्मृत्युमुपादाय शूरोऽहमिति मन्यसे ॥
कर्मणः प्राप्नुहीदानीं तस्याद्य सुमहत् फलम् । यदि मत्सन्निधौ सीता धर्षिता भ्रातरं तु खरं पश्येस्तदा मत्सायकैर्हतः ॥
'Oh shameless one, you have transgressed all limits of decency, and you have no shred of character. By your arrogance, you have now courted death, thinking even now that you are fighting a brave battle. Know that all your misdeeds are going to bear fruit in a big way now. Indeed, if you had dared to go near Sita when I was around, you would have been despatched by my arrows then and there to go and join your dead brother Khara."
"Oh Ravana, I shall kill you. Your crowned head with earrings will roll and feed scavenger birds. "
Sri Rama then attacked Ravana ferociously with a deluge of arrows. Sri Rama's power and dexterity increased visibly. He was dazzling like the sun. All divine weapons were presenting themselves on their own in front of him for him to attack Ravana with.
Ravana was disoriented and distressed. He was unable to lift his bow and respond. Seeing his precarious condition, his charioteer deftly maneuvered to steer the chariot away quietly from the eye of the battle storm. This saved Ravana.
***
When Ravana was revived, he burst out in a most unstatesmanly way at his charioteer. One could readily see that Ravana was under the spell of Death as he abused the charioteer.
"What, you evil one! What made you think I was without my powers or weapons? Just to humiliate me, you have brought me away from the battle. You have shamed me in front of my enemy. You have thrown cold water on my reputation, when I was so keen to fight with all my valour against such a worthy enemy."
सत्योऽयं प्रतितर्को मे परेण त्वमुपस्कृतः "Oh, mean one! I am certain you have been bribed by my enemy to betray my interests!"
Ravana told the charioteer that since he had been long in Ravana's service, he would understand his master and should better take him back into the battle right away.
अब्रवीद्रावणं सूतो हितं सानुनयं वचः "The charioteer then replied politely with well-meant words to Ravana."
"Your majesty, I am not afraid or confused. The enemy has also not enticed me. I have not lost my loyalty or gratitude towards you. "
कश्चिल्लघुरिवानार्यो दोषितो न गन्तुमर्हसि "Therefore you should not accuse me, speaking like a cheap and uncivil man."
"Just as the ocean waves recede when the moon rises, I withdrew. You were obviously fatigued and I saw that you were not able to counter the enemy. A good charioteer should know when to take you closer to the enemy during the battle, when to stay still, when to move, and when to withdraw. I only wanted to give some respite to you and the horses. I did this entirely as my bounden duty."
"Please instruct me now. I shall do exactly as you order me, full of gratitude to you as always. "
Ravana was placated. He made up to his charioteer by gifting him a gold bracelet. Full of the fighting spirit, he now commanded his charioteer to take the chariot right into the battle. In an instant, the charioteer drove the chariot to the exact position to resume the fight.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
