Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 15: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
Text 1.15.22

तत्र त्वं मानुषो भूत्वा प्रवृद्धं लोककण्टकम्।
अवध्यं दैवतैर्विष्णो समरे जहि रावणम्॥

tatra tvaṁ mānuṣo bhūtvā pravṛddhaṁ loka-kaṇṭakam
avadhyaṁ
daivatair viṣṇo samare jahi rāvaṇam

tatra = to these three queens; tvam = Your Lordship; mānuṣaḥ = in the form of a human; bhūtvā = born; pravṛddham = he has become very strong because of the benediction he has received from Lord Brahmā and his personal strength; loka-kaṇṭakam = he has become a thorn to the worlds and; avadhyam = cannot be killed; daivataiḥ = by the celestials; viṣṇo = O Lord Viṣṇu, may; samare = in war; jahi = kill; rāvaṇam = Rāvaṇa.

Born to these three queens, in the form of a human, O Lord Viṣṇu, may Your Lordship kill Rāvaṇa in war. He has become very strong because of the benediction he has received from Lord Brahmā and his personal strength. He has become a thorn to the worlds and cannot be killed by the celestials.1


1. The Supreme Lord never literally becomes a human or demigod, etc., for His body is entirely sac-cid-ānanda under all circumstances, both in the spiritual world and in the material world when He descends as an incarnation.

Anticipating the Lord’s question, “Why do you need Me to become Daśaratha’s son?” the demigods state this verse.