Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 20: Daśaratha Refuses to Give Rāma
Text 1.20.18
स ब्रह्मणा दत्तवरस्त्रैलोक्यं बाधते भृशम्।
महाबलो महावीर्यो राक्षसैर्बहुभिर्वृतः॥
sa brahmaṇā datta-varas trailokyaṁ bādhate bhṛśam
mahā-balo mahā-vīryo rākṣasair bahubhir vṛtaḥ
saḥ = he; brahmaṇā = by Lord Brahmā; datta-varaḥ = having been benedicted; trailokyam = the three worlds; bādhate = torments; bhṛśam = greatly; mahā-balaḥ = greatly powerful; mahā-vīryaḥ = and of great prowess; rākṣasaiḥ = rākṣasas; bahubhiḥ = by many; vṛtaḥ = he is surrounded.
Having been benedicted by Lord Brahmā, he greatly torments the three worlds. Greatly powerful and of great prowess, he is surrounded by many rākṣasas.
This is the answer to Daśaratha’s first question: How powerful are these rākṣasas?