Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 32: Śūrpaṇakhā Goes to Meet Rāvaṇa
Text 3.32.17
दशवर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महावने।
पुरा स्वयम्भुवे धीरः शिरांस्युपजहार यः॥
daśa-varṣa-sahasrāṇi tapas taptvā mahā-vane
purā svayambhuve dhīraḥ śirāṁsy upajahāra yaḥ
daśa-varṣa-sahasrāṇi = for 10,000 years; tapas taptvā = having performed austerities; mahā-vane = in a great forest; purā = in the past; svayambhuve = to the self-born Brahmā; dhīraḥ = sober Rāvaṇa; śirāṁsi = his heads; upajahāra = offered as articles of worship; yaḥ = that.
Having performed austerities in a great forest for 10,000 years in the past, that sober Rāvaṇa offered his heads as articles of worship to the self-born Brahmā.