Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 55: Rāvaṇa Flatters Sītā
Text 3.55.1
सन्दिश्य राक्षसान्घोरान्रावणोऽष्टौ महाबलान्।
आत्मानं बुद्धिवैक्लव्यात्कृतकृत्यममन्यत॥
sandiśya rākṣasān ghorān rāvaṇo ’ṣṭau mahā-balān
ātmānaṁ buddhi-vaiklavyāt kṛta-kṛtyam amanyata
sandiśya = [thus] instructed; rākṣasān = the rākṣasas; ghorān = terrible; rāvaṇaḥ = Rāvaṇa; aṣṭau = eight; mahā-balān = of great strength; ātmānam = that he; buddhi-vaiklavyāt = because of his confused intelligence; kṛta-kṛtyam = had accomplished his objectives; amanyata = he then considered.
Rāvaṇa [thus] instructed the eight terrible rākṣasas who possessed great strength. Because of his confused intelligence, he then considered that he had accomplished his objectives.
Previously Rāvaṇa allured Sītā by speaking about his influence; now he allures her by showing her various items of enjoyment. This is described in this chapter.
“Because of his confused intelligence” indicates that his intelligence was weak. In other words, Rāvaṇa didn’t use his intelligence; [therefore, he thought that he had accomplished his objectives after instructing the eight rākṣasas].