Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 55: Rāvaṇa Flatters Sītā
Text 3.55.37
इमाः शून्या मया वाचः शुष्यमाणेन भाषिताः।
न चापि रावणः काञ्चिन्मूर्ध्ना स्त्रीं प्रणमेत ह॥
imāḥ śūnyā mayā vācaḥ śuṣyamāṇena bhāṣitāḥ
na cāpi rāvaṇaḥ kāñcin mūrdhnā strīṁ praṇameta ha
imāḥ = these; śūnyāḥ = of humility; mayā = I; vācaḥ = words; śuṣyamāṇena = while burning in passion; bhāṣitāḥ = have spoken; na ca api = never; rāvaṇaḥ = because Rāvaṇa; kāñcit = before any; mūrdhnā = his head; strīm = woman; praṇameta ha = bows down.
I have spoken these words of humility while burning in passion because Rāvaṇa never bows his head down before any woman.1
He implies that even he is surprised about his words of humility because such an act is unprecedented [in his life].1