Thereupon being desirous of achieving victories, Ravana, the lord of Raksasas, proud of his strength, began to journey over the earth in the company of the heroic Rākşasas. Whoever, among the Daityas, Dänavas and Räkşasas was reported to him as being powerful he used to invite for battle. O king of earth, having thus traversed the whole world, the ten-necked demon saw the saint Nărada returning to his own region from Brahmaloka. Like the second sun he was proceeding through the clouds. Rāvana, with a delighted heart, neared him and addressed the celestial saint Nārada with folded palms, saying:-"O you gifted with six sorts of wealth, you have seen many a time all creations from Brahmā down to an insect. Do you tell me, O great one, the inhabitants of which, world are more powerful? I wish to fight with them according to my desire."
ततः स राक्षसो राम पर्यटन्पृथिवीतले। विजयार्थी महाशूरै राक्षसैः परिवारितः॥ दैत्यदानवरक्षःसु यं शृणोति बलाधिकम्। तमाह्वयति युद्धार्थी रावणो बलदर्पितः॥ एवं स पर्यटन्सर्वां पृथिवीं पृथिवीपते। ब्रह्मलोकान्निवर्तन्तं समासाद्याथ रावणः॥ व्रजन्तं मेघपृष्ठस्थमंशुमन्तमिवापरम्। तमभिसृत्य प्रीतात्मा ह्यभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः॥ उवाच हृष्टमनसा नारदं रावणस्तदा। आब्रह्मभुवनं लोकास्त्वया दृष्टा ह्यनेकशः॥ कस्मिल्लोके महाभाग मानवा बलवत्तराः। योद्धमिच्छामि तैः सार्धं यथाकामं यदृच्छया॥