Part 12

Thereupon, finding the lord of birds worn out on account of his old age, Ravana, highly encouraged, again rose high up in the welkin, taking Maithili with him. He had all his weapons broken in the conflict, and had but his dagger left to him. Beholding him proceed thus pleased, taking the daughter of Janaka on his lap,--all his weapons having been lost, with his sword alone left,--the mighty and powerful lord of vultures, Yatayu, rose up and, darting towards Ravana, resisted him and said,--"O Ravana of feeble sense, it is for the destruction of the whole line of Rakshasas that thou carriest away this spouse of Rama, having arrows like unto thunderbolts. Like one thirsty drinking water, thou dost address thyself to drinking poison along with thy friends, courtiers, four-fold forces, servants and relatives. Foolish persons unaware of the fruit of their actions, meet in a short time with their own destruction,--so shalt thou very soon meet with thy own end. Thou hast been bound up by the noose of Death; and, proceeding whither, shalt thou save thyself, like unto fish eating up baits with hooks for their own destruction? O Ravana, it is beyond thy power to defeat the Kakutsthas. They shall not forgive thee for this thy encroachment upon their asylum. What hath been perpetrated by thee, coward, is blamed by all, and is the way taken recourse to by thieves and not by heroes. Do thou fight, O Ravana, if thou art a hero, or wait for a moment and thou shalt lie down on the earth like unto thy brother Khara. Truly hast thou for thy own destruction engaged thyself in these impious acts, which are perpetrated by men on the eve of their death. What person doth that which leadeth solely into sin? Neither the lord of celestials nor the self-create Deity doth engage in such an action." Addressing these moral words, the mighty Yatayu swooped on the back of that Ten-necked Rakshasa. Like unto the rider of a mad elephant, the lord of vultures began to tear Ravana with his sharpened claws, and that one having for his weapons his beak, talons, and wings, began to rive Ravana's back with his beak and claws, and to uproot his hair. Being thus aflicted again and again by the king of vultures, the Rakshasa shook, with his lips quivering in anger. Beside himself with anger, Ravana, holding Janaki fast by her left flank, struck Yatayu with his palms. Yatayu, the subduer of foes, bearing the strokes, tore into pieces his ten left arms with his beak. His arms cut off, instantly sprang up as many others, like unto serpents issuing out of ant-hills, being exercised with the pangs of poison. The mighty Ten-necked one, leaving aside Sita, out of anger bore down Yatayu with his fists and feet. Thereupon arose a mighty conflict between the lord of of vultures and the lord of Rakshasas of incomparable prowess. Yatayu addressing himself to displaying his prowess for the benefit of Rama, Ravana taking out his dagger, cut off his two wings, two legs and two sides. The ranger of the night of cruel deeds having sundered his wings, the king of vultures approaching wellnigh the verge of death, fell down on the earth. Beholding him fallen on the grand with his person bathed in blood, Sita. became exceedingly aggrieved and darted towards him like unto a friend. The lord of Lanka beheld Yatayu, fallen on the ground, resembling sable clouds, having a yellow breast and of exceeding prowess,--like unto an extinguished forest-fire. Then Sita the daughter of Janaka, having a moon-like countenance began lamenting, clasping with her hands Yatayu, crushed and fallen on the ground by the vehemence of Ravana's prowess.

[57] A mountainous range described as one of the smaller mountains of India proper, lying eastward of mount _Meru_.--T.

SECTION LII.

Beholding the king of vultures slain by Ravana, that one possessed of a face fair as the moon, striken with grief, broke out into lamentations, saying, "Throbbings of the eyes or other parts of the body, dreams, seeing birds or hearing their voices, are found to augur happiness or misery to men. And, O Rama, although birds and beasts are scampering away before thee on my account, thou understandest not the mighty mishap that has befallen thee. O Rama, this bird, who, moved by kindness, had come to rescue me, owing to my (ill) luck, lies slain on the ground. O Kakutstha, O Lakshmana, save me!" Thus did that best of females, afflicted with fear, bewail; and those near (her) heard her lamentations. Thereat, that lord of the Rakshasas, Ravana, darted towards Vadehi, who, with a faded wreath for her ornament, was bewailing in forlorn guise. Exclaiming repeatedly, "Leave off!" "Leave off," the lord of the Rakshasas got at her, as she was clasping a mighty tree as if it were a creeper. And as she, bereft of the company of Rama in the wilderness, was wailing, saying, "O Rama," "O Rama," that one resembling the Destroyer himself, with the view of compassing his own end, seized her by her hair. On Vaidehi being thus outraged, this entire world consisting of mobile and immobile objects, had its nature altered. A dense darkness enveloped (everything). And the air did not breathe there; and the sun grew dim. Espying with his divine vision that Sita was overcome, that Deity, the graceful Great-father exclaimed, "Our work is accomplished." And seeing Sita overpowered, the supreme saints inhabiting the Dandaka forest, concluding the destruction of Ravana to be as good as accomplished without much ado, became at once delighted and aggrieved. As she went on weeping with "O Rama," "O Lakshmana," Ravana--lord of Rakshasas --taking her, coursed through the sky. And then the king's daughter hued like molten gold, clad in a yellow silken cloth, looked exceedingly beautiful like unto lightning. And on her yellow cloth streaming up, Ravana looked surpassingly graceful like a hill aflame with fire. And coppery fragrant lotus-leaves belonging to the eminently auspicious Vaidehi showered upon Ravana. And her gold-glowing silken cloth, flying in the air, appeared like clouds colored by the sunken sun. And her blameless countenance on Ravana's lap in the sky did not appear beauteous without Rama,--like a lotus without its stalk; it appeared like the moon risen tearing away dark clouds. And in the aerial regions her countenance on Ravana's lap furnished with a fair forehead and graceful hair glowing like the interior of a lotus, without scars, graced with white, shining, stainless teeth, having excellent eyes,--lovely like the moon, having a shapely nose, a rubeous upper lip,--wearing the splendour of gold in the sky,--that captivating countenance of hers in consequence of her weeping, and of being stained with tears, as also owing to the violence it had undergone at the hands of the lord of Rakshasas--did not appear beautiful without Rama; like the moon risen during the day. And furnished with the hue of gold, Mithila's daughter beside the dark-bodied lord of the Rakshasas, looked like a golden girth round a sable elephant. And Janaka's daughter, yellow-hued like lotus, having the lustre of gold.--and adorned with shining ornaments, coming in contact with Ravana, appeared like lightning embosomed among clouds. And in consequence of Vaidehi's ornaments sending sounds, the lord of Rakshasas resembled an entirely dark rumbling cloud. And as Sita was being borne away, showers of blossoms, falling off from her head, were scattered all around on the earth beneath. And that blossomy shower all around, drawn up by the vehemence of the ten-headed Ravana, again alighted beside him. And the showers of blossoms scattered around Vaicravana's younger brother, looked like rows of burning stars round the foremost of mountains.[58] And the bangles studded with gems, loosened from Vaidehi's feet, fell on the earth, like the lightning circle.[59] Of hue like the light red of tender twigs, Vaidehi set off the dark-bodied lord of Rakshasas, as does a golden cover an elephant. Vaicravana's younger brother carried away Sita, who, like a mighty meteor, filled the heavens with her splendour. And like stars of exhausted religious merit dropping down from the sky, her fiery ornaments began to fall to the earth with sounds. And the chain of the splendour of the moon, removed from Vaidehi's breast, falling down, shone like the Ganga dropping from the sky. The trees filled with various fowls, with their tops waving because of the wind blowing on high and swaying them, seemed to say, "No fear," [unto Sita.] And the pools with their lotuses faded and their fishes agitated, seemed to sorrow for the desponding daughter of Mithila as for their friend. And following Sita's shadow, lions, and tigers, and other beasts and birds, rushed from all sides in wrath. And the mountains, with their faces washed with water-falls representing tears, and their summits resembling uplifted arms, seemed to lament for Sita, as she was being carried away. And beholding Vaidehi carried away, the glorious Sun, oppressed with sadness, had his rays dimmed and his disc darkened. "Virtue is not; and where is truth? And there is neither sincerity nor kindness,--in a case in which Ravana is carrying away Rama's Vaidehi thus did all creatures lament in numbers. And the young of deer, afflicted with fear, wept with woe-begone faces. And the sylvan deities, looking up now and again with eyes betokening fear, had their persons all in a tremble. For compassing his own destruction, the Ten-headed one carried away the intelligent Vaidehi, bewailing bitterly, Sita, who had come by such misfortune, sweet-voiced, crying, "O Lakshmana" "O Rama," and casting glances on the ground many a time and oft,--the ends of her hair waving and her _tilika_ wiped out. Then oppressed with the load of fear, Sita of luminous smiles,--Mithila' s daughter, bereft of her friends --not beholding either Rama or Lakshmana, became pale of countenance.

[58] Sumeru.--T.

[59] Instead of _On the earth_--some texts have [bangles] _sweet-sounding_.--T.

SECTION LIII.

Seeing him fly up into the air, Janaka's daughter, Maithili, became aggrieved and exceedingly agitated, and great was the fear that possessed her. Her eyes expressing rage, weeping and fright, Sita, as she was being carried away, weeping piteously, spoke to the grim-eyed lord of the Rakshasas, saying, "Dost thou not, O base wretch, Ravana, feel shame on account of this act--thou, who, knowing that I was alone, fliest away, carrying me? Coward that thou art, thou it was, who, desirous of carrying me off, by the shape of a deer, hadst, by thy [powers of] illusion taken away my lord. And he also that endeavoured to rescue me, has been slain by thee--the ancient king of vultures, who was the friend of my father-in-law. Great, forsooth, is found to be thy might, thou vilest of Rakshasas; in that thou hast carried me off by simply declaring thy name, but hast not won me in war. Why dost thou not, O execrable one, take shame unto thyself, having perpetrated such a heinous act--having carried off another's wife in the absence of her husband? This fell and foul act of thine fraught with unrighteousness, heroic persons shall bruit about the world. Fie on thy heroism and thy truth,--of which thou didst apeak at that time; and fie also on this character of thine, calculated to sully thy line in this world. What can I do (unto thee), as thou proceedest with speed? But stay thou for a moment; and thou shalt not return with life. Shouldst thou come within the range of the vision of those sons of the king, thou couldst not, although thou shouldst happen to be accompanied with thy army, live for a moment. Even as a bird cannot bear the touch of a flaming fire in a forest, thou canst never bear the touch of their arrows. Effecting thy own welfare, do thou, O Ravana, leave me. If thou do not let me go, my husband along with his brother would strive for thy destruction. As intent upon sensul enjoyment, thou endeavourest to ravish me, this very endeavour of thine, O mean wight, shall come to naught. Not beholding my lord resembling a celestial, I cannot, come under the sway of my enemy, bear to live long. As one dwelling on earth perceives objects in their reversed relations at the time of one's death, so thou dost not perceive what is for thy good or profit. Those moribund do not relish what would do them good. I see thee with the noose of Death wound round thy neck. As, O ranger of night, thou art not affected with fear, albeit the situation is one calculated to raise one's apprehensions, it is clear that thou wilt see the golden trees, the dreadful river Vaitarani flowing with blood, the terrible wood, O Ravana, rife with leaves in the shape of swords, and a sharp Salmali containing blossoms of shining gold, having lapises for its leaves, and bearing iron thorns. But, O shameless one, like a person that hath drunk poison, having done this wrong unto that high-souled one, thou wilt not be able to save thyself. O Ravana, thou art fast fettered in the noose of Death. Having done this foul turn unto that high-souled one, repairing whither, shalt thou obtain respite? Shall not that strong and heroic Raghava, skilled in all weapons, who without his brother, in the twinkling of an eye, in battle slew fourteen thousand Rakshasas, slay thee, who carriest away his beloved wife?" Thus and in other ways, Videha's daughter, lying on the lap of Ravana, overwhelmed with fear and grief, indulged in piteous lamentations. And the wicked (Ravana) with a shaking frame carried away the daughter of the king extremely distressed, speaking much, and speaking piteously, uttering lamentations, and putting forth endeavours (to free herself.)

SECTION LIV.

Carried away (by Ravana), Vaidehi, not finding any defender, saw five principal monkeys stationed on the top of a hill. Thereat, that lady of expansive eyes and surpassing charms, in the hope that they might convey the intelligence unto Rama, flung off in their midst her gold-gleaming silken sheet, and elegant ornaments. But the Ten headed one owing to hurry did not observe the throwing of the cloth along with the ornaments. Those foremost of monkeys having tawny eyes observed with winkless eyes the large-eyed Sita as she was giving way to grief. And the lord of Rakshasas, passing beyond Pampa, directed his course towards the city of Lanka, taking Mithila's daughter along with him, indulging in lamentations. Experiencing the height of delight, Ravana ravished her, taking her on his lap, like a sharp-toothed serpent of virulent poison. And speedily, like an arrow shot from a bow, he, coursing the welkin, left behind woods and streams and mountains and pieces of water. And coming to the abode of Varuna, that refuge of rivers, the exhaustless ocean--the home of whales and alligators, he crossed over it. In consequence of the carrying away of Vaidehi, Varuna's abode, from grief, had all its waves stilled and its fishes and mighty snakes inert.--And the Charanas uttered in the heavens these words, "O Ten-headed one, this is thy end." Thus did the Siddhas then say. And taking Siti on his lap, representing his own Death,--who endeavoured (to liberate herself), Ravana entered the city of Lanka. And entering the city of Lanka, vast, with all its highways well-arranged, and with people thronging its gates, he entered his own inner apartment. Then Ravana set Sita there, having eyes with dark outer corners, exercised with grief and dole; as if Maya had set his own Asura Illusion (in his own palace). Then the Ten-headed one spoke unto some female friends of terrible visages, "Let no man or woman behold Sita without my permission. And I command that, should she ask for pearls, or rubies, or gold, or apparel, or ornaments, the same should be rendered unto her. She that, whether knowingly or unknowingly should say anything unpleasant to Vaidehi, would hold her life cheap." Having said this unto the Rakshasis, the puissant lord of the Raksahsas, went out of the inner apartment, and thought within himself as to what was to be done (next). And he saw eight flesh-eating Rakshasas of wondrous prowess. And seeing them, the exceedingly powerful (Ravana), blinded by the bestowal of the boon, after extolling their strength and heroism, addressed them, saying, "Equipped with various weapons, do ye speedily take yourself to Janasthana,-- that field of carnage--which ere this contained the abode of Khara; and casting off fear at a distance, do ye sojourn in vacant Janasthana with all its Rakshasas slain (by Rama). A great many troops endeued with exceeding prowess, who had been posted in Janasthana, have, along with Dushana and Khara, been slain by the shafts of Rama. Hence unprecedented is my wrath, towering above my patience; and great and fierce also is the hostility I have conceived against Rama. I wish to avenge myself on my mighty enemy. Sleep find I none without slaying my foe in fight. Slaying that slayer of Khara and Dushana, Rama, I shall attain delight like unto that attained by a pauper on gaining riches. Staying in Janasthana, ye shall gather true information touching Rama as to what he is about. Repair all ye rangers of the night carefully, and strive yourselves always for slaying Rama. I have been well acquainted with your strength in many a field, and it is for this that I set ye in Janasthana." Hearing these agreeable and weighty words of Ravana, those Rakshasas, bowing down unto Ravana, left Lanka, and in a body invisibly proceeded in the direction of Janasthana. Having obtained Mithila's daughter, Ravana experienced great joy in establishing her (in his own house); and having created high hostility with Rama, Ravana through blindness rejoiced greatly.

SECTION LV.

Having commissioned those eight terrible and mighty Rakshasas, Ravana, in consequence of perversion of sense, considered himself as crowned with success. And brooding over Vaidehi, he, sore pierced by the shafts of Kama, hastily entered his charming mansion, with the intention of seeing Sita. And entering that apartment, Ravana--lord of Rakshasas--saw the distressed Sita in the midst of the Rakshasas, with a tearful countenance, oppressed with a load of grief, like unto a bark sinking in the ocean through the violence of the winds; like unto a doe separated from the herd of deer, and surrounded by dogs. Coming to Sita disconsolate in consequence of stress of sorrow, remaining with her head bent down, that ranger of the night, the lord of the Rakshasas, forcibly shewed unto her that mansion resembling the mansion of the celestials, thick with palaces and lordly piles, inhabited by thousands of females; containing birds of vaious kinds; furnished with various gems; with beautiful pillars of ivory gold and crystal and silver, studded with diamonds and lapises. Ravana in company with Sita ascended the beautiful golden stairs, resounding with the sounds of kettle-drums and embellished with ornaments of burnished gold. And those loftly edifices had excellent windows made of ivory and silver, and covered with golden nets. The ground all over was decorated with ambrosia and gems. The Ten-headed one in his own mansion shewed unto Maithilee large tanks and pools covered with various kinds of flowers. (All this) Ravana shewed unto Sita overmastered by sorrow. And after having shewed unto Vaidehi the whole of that goodliest of mansions, that wicked one, with the intention of tempting Sita, spoke unto her, saying, "O Sita, leaving out old men and boys, I am the lord of thirty two _kotis_ of night-rangers of terrible deeds. And a thousand come forward whenever required for any service.--If such is my sovereignty, all this is established in thee, O large-eyed lady, as well as my life. Thou art dearer unto me than life. O Sita, be thou the mistress of those numerous excellent women who are my wives. Dear, be thou my wife. This is for thy good. Why shoudst thou act otherwise? Do thou relish my speech. Do thou bend thy mind towards me. It behoves thee to favor me, who am burning (in the heat of desire). This Lanka measuring an hundred Yoyanas girt round by the ocean, is incapable of being harassed by the celestials themselves headed by Indra. Neither among the celestials nor Yakshas nor Gandharbas nor Serpents, find I any one that can match me in prowess. What wilt thou do with Rama a human being of short life, poor, of small prowess, practising mendicancy? O Sita, bend thy mind unto me. I am a fit husband for thee. O timed one, youth is uncertain. Sport with me here. And, O thou of a handsome countenance, do not wish for the sight of Raghava. O Sita, what power hath he to come hither even in thought? None can fetter the exceedingly fleet wind in the sky, or hold the bright flame of a burning fire. O beauteous one, in these three worlds I find no one that can by his might carry thee away, who art protected by my arms. Do thou govern at Lanka this extensive kingdom. The like of me and celestials and all that are mobile and immobile shall be thy servants. Laving thy limbs with water, do thou gratify me. The evil that thou hadst done, hath been expiated by thy life in the forest: now do thou reap the fruit of thy good deeds. Here are garlands furnished with divine fragrance, and, O Maithili, superb ornaments. Enjoy thou all those along with me. O thou of shapely hips, the car called Pushpaka, resembling the sun, which (formerly) belonged to my brother Vaicravana, was through my prowess won by me in fight. And vast and beautiful is that car furnished with the speed of the mind. Do thou, O Sita, at thy pleasure sport on it along with me. Thy face stainless and lovely to look at, resembling the lotus, doth not, O thou of a comely countenance, O magnificent damsel, appear beautiful in consequence of thy being exercised with grief. When Ravana had spoken thus, that best of females Sita muffling up her moon-like countenance with the ends of her cloth, began to shed gentle tears. Thereat the heroic ranger of the night, Ravana, said unto Sita, distressed, sunk in thought, and deprived of her splendour through anxiety, "O Vaidehi, banish bashfulness, which stands in the way of one's duty. The yearning I feel after thee is in consonance with what the sages prescribe. These tender feet of thine I press upon my heads. Do thou speedily shew thy favor unto me. I am thy slave (ever) obedient unto thee. Let not these words of mine spoken by me under the withering influence of love prove fruitless. Ravana hath never bowed his head to any female." Having said this, the Ten-headed one, come under the subjection of the Destroyer, looked upon Maithili, Janaka's daughter (as his own) saying, "She is mine."

SECTION LVI.