Part 20

Thus addressed, Kumbhakarna rebuking Mahodara, said unto that foremost of Rakshasa--his brother--Ravana,--"Even I shall remove thy great fear by slaying the wicked-minded Rama. On thy foe having been slain, attain thou ease. It is not for naught that the heroes roar, like unto clouds containing no rain.[219] Behold thou their roaring resulting in action in the field! Heroes do not vaunt; but without boasting of their prowess in speech, they perform feats difficult of being achieved. O Mahodara, what thou sayest is ever acceptable only to kings that are incompetent, and foolish, pluming themselves on their knowledge. All the affairs of the monarch have been wrecked by you--cravens in fight,--sleek-tongued,--following the king (fawning) ye have made Lanka contain only the king, the treasury is lean; and the forces have been slain. By the king ye have done like foes in the guise of friends. For repairing in mighty conflict the wrong that ye have perpetrated, I am about to set out for battle for routing the enemy". Thus addressed by the intelligent Kumbhakarna, the lord of Rakshasas, laughing answered,--"Sure this Mahodara is affrighted at Rama. And therefore, my child, O thou versed in warfare, he doth not relish battle. Like thee have I none either in friendship or strength. Therefore, O Kumbhakarna, go for destroying the foe and securing celebrity. I have waked thee up that wast lying down, in order that thou mightst destroy the enemy. O subduer of foes, perilous is the time for the Rakshasas. Go forth, grasping thy spear, like the noose-handed Destroyer himself. Do thou devour up the monkeys as well as the princes possessed of the energy of the Sun himself. On seeing thy form, the monkeys shall flee away; and the breasts of Rama and Lakshmana shall be riven". Having spoken thus unto Kumbhakarna endowed with prodigious might, that foremost of Rakshasas--the exceedingly energetic Ravana--felt as if he had received life over again. And well acquainted with Kumbhakarna's might, and knowing his prowess, the king felt delighted, like the cloudless Moon. Having been thus accosted, that highly powerful one, went out cheerfully.[220] And hearing the king's speech, he made ready for fight. And he took a whetted dart, destructive to foes on account of its impetuous vehemence; entirely made of black iron; flaming; decorated with garniture, of shining gold; looking like Indra's _acani_; ponderous as the thunder-bolt; capable of destroying gods and Danavas, Gandharvas, Yakshas and Pannagas; adorned with festoons of crimson flowers; and belching forth flames. And taking that huge dart decked with the blood of foes; the wondrous energetic Kumbhakarna spoke unto Ravana, saying,--"I shall go alone: let this mighty host remain here. To-day hungry and enraged, I shall devour up the monkeys. Hearing Kumbhakarna's words, Ravana said,--"Go thou, surrounded by the forces bearing darts and maces in their hands. The monkeys are high-souled, heroic and well-skilled in battle; and if they find thee alone or unwary, they may slay thee with their teeth. Therefore do thou exceedingly irrisistible, go, environed by the forces; and destroy the entire party of the foes, who are bent upon doing harm unto the Rakshas". Then starting up from his seat, the exceedingly energetic Ravana hung on Kumbhakarna's neck a wreath stringed with gems in the centre. And Ravana also decked that high-souled one with _angadas_, and finger-fences, and noble ornaments, and a chain resembling the Moon. And Ravana adorned his person with garlands gorgeous and fragrant, and set ear-rings to his ears. And adorned with golden _angadas_ and Keyuras and other ornaments of gold, the large-eared Kumbhakarna appeared like a fire fed full of sacrificial libations. And with his great dark girdle he seemed like the Mandara fastened by the serpent on the occasion of the churning of the sea. And donning on his impenetrable golden mail, splendid like lightning, and shining in its own brilliance, Kumbhakarna appeared like the monarch of mountains enveloped with evening clouds. Having all his limbs adorned with ornaments and bearing a dart in his hand, the Rakshasa resembled Narayana in elation of spirits, when he covered heaven and earth and the nether regions with three paces. And then embracing his brother and going round him and bowing down the head unto him, that exceedingly powerful one went out. And Ravana sent him with choice benedictions,--while he caused kettle-drums and conchs to be sounded and forces equipped with excellent weapons, to accompany Kumbhakarna. And high-souled mighty warriors followed that foremost of heroes with elephants and steeds and chariots sending out rattle resembling the rumbling of thunder. And mounting serpents and camels and asses and lions and leopards and deer and birds, (Rakshasas) followed the grim Kumbhakarna endowed with tremendous strength. And strewn with blossoms, and, with an umbrella held over him, that exceedingly terrible enemy of the Deities and the Danavas, wielding a dart in his hand,--went out, maddened with the smell of blood. And countless footmen wondrous powerful and mighty and dreadful and fierce-sighted Rakshasas, carrying weapons in their hands, went in his wake. The Rakshas measuring each many a _vyama_ and red-eyed, and resembling masses of dark-blue collyrium,--went out upraising darts and swords and sharpened axes and _bhindipalas_ and _parighas_ and maces and huge _talaskandhas_ and irrisistible _Kshapanis_. And the exceedingly energetic Kumbhakarna endowed with prodigious strength sallied forth, assuming another form terrific and dreadful to behold. And the gigantic huge-faced and fierce Kumbhakarna, measuring an hundred bows in breadth and six hundred in altitude, having eyes resembling car-wheels, and resembling a towering hill, or a mountain burnt,--marshalling the Rakshas, said with a complacent countenance,--"Like fire consuming insects, shall I to-day, wrought up with wroth, burn up one by one the bands of the flower of the monkey-forces. But the wood-ranging monkeys have not transgressed anywise unto the like of us. That species is the ornament of the gardens attached to our residences. The cause of the seige of the city is Raghava along with Lakshmana. He being slain, all are slain. Therefore shall I slay him in battle". As the Raksha--Kumbhakarna--was speaking thus, the Rakshasas sent up terrific shouts, as if making the very sea shake. As the intelligent Kumbhakarna sallied out speedily, dreadful were the omens that presented themselves on all sides. Clouds containing meteors and lightning looked dark like asses. And the earth shook with her oceans and woods. And fierce jackals began to cry, opening their flaming mouths. And birds began to wheel at the left. And as he marched a vulture alighted on his dart. And his left eye throbbed and his left arm shook. And a meteor dropped down with a tremendous crash. And the sun was bedimmed, and the air did not blow, enhancing pleasure. But without heeding these mighty omens that took place, capabale of making people's down stand on end, Kumbhakarna went out, urged on by the force of the Finisher. And leaping over the wall with his legs, that one resembling a mountain saw the wonderful array of the monkeys, resembling clouds. And seeing that foremost of Rakshasas resembling a hill, the monkeys began to disperse in all the ten cardinal directions like clouds driven by the wind. And seeing that terrific host of monkeys scattering in all directions, like clouds broken through (by winds), Kumbhakarna possessed of the splendour of clouds, from joy, emitted roars like clouds. Hearing those terrible shouts like unto the roaring of clouds in the welkin, innumerable monkeys dropped to the earth even as _sala_ trees that have their roots severed. And issuing forth for destroying the foe, the high-souled Kumbhakarna, equipped with a tremendous bludgeon, struck extreme terror into the monkey-ranks, like unto the Lord armed with the Fatal rod at the Universal wreck.

[219] _i.e._ autumnal clouds and which roar but do not pour.--T.

[220] He did not, however go yet awhile.--T.

SECTION LXVI.

Having leapt over the wall, the exceedingly powerful and gigantic Kumbhakarna resembling a mountain-summit, speedily went out of the city. And then he sent up a mighty shout making the sea resound, and as if drowning the roar of the thunder and riving mountains. And seeing that fierce-eyed one, incapable of being vanquished by Maghavan or Varuna or Yama, the monkeys began to fly away. And seeing them scamper, the king's son--Angada--said unto Nala and Nila and Gavaksha and the mighty Kumuda,--"Forgetting your lineage and prowess, whither do ye, exercised with fear, fly,--like inferior monkeys? Ye amiable ones, desist. Why should ye save yourselves? This Raksha doth not come to fight,--this is only a great phenomenon to affright. We shall by our vigor destroy this fearful phenomenon of the Rakshasas that hath presented itself. Therefore, let the monkeys desist. Cheered with much ado, the monkeys rallying, took up trees and advanced to the field of fight. And ceasing from flight, the wood-rangers waxing enraged, began to assail Kumbhakarna, like unto elephants in rut. And the exceedingly strong[221] Kumbhakarna, attacked with towering mountain-peaks and crags and trees with flowering top, did not shake. And countless crags descending on his person, were shattered; and trees with flowering tops, being broken, fell down to the earth. And incapable of containing himself (through rage), Kumbhakarna on his part fell to agitating the ranks of the powerful monkeys, even as a fire breaking out burneth down a forest. And many a prime monkey, crimsoned and drenched (with blood) lay down (on the ground); and many, resisted dropped to the earth, like trees bearing coppery flowers. And without looking before or after, the monkeys bounded and rushed. And on being attacked by the Rakshasa with ease some of those heroes dropped into the deep, and some entered the wilderness. And some ran by the same way by which they had crossed the ocean; and some with pale faces darted into downs. And some of the bears ascended up trees, and some took shelter in mountains. And others dropped[222] down; and some ran on. And some fell down to the earth, and some lay insensible[223] as if dead. Seeing the monkeys break down, Angada addressed them, saying,--"Stay we shall fight. Desist, ye monkeys. Going round this Earth place find I none where ye may rest. Stop ye all. What is the need of preserving your lives. Ye poltroons, if ye fly away leaving your arms behind, your wives shall deride you; and that is more painful to honorable persons than death itself. Born in long and noble lines, whither go ye, suffering from fear, like abject monkeys? When renouncing your prowess, ye fly away in fear, forsooth ye are base. Where now is gone that talk of yours anent your nobility and the welfare (of your king) which you had held in society. He that liveth, despised (of all), hear the reproach of being a craven. Therefore do ye follow the way frequented by the worthy, and cast off fear. We will either lie down on the earth, being slain in consequence of our shortness of days, and thus attain the region of Brahma incapable of being attained by dastards; or achieve renown by slaying the foe in fight and slain in battle, we shall enjoy the wealth of the region of heroes. Like an insect coming to a glowing and flaming fire, Kumbhakarna, seeing Kakutstha, shall not away hence living. If we save our lives by flight, and if the many are brought down by one, we shall lose our fame utterly". As Angada decked in golden _angadas_ was saying this, the monkeys, flying away spake onto that hero words not worthy of being spoken unto an hero,--"Great is the havoc that the Rakshasa--Kumbhakarna--hath spread amongst us. 'Tis not the time to stay: life is dear unto us". Having said this the monkey-bands darted to the ten cardinal points; as they saw that dreadful and grim-eyed one approach. And as those flower of the forces were on the flight, those heroes were made to desist by Angada with words of comfort and hope pointing to the future. On being cheered by the intelligent son of Vali, all the monkey-bands stood expecting his commands.

[221] _Mahavalah--plu_--evidently a misprint for _mahavalah_--sing.--T.

[222] _For fighting_, remarks the commentator.

[223] _Suptah--sleeping_; but here, I presume, it means _senseless_.--T.

SECTION LXVII.