Part 37

The foremost of the wives of the Rakshasa (king) bewailing piteously cast her looks poorly towards her husband. And beholding her Ten-necked husband slain by Rama of inconcievable actions Mandodari bewailed there piteously,--"O thou of huge arms! O younger brother of Baishravana! Even Purandara feared to stand before thee when enraged. The great Rishis--the far-famed Gandharbas and the _Charanas_, fled away to different quarters in thy fear. And then (how) hast thou been overpowered in battle by Rama who is a mere man? Why is it that thou art not ashamed of it, O king, O lord of the Rakshasas? Conquering the three worlds with thy prowess thou didst attain thy glory; and it is unbearable, that a man, ranging in the forest, hath slain thee. Thou, who art capable of assuming shapes at will, hast been slain in conflict by Rama, in the city of Lanka unapproachable by men. I do not believe that thy destruction,--who hadst always been crowned with success, before the forces, is work of Rama. (Methinks) Death (himself) came there in the shape of Rama and spread illusions unconsciously for thy destruction, O thou of great strength. Or thou hast been slain by Vasava--(no) what power has he got to face thee in the conflict gifted with great strength, prowess and energy and an enemy of the celestials as thou art? It is evident that the great ascetic Vishnu, having truth for his prowess--the soul of all beings, ever existing, without beginning, middle or end, greater than the great, the Preserver of the Nature, holding conch, discus and club, having _Sribatsa_[463] on his breast, always beautiful, incapable of being conquered, without destruction, devoid of end, and the lord of all men, assuming this shape of a man and encircled by the celestials, assuming monkey shapes, hath for the behoof of mankind, slain (thee) the dreadful enemy of the gods with all (thy) family and Rakshasas. Subduing all thy passions, thou didst conquer the three worlds--remembering their grudge they have now over-powered thee. Rama is not a man since he slew at Janasthana thy brother Khara encircled by many a Rakshasa. We were sore-distressed when Hanuman, by his own prowess, entered the city of Lanka, incapable of being approached even by the celestials. And I prevented thee from creating enmity with Raghava, but thou didst not pay heed to my words and this is the result (thereof). O foremost of Rakshasas--thou of a vicious understanding, for the destruction of thy wealth, thyself and thy relatives, thou didst suddenly cherish amour for Sita, greater than (even) Arundhuti and Rohini. Forsooth thou didst perpetrate an unbecoming deed by distressing the adorable Sita ever devoted unto her lord, an earth[464] even unto Earth herself and a Sree[465] even unto Sree herself. And having brought in a false guise from the solitary forest the sorrowful and chaste Sita, having a blameless person, thou didst bring on the destruction of thy family. Thou didst fail to encompass thy desire for the company of Sita. But now, forsooth, O my lord, thou hast been burnt down by her devotion who is devoted unto her husband.[466] Thou wert not burnt down when thou didst captivate that middle-statured (damsel) whom fear all the celestials headed by Indra and _Agni_.[467] O husband, (proper) time appearing the perpetrator gets the result of his vicious deeds: there is not the least doubt in this. The performer of the good receives good (result)--the perpetrator of the vicious (deeds) meets with bad (result). Bibhishana hath attained to happiness and thou hast met with this thy end. There are damsels in your seraglio far more beautiful than she but thou possessed by cupid couldst not perceive this. Maithilee is not my equal nor superior either in birth, beauty or accomplishments, but thou didst not perceive this by thy misgivings. Death doth not always visit all men without any cause--and Maithilee is the cause of thy death. And death, in consequence of Maithilee, hath taken thee far away. And she, shorn of all sorrow, shall enjoy in the company of Rama, and I, of limited piety, am now sunk in the the ocean of grief. Roaming at large with thee in a car unequalled in beauty on the hill Kailaca, Mandara, Maru, in the garden of Chaitraratha and ail other celestial gardens, beholding many a country, wearing variegated clothes and garlands, I have been deprived of all pleasures and enjoyments, O hero, by thy death. And I am a widow now. O fie on fickle fortune! O king, in lustre of countenance thou art like the Sun, in grace like the Moon, in beauty like the lotus; thou art graceful, O thou having excellent brows; thou hast got excellent skin, high nose and thy countenance is graced with a brilliant crown and _Kundalas_. Oh how beautiful, thou didst look with various garlands when thy eye whirled with intoxication on the drinking ground and how beautiful were thy smiles, O lord. Thy countenance doth not shine now--being severed with Rama's shafts, bathed in a pool of blood, having thy back-bone and brain deranged and covered with the dust raised by the wheels of the chariots. Alas! by my ill-luck I have attained to that after state making me a widow which I did never think of. My father is the king of Danavas, my husband the lord of Rakshasas, and my son the subduer of Sakra. I was greatly proud of this and always confident that my protectors were undaunted, dreadful, repressors of the enemies and famous for their strength and manliness. O ye foremost of the Rakshasas, how could this fear from man overwhelm you all who were so powerful? (This thy body) is cool, green like _Indraneela_, high like a huge mountain, and adorned with _Keyura_, _Angada_, jewels and garlands of flowers. It was graceful in places of enjoyments and incapable of being looked at in the field of battle. It was brilliant, being decked with ornaments like unto clouds accompanied by lightnings. And this thy person hath been pierced with shafts to-day; (and knowing) that it is not easy of attainment for me I am incapable of embracing (it), covered with shafts piercing through the very vitals. O king (this thy body) green-hued (but now) blood-red is now lying on the ground like unto a mountain shattered with thunder-bolts. That thou wouldst be slain by Rama was like a dream, but it hath proved true! Thou wert like death unto Death himself, why hast thou been possessed by him then? Thou wert the enjoyer of the three worlds' wealth and dread unto them; thou wert the conqueror of the deities presiding over various quarters; thou didst shake Sankara (himself)--thou wert the subduer of the proud and thy prowess was well-known; thou didst repress the people and slay many a pious man--thou didst, by thy prowess, use to give vent to haughty words before the enemies; thou wert the maintainer of thy kinsmen and servants and the slayer of many perpetrating dreadful deeds; thou wert the destroyer of thousands of celestials, Danavas and Yakshas; thou wert the subduer of _Nivata Kavachas_ in the encounter; thou didst hinder the performance of many sacrifices and wert the protector of thy relatives; thou wert the obstructer of pious observances, creator of illusions in conflict and thou didst bring away from hither and thither the daughters of the celestials, demons and men; thou didst aggrieve the wives of thy enemies; thou wert the leader of thy own men, the protector of the island of Lanka and the performer of many a dreadful deed; thou didst confer upon us the enjoyment of many a pleasure--and wert the foremost of car-warriors. Beholding such a husband slain by Rama, I am, deprived of my dear lord, still maintaining my being; (forsooth) my heart is very hard. O lord of Rakshasas, used ere to many a valuable bed, why art thou sleeping on earth covered with dust? When my son Indrajit was slain by Lakshmana in conflict I was greatly pained--but to-day I am slain. Deprived of my friends and relatives, separated from thee O my lord, deprived from the enjoyment of many pleasures I shall lament for thee perpetually. Thou hast, O king, reached the way, long and hard to be treaded--do thou take me, who am stricken with grief and who shall not be able to live without thee. Why dost thou wish to go leaving me behind who have been rendered poorly? Why dost thou not welcome me, unfortunate and poor, who am bewailing? Why art thou not angry, lord, beholding me, having put off my veil, walk out on foot by the city-gate? O beloved of thy wives, do thou behold thy wives--who have thrown off their veils. Why art thou not angry seeing them all come out (of the city)? I was thy companion in sports, my lord; I long for having thee; why art thou not consoling and welcoming me? O king, being imprecated by those damsels, not one, devoted to their husbands, pious and ever engaged in attending upon their superiors, who had been widowed by thee, thou hast been overpowered by thy enemy. The carte, proceeding from them who had been ill-treated by thee, hath borne fruit. O king, the saying, that the tears of chaste damsels do not uselessly fall on the ground, hath been verified (here) forsooth. O king, conquering the worlds with thy prowess, how couldst thou, always honored by the king, cherish the vile desire of stealing away women? Taking away Rama and Lakshmana from the hermitage by an illusionary deer, thou didst steal away Rama's spouse. I remember to have never heard thee lament in battle. Forsooth, it is our misfortune and the sign of impending death (that thou didst do this) conversant as thou art with the past, present and future. Beholding the daughter of the king of Mithila brought (in the city of Lanka) what, thy younger brother Bibhishana, thinking and sighing, said, hath now proved true, O thou of long-arms. This destruction of the leading Rakshasas hath proceeded from the disaster arising from thy anger and lust. For thy (vicious) deeds all our good fortune is lost--(and from them) hath proceeded the great disaster exterminating the race. And by thee all the Rakshasa families have been deprived of their lords. Thou, well-known for thy strength and manliness, art not worthy of being grieved by me. On account of my effeminate nature my understanding is possessed by sorrow. Carrying thy pious and iniquitous deeds thou hast attained to thy own state--I am only lamenting for me who have been sorry for thy destruction. O Ten-necked one, thou didst not bear the words of thy friends and brothers, who spoke those well meaning words out of affection. Thou didst not obey the words uttered by Bibhisana, duly and mildly, pregnant with meaning and reasoning and tending to thy welfare. Maddened with thy own prowess thou didst not hear the words of Maricha, Kumbhakarna as well as those of my father--and this is the result thereof. O thou resembling the red clouds, O thou wearing yellow cloth and excellent _Angada_, stretching thy person on the ground why art thou in the long run bathed in blood? Why dost thou not, like one asleep, welcome me who am stricken with grief? I am the grand-daughter of the highly powerful Rakshasa Sumali who never flies away from the field of battle: why dost thou not welcome me? Rise up! rise up! why dost thou lie down (on this occasion of) new discomfiture? To-day have the rays of the Sun entered fearlessly the city of Lanka. The Parigha, by which, brilliant as the rays of the Sun, thou didst distress the enemies in conflict, which was always adored by thee like the thunder of the wielder of thunder-bolt, which slew many in battle, and which was adorned with golden nets, now lieth shattered into thousand pieces by arrows. Why dost thou lie on the battle-field embracing her like your beloved spouse? Why dost thou not wish to welcome me like one not beloved unto thee? Oh fie on this heart of mine which is not sundered into thousand (pieces) albeit distressed with the grief of thy death!" Bewailing thus, she, with profuse tears in her eyes, and with her heart overflowing with affection, became senseless. And being beside herself she flung herself on Ravana's breast, like unto the bright lightning appearing on red evening clouds. Thereupon the other wives, of Ravana, greatly distressed and weeping, and raising her up who was greatly weeping, began to console her saying:--"Dost thou not know, O worshipful dame, that the life of beings is very uncertain, and with adverse circumstances even the royal fortune becometh fickle?" Being thus accosted she again wept aloud, bathing with tears her breast and beautiful countenance. In the meantime Rama said to Bibhisana,--"Do thou perform the funeral ceremonies of thy brother and console his wives". Whereto the intelligent Bibhisana replied with the following words--pointing out wealth and piety, and judging by his understanding what is proper. "I do not think it proper to perform his cremation ceremony who had renounced all pious deeds, was wicked, cruel, liar and who had ravished others' wives. He is my enemy in the shape of a brother ever engaged in doing injury unto others--and Ravana is not worthy of my adoration albeit he is adorable by virtue of his being my elder brother. O Rama, perhaps people of this earth will call me cruel but they will again recognise my act as good when they will hear of his vicious deeds". Hearing those words, Rama, the foremost of the pious and conversant with the skill of speech, greatly delighted, spoke unto Bibhishana (equally) skilled in speech,--"It behoveth me to encompass thy welfare since by thy help I have gained the victory. O lord of Rakshasas, forsooth, thou shouldst hear my well-meaning words. Although this night-ranger perpetrated many vicious and impious deeds, still he was ever powerful, heroic and strong in warfare. I have heard that this high-souled Ravana, gifted with strength and a dread unto all people, was not defeated (even) by the celestials headed by the performer of a hundred sacrifices. Enmity extendeth up to death--so it hath ended; there is no necessity (of carrying it on). Do thou (therefore) perform his cremation ceremony--he is unto thee as he is unto me. O thou of long-arms it behoveth thee to perform, speedily with due rites and religious ceremonies, his funeral ceremony--thou shalt be the object of praise (unto people)". Hearing the words of Raghava, Bibhishana hastened on and began to make arrangements for the cremation of his slain brother Ravana. And entering the city of Lanka, Bibhishana, the lord of Rakshasas, speedily got out Ravana's _Agnihotra_,[468] carts, brass utensils, fire, (and brought) _Jajakas_,[469] sandal-wood, other woods, essences, _Agura_, other fragrant substances, precious stones, pearls and corals. Thereupon arriving immediately accompanied by Rakshasas and Malyavana he engaged in the performance of cremation ceremony. Thereupon the twice-born ones, with tears in their eyes, covered the Rakshasa-king Ravana's body, with a silken cloth and placed it on a golden celestial litter. With the sound of various bugles they began to chaunt his praise. And taking up this litter adorned with various charming paintings and flags and carrying fire woods, all the Rakshasas headed by Bibhishana proceeded towards the South.[470] The Brahmins, versed in _Yayur Veda_ and with burning fire in their hands, proceeded and were followed by the attendants. And the damsels of the seraglio followed speedily leaping (being ever unused to walking). And placing Ravana on the cremation ground, they, greatly stricken with grief, prepared the funeral pyre according to due rites with sandalwoods, _Padmakas_,[471] _Ushiras_[472] and sandal and spread an antelope-skin thereon. They (then) performed the excellent obsequies of the manes of the lord of Rakshasas. And raising an altar at the south-east corner they placed fire at the proper place. They then poured curd and clarified butter upon (Ravana's) shoulders. And placing _Sakata_ on his legs, _Ulukhala_[473] on his thighs, and the brass untensils, Arunis and Musals in their proper places, they celebrated (the obsequies of his manes). Thereupon slaying beasts according to the rites laid down in _Sastras_ and pointed out by the great saints, the Rakshasas (made a coverlet dipped in their marrow and clarified butter) and placed it on the face of the lord of Rakshasas. And decking Ravana with fragrant garlands and various clothes, the friends, of Bibhishana, with depressed heart and tears in their eyes, showered dried paddy (on his person). And Bibhishana according to due rites put fire to his (funeral pyre). Bathing and with wetted cloth, offering duly linseed and sacrificial grass mixed with water and consoling (Ravana's) wives again and again, he entreated them to go back. They then entered the city. And those damsels having entered the city, Bibhishana, the lord of Rakshasas, approaching Rama, stood by his side gently. And Rama too, along with his army, Sugriva and Lakshmana, was greatly delighted after slaying his enemy like unto the wielder of thunder-bolt after slaying (the demon) Vitra. Thereupon leaving aside his bow with arrows, and the huge armour conferred by Mahendra and renouncing ire after the destruction of his enemy Rama assumed gentle mein.

[463] A particular mark usually said to be a curl of hair on the breast of _Vishnu_. The emblem of the tenth _jina_ or the mark above ascribed to _Vishnu_ or _Krishna_.

[464] The Earth is an emblem of patience but Sita is more patient than the Earth.--T.

[465] Sree is the goddess of wealth and good fortune--but Sita is more fortunate than fortune herself.--T.

[466] _i.e._ that thou wert not burnt down there and then shows her greatness of mind.--T.

[467] The god of Fire.

[468] A pot for preserving sacred fire.

[469] The Brahmins who perform obsequies.

[470] Cremation-place.

[471] A sort of drug commonly called _Padmakas_.

[472] The root of a fragrant grass.

[473] A wooden mortar used for cleaning rice.

SECTION CXIV.

Beholding the destruction of Ravana the celestials, Gandharbas and Danavas ascending their respective cars went away chanting this excellent theme. And talking of Ravana's dreadful destruction, Raghava's prowess, the excellent warfare of the monkeys, the counsels of Sugriva, the devotion and prowess of the Wind-God's son and Lakshmana and Sita's devotion unto her husband, those high souled ones, delighted, repaired to their respective quarters. And Raghava, having long arms, permitting the charioteer to take back the celestial car bright as the sky sent by Indra, honoured him greatly. And being commanded by Raghava Matali, the charioteer of Sakra taking the celestial car, rose up in the welkin. And that charioteer rising up into the celestial region, Raghava, the foremost of car-warriors, greatly delighted, embraced Sugriva. And embracing Sugriva, bowed unto by Lakshmana and worshipped by the monkey he repaired to the camp of his soldiers. Thereupon Kakutstha spoke unto Lakshmana--the son of Sumitra gifted with auspicious marks who was near him--"O gentle one, take this Bibhishana to the city of Lanka ever devoted and attached unto us, and who had done us good. This is my great desire that I may behold Bibhishana the younger brother of Ravana installed on the throne of Lanka". Being thus addressed by the high-souled Raghava, the son of Sumitra, saying--"So be it" and greatly delighted, brought a golden jar. And placing that jar at the hands of the lord of monkeys, that one, gifted with great energy, ordered them to bring water from the Ocean. And repairing speedily those excellent monkeys came back with water from the ocean. And taking that jar and placing him on an excellent seat Saumitri with that water sprinkled Bibhishana as king of Lanka in the presence of all the Rakshasas, at Rama's command. And (Lakshmana) encircled by friends sprinkling him according to rites laid down in the Vedas, all the Rakshasas, devoted unto him, his counsellors and the monkeys attaining incomparable delight, sang the glory of Rama. And beholding Bibhishana the lord of Rakshasas installed in the city of Lanka, Raghava along with Lakshmana attained to an excess of delight. And consoling his subjects he went to Rama. And the monkey citizens, delighted, brought him curd, fried grain, sweetmeats, fried paddy and flowers. And taking all those things indicating auspiciousness, he, irrepressible and gifted with energy, conferred them upon Raghava and Lakshmana. And beholding Bibhisbana crowned with prosperity and success, Rama accepted them, all for his satisfaction. Thereupon Rama spoke unto the heroic monkey Hanuman, resembling a a mountain and standing before him humbly with folded hands, saying--"O gentle one, obtaining permission from the king Bibhishana, do thou enter the city of Lanka and enquire after Maithili's welfare. Do thou, O foremost of monkeys, inform Vaidehi of the destruction of Ravana in conflict after communicating unto her mine health as well as that of Lakshmana and Sugriva. O lord of monkeys, it behoveth thee to return with the tidings of Vaidehi after informing her of this pleasant news.

SECTION CXV.