Part 5

"The lord of Rākshasas was installed along with his brothers. And then he thought of the giving away in marriage of his Rākshasi sister. Then that Rākshasa bestowed his sister, the Rākshasi Surpanakhā, on that lord of the Dānavas and king of the Kālakas—Vidyujjibha. And having given her away, the Raksha was wandering about for the purpose of hunting, when, Rāma, he happened to see Diti’s son, named Maya. And seeing him accompanied by his daughter, that night-ranger—the Ten-necked one—asked him, saying,—’Who art thou that (wanderest) alone in this forest devoid of men as well as deer? And art thou accompanied by this one having the eyes of a young deer?’ Thereat Maya, O Rāma, answered that night-ranger, when he had asked this,—’Listen. I shall tell thee all about this. Thou mayst ere this have heard of an Apsarā named Hemā. She like unto the Paulomi of Satakratu was bestowed on me by the gods. And I passed a thousand years, being devoted to her. Thirteen years have passed away since she had gone on a business of the celestials, as also the fourteenth year. Then I through my extraordinary skill constructed a golden palace, adorned with diamonds and lapises. There I dwelt, aggrieved and sorrowful on account of her separation. From thence, taking my daughter, I have come to this wood. This, O king, is my daughter, grown in her womb. I have come hither with her, seeking for her husband. Verily being father to a daughter is misery to every one that seeketh one’s honour. A daughter, forsooth, stayeth, ever placing the two lines⁴¹ in uncertainty. And on this wife of mine I have also begat two sons;—the first is Māyāvi and the next Dundubhi. Thus have I truly related everything unto thee that hadst asked for it. But, my child, how can I know thee now? Who art thou?’ Thus addressed, the Raksha humbly said,—Ten-necked by name, I am the son of the ascetic, Paulastya, who was born as the third son of Brahmā.’ Thus accosted, O Rāma, by that lord of Rākshasas, that Dānava and foremost of Dānavas, Maya, learning that he was the son of the Maharshi, Paulastya, there desired in his heart to give away his daughter to him. And taking her hand with his own, Maya—lord of Daityas—laughing, said unto that lord of the Rlkshasas,—’This daughter of mine, O king, borne by the Apsarā, Hemā, this my daughter named Mandodari do thou accept as thy wife.’ ’Well’ thereupon the Ten-necked answered him, O Rāma. And lighting a fire, he took her hand. Maya, O Rāma, knew the curse of the sage touching him.⁴² Knowing this, he gave away his daughter, having regard to the race of Rāvana’s paternal grand-father; and he also conferred on him an exceedingly wonderful dart acquired through the most rigid austerities,—by which he wounded Lakshmana. Having thus wedded, that master—Lankā’s lord—going (back) to that city, married his brothers. And Rāvana married the grand-daughter of Virochana (on the maternal side) named Vajrajwālā, to Kumbhakarna.—And Bibhishana obtained for his wife the righteous (damsel) named Saramā—daughter unto the high-souled—Sailusha—sovereign of the Gandharvas. (Saramā) was born on the shores of the lake, Mānasa. And while the lake, Mānasa, was swollen with water on the arrival of the rains, her mother, hearing her cries, affectionately said,—_Saromāvarddhata_—’O lake, do not swell,’ and from this circumstance, her name became Saramā. Having thus wedded, those Rākshasas, taking each his wife, set about sporting there, like unto Gandharvas sporting in Nandana. And then was born Mandodari’s son—Meghanāda. Him ye call Indrajit. As soon as he was born, Rāvana’s son, formerly crying, emitted a tremendous roar resembling the rumbling of clouds. And, O Rāghava, Lankā was petrified at his voice; and (accordingly) his sire himself kept his name, Meghanāda. And, O Rāma, remaining hidden like a fire by fuel, Rāvana’s son, rejoicing (the bosoms of) his father and mother, grew up in Rāvana’s elegant inner apartments."

⁴¹ The lines, namely, of her father and mother. The line of a mother as distinct from that of a father would be impossible under the present economy of Hindu society inasmuch as, as soon as a girl is married, she by that ceremony leaves her father’s line and becomes incorporated with that of her husband. But this seems to have been otherwise in ancient times. This opens up an interesting social problem for the research of orientalists.—T.

⁴² Respecting his birth.

SECTION XIII.

"And once on a time it came to pass that, dispatched by the lord of creatures, Sleep in her (native) form powerfully overpowered Kumbhakarna. And then Kumbhakarna spoke unto his brother, who was seated,—’O king, Sleep obstructs me. Do thou, therefore, have my mansion made.’ And, thereupon, employed by the king, architects resembling Viçwakarmā constructed an edifice beautiful to behold, measuring the smooth space of a Yojana diagonally and two in area; graceful to the view, and having no obstruction (to hide its beauty). And the Rākshasa caused a splendid and delightful pile to be built, adorned all round with pillars decked with gold and crystal,—having stairs composed of lapises, furnished with networks of small bells, set with ivory gateways, and containing daises dight with diamonds and crystal,—elegant throughout, and enduring,—like unto a goodly cave of Maru. And there, overcome with slumber, the wondrous strong Kumbhakarna, lying down for many thousand years, did not wake up. And while Kumbhakarna was overpowered by sleep, Daçānana⁴³ without let began to destroy Devarshis, Yakshas and Gandharvas,—and going to graceful gardens, Nandana, etc., he devastated them (ruthlessly). And that Rākshasa spread destruction, even as an elephant sporting agitates a river, as the wind bringeth down trees, or as the thunder-bolt riveth mountain-peaks. Hearing of the doings of Daçagriva,⁴⁴ and remembering his conduct chiming in with his race, the righteous lord of riches—Vaiçravana—showing his fraternal affection, despatched a messenger to Lankā, seeking the welfare of Daçagriva. And going to the city of Lankā, he presented himself before Bibhishana. And having received him with honor, he asked him as to the cause of his visit. And having enquired after the welfare of the king as well as his kindred, Bibhishana, showed him unto Daçānana seated in his court. And seeing the king there flaming in his own energy, he (the messenger), saluting him (Rāvana) with the word—_Jaya_⁴⁵—stood silent. And the envoy addressed Dacagriva seated on a superb couch, graced with a costly coverlet,—’O king, I shall tell thee all that thy brother hath said, worthy of both the character and race of your father and mother,—Enough of wrong-doing. Now thou shouldst mend thy ways. If thou canst, stay in righteousness. I have seen Nandana ravaged; and I have heard of the sages slain, and O king, of the preparations the deities are making against thee. I have been utterly disregarded by thee; but even if a boy should transgress, he should for all that be protected by his friends. Self-restrained and controlling my senses, I, adopting a terrific vow, had gone to the breast of the Himavān for practising righteousness. There I saw that lord of the gods in company with Umā. There I happened to cast my left eye on the goddess, for knowing, O mighty king, who she was,—and not for any other reason. Rudrāni was staying then, wearing a surpassing form. Thereupon through the divine energy of the goddess my left eye was burnt and seemed to be covered with dust, and its lustre became tawny. Then I, going to another spacious peak of the mountain, became engaged in silently observing a mighty vow. On my term of restraint having been complete, that lord of the gods—Maheçwara—with a gratified heart addressed me, saying,—O righteous one, O thou of fair vows, I am well-pleased with this asceticism of thine. I also had observed this vow; and thou also, O lord of riches, hast done the same, A third person there is none that practiseth such a vow. This vow is hard to perform, and formerly it was I that introduced it. Therefore, O mild one, O lord of riches, do thou contract friendship with me. And thou hast conquered me by thy penances. Therefore, O sinless one, be thou my friend. And this thy left eye hath been burnt through the energy of the goddess, and hath turned tawny in consequence of having seen the grace of the goddess; so thy name shall ever be Ekākshipingali.—Then at Sankara’s command I have obtained the privilege of companionship (with him). Having come here I have heard of thy evil designs. Do thou then desist from this impious course, tending to sully thy line, The celestials along with the sages are pondering over the means of compassing thy death.—’ Thus addressed, the Ten-necked one, with his eyes reddened in wrath, rubbing his hands and knashing his teeth, said,—’O messenger, I have learnt what thou hast uttered. Neither thou nor this brother of mine by whom thou hast been despatched, (shall live); nor doth the keeper of riches say what is for my good. And the fool makes me hear the circumstance of his having made friends with Maheçwara. I shall never forgive what thou hast said. Up to this I had borne him, considering that he, being my elder brother and as such my superior should not be slain by me. But now hearing his (utterances), even this is my resolve. Depending upon the might of my arms, I shall conquer the three worlds. On his account solely I shall on the instant despatch the four Lokapālas to the abode of Death.’ Having said this, Lankā’s lord killed the emissary with his sword and made him over to the wicked Rākshasas for being eaten. Then, having performed Swastyāyana,⁴⁶ Rāvana, ascending his car, went to where the lord of riches was, bent on conquering the three worlds."

⁴³ Henceforth we shall use this significant surname of Rāvana, meaning _Ten-faced_.

⁴⁴ Ten-necked.

⁴⁵ _Jaya_ may mean (1) victory and (2) all the deities of the Hindu pantheon.—T.

⁴⁶ A religious ceremony performed for propitiating any deity or malign star, and so warding off an impending disaster, or bringing luck to any undertaking. This has obtained to this day in Hindu society.—T.

SECTION XIV.

"Accompanied by his six counsellors—Mahodara and Prahasta, Māricha, Suka and Sārana, and the heroic Dhumrāksha—eager for encounter—the graceful Rāvana, elated with his strength sallied out, as if consuming all creatures with his wrath. And leaving behind cities and streams and hills and woods and groves, he in a moment came to the mountain—Kailaça. And hearing that wicked-minded lord of Rākshasas, breathing high spirits, had arrived at the mount in company with his counsellors, the Yakshas could not stay before that Raksha,—and knowing ’This one is the king’s brother’—went to where the lord of riches was. Going to him they in full related all about the doings of his brother. And on being permitted by the bestower of treasures, they went out for battle. And then, like unto the agitation of the ocean, there took place a mighty ferment of the forces of the Nairita king, as if making the mountain tremble. And then there took place an encounter between the Yakshas and the Rākshasas; and therein the councillors of the Rākshasa were smitten fiercely. And finding his forces in that plight, Daçagriva set up full many a cheerful shout and in wrath began to speak. Of the councillors of the Rākshasa-chief, each coped with a thousand Yakshas. And then struck with maces and clubs and swords and darts and _tomaras_, the Ten-necked one dived into (that deep) of a host. And rendered inert and sore assailed, Daçānana was deprived of his movements with vollies of weapons remembling torrents of rain. And albeit drenched with blood streaming down in hundreds of torrents, he like a mountain flooded with a downpour, being wounded with the weapons of the Yakshas,—doth not betray any smart. And that high-souled one, raising up his mace resembling the rod itself of Time, entered into that army, despatching Yakshas to the abode of Yama. And as a flaming fire burneth up an extensive sward of grass stocked with dry fire-wood, he began to consume that Yaksha army. And as the wind scattereth clouds, the small remnant of Yaksha army was scattered by the redoubtable councillors (of Rāvana)—Mahodara, Suka, etc. And some were wounded, and (some) broken down, and (some) measured their lengths on the ground in the encounter, and other Yakshas deprived of their arms in the field, being fatigued, sank down, embracing each other, even as banks drop down, on being worn away by water. And no room was left (in the sky) in consequence of its being thronged by hosts of sages; and warriors, wounded and rushing for conflict, and (finally) ascending heaven.⁴⁷ And finding the foremost Yakshas endowed with great strength give way, the mighty-armed lord of riches dispatched (other) Yakshas. In the meantime, O Rāma, a Yaksha named Sanyodhakantaka, accompanied by an extensive force and a large number of vehicles,—on being despatched, rushed (on the foe). And wounded in the conflict (by Sanyodhakantaka) with his discus, as if by Vishnu himself, Māricha toppled down to the ground from the mountain, like unto a planet whose merit hath waned, And in a moment regaining his consciousness and resting (for a while), that night-ranger fought with the Yaksha; and thereat, on being defeated, he⁴⁸ fled. Then (Rāvana) entered within the gate-way (of the palace), garnished with gold, and decked with lapises and silver, And thereat, O king, the warder named Suryyabhānu prevented the night-ranger—Daçagriva—as he was entering. And albeit prevented, the night-ranger entered in. And when, O Rāma, that Rākshasa was prevented, he did not stay. And then struck by that Yaksha with the gate-way uprooted, he, discharging blood in streams, looked like a hill with minerals running on it. And hit with that gate-way resembling a mountain-summit in splendour, that hero did not sustain any injury, on account of the boon he had received from the Self-sprung. And on being struck by the same gate-way, the Yaksha ceased to be seen, his body having then been consumed to ashes. And witnessing the prowess of the Raksha, all began to flee; and then they afflicted with affright, fatigued, and with pale faces, entered into rivers and caves, leaving their arms behind."

⁴⁷ The idea of the author is: "The welkin was thronged with sages as well as warriors, who swelled the ranks of the sages stationed in the sky, by ascending heaven after having fallen in fight."—T.

⁴⁸ The Yaksha, that is.

SECTION XV.

"Seeing the foremost of the Yakshas by thousands undergoing trepidation, the lord of riches spoke unto a mighty Yaksha—Manichara,—’O foremost of Yakshas, slay the wicked Rāvana, set on sin; and do thou (thus) become the refuge of those heroic Yakshas, who are carrying on the conflict.’ Thus addressed, the mighty-armed and invincible Mānibhadra, surrounded by four thousand Yakshas began the fight. And attacking the Rākshasas with maces and clubs and bearded darts, and with darts _tomoras_ and bludgeons, the Yakshas rushed at (their adversaries). And fast safely whirling about like hawks, they fought fiercely. And (some) said, ’Well, give me battle,’ and (others), ’I don’t want,’ and (others, again), ’Let me have (fight)’. And then the celestials and the Gandharvas and the sages studying the Vedas, beholding the great encounter, were filled with mighty amazement. And a thousand of the Yakshas were slain by Prahasta in the conflict; and another thousand of capable warriors were slain by Mahodara. And O king, in the twinkling of an eye Māricha, waxing wroth and eager for encounter brought down two thousand (of enemy’s soldiers). Where is the candid-coursing fight of the Yakshas and where the fight of the Rakshas by help of the power of illusion; and therefore in that battle the advantage was on the side of the Rākshasas. And Dhumrācksha, confronting Mānibhadra in the mighty conflict hit him at the chest with a bludgeon; but he did not move thereat. And then Mānibhadra dealt the Rākshasa a blow with his mace; and thereat Dhumrācksha smit at the head fell down senseless (on the ground). And seeing Dhumrāckhsa wounded and down, bathed in blood, the Ten-necked one rushed at Mānibhadra in the encounter. And then that foremost of Yakshas hit Daçānana with three darts as he was rushing in wrath. And on being thus hit, (Rāvana) struck at Mānibhadra’s head; and at that stroke his crown was depressed at one side. And from that day forth that Yaksha remained with his head hollow on one side. And on the high-souled Mānibhadra having been baffled, a great uproar, O king, rose in that mountain. And then at a distance, the lord of riches, mace in hand, accompanied by Sukra and Praushthapada and Padma and Sanka saw (Rāvana) in the field. And seeing his brother in the encounter with his glory obscured through the curse (he had ere this come by), the intelligent (lord of Yakshas) spoke in words worthy of the line of his grand-father,—’As, O wicked-minded one, thou desistest not, albeit forbidden by me, thou shalt, afterwards attaining the fruit of this, and repairing to hell, know (the fate that followeth thee). That perverse one, that through ignorance having drunk poison, neglects to adopt proper measures, knoweth the consequence of his act ultimately. The gods have set their face against thee on account of a certain misdeed of thine; and having for this, been reduced to this condition, thou dost not understand things. He that dishonoreth his father and mother⁴⁹ and spiritual preceptor, reapeth the fruit of his act on coming under the sway of the sovereign of the dead. Having regard that this body is uncertain, that foolish person, that doth not acquire asceticism, dying goeth the way that he deserveth. The mind of a perverse man doth not willingly incline towards good; and he reapeth as he soweth. In this world people, making their own good fortune and beauty, strength, sons, wealth and valor, gain these by virtue of their pious acts. Being given to such iniquitous acts, thou wilt go to hell; and thy designs being such, I will not hold parley with thee. Honest people should act carefully in connection with the wicked.’—Thus reprimanded by him, his (Rāvana’s) councillors, headed by Māricha, on being struck, took to their heels. Then Daçagriva on being struck in the head with the mace by the lord of Yakshas, did not move from his place. And then, O Rāma, the Yaksha and Rākshasa, smiting each other in mighty encounter, did not get bewildered or experience fatigue. And then the bestower of riches discharged a fiery weapon at him; and thereat the lord of Rākshasas resisted it with a Varuna weapon. And then the Rākshasa king entered upon Rākshasi-illusion; and began to assume a thousand shapes for compassing the destruction (of his adversary). And the Ten-necked one (successively) assumed the shapes of a tiger, a boar, a cloud, a hill, the ocean, a tree, a Yaksha and a Daitya. Thus he wore full many forms and he was not visible in his native shape. And then, O Rāma, seizing a mighty weapon the Ten-necked one, whirling the same, brought that redoubtable mace down on the head of the bestower of riches. Thus smitten by him, the lord of wealth, baffled, toppled down to the earth covered with blood like an _açoka_ whose roots have been hewn away. Thereat Padma and other Nidhi deities, surrounding the granter of wealth, raised him up and brought him to the Nandana wood. Conquering the bestower of wealth, the lord of Rākshasas, with a delighted heart, possessed himself of his Pushpaka, the car, as a sign of victory; furnished with golden pillars, gateways set with lapises, covered with networks of pearls, having trees yielding the fruits of all seasons, endowed with the celerity of thought, ranging everywhere at will, wearing forms at pleasure, capable of coursing in the sky, with golden and jewelled stairs, and daises of polished gold,—the vehicle of the gods—undeteriorating, bringing delight to the mind and sight; wonderous exceedingly: painted with images designed to fill the mind with reverence,—constructed by Brahmā, containing all objects of desire, charming and nonpariel not cold and not yet hot, granting gratification in every season, and graceful to the view. And ascending that (car) coursing at will, won by his prowess, that utterly wicked one, out of swelling insolence, deemed himself master of the three worlds. And having vanquished the deity Vaiçravana, he descended from Kailāça. And having by his energy obtained the victory, the powerful night-ranger wearing a bright diadem and necklace, and seated on that superb car,—appeared radiant in his court like Fire himself."

⁴⁹ Unless he serveth his parents, his heart doth not incline to piety.

SECTION XVI.