SECTION XXIV.
Then next morning which happened to be fine, those repressors of their foes, with Viçwāmitra who had performed morning rites at their head, came to the banks of the river.[37] And those high-souled ascetics observing vows, having brought an elegant bark addressed Viçwāmitra, saying,—"Do thou ascend the bark with the princes at thy head! May thy journey be auspicious: let no delay occur!" Thereupon saying,—"So be it!", and having paid homage unto those ascetics, Viçwāmitra set about crossing that river with them, which had replenished the ocean.[38] And it came to pass that while thus engaged, they heard a sound augmented by the dashing of the waves.[39] And having come to the middle of the stream, the highly energetic Rāma with his younger brother, became curious to ascertain the cause of that sound. And reaching the middle of the river, Rāma asked that best of ascetics,—"What is this loud uproar that seemeth to come riving the water?" Hearing Rāghava's words dictated by curiosity, that righteous-souled one spake, unfolding the true cause of the noise,—"O Rāma, there is in the Kailāca mountain an exceedingly beautiful pool, created mentally by Brahmā, O foremost of men,—and hence this watery expanse goeth by the name of Mānasa Pool, And the stream that issues from that liquid lapse, flows through Ayodhyā: the sacred Sarayu issues from that pool of Brahmā. And as the Sarayu meets the Jāhnavi, this tremendous uproar is heard, being produced by the clashing of the waters. Do thou, O Rāma, bow down to them with a concentrated mind." Thereupon, both of these exceedingly righteous ones, bowed down unto those streams; and betaking themselves to the right bank, began to proceed with fleet vigour. And beholding a dreadful trackless forest, that son of the foremost of men, Ikshhwaku's descendant, asked that best of ascetics, saying,— "Ah! deep is this forest abounding in crickets; and filled with terrible ferocious beasts,and various birds possessed of shocking voices and screaming frightfully; and graced by lions, and tigers, and boars, and elephants; and crowded with Dhavas[40] and Acwas and Karnas[41] and Kukubhas and Vilmas[42] and Tindukas[43] and Patalas[44] and Badaris.[45] Whence is this dreadful forest?" Him answered thus the mighty asetic Viçwāmitra endowed with high energy,—"Do thou listen, O Kākutshtha, as to whom belongeth this dreadful forest! Here were formerly, O foremost of men, two flourishing provinces, named Malada, and Karusha, built by celestial architects. In days of yore, O Rāma, on the occasion of the destruction of Vritra, the thousand-eyed one came to have hunger, to be besmeared with excreta, and to slay a Brāhmana. And when Indra had been thus besmeared, the deities, and the saints having asceticism for wealth, washed him here, and cleansed his person from the dirt. And the deities, having renounced here the filth that had clung unto the person of the mighty Indra, as well as his hunger, attained exceeding delight. And thereat Indra becoming purified, attained his former brightness, and became devoid of hunger. And mightily pleased with this region, he conferred on it an excellent boon, saying,—"Since these two places have held excreta from my body, they going by the names of Malada and Karusha, shall attain exceeding prosperity and fame among men." And beholding the land thus honored by the intelligent Sacra, the deities said unto the subduer of Pāka,—'Well!" "Well!" And, O repressor of foes, these two places, Malada and Karusha, enjoyed prosperity for a long lime and were blessed with corn and wealth. Then after a space of time, was born a Yakshini capable of assuming forms at will, and endowed with the strength of a thousand elephants. Her name, good betide thee! was Tārakā, and she was the spouse of the intelligent Sunda—she whose son is the Rākshasa, Māricha possessed of the prowess of Sacra; having round arms, with a huge head, a capacious mouth and a cyclopean body. And that Rakshasa of dreadful form daily frightens people. And, O descendant of Raghu, Tārakā of wicked deeds, daily commits havoc upon these countries, Malada and Karusha . And now at the distance of over half a Yojana, she stayeth, obstructing the way. And since this forest belongeth unto Tārakā, thou shouldst repair thither and, resorting to the might of thy own arms, slay this one of wicked deeds. And by my direction, do thou again rid this region of its thorn; for no one dareth to approach such a place, infested, O Rāma, by the dreadful and unbearable Yakshini. And now I have related unto thee all about this fearful forest. And to this day that Yakshini hath not desisted from committing ravages right and left."