SECTION IX.
And located within that excellent mansion, Hanumān, son unto the Wind-god, saw a superior and grand structure, stainless and spacious; half a yojana in width and one in length,—belonging to the lord of the Rākshasas, and abounding with many a palace. And searching for Videha's daughter, the large eyed Sitā, that slayer of enemies, Hanumān, ranged all through (this edifice). And Hanumān beheld the goodly edifice where the Rākshasas used to dwell in common. And (at length) that one came upon the mansion itself of the lord of Rākshasas, having three-tusked and four-tusked elephants, and protected by persons with upraised arms, and covering a capacious area. And (Hānuman beheld) the residence of Rāvana, thronged with his Rākshasi wives, as well as with princesses forcibly brought thither (by him),— like unto the sea teeming with alligators and makaras, abounding in timingilas and fishes and snakes, and agitated by the force of the wind. The same enchanting splendour that is in Vaiçravana or the ray-riding Moon, remained ever constant and abiding in Rāvana's abode. And the prosperity of king Kuvera, or Yama, or Varuna, was here present in the house of the Raksha,—or even surpassed by the prosperity (of Rāvana). In the midst of that mansion the Wind-god's offspring found another,[261] excellently constructed, having innumerable mad elephants;—that noble car embellished with all gems, entitled Pushpaka, which had been constructed in heaven by Viçwakarmā for Brahmā himself,— which Kuvera obtained from the Great-father through high austerities,—and which, vanquishing Kuvera by his prowess, the Rākshasa chief got possession of. And the mighty monkey ascended the splendid car Pushpaka, containing figures of wolves,—made of Kārttaswara and Hiranya; graced with ranges of goodly pillars; as if blazing in splendour; throughout garnished with narrow secret rooms and saloons, piercing the heavens, and resembling Meru or Mandara, and like unto the flaming Sun; skilfully reared by Viçwakarma; with golden staircases and graceful and grand raised seats, rows of golden and crystal windows, and daises composed of sapphires, emeralds and other superb gems; embellished with noble vidrumas, costly stones, and round pearls, as also with plastered terraces; pasted with red sandal, like unto gold, and furnished with a sacred aroma; and resembling the sun new risen. And stationed thereon,[262] Hanumān smelt the rich odour of viands and drinks that was spreading on all sides;— and like one dear friend smelling another, he also smelt the mighty Air, impregnated with aroma, which seemed like embodied Odour. And (the Air) said unto Hanumān,—"Come here, where that Rāvana is." Then (descending from Pushpaka and repairing to that sleeping apartment of Rāvana), Hanumān saw the same, grand and graceful; belonging to Rāvana; of transcendent beauty; comely like unto a lovely lady; diversified with jewelled staircases; illumined with heaps of gems; with its terraces constructed of crystal; having statues of ivory, pearls, diamonds, coral, silver and gold; adorned with jewelled pillars; and embellished all round with pillasters; and upheld on all sides by straight, elevated and gorgeously ornamented pillars of equal dimensions, resembling prodigious wings,—(the mansion) appearing to tower to the sky; containing spacious and parti-colored woolen cloths bearing the marks of the Earth;[263] extensive as the Earth is, with kingdoms and dwellings; resounding with the roars of infuriated elephants; redolent of divine fragrance; furnished with gay canopies; inhabited by the sovereign of the Rakshas; cloudy with aguru and dhupa; spotless; of a swan-like whiteness; engarlanded with flowers and leaves like unto the dappled and brilliant cow (of Vasishtha); bringing delight unto the heart; and enhancing the grace (of all creatures); removing sorrow; noble; and the generatrix of Grace herself. And as soon as Hanumān entered the mansion protected by Rāvana, it like a mother regaled his senses with their proper objects. "This must be swarga, or the region of the immortals, or the city of Amarāvati, or the supreme Siddhi—"[264] thought the Wind-god's offspring. And he saw the golden lamps (shorn of their brightness),[265] like unto gamblers worsted at dice by others exceedingly skilful, and, in consequence, plunged in thought. And (Hanumān) conceived that (Rāvana's sleeping apartment) was in a conflagration, on account of the display of the lamps, Rāvana' s energy, and the splendour of the ornaments. And when the night had been half spent, (Hanumān) saw thousands of superb dames, adorned in various attires, and bearing apparels of diverse hues, and wreaths,—who having given up sport, and come under the influence of wine and sleep,— were fast asleep on woolen sheets. And in consequence of the silence that reigned (in that apartment) embellished with (ornaments), it resembled a large lotus-grove, where the swans and the black bees are silent. And the Wind-god's offspring beheld the countenances of those beauteous women, with closed eyes,—having their lashes shut through languor; and odorous with lotus-perfume. And their faces appeared like lotuses blowing on the expiry of night and closing their petals by night. "These lotus-faces like unto very lotuses themselves, ever the six-footed ones[266] seek once and again." Thus thought with discrimination the graceful, mighty monkey; and on account of their perfections, he confessed those countenances to be equal to water-sprung[267] (lotuses). And that apartment, in consequence of being graced by those women, appeared splendid, like the autumnal, complacent sky decorated with the stars. And surrounded by them, the Rākshasa chief resembled the fair Moon encircled by the stars. "Those stars that drop from the firmament on their virtue deteriorating, have assembled here in a body," thus thought the monkey at that time. And the shine, form, and splendour of those females resembled, forsooth those of magnificently displayed, noble and lustrous stars. And on account of their having been bereft of consciousness through sleep, induced by fatigue brought on by drink (and dance), their hair was dishevelled, and their full wreaths and goodly ornaments lay scattered about. And some of those paragons had got their beauty-spots, smudged; and some, their bangles loosening off; some, their chains running to one side. And others had their pearl necklaces burst,— and their cloths getting away (from their persons), and the chains of their zones straying irregularly;—resembling way-worn mares. And others again were without their ear-rings, and had their garlands torn and crushed; and resembled blossoming creepers, trodden down in a vast forest by mighty elephants. And the pearl chains of some sinning females resembling moon beams, having got topsy-turvy, was lying like sleeping swans between the breasts of the damsels. And the lapis chains of some resembled water-crows;[268] and the fine golden chains turned upside down of others appeared like ruddy geese. And those ladies resembled rivers having hips for banks; containing swans and Karandavas, and beautified with ruddy geese. And those sleeping females appeared like streams; having Kinkinis for their ripples; and large gold lotuses;[269] marks[270] of amorous encounter on their persons for ferocious aquatic animals; and perfections,[271] for their banks. And on the tender frames, as well as on the tops of the breasts, of some graceful scratches consequent on pressure, appeared like ornaments. And the scarf-ends of some stirred by the air that was blowing about their faces, flapped on them again and again. And at the nether part of the faces of Rāvana's wives, they (the scarf-ends)appeared beauteous like uplifted streamers of exceeding elegance, composed of many-hued golden yarn. And the ear-rings of some dames possessed of a pleasant sheen, stirred by the air that was breathing about their faces, were undulating gently. And the sweet breath of their faces, naturally fragrant, and redolent of sugar and dsava, was then regaling Rāvana. And out of fear sprung from sleep and intoxication, some of Rāvana's wives were again and again smelling the faces of those, co-wives with them, taking the faces to belong to Rāvana. And from their hearts being firmly fixed on Rāvana, those excellent women, having their sense af separateness removed, (albeit thus dealt with), did what was dear unto them.[272] And other females, making their gay scarf-ends (for their sheets), and making their arms, their pillows, were lying down there. And some were lying on others' bosoms and others again, on the arms of the latter. And some lay on the laps of others; and others, again, on the breasts of the latter. And they reposed on each other's thighs, flanks, waists, and backs; and coming under the influence of wine and amour, they lay on each other's persons. And those females having elegant waists, receiving pleasure from the contact with others' persons, were sleeping there, with their hands fastened by each other. And that garland of females strung by the threads of their hands, appeared beauteous, like a real wreath strung on a thread, with maddened black bees (seated thereon). And that multitude of females in a medley appeared like an assemblage of blooming plants in the month of Chaitra,[273] with its wreaths formed in consequence of their coming in contact with one another, and of its clusters touching each other, on account of the breeze blowing;—with the plants encircling the graceful (necks of the trees),—and rife with Bhramaras chasing each other.—And although the ornaments of those women wearing ornaments, attires and wreaths, were put on proper places; yet (on account of the profusion of the ornaments themselves, as well as because of the circumstance of the dames' sleeping),[274] it was difficult to ascertain which ornament belonged to one damsel and which to another. And it seemed as if, Rāvana having attained rest (through sleep), the flaming golden lamps furnished with various rays, were gazing at the girls with winkless eyes. Daughters of Rājarshis, of Vipras, of Daityas, of Gandharbas. and of Rākshasas, having come under the influence of desire, had become his wives. And all those women had been procured by Rāvana because he sought fight (with their relations) and some haughty dames, rapt with desire, had of themselves come to this place. And there was no woman there, who had been won by force by (Rāvana), possessed as he was of prowess; but they had all been subdued by his qualities. And save the surpassingly worthy daughter of Janaka, no female (had been brought), who had set her heart on another, or who had known any other before. And there was none who, being his wife, was not of high extraction; none who was defective in grace; none who was not of sterling merit; none who was not decked out in ornaments and attire; and none who was infirm; and none who was not an object of desire of her lover. And the lord of monkeys endowed with uprightness of sense, thought,—"If the righteously wedded wife of Rāghava were as one of the wives of the king of the Rākshasas, it would well for him." Again reflected he,— "Sitā is crowned with chastity and other virtues; and the powerful lord of Lankā, assuming an illusory form, hath with much ado perpetrated this ignominious act."