SECTION LII.
Hearing the words of the high-souled monkey, Rāvana, bereft of his senses by wrath, ordered that he should be put to death. On the death of that one who had proclaimed his own position of being an envoy, having been ordered by the wicked-minded Rāvana, Vibhishana did not agree (with the decision). And knowing that the lord of Rākshasas was wroth and that that affair[406] was at hand, Vibhishana, resolved to act according to justice, began to reflect as to what was to be done. Having arrived at a decision, that one skilled in speech, paying homage unto that conqueror of foes, his elder brother, spoke unto him in words eminently good,—"O lord of Rākshasas, forgive me and renounce thy wrath.[407] Extend thy favor unto me, and hear these words of mine. Lords of the earth, endowed with integrity and knowing high and low, never put messengers to death. The taking the monkey's life, O king, is opposed to morality and repugnant to social usage; and it is also unworthy of thyself. Thou understandst morality, art grateful and versed in the morality of sovereigns, and canst distinguish between high and low among beings, and even thou knowst the prime sense of things. If discerning persons like thee come under the governance of passion, mere toil is the pains that are undergone to master the scriptures. Therefore, O destroyer of enemies, be pacified. O lord of Rākshasas, difficult to approach, consider what is proper or otherwise, and then do thou mete out punishment to the envoy." Hearing Vibhishana's speech, Rāvana lord of Rākshasas, overcome with a mighty wrath, answered,—"O slayer of foes, to slay the sinful doth not cause sin. Therefore shall I slay this monkey, worker of iniquity." Hearing these words grounded in unrighteousness, evil every way, and worthy of the base, that foremost of intelligent ones, Vibhishana, spoke words couching supreme import,—"O lord of Lankā, be propitious. O Sovereign of Rākshasas, listen to speech containing the significance of virtue and profit. O king, an envoy is not to be put to death on the occasion of his discharging his proper functions. This righteous people say everywhere unto all. Surely this is an overgrown enemy; and he hath perpetrated immense injury (unto us). But say the good, envoys are not to be slain, albeit many are the punishments that have been assigned for messengers. Disfigurement of the body, stripes, shaving of the head,—one of these or all combined,—these are said to be the punishments that should be inflicted on envoys. But I have not heard of the punishment of death being a penalty of the envoy. Why doth one like thee, having one's intelligence rendered meek as respects righteousness and profit, and capable of proceeding on certain decisions on the merits or otherwise of things,—come under the sway of passion? Those possessed of power never give way to anger. Neither in religious discussion, nor in social concerns, nor in appropriating the right sense of the scriptures, is there any that can approach thee, O hero. Verily thou art the foremost among celestials and Asuras. Invincible to the gods and Asuras themselves gifted with prowess, high spirits and intelligence, thou hast in battle oftentimes put to the rout the chiefs of celestials and monarchs. Those heroes that have heretofore mentally entertained enmity against such a one as thou, foe of deities and Daityas,—heroic and valient and unconquerable, have not been deprived by thee of their lives.[408] Nor do I see any good that may likely accrue to us from the slaying of this monkey. Let thy vengeance descend on those that have despatched the monkey. Whether honest or otherwise, this one hath been commissioned by others. Advocating interest not his own and identifying himself with another, an envoy doth not merit the being put to death. O king, if this one be slain, no other sky-ranger whatever would show himself unto us. Therefore, O captor of hostile capitals, do not seek to slay this one. Thou shouldst spend thyself on celestials with Indra (at their head). On his being killed, another see I not who, O thou that lovest warfare, can move those haughty sons of a king to take up arms against thee. And, O bringer-in of joy unto the heart, it is not proper for thee, invincible to celestials and Asuras gifted with prowess, high spirits and intelligence, to disappoint the Nairitas (as to their eagerness for encounter). They are devoted to thy good, and are heroic and intent on thy well-being, born in lines having high and fiery virtues, and endowed with intelligence, —the flower of those bearing arms—and have been maintained by thee. Therefore let a portion of the forces, having received thy order, march to-day, and bring (hither) those foolish princes. It is meet that thou shouldst display thy prowess before foes." Thereat, the lord of the night-rangers, that potent enemy of the celestials and the foremost of Rākshasa monarchs, lending free play to his intellect, accepted the excellent words of his younger brother.