SECTION XXXV.
Hearing those words of Surpanakhā, able to make one's hair stand on end, (Rāvana) ascertaining his course after issuing his orders to his councellors, departed. And proposing to himself that act, weighing its good and evil, considering his capacity or otherwise, and (finally) determining his purpose, Rāvana with a fixed mind went to the handsome stable. And going to the stable in disguise, the lord of the Rākshasasas commanded the charioteer, saying, "Yoke the car." Thus asked, the charioteer possessed of fleet vigor, in a trice, yoked an excellent car after his heart. And ascending the car coursing at will, made of gold and garnished with spectral faces as well as arrow decked with gold,—resembling a mass of clouds, the graceful ruler of the Rākshasas—younger brother to the Lord of wealth—proceeded in that noiseless (vehicle), past the lord of rivers and streams. And with chouris of white hair, and a white umbrella, having ten-faces, resembling (in hue) cool lapises, wearing ornaments of polished gold, possessed of ten mouths, and twenty arms, clad in elegant apparel,—the foe of the celestials, and slayer of the foremost ascetics—having huge heads like unto the monarch of mountains, the lord of the Rākshasas, mounted on that chariot coursing at will, appeared beautiful like a mass of clouds in the sky, with cranes, in the midst of lightning. And that one possessed of prowess beheld the shore of the sea, containing crags, scattered with trees bearing fruits and flowers of various kinds by thousands, bordered all around with pools furnished with cool and delightful waters, ornamented with spacious asylums having daises, graced with woods of plantain, beauteous with cocoanuts, and blossoming sāla and palmyra, and tamāla, trees, grateful with supreme saints rigidly restraining their fear, and with serpents and fowls of fair feathers and Gandharbas and Kinnaras by thousands; and pleasant with Siddhas and Chāranas, that have controlled their lust; with those descendants of Brahmā—the Vaikhanas, the Māshas, the Vālakhilyas, and the Marichipas; swarming with females, divinely beautiful, dight with gorgeous ornaments and garlands, and Apsarās skilled in sport, by thousands; frequented by the wives of the celestials, and honored by graceful girls; ranged by multitudes of deities and Dānavas, feeding on ambrosia; abounding with swans, Kraunchas, and frogs, echoing to (the cries of) cranes; containing stones resembling the lapis, and mild and cool by the influence of the ocean. And as he proceeded, the younger brother of the Lord of wealth, saw on all sides spacious cars capable of coursing at will, sable, furnished with fair garlands, and resounding with trumpet notes,—and Gandharbas and Apsarās. And surveying by thousands woods of sandal exuding gum at their roots,[51] and of choice aguru, grateful unto the sense of smell; and woods and groves of excellent and odorous takkola fruits; blossoms of the Tamāla, and thickets of black pepper; heaps of pearls drying on the shore; rocks; the best corals in masses;[52] summits of gold and silver;[53] charming pellucid rills at places; and cities filled with corn and wealth, abounding in gems of women, and thronged with horses, elephants and cars—Rāvana on the shore of the ocean beheld around a level and soft scene, resembling heaven itself—where breezes of delicate feel kept breathing. And there he saw a fig tree, hued like clouds, surrounded by ascetics; its branches stretched around an hundred Yoyanas, and the exceedingly powerful Garuda had ascended one of its boughs, taking an elephant and a huge tortoise, for the purpose of devouring them. And that best of birds, the powerful Suparna by his weight suddenly broke a branch containing full many leaves. And it came to pass that Vaikhānasas, Māshas, Vālakhilyas, Marichipas, Ayas, and Dhumras,—saints of the highest order—had assembled there. Thereat, moved by commisseration (for the ascetics), the virtuous Garuda, taking with promptitude the broken bough measuring an hundred Yoyanas as well as the elephant and the tortoise, by one leg, at length eating up the animals, and by means of the bough, exterminating the country of the Nishadas—that best of birds attained unequalled delight in consequence of having rescued the mighty ascetics. Thereat, attaining double energy by virtue of that delight that intelligent one set his heart on bringing ambrosia. And tearing off the iron links of the network, and bursting into the repository of gem, he carried away secreted ambrosia from the residence of the great Indra. Kuvera's younger brother beheld this fig tree, named Subhadra, graced with the Maharshi, on which Suparna had left his mark. Then repairing to the other shore of that lord of rivers, the ocean, Rāvana saw an asylum lying in the forest in a charming and sacred recess. And there he saw a Rākshasa, named Māricha, clad in a dark deer-skin, bearing a head of matted locks, subsisting on restricted fare. And approaching Rāvana duly, the Rākshasa, Māricha, received the king with every hospitality passing human. And having entertained him personally with meats and drinks, Māricha addressed him in weighty words, saying, "O lord of the Rākshasas, king, is it well with thee in Lankā? And what for hast thou again come hither so speedily?" Thus addressed by Māricha, that highly powerful one, skilled in speech, Rāvana said.