SECTION LXLV.
By Rāma, of unwearied actions, with flaming arrows feathered in burning gold, were destroyed thousands of elephants—many horses with their riders, many a car crested with flaming banners; thousands of heroic Rākshasas assuming shapes at will, engaged by Rāvana, and armed with clubs and parighās; and golden pennons. Beholding and hearing of this the remaining night-rangers assembled and were greatly bewildered, poorly and stricken with anxiety. The widows and those who had lost their children or kinsmen approached those Rākshasas and overwhelmed with grief, bewailed piteously,—"Alas! why did the aged and grim-visaged Surpanakhā, having her belly extending down-ward, behold in the forest Rāma graceful like Kandarpa. And beholding him of great beauty and prowess, ever engaged in the welfare of all creatures, that ugly one, worthy of being slain by people, was excited with lust. Why did that ugly-faced she-demon, devoid of all qualities, address Rāma, having a beautiful countenance, gifted with many virtues and great effulgence? Alas for the misfortune of the Rākshasas, the aged Rākshasee brought before him such a vile proposal, hated of all and worthy of creating laughter. For the destruction of Khara, Dushana and other Rākshasas that ugly one approached Rāghava with such a vile intention. It was for her that Rāvana created enmity (with Rāma) and Sitā was carried away by the Ten-necked Rākshasa. But he could not spread his influence upon Sitā the daughter of king Janaka and deep rooted and eternal became the enmity with the highly powerful Rāghava. And beholding the Rākshasa Birādha slain by Rāma alone—(Rāvana) wishing Vaidehi should have regarded that as a sufficient proof of his prowess. And fourteen thousand Rākshasas of terrible deeds were slain by him in Janasthāna with shafts resembling the flame of fire. Khara, Dushana as well as Triçirā were slain by him in conflict with arrows resembling the Sun—this was a sufficient proof (of his power). Yoyanabāhu and Kavandha, drinking blood, were slain by him, roaring with wrath—this too was a sufficient proof of his power. Rāma slew the powerful Vāli, the son of the thousand eyed one, resembling the cloud—that too was the sufficient proof of his prowess. By him Sugriva, poorly and living in the mount Rishyamukha, having all his desires frustrated, was placed on the throne—that too even was the sufficient proof of his power. He (Rāvana) from foolishness did not like the becoming speech of Bibhishana conducive to the acquirement of piety and wealth and securing the welfare of the Rākshasas. Had the younger brother of the lord of wealth (Rāvana) observed the words of Bibhishana, Lankā would not have been overwhelmed with grief and reduced to the state of a cremation ground. Hearing of the destruction of the highly powerful Kumbhakarna by Rāma. of the irrepressible Atikaya by Lakshmana as well as of his beloved son Indrajit, Rāvana did not come to his senses.³⁸⁴ There is audible in every house of the Rākshasas, the cry,—’My son, my brother, my husband is slain in battle.’ In conflict have been destroyed by the heroic Rāma, thousand cars, horses, serpents and infantry. Perhaps Rudra, Vishnu, Mahendra or the performer of hundred sacrifices, or even Death, in the shape of Rāma, is slaying us. By Rāma all the heroes have been slain—despair has taken possession of our minds—we do not behold the end of our terror and are bewailing being deprived of our lords. Does not the Ten-necked hero, who has obtained boons (from Brahmā) perceive that a mighty disaster shall befall him from Rāma? Neither the celestials, Gandharbas, Piçachas nor Rākshasas shall be able to save him from Rāma in conflict. In every battle many an accident befalls Rāvana—this bespeaks of his destruction at the hands of Rāma. The great Patriarch, being pleased, conferred upon Rāvana the boon that no fear would proceed unto him from the celestials, the Dānavas or the Rākshasas—but he did not beg of him, security from men. Forsooth, he is that fearful man who shall slay Rāvana and the Rākshasas. The celestials, being thus oppressed by Rāvana, who had obtained the boon, worshipped the great Patriarch with severe austerities. And being propitiated with them, the high-souled Patriarch, for their welfare, addressed the celestials, with the following pregnant speech. "From to-day shall the Rākshasas and Dānavas roam for ever, afraid of the celestials". Thereupon the celestials headed by Indra engaged in propitiating Mahādeva, the slayer of Tripura, and who rides upon a bull. And being pleased, Mahadeva addressed them, saying,—"For your welfare there will be born a woman who shall be the cause of the destruction of the Rākshasas". As hunger, being engaged by the celestials, did destroy in olden time, all the Dānavas, so shall she (Sitā) the root of the extinction of Rākshasa race destroy us all with Rāvana. Alas! for the foolishness of the vicious-minded and insolent Rāvana destruction has faced us and we are overwhelmed with grief. We do not see any such being in the world who can afford us shelter. Rāghava has attacked us like unto the fire of dissolution. There is no refuge for us who have been stricken with fear as no help reaches the elephants in a forest beset with fire. The high-souled Bibhishana did the just thing in proper time—he took shelter of him from whom he expected danger". Thus bewailed piteously and loudly—the she-demons holding each other by the neck and being stricken with fear and grief.
³⁸⁴ One sloka has been omitted here by some of the editors, which when translated stands thus:—When one monkey only Hanumān killed the prince Akshaya and reduced the whole city to ashes with the fire of his tail. Rāvana should have come to his senses.