SECTION XLIV.
"The vicious-souled Rāvana thinking thus the great ascetic again gave vent to accents. 'O thou having long arms, what thou hast desired in thy mind shall be encompassed in the great encounter. Be thou happy and wait for some time.' Hearing this the long-armed (Rāvana) again said to the ascetic—'Do thou tell me at length what are his marks.' Hearing the words of the lord of Rākshasas, the ascetic replied:—'Hearken, I shall relate to thee every thing, O foremost of Rākshasas. That great deity pervadeth all, is minute, invisible ever-existing, and manifest over the universe consisting of mobile and immobile creations. He is present in the celestial region, in the earth, in the region underneath the earth, on the mountains, in the forests, in all stationary objects, in all rivers and in all cities. He is Om, truth, Sābitri and earth. He is known as the deity Dharādhara (holder of earth) and Ananta. He is day, night, morning and evening, Yama, the moon, Kāla, the wind, Brahmā, Rudra, Indra and water. He makes the world manifest and shine; he creates them, destroys them and governs them. He sporteth, is eternal, the lord of men, Vishnu, Purana and the only destroyer of the world. What is the use of speaking more, O Dasānana, He comprehends the three worlds, the mobile and immobile. Wearing a yellow raiment like unto the filaments of lotus, Nārāyana, resembling dark-blue lotus in colour, is resplendant like unto clouds in the welkin accompanied by lightning. And covering his person, Lakshmi, in the shape of warfare, lies stationed in his body like unto lightning in the clouds. The celestials, Asuras or Nāgas—none is capable of casting his looks upon him. He alone can see him with whom he is pleased, O my son; neither by the fruits of sacrifices, asceticism, self-control, gifts, sacrifices, nor by anything else can one behold the Illustrious Deity. Those alone can see Him, who have devoted themselves, their life and being, unto Him and who, by virtue of discriminative knowledge, have got their sins burnt. If thou art willing to behold him, hear, if thou dost like, I shall describe everything at length. At the end of the golden age and the beginning of Tretā Yuga the deity Nārāyana shall assume a human form for the benefit of men and celestials. A son by the name of Rāma shall be born unto Dasaratha, of the Ikshwāku race who shall govern earth. Rāma shall be highly effulgent, highly powerful and in patience like unto earth—and the enemies in the encounter shall not be able to eye him as they cannot the sun. In this wise the lord Nārāyana shall appear in a human form. At the behest of his sire, the pious and the high-minded Rāma shall sojourn in the forest of Dandaka in the company of his brother. His spouse the gracious Lakshmi, shall be celebrated under the appellation of Sitā. She will be born as the daughter of Janaka, the king of Mithilā and will come out of earth. In beauty she shall be matchless on earth and be gifted with auspicious marks and shall always follow Rāma like a shadow as the rays follow the moon. She will be graced with a good conduct, chaste and patient; and Sitā and Rāma shall always appear together like the rays of the sun. Rāvana, I have thus related to you everything about the Nārāyana, the great Brahman, eternal and incomprehensible.' O Rāghava, hearing those words, the highly powerful lord of Rākshasas began to concert plans for entering into conflict with thee. Meditating again and again over Sanatkumār's words and delighted he began to journey for battle." Hearing those words, Rāma, with his eyes expanded in surprise, was greatly wondered. And being delighted he again said to Agastya, the foremost of the wise:—"Do thou recount the ancient stories."