SECTION XLVIII.
And seeing her husband, as well as the exceedingly powerful Lakshmana,—slain, Sitā, afflicted with grief, burst into bitter lamentation. "The soothsayers had said that I should have sons, and should never be a widow. But on Rāma being slain, it seems now that those ones, possessed of knowledge, had spoken untruthfully. And those also, who having celebrated sacrifices and rites, had said that I should become the queen (of Rāma),—on Rāma being slain, seems to-day to have spoken a falsehood, although they are possessed of knowledge. And they also asserted that I should be honored of the wives of heroic kings as well as of my lord,—but on Rāma being slain, they seem to have uttered a falsehood, although possessed of knowledge. And those twice-born ones that in my hearing had said auspicious words, on Rāma being slain, seem to-day to have spoken a falsehood, although they were possessed of knowledge. These lotus-marks on the feet, betokening unto gentlewomen possessing them, that they are to be installed in the kingdom in company with their husbands—who are kings,—are on me. And those marks find I none on me by which women of rare fortune come by widowhood,—but I find that in me these good tokens are nullified. Those marks that are pronounced infallible by those versed in such knowledge, on Rāma being slain, are nullified in me. My hairs are fine, equal, and blue; my eye-brows touch each other; my hips are devoid of down and round; and my teeth are close. My temples, and eyes, hands, feet, ankles, and thighs are equal. And my fingers are furnished with round nails, and are plump and even in the middle. And my breasts are close and firm and developed, and have their nipples sunk. And my navel is depressed, with high sides. And my chest is swelling. And my complexion is like the hue of gems,—and my down soft. And they said that I was furnished with twelve auspicious signs. And my hands in the middle parts of my fingers contain wheat-marks; and in the spaces between the fingers, have no uneven corners. And my feet also partake of the general complexion. And my laugh is a gentle smile. And those versed in marks of women knew that I was possessed of such marks. And those Brāhmanas skilled in telling fortune said that I should be installed in the kingdom along with my husband; but all that hath been falsified. Having purified Janasthāna (of Rākshasas), obtained tidings of me, and crossed the Ocean¹⁵² incapable of being Agitated, those brothers have been slain in the footprint of a cow! The descendants of Raghu had obtained Vāruua and Agneya and Aindra and Vāyava and Brahmaçiras weapons.¹⁵³ Through illusion have those lords of me, who am forlorn—Rāma and Lakshmana, resembling Vāsava himself in battle,—been slain. Coming in battle within ken of Rāghava, a foe, even if he be endowed with the fleetness of thought,—doth not go back, living. There is nothing which is too hard for Time; and the Destroyer is incapable of being overcome; inasmuch as Rāma along with his brother Lakshmana hath fallen in fight. And I do not so much mourn Rāma or the mighty car-warrior—Lakshmana—or, for that matter, self,—as I do the wretched Mother-in-law of mine. She ever thinketh of the period of the promise. ’When shall I behold Sitā and Lakshmana with Rāghava?’" As she was thus lamenting, the Rakshasi, Trijata, said,—"O exalted lady, do not weep thus. Thy lord liveth. And, O dignified one, I shall unfold unto thee potent and probable reasons why the brothers Rāma and Lakshmana live. When their leader falleth, the countenances of the warriors in battle are not overspread with passion, or display cheerfulness and vivacity. And, O Vaidehi, if those had lost their lives, this celestial chariot, named Pushpaka, would not have held thee. An army that hath its heroes and chiefs slain—becoming dispirited and drooping, rangeth the field, like a vessel on water that hath lost its helmsman. But, O lorn one, these troops, betraying neither agitation nor anxiety, are guarding the Kākutsthas. This I tell thee of them out of affection. Do thou, at this conclusion bringing in joy, take comfort; and behold the Kākutsthas unslain. This I tell thee from affection. I never told thee untruths heretofore; nor, O Mithilā’s daughter, will I tell them unto thee now. Thou by virtue of thy character conducive to delight, hast found an access into my heart. These even the celestials and Asuras with Indra (at their head) are incompetent to quell. Seeing such sight, I speak to thee as to their being alive. And behold, O Maithili, this mighty wonder! These are lying insensible with arrows; but of those Grace hath not taken leave. It generally happens that the faces of persons dead and gone, are unsightly to a degree. Therefore, O Janaka’s daughter, leave off grief and sorrow and stupor. For the sake of Rāma and Lakshmana thou canst not today put a period to thy existence". Hearing her words, Mithila’s daughter—Sitā—resembling the daughter of a celestial, with hands joined, said,—"May this be so!" Then turning away the car Pushpaka fleet as the mind, the distressed Sitā entered Lankā along with Trijata. Then in company with Trijata, alighting from Pushpaka, she along with the Rakshasis entered the açoka wood. And entering that sporting-ground of the Rākshasa lord abounding in woody tracts, Sitā, having beheld those princes and reflected on them, became subject to a mighty grief.
¹⁵² The commentator assigns a metaphorical sense to ocean,—but this is hardly necessary.
¹⁵³ ’And did they not remember this now?’ completes the sense.—T.
SECTION XLIX.
Bound up terribly with shafts, Daçaratha’s sons, lying down bathed in blood, sighed hard like unto serpents. And all those foremost monkeys, along with Sugriva, possessed of exceeding strength,—overwhelmed with sorrow, remained surrounding those high-souled ones. In the meanwhile, the powerful Rāma, albeit fast bound by the shafts, awoke by virtue of the exceeding toughness of his person, as well as his might. Then, seeing his brother, having a distressful countenance, covered with blood, feeble, and fast bound by the shafts,—Rāma, greatly aggrieved, began to mourn. "Of what use unto me is the recovery of Sitā, or life either, when to-day I see my brother vanquished in fight and lying down in the field? Seeking in the world (of men), I may light upon a woman like Sitā; but never on a brother, or a helper, or a warrior like unto Lakshmana. If that enhancer of Sumitrā’s joy have met with his end, my life I must renounce in the sight of the monkeys. What shall I say unto Kauçalyā: and what shall I say unto Kaikeyi? And what shall I say unto mother Sumitrā, eager for a sight of her son? And if I go (back) without him, how shall I soothe her, like unto a cow reft of her calf; and trembling; and resembling a mourning Kurari? And how shall I say unto Satrughana and the illustrious Bharata,—’He went with me to the forest; but I come (back) here without him?’ I shall not be able to bear the rebuke of mother Sumitrā. Therefore even here shall I renounce my person; for certainly I dare not live. Fie on me, who am wicked and base; for me this Lakshmana, brought down, lieth in the field of battle, like one that is without life. O Lakshmana, thou ever comfortest me when I am dispirited. But to day, having lost thy life, thou canst not speak to me, who am afflicted. Thou, O hero, who hadst in battle slain innumerable Rākshasas lying around, hast (at length) thyself been slain in the field with shafts. And lying down in the battle-field, bleeding, and covered with arrows, thou appearest like the Sun when he hath gone up the Setting-hill. And in consequence of shafts piercing thy vitals, thou canst not speak; but thy visible expression, albeit thou art dumb, betokens pain. O thou endowed with exceeding splendour, even as thou didst follow me into the forest, will I follow thee unto the mansion of Yama. Thou, having dear friends, and ever following me, hast come by this plight in consequence of my reprehensible conduct. I do not remember having heard any harsh speech from the heroic Lakshmana, even when he had happened to be exceedingly wroth. He that could discharge at one shot five hundred shafts,—that Lakshmana is superior to Kārttaviryya himself in that weapon—the bow. He that with his arms could resist the arms of Sakra himself,—that one worthy of a costly couch—lieth down on the ground, slain. And that false babble shall now, without doubt, consume me; for by me hath not Bibhishana been made monarch of the Rākshasas. Do thou, O Sugriva, this very moment retrace thy steps. Bereft of thy strength through me, thou wilt be worsted by Rāvana. And, O Sugriva, placing Angada to the fore, do thou, taking thy host as well as the equipage, in company with Nila and Nala, cross over the Ocean. By thee hath been achieved a mighty feat incapable of being done by another in battle. And pleased am I with the king of bears, and the lord of Golāngulas; and Angada hath quit himself nobly, as also Mainda and Dwivida. And Keçarin and Sampāti have both fought terribly. And Gavaya, and Gavāksha, and Sarabha, and Gaja,—and other monkeys have fought as others are incapable of fighting,—determined to lay down their lives (for me). But, O Sugriva, man cannot overrule Destiny. Thou, my friend, fearing righteousness,¹⁵⁴ hast done what lay in thy power. And, Ye foremost of monkeys, ye also have acted as becometh friends. Now, with my permission, go ye whithersoever ye are minded". Hearing Rāma’s lament, the monkeys—those dark-eyed and others—began to shed tears from their eyes. Then Bibhishana, quieting the army, taking a mace in his hand, swiftly went to where Rāghava was. And seeing him fast making his way, resembling a mass of dark collyrium, the monkeys taking him to be Rāvana’s son,¹⁵⁵ began to run away.
¹⁵⁴ Dharma-bhiru—fearing righteousness—is the epithet generally applied to persons fearing not in fact righteousness, but unrighteousness. This may be taken as an idiotism in Sanskrit.—T.
¹⁵⁵ Indrajit. Such was the fear he had spread by his redoubtable deeds!—T.
SECTION L.
Then out spake the highly energetic and exceedingly mighty king of monkeys,—"Why is this host agitated like a bark driven hither and thither by the wind?" Hearing Sugriva’s speech, Vāli’s son said,—"Dost thou not see both those heroes—sons of Daçaratha:—Rāma and that mighty car-warrior—Lakshmana—covered with arrows? And (dost thou not see) those high-souled ones lying in the field of battle, covered with blood?" Thereat, the lord of monkeys, Sugriva, spake unto his son,¹⁵⁶ Angada—"I do not deem it without cause. This may have come to pass through sheer fear. These monkeys with sad faces, leaving their arms behind them, are flying in all directions, their eyes distended in affright. And they are not ashamed of each other, and they do not cast their looks back. And they hug each other, and go leaping over the fallen". In the meanwhile, that hero, Bibhishana, bearing a mace in his hand, (approaching), greeted Sugriva as well as Rāghava with blessings of victory. And Sugriva, seeing Bibhishana, capable of inspiring fear in the monkeys, spoke unto the high-souled sovereign of bears, who stood by,—"This is Bibhishana that hath come hither, seeing whom the foremost among the monkeys, from fear of Rāvana’s son who, they apprehend, he is,—are fleeing away, seized with a panic. Do thou at once stay these agitated with fear and scampering all around; and proclaim,—’This is Bibhishana, who hath come here.’" Thus directed, Jāmbavān—king of bears—restraining those that were flying, composed the monkeys. Hearing the bear-king’s words, and seeing Bibhishana, the monkeys, renouncing fear, desisted (from their flight). Then the righteous Bibhishana, viewing Rāma’s as well as Lakshmana’s body pierced with arrows, was exceedingly aggrieved. And washing their eyes with water, he, with his mind overpowered with grief, began to weep and broke out into lamentation,—"The Rākshasas, fighting in wily ways, have brought to this pass these ones endowed with prowess and possessed of every perfection and gifted with might (of arm). And with his guileful mind, that brother’s son of mine, wicked-souled and an evil son (unto me),—hath deceived these ones of straight prowess. Pierced with innumerable shafts, and covered with blood, these are lying on the ground like Salyakas¹⁵⁷. Those depending on whose prowess, I had sought eminence, those foremost of men, sleep here soundly for renouncing their bodies. Living, today I am in distress: and my desire of dominion is annihilated; and my foe, Rāvana, hath his promise fulfilled and his aim crowned with success". As Bibhishana was thus lamenting, the lord of monkeys—Sugriva—endowed with strength, embracing him, spoke unto him,—"O thou cognisant of righteousness, thou wilt herein Lankā obtain empire: no doubt of this; and Rāvana along with his sons will be disappointed in their expectations. Both these—Rāma and Lakshmana—are under the aegis of Gāruda; and, casting off their stupor: they will in battle slay Rāvana along with his adherents". Having thus soothed and comforted the Rākshasa, Sugriva addressed his father-in-law, who was at his side, saying,—"Do thou along with numbers of heroic monkeys, taking those repressors of foes, the brothers—Rāma and Lakshmana—when they shall have regained their consciousness, repair to Kishkindhā. And I, slaying Rāvana along with his sons and friends, shall bring back Mithila’s daughter, even as Sakra recovered the lost Srī". Hearing the words of the monkey-king, Sushena said,—"I had witnessed the war of yore between the gods and the Asuras. Then the Dānavas, enveloping themselves, momentarily destroyed the deities, albeit versed in arms and accomplished in weapons. And they, their senses lost, and their lives departed, Vrihashpati treated by means of his knowledge of mantras, as well with medicines. Let Sampati, Panaca, and other monkeys speedily hie to the Milky Ocean for the purpose of bringing those medicines. And the monkeys well know that mighty mountainous medicine—divine and capable of reviving the dead,—and made by the deities themselves—viçalyā. There are (the mountains) named Chandra and Drona: where the ambrosia was churned, there is that supreme drug. And those mountains have been placed by the deities in the mighty deep. And, O king, let the son of the Wind-god go thither". In the meanwhile, the wind arose, and masses of clouds appeared along with lightning. And the wind blew, agitating the waters of the deep, and shaking the mountains. And mighty trees of the ocean-islands, broken down by the terrible wing-raised wind, began to topple headlong into the salt waters. And the serpents dwelling there were seized with affright; and speedily all the aquatic animals dived deep into the salt sea. And then in a moment the monkeys saw Vinatā’s son, possessed of terrific strength,—like unto a flaming fire. And seeing him come, the serpents began to dart away,—those exceedingly powerful ones that, turning into shafts, had bound those persons.¹⁵⁸ Then, touching the Kākutsthas and saluting them, Suparna rubbed with his hands their countenances furnished with the splendour of the Moon. And their wounds, on being touched by Vinatā’s son, were (immediately) healed; and the bodies of both speedily became cool and shone with an excellent complexion. And they attained immense energy and prowess; and a double share of strength, and of rational and perceptive powers, and of memory. And then raising them up, the exceedingly energetic Gāruda, resembling Vāsava himself, embraced both joyfully. And then Rāma addressed (Gāruda), saying,—"By thy grace we have through means survived the mighty calamity that had sprung from Rāvana’s son; and we have also speedily been rendered strong. And my heart is delighted on having thee, like unto my father, Daçaratha, or my grand sire, Aja. Who art thou, furnished with beauty, and bearing wreaths and unguents (on thy person); clad in stainless attire; and adorned in noble ornaments?" Unto him spake the exceedingly energetic son of Vinatā endowed with great strength,—the lord of birds, with a pleased heart, and his eyes wild with glee,—"O Kākutstha, I am thy friend—thy life ranging externally—Garutman. I am come hither for aiding you. Neither the highly powerful Asuras, nor the exceedingly strong monkeys, nor the celestials along with the Gandharbas, having him of an hundred sacrifices at their head are,—capable of delivering (any one) from these dreadful arrowy bonds, which had been forged by Indrajit of tortuous deeds by help of illusion. These serpents—offspring of Kadru—are sharp-fanged and venomous; and had bound thee as arrows through the potency of illusion. O Rāma having truth for prowess, thou art fortunate,—along with that destroyer of foe in fight, Lakshmana. Hearing this, I, summoning energy, have come hither swiftly. And I, doing by thee as a friend, have from affection at once set you free from these dreadful arrowy bonds. But thou shouldst always be on thy guard. By nature the Rākshasas have cunning shifts in fight and thou, who art heroic and of a pure spirit, canst but rely on thy simplicity alone for strength. Therefore thou must not trust the Rākshasas in the field of battle. By this one instance (thou must know; that Rākshasas are ever deceitful in fight". Having said this, the wondrous mighty Suparna, embracing Rāma) tenderly (again), said,—"My friend Rāghava, O thou who even cherishest affection for thy foes, permit me thou. I shall go at pleasure. And, O Rāghava, entertain no curiosity as to our friendship.¹⁵⁹ When, O hero, thou shalt have achieved success in battle, thou shalt know all about this friendship of ours. And with the surges of thy shafts, making Lankā contain only children and aged, and slaying thy foe, Rāvana, thou shalt recover Sitā". Having spoken thus, Suparna, endowed with fleet vigor, having rendered Rāma hale in the midst of the monkeys,—having gone round them and embraced them also,—that one possessed of prowess,—set out, covering up the sky, like unto the wind. And seeing Raghu’s sons rendered hale, the monkey-leaders set up leonine roars, and began to flourish their tails. And then beat the kettle-drums and the drums struck up. And conchs were cheerfully blown; and shouts were sent. And others struck at their arms with their hands. And the monkeys, accustomed to battle with trees, uprooting them, stood by hundreds and thousands. And emitting tremendous roars and thereby frightening the night-rangers, the monkeys, eager for encounter, approached the gate of Lankā. And that mighty and dreadful din raised by the monkeys, resembled the terrible rumbling of the clouds at midnight about the end of Summer.