³⁸⁹ The commentator explains: "Himself coming before the dart,
Lakshmana saved Bibhishana".—T.
³⁹⁰ i.e. as Rāmānuya remarks, addressed the deity presiding over
it.—T.
³⁹¹ The commentator has a characteristic note. ’This dart, having pierced the foe, used always to return to Rāvana. But Rāma, who was the Lord himself, having spoken to it as he did, it could not this time go back; and Rāma snapped it, which none else could do.’!—T.
³⁹² Gāruda.
³⁹³ Adbhutadarçana—wonderful to behold,—wonderful to witness is the sense.—T.
SECTION CII.
Seeing the heroic Lakshmana brought down by the dart discharged by the powerful Rāvana, and lying drenched in blood, he (Rāma) after having fought furiously with the wicked-minded Rāvana,—and having showered vollies of shafts, addressed Sushena, saying,—"This heroic Lakshmana brought down to the earth by the prowess of Rāvana, lieth like a serpent, enhancing my sorrow. Seeing this hero, dearer to me than life, what power have I, with my soul overwhelmed with dole, to fight? If this brother of mine graced with auspicious marks, delighting in battle, breathe his last, what shall life avail me or happiness? My prowess is ashamed; my bow falleth off from my hand; my arrows droop; my sight is dimmed with tears; my limbs weaken as do those of men in a dream; thought racks me; and I even desire death". Seeing his brother wounded by the wicked-minded Rāvana, crying in preternatural accents, and sore stricken in his vitals, (Rāma) overcome by a mighty sorrow, lamented with his senses wildered. "Seeing my brother, Lakshmana, wounded, and lying over the dust of the field, even victory, O hero, doth not seem to me sweet. If the Moon is hid from the sight, whom doth he then delight? What have I to do with battle? What have I to do with life? I have no more to do anything with fighting, seeing that this Lakshmana wounded, lieth in the field of battle. As this highly effulgent one had followed me into the forest, so will I in the same way follow him to the abode of Yama. Ever seeking my welfare and ever devoted to me, he hath been reduced to this pass by Rākshasas fighting in crooked ways. In land after land one meets with wives, in land after land one meets with friends, but country find I none where a uterine brother may be met with. What, O irrepressible one, shall I do with the kingdom without my Lakshmana? And what shall I say unto mother Sumitrā, fond of her son? And I shall never be able to bear the reproach Sumitrā shall cast upon me. And what shall I say unto Kauçalyā, and what unto mother Kaikeyi? And what shall I say unto Bharata, and what unto the exceedingly powerful Satrughna? ’Thou hadst gone to the woods with him. Why then dost thou come (back) without him?’ ’Tis better (for me) to renounce my life here, instead of bearing the censure of friends. What a sin had I committed in another birth, seeing that my virtuous brother, staying before me, hath been slain? Ah, my brother! Thou best of men! O master, who wert the foremost of heroes! Why, forsaking me, dost thou repair to the other regions. Wherefore, brother, dost thou not speak to me, who am lamenting? Get up. See! Why dost thou lie down? Look on me with thine eyes. O mighty-armed one, in the woods and mountains thou didst ever use to cheer me, tried by grief and pining in despondency, with my mind overwhelmed (with woe)". As Rāma was speaking thus with his senses overwhelmed with emotion, Sushena, soothing him, spoke these pregnant words,—"O foremost of men, cast off this train of thought tending to overwhelm thy understanding,—this anxiety giving birth to grief, and resembling the shafts of foes in the van of the embattled forces. Lakshmana enhancer of auspiciousness is not dead. His face is not distorted or blackened. Do thou look at his countenance, which is beautifully bright and cheerful. His hands have palms resembling lotus-petals, and his eyes are pleasant. O king, one dead doth not look thus. (Therefore), O hero, do not grieve. O subduer of enemies, this one is instinct with life. As he is lying down on the ground, stretched at length, his heart, O hero, trembling momentarily, testifieth to his respiration". Having spoken thus unto Rāghava, the highly wise Sushena thus addressed the mighty monkey, Hanumān, saying,—"O placid one, hieing hence to the mountain, Mahodaya, which, O hero, had formerly been mentioned unto thee by Jāmbavān, bring hither the mighty drug sprung at its right summit—Viçalyakaranī by name, and Sāvarnyakaranī,³⁹⁴ and Sanjīvakaranī, O hero, and the potent medicine—Sandhānī. Do thou bring (these) in order that the hero—Lakshmana—may be revived". Having been thus instructed, Hanumān, repairing to the Medicinal mountain, was wrought up with anxiety, not knowing the drugs. And then the thought sprang up in the mind of the Wind-god’s offspring of immeasurable prowess,—"I shall go, even taking this (entire) summit of the mountain. In this very summit must that delightful drug have sprung. This I infer, inasmuch as Sushena had forsooth said so. If I fail to take Viçalyakaranī, I shall come by disgrace,—and if I spend much time (in thought), that would be fraught with evil".³⁹⁵ Having reflected thus, the exceedingly powerful Hanumān, foremost of monkeys,—swiftly drawing up to that best of mountains, and giving three shakes to the mountain filled with various flowering trees,—raised it up with his hands. And taking that summit of the mountain resembling dark-blue clouds charged with rain, Hanumān from the earth bounded up into the sky. And arriving (at his quarters), that wondrous vehement one, putting down the mountain-peak, and reposing for a while, spoke unto Sushena,—"I did not find the drug, O best of monkeys; and therefore have I brought this entire summit of the mountain". When the Wind-god’s offspring had spoken thus, that foremost of monkeys—Sushena—praising him, uprooted the herb and secured it. Seeing Hanumān’s feat, incapable of being done by even the celestials, the choicest of the monkeys were amazed. Then crushing the healing herb, that best of monkeys—the exceedingly effulgent Sushena, made Lakshmana smell the same. And thereupon the wounded Lakshmana,—slayer of hostile heroes—smelling it, cured of his wound and ailments, speedily rose up from the ground. Seeing Lakshmana rise up from the earth, the monkeys, exceedingly rejoiced, honoring Lakshmana, exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent!" "Come!" said that slayer of hostile heroes—Rāma—and with his eyes filled with tears, he deeply embraced Lakshmana. And having embraced Sumitrā’s son, Rāghava then addressed him, saying—"By good fortune it is that, O hero, I see thee returned from (the mansion of) Death.—Verily my life, or Sitā, or Victory is worthless (without thee). And thou being dead, what is my life worth?" When the high-souled Rāghava had spoken thus, Lakshmana, aggrieved on account of the words (of Rāghava) expressive of infirmity of purpose, said,—"Having bound thyself by that vow, it doth not, O thou having truth for prowess, behove thee to speak like one fickle and feeble. Those speaking the truth, never falsify their promise: the mark of a great one is even observance of vow. O sinless one, do not suffer thyself to be overcome by despair on my account. Do thou to-day by slaying Rāvana, make thy promise good. Thy foe coming within the sway of thy shafts, will not hence, living, even like a mighty elephant coming before a sharp-toothed roaring lion. I wish the speedy destruction of this impious one, ere the maker of day, having performed his work, has ascended the Setting-hill.³⁹⁶ If thou wishest to slay Rāvana in battle, if thou desirest to recover the princess, then, O noble one, O hero, to-day speedily set about what I say".
³⁹⁴ Lit.—that which restores the former complexion.—T.
³⁹⁵ Explains the commentator: ’If I take any other medicine by mistake, I shall make a fool of myself; if I spend much time in thought, Lakshmana may die.’—T.
³⁹⁶ This conversation between Rāma and Lakshmana took place, says the commentator, on the first day of the lighted fortnight.—T.