Then surveying that entire assembly, that conqueror in battle delivered himself unto Prahasta,—general of the forces, saying,—"O general, it behoveth thee so to order disciplined fourfold forces that they may successfully protect the city". Thereat, Prahasta, carefully carrying out the royal behest, stationed all the forces within and without the city. And having posted the army for the defence of the city, Prahasta sitting down before the king, said,—"I have stationed the forces belonging to thee who art possessed of strength, inside as well as outside. (Now), without suffering thy mind to be agitated with anxiety, speedily, do what is in thy heart. Hearing the speech of Prahasta seeking the welfare of the kingdom, Rāvana craving for enjoyment spoke in the midst of his aderents,—"When virtue, or happiness, or interest is in straits, it behoveth you to (know your course) in relation to pleasant and unpleasant, happiness and misery, profitable and unprofitable, and good and evil. No business of mine which ye have set about after taking counsel, hath ever miscarried. And like Vāsava environed by the moon, stars and planets, and the Maruts, I surrounded by you, have attained to plenitude of prosperity. I am, for certain, going to employ you all. In consequence of sleep, I could not inform him of this matter. After having slept for six months that one of prodigious strength—foremost of those bearing arms—hath just risen. Janaka’s daughter and Rāma’s beloved wife hath been brought hither from the forest of Dandaka, the region ranged by Rakshas. That indolent damsel wisheth not to ascend my bed; nor is there any in the three spheres, that to me is like unto Sitā. She is slender waisted, and high-hipped, and her face is as the autumnal Moon resembling a golden image. She is meek and looketh like the hand work of Maya himself gifted with an infinite variety of fascinations.³⁴ And beholding her dainty and tender feet with roseate soles, and having coppery nails, my mind burneth (with desire). And seeing her resembling the flame of a sacrificial fire and the splendour of the Sun himself; and her fair face furnished with a prominent nose and elegant eyes, I, having lost control over self, have come under the sway of desire. And my passion, uninfluenced by anger and joy, capable of producing pallor, and constantly causing anguish and sorrow, hath rendered me pale. Expecting her lord, Rāma, the beautiful one having expansive eyes, hath solicited for a year’s space; and I have pledged my fair woods to her of graceful eyes. But tired am I on account of my passion,—like a horse spent on the way. How can the rangers of the woods, or the sons of Daçaratha cross over the sea ungovernable and swarming with countless creatures and fishes? On the other hand, a single month hath troubled us grievously. Hard it is therefore to understand the course of events. Do ye act, each as he thinks proper. And although no fear can come from mortals, yet ye should deliberate (as to what ye should do). Formerly I had gained victory with the help given by you; do ye in the same way stand by me now. The king’s son, having learnt that Sitā is on the other shore of the ocean, taking before them monkeys headed by Sugriva, reached Varuna’s abode. Do ye so counsel that Sitā may be with-holden by me and the sons of Daçaratha may be slain; but ye must prefer certain counsel. No other³⁵ person in this world hath the power to cross the sea along with the monkeys,—victory, therefore, is undubitably mine". Hearing the sorrowful speech of (Rāvana) afflicted with lust, Kumbhakarna greatly enraged, and said,—"When just on seeing (Sitā) of Rāma along with Lakshmana, thou didst by main force carry her away, it plainly appeareth that thy mind, like the Yamuna filling her bed, hath been possessed (by her).³⁶ O great king, all this (that thou hast done) is not worthy of thee. If thou hadst at the outset consulted us in this matter, we would have done what was proper.³⁷ O ten-faced one, the king that arriving at certain conclusions, carrieth on his regal affairs agreeably to justice, hath not to repent afterwards. But those actions that are done without deliberation, like unto clarified butter poured in an impure sacrifice, conduces only to harm. He doth not know what is proper and what not, that performs prior actions afterwards, and posterior actions first. Others spy holes in the actions of the volatile; the latter may be possessed of great power,—like swans passing Krauncha through the hole.³⁸ By luck it is that Rāma hath not yet slain thee, who hath done this tremendous thing, without reflection, resembling food mixed with poison. But as thou hast entered upon a course of action which is improper even in respect of foes, I will, O sinless one, perform thy work by slaying thy enemies. And, O ranger of the night, I will exterminate thy foe. Even if Sakra and the sun-god, even if fire and the War-god, even if Kuvera and Varuna should range themselves against me, I will fight them. Purandara himself shall be afflicted with fright when I have my body measuring a mountain, and furnished with sharp teeth, shall, setting up roars, fight with my huge bludgeon. Before Rāma shooteth a second shaft, to slay me, I shall drink his life-blood. Be thou comforted by slaying Daçaratha’s son, I will exert to secure blessed victory for thee. Having killed Rāma along with Lakshmana, I shall devour all the principal monkeys. Do thou make merry at thy will, drink the Varuni, and, with thy mind set at rest, conduct affairs fraught with thy welfare. On Rāma being despatched to the mansion of Yama, Sitā shall come under thy subjection for ever and a day".
³⁴ This reminds one irrisistibly of Cleopatra’s. The Bengali translators evidently failing to understand Mayava Mayanirmita, have conveniently transferred the phrase intact to their versions.—T.
³⁵ I fail to understand anyasya, "no other person";—nor does the
commentator help me in any way.—T.
³⁶ This passage is very obscure, and the commentator’s gloss does not
anything serve.—T.
³⁷ i.e. we would have prevented thee.—T.
³⁸ The hole made by the dart of Kumara.—T.
SECTION XIII.
Seeing Rāvana wrought up with wrath, the exceedingly strong Mahāpārcwa, reflecting for a moment, observed with joined hands,—"The man that, entering the forest, abounding with deer and ferocious animals, doth not drink honey, maketh a fool of himself. O destroyer of foes, who is the lord of thee, that art lord thyself? Enjoy with Vaidehi, taking thy enemy by the hand. And, O thou endowed with prodigious power, do thou exerting thy might lead thy life, after the manner of hens, and invading Sitā again and again, do thou enjoy her and derive pleasure (therefrom). And when thou hast attained thy purpose; what fear can succeed? Alike when on thy guard, and off it, thou shalt provide against all exigencies. Kumbhakarna along with us, as well the exceedingly powerful Indrajit, are competent to chastise the thunder-bearing (Deity) equipped with his thunder. Passing by gift, conciliation, and dissension, which have been assigned by the wise as the means of success, I relish the success in business which is attained through chastisement. O highly powerful one, we shall, without doubt, by the prowess of our arms, subdue all these enemies of thine that have come hither". Thus addressed by Mahāpārcwa, king Rāvana, honoring his speech, said,—"O Mahāpārcwa, I will relate unto thee, who hast spoken (thus) a secret matter relating to myself, which befell me to since I saw Panjikasthalā, like a flame in the sky, coursing to the Great-father’s mansion. Her pace slackened, as soon as she saw me, (turn) I feasted on her and deprived her of her attire. Then she went to the Great-father’s place like a crumpled lotus. That high-souled one received information of all that I had done; and thereat, waxed enraged, the Deity spoke unto me,—"If from this day, thou ravish a female by force, thy head certainly shall be riven in an hundred pieces. It is for this, that with my mind afflicted with fear, I do not violently force, Videha’s daughter Sitā, anent lying with her fair self. My rush is like that of the sea, and my motion that of the wind. Daçaratha’s son doth not know this, and therefore doth he approach sea. Who wisheth to address a lion that is lying asleep in a cave resembling Death wrought up by wrath? Rāma hath not seen shafts shot by me, resembling two-tongued serpents and therefore, it is that he approacheth me. Like a met burning an elephant, I shall, with shafts shot from bows by hundreds, resembling the thunder-bolt, consume Rāma. And as at the proper hour the risen Sun defeateth the splendor of the stars, will I, surrounded by a mighty army, overpower his strength. Neither the thousand eyed Vāsava, nor Varuna, is capable of fighting me. By the might of this army did I formerly conquer this city, governed by Vaiçravana".
SECTION XIV.
Hearing the words of the lord of Rākshasas, as well as the thundering of Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana addressed the Rākshasa chief, in a pregnant speech, fraught with his welfare,—"Thou hast been bound about thy neck by the mighty and huge serpent, Sitā, having her breast for its body anxiety for its venom, smile for its sharp fangs, and her five fingers for its hood. Therefore before the monkeys, resembling mountain-peaks, having teeth for their arms and nails for their weapons,—subjugate Lankā, do thou render Maithili unto Daçaratha’s son. And before the shafts shot by Rāma, resembling the thunder-bolt and having impetuosity of the wind, cut off the heads of the foremost of the Rākshasas, do thou render Mithilā’s daughter unto the son of Daçaratha. Neither Kumbhakarna nor Indrajit, neither Mahāpārcwa nor Mahodara, neither Nikumbha nor Kumbha nor yet Atikaya, O king, can stay in the field against Rāghava. Living, thou, whether thou art protected by the Sun or the winds, or throwest thyself into the lap itself of Vāsava, or enterest the sky or the nether spheres, shall not escape death". Hearing Vibhishana’s words, Prahasta said,—"Fear know we none whatever from the celestials, or Dānavas, or Yakshas, or Gandharbas, or huge snakes; fear know we none in battle with birds and serpents. How can fear at all afflict us proceeding from the king’s son, Rāma? Hearing Prahasta’s speech, Vibhishana, seeking the welfare of the king, and having his intellect grounded in virtue, interest and profit, said words enfolding high sense,—"O Prahasta, like a sinful person being unable to ascend heaven, what the king, Mahodara, thou, and Kumbhakarna, are saying with reference to Rāma, shall not prove true. As one without a raft cannot cross over the mighty main, how can I, or thou, or all the Rākshas combined, cause death unto Rāma, who, O Prahasta, is versed in the sense of things. Even the gods become stolid before the sovereign of the Ikshwāku race, having righteousness for his principle quality, and being a mighty car-warrior and of such a character, and who is competent in action. As yet the Kanka-feathered, terrible and sharp shafts shot by Rāghava, have not pierced into thy body; and therefore thou dost speak so. And, O Prahasta, as yet the sharpened shafts, capable of destroying life and having the impetuosity of the thunder-bolt, have not entered into thy body, and therefore thou dost speak thus, neither Rāvana, nor the exceedingly powerful Triçirsha. Neither Kumbhakarna’s son Nikumbha nor Indrajit, is capable of bearing in battle the son of Daçaratha, resembling Sakra himself. And neither Devāntaka³⁹ nor Narantaka,⁴⁰ neither Atikāya,⁴¹ nor the magnanimous Atiratha, nor the equally strong Akampana, is competent to stay Rāghava in fight. And the king, naturally of fierce temper and thoughtless, through the instrumentality of ye who appearing to be his friends are in reality his foes, seeketh to destroy the Rākshasas. Do ye take out and deliver the monarch, who hath through force become subject to a dreadful and mighty, and thousand-headed serpent bursting with immeasurable prowess. As a person possessed by fearfully strong ghosts, is saved by his friends pulling him by his hair, attaining your desire ye should, assembling together, rescue the king. This one is sunk in the Rāghava sea having excellent waters. Do ye speedily coming together deliver him. He (the king) hath fallen into the Kākutstha nether regions, I tell thee my full mind,—fraught with the welfare of this city together with the Rākshasas, as well of the king with his adherents. Do thou make over Maithili unto the son of the king. He is a true counsellor who adviseth his master, after duly ascertaining the strength, position, increase or destruction of the enemies as well as of their own party.