| [89] | The offering or sacrifice of a cow.
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| [90] | A sacrifice relating to Vishnu.
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SECTION XXXI.
"After sunset the highly power Rāvana encamped his army there. And the clear moon, brilliant as the mountain, having risen, that huge army, armed with diverse weapons, became asleep. And lying down on the summit of the mountain, the highly powerful Rāvana espied the caves beautified with the rays of the moon and the trees. And the interior of the forest was beautified with the brilliant groves of Karnikar, with Kadamba and Vakula trees, groves of full blown lotuses, the waters of Mandākini, with Champaka, Asoka, Punnaga, Mandāra, mangoe, Pātala, Lodra, Pryangu, Arjuna, Ketaka, Tagara, Coconut, Pyāla, Panasa and various other trees. And there sang the Kinnaras, possessed by desire, and having sweet voice, enhancing the delight of the mind. And there danced mirthfully, with their damsels, the Vidyadharas, inebriete and having their eyes reddened with drink. There was audible in the house of the lord of riches, the sweet music of the assembled Apsarās like unto the sound of the bell. And being shaken by the wind the nectar-smelling trees made the hill fragrance with the shower of flowers. And carrying the fragrance rendered salutary with honey and filaments of flowers, the excellent wind blew enhancing Rāvana's desire. Being possessed by desire through songs, richness of flowers, coldness of air, beauty of the hills, and the rising of the moon in night, the highly powerful Rāvana espied again and again the moon with heavy sighs. At this time passed by that way the foremost of Apsarās, Rambhā, adorned with excellent ornaments and having a countenance like the full moon. Her person was sprinkled with excellent sandal paste—her hairs were decked with Mandāra flowers—her body was beautified with other flowers and her movements tended to increase desire. Her eyes were beautiful and her waist was high, adorned with Mekhala[92] and was as if the refuge of Rati[93]. Her forehead and other parts of the countenance were painted with the marks of red sandal and adorned with ornaments of flowers growing in six seasons. Rambhā appeared like second Sree, in grace and beauty, natural and artificial. She wore green clothes resembling the clouds; her face was like the moon, eye brows like excellent bows, thighs like the trunks of elephants and palms soft as leaves. She was seen by Rāvana as proceeding in the midst of soldiers. Having got up and been influenced by lust he took her, shameful as she was, by the hand and smiling said:—'Where art thou going, O beautiful damsel? Whom art thou going of thy own accord to satisfy? Whose prosperous time hath appeared, with whom thou shalt enjoy? Who shall be satisfied with drinking the nectar of thy mouth smelling like lotus? Whose breast, O fair damsel, thy rising breast beautiful like two golden pots closely placed, shall touch? Who is there so beautiful as I—Indra, Vishnu, or two Aswins that thou art passing by me? Do thou take rest upon this excellent rock, O thou having charming waist. There is no other lord, save me, in the three worlds. And Daçānana, the lord of the lords of the three worlds, thus begs thee, with folded palms. Do thou therefore seek me.' Being thus addressed, Rambhā, trembling, with folded palms, said:—'Be thou propitiated; it doth not behove thee to speak thus, who art my superior. Rather shouldst thou protect me if any body else trieth to oppress me. Virtually I am thy daughter-in-law. I speak to thee the truth.' Thereupon the Ten-necked demon said to her, standing with her face downwards, and her down standing erect at his very sight. 'Hadst thou been the wife of my son, thou wouldst have been my daughter-in-law.' Whereto Rambhā replied:—'Truely it is; I am, by virtue, the wife of thy son, O foremost of Rākshasas. Thy brother Vaisrabana hath a son, dearer than his life, celebrated in the three worlds under the name of Nalakuvara, In virtue he is unto a Brahmin, in prowess he equals a Kshatriya, in anger he is very fire and in patience he is like the earth. I been thus directed by that Lokapāla's son. For him I have adorned my person with these ornaments. I am not attached to any body else but him. O king, O slayer of foes, by virtue of (this relation) it behoveth thee to save me. And that virtuous-souled one is anxiously expecting me. Thou shouldst not put obstacle in that; it behoveth thee to let me go; do thou, O foremost of Rākshasas, wend the way treaded by the pious. Thou art worthy of being revered by me and I am an object of thy protection.' Being thus addressed Daçagriva humbly replied:—'"I am daughter-in-law," as thou hast said, is worthy of being said by one who is the only wife. This is the everlasting law of the celestials that the Apsarās have no husband; they cannot be the wife of one husband.' Having said this, the Raksha ravished her. Being released from his grasp Rambhā became divested of her ornaments and garland and became like the river agitated by the elephants. Her hairs were dishevelled and her hands were trembling. Like unto a blossoming creeper shaken by the wind, she, trembling and bashful and with folded hands, went to Nalakuvara and fell down at his feet. Having seen her in that plight the high-souled Nalakuvara said—'O fair one, what is this? Why hast thou placed thyself at my feet?' Sighing heavily and trembling she, with folded palms, related to him everything from the beginning to the end. 'O lord, on his way to heaven, Daçagriva hath arrived here and hath spent the night with his army. While I was coming to thee, O slayer of foes, I was seen by him. Then holding me he said—"Where art thou going?" I related to him everything truly. But being possessed by lust he did not pay heed to my words. He was again prayed by me, O lord, saying "I am thy daughter-in-law." But neglecting that he ravished me. O thou of firm vows, it behoveh thee to forgive me for this folly. O gentle one, a woman's strength can never equal that of a man.' Hearing of this ravishment Vaisravana's son was greatly enraged and entered into meditation. Having ascertained the truth within a moment Vaisravana's son, with eyes reddened with ire, took water in his palms. Having taken this and rinsed his mouth duly, he imprecated a dreadful curse upon that lord of Rākshasas. 'O fair one, since thou hast been ravished by him despite thy unwillingness he shall never be able to get by an unwilling damsel. Whenever he shall, stricken by lust, ravish a reluctant damsel, his head shall be sundered into seven pieces'. As soon as this curse, like unto a burning flame, was uttered, the celestial bugles were sounded and a shower of flowers fell from heavens. Being apprised of the plight of people (brought about by him) and of the death of that Rākshasa the patriarch Brahmā and other gods were greatly delighted. Hearing of that curse capable of making the down erect, Daçagriva abstained from entertaining lust for unwilling females. And hearing of the curse imprecated by Nalakuvara all the chaste damsels, that were kept captive, attained to great delight."
| [92] | A kind of ornament used on the waist.
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| [93] | Wife of Kama—the god of love in Hindu mythlogy.
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SECTION XXXII.
"Having crossed the mount Kailāça, the highly powerful Ten-necked demon, with his army, reached the region of Indra. And there arose in the region of celestials an uproar from the Rākshasa army, like unto the sound of the agitated deep. Hearing of the arrival of Rāvana, Indra shook on his throne and said to the assembled gods, Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Sadhyas and Maruts—'Prepare yourselves, for fighting with the vicious-souled Rāvana.' Being thus addressed by Sakra, the celestials, his equals in the encounter and gifted with great prowess, armed themselves for fight. And Mahendra, afraid of Rāvana, poorly went to Vishnu and gave vent to the following accents:—'How shall I, O Vishnu, withstand, the Rākshasa Rāvana? The highly powerful Rākshasa hath come here for battle. It is by virtue of the boon that he is powerful, not for anything else. It is proper to make the words uttered by Brahmā, truthful. As resorting to thy prowess I destroyed Namuchi, Yitra, Bali, Nānrin and Samvara, so do thou make some arrangements (for his destruction). There is no other excellent refuge but thee in the three worlds, mobile and immobile, O lord, O god of gods, O slayer of Madhu. Thou art the graceful, ever-existing Nārāyana, having a lotus navel. By thee the worlds have been settled and myself and Sakra, the lord of the celestials. Thou hast created the three worlds, the mobile and immobile and in thee all these shall, O glorious deity, end at the time of dissolution. Do thou tell me, the truth, O god of gods, that I may myself fight; or do thou, with thy sword and discus, vanquish Rāvana.' Being thus addressed by Sakra the lord Nārāyana; said:—'Do not fear, hear what I say. He is invincible by virtue of the boon, and that vicious-souled one is incapable of being vanquished even by the celestials and Asuras. Irrepressible by virtue of his prowess, that Rākshasa, with his son, shall accomplish a mighty object. O lord of celestials, even if I am requested by thee, I shall not withstand the Rākshasa, Rāvana in the conflict. Without slaying the enemies in the encounter, Vishnu doth never go back—but it is hard to fulfill my desire from Rāvana, well protected by the boon. However I do promise before thee, O lord of the celestials, O performer of hundred sacrifices, I shall, soon become the cause of this Rākshasa's death. I shall soon destroy Rāvana with his family in due time and afford delight unto the celestials. I speak the truth unto thee, O king of the celestials, O lord of Sachi; do thou divested of fear, fight, O thou gifted with great strength, along with the celestials.' Thereupon having issued out of the city, Rudras, Adityas, Vusus, Maruts and Aswins well-armed with mails, appeared before the Rākshasas. Meanwhile at the latter part of the night there was audible the uproar of Rāvana's army fighting on all sides. Having got up and cast their looks upon one another the highly powerful Rākshasas waited there for the battle, delighted. Thereupon beholding that inexhaustible huge army at the commencement of the battle the celestial host lost heart. Thereupon there ensued a conflict, setting up a terrible sound, with various weapons between the Rākshasas and gods. In the interval issued out for encounter the heroic and grim-visaged Rākshasas—Rāvana's councillors. And encircled by Māricha, Prahasta, Mahāparswa, Mahodara, Akampana, Nikumbha, Suka, Sārana, Sanghrāda, Dhumaketu, Mahādangstra, Gathodara, Jāmbumāli, Mahāhrada, Virupāksha, Suptaghna, Yajnakopa, Durmukha, Khara, Trisirā, Karaveerāksha, Suryyasatru Mahākāya, Atikāya, Devāntaka, Narāntaka,—all those gifted with great prowess, there entered the battle-field, the highly powerful Sumālin, Rāvana's maternal grandfather. And with various sharp-pointed weapons, he, highly angered, began to assail the celestial host like unto the winds scattering clouds. Being thus distressed by the night-rangers the host of the gods fled away into diverse directions like a herd of deer attacked by a lion. In the meantime, entered the battle-field, the heroic and brave Savitra, the eighth Vasu, encircled by soldiers and striking terror into the hearts of the enemies. And the two Adityas, the highly powerful Tushthā, and Pushā united and undaunted, entered the arena. Thereupon there arose with Rākshasas a terrible encounter of the celestials unable to bear their fame in battle. Then the Rākshasas, with thousands of terrible weapons, began to belabour the deities in the encounter. And the celestials, as well, began to send the redoubtable, powerful and terrific Rākshasas, with the stroke of blameless weapons, to the abode of Death. In the interim, O Rāma, a Rākshasa, Sumālin, by name, getting enraged and with diverse weapons, ran amock of the soldiery. As the winds scatter clouds, so, he, under the influence of rage, with various sharpened weapons, committed a havoc amongst the celestial soldiers. Thereupon being assailed by a downpour of huge shafts, maces, Prāsas and diverse dreadful weapons, the celestials could not keep their ground upon the field of warfare. The celestials being thus distressed by Sumālin the eighth Vasu Sāvitra stood there enraged. And encircled by his own car-warriors that highly powerful one, with his prowess, repulsed the striking night-rangers. Thereupon there arose a terrible encounter, capable of making down erect, between Sumālin and the Vasu, who did not retire from the field of battle. His chariot drawn by serpents was pulled down and destroyed by the high-souled Vasu by means of his huge shafts. Having taken up that car in the warfare with hundreds of arrows Vasu took up mace in his hands for his destruction. Having taken up that mace having a burning head and resembling the rod of Death Sāvitra struck Sumālin on his head therewith. Having failed on his head that mace shone like a fire-brand as the thunderbolt, discharged by Indra, falls roaring on the summit of a mountain. By the stroke of that mace his person was reduced to ashes and therefore there was not seen in the battle field either his bone, head or flesh. Having beheld him slain in the warfare the Rākshasas bewailing ran about on all sides and being distressed by Vasu they could not stay in the battle field."
SECTION XXXIII.