The Ramayana Part 115

There many a stately deer he slew, The flesh around the bird to strew.

The venison into b.a.l.l.s he made, And on fair gra.s.s before him laid.

Then that the parted soul might rise And find free pa.s.sage to the skies, Each solemn word and text he said Which Brahmans utter o'er the dead.

Then hastening went the princely pair To bright G.o.davari, and there Libations of the stream they poured In honour of the vulture lord, With solemn ritual to the slain, As scripture's holy texts ordain.

Thus offerings to the bird they gave And bathed their bodies in the wave.

The vulture monarch having wrought A hard and glorious feat, Honoured by Rama sage in thought, Soared to his blissful seat.

The brothers, when each rite was paid To him of birds supreme, Their hearts with new-found comfort stayed, And turned them from the stream.

Like sovereigns of celestial race Within the wood they came, Each pondering the means to trace, The captor of the dame.

Canto LXX. Kabandha.

When every rite was duly paid The princely brothers onward strayed, And eager in the lady's quest They turned their footsteps to the west.

Through lonely woods that round them lay Ikshvaku's children made their way, And armed with bow and shaft and brand Pressed onward to the southern land.

Thick trees and shrubs and creepers grew In the wild grove they hurried through.

'Twas dark and drear and hard to pa.s.s For tangled thorns and matted gra.s.s.

Still onward with a southern course They made their way with vigorous force, And pa.s.sing through the mazes stood Beyond that vast and fearful wood.

With toil and hards.h.i.+p yet unspent Three leagues from Janasthan they went, And speeding on their way at last Within the wood of Krauncha(515) pa.s.sed: A fearful forest wild and black As some huge pile of cloudy rack, Filled with all birds and beasts, where grew Bright blooms of every varied hue.

On Sita bending every thought Through all the mighty wood they sought, And at the lady's loss dismayed Here for a while and there they stayed.

Then turning farther eastward they Pursued three leagues their weary way, Pa.s.sed Krauncha's wood and reached the grove Where elephants rejoiced to rove.

The chiefs that awful wood surveyed Where deer and wild birds filled each glade, Where scarce a step the foot could take For tangled shrub and tree and brake.

There in a mountain's woody side A cave the royal brothers spied, With dread abysses deep as h.e.l.l, Where darkness never ceased to dwell.

When, pressing on, the lords of men Stood near the entrance of the den, They saw within the dark recess A huge misshapen giantess; A thing the timid heart that shook With fearful shape and savage look.

Terrific fiend, her voice was fierce, Long were her teeth to rend and pierce.

The monster gorged her horrid feast Of flesh of many a savage beast, While her long locks, at random flung, Dishevelled o'er her shoulders hung.

Their eyes the royal brothers raised, And on the fearful monster gazed.

Forth from her den she came and glanced At Lakshma? as he first advanced, Her eager arms to hold him spread, And "Come and be my love" she said, Then as she held him to her breast, The prince in words like these addressed: "Behold thy treasure fond and fair: Ayomukhi(516) the name I bear.

In thickets of each lofty hill, On islets of each brook and rill, With me delighted shalt thou play, And live for many a lengthened day."

Enraged he heard the monster woo; His ready sword he swiftly drew, And the sharp steel that quelled his foes Cut through her breast and ear and nose.

Thus mangled by his vengeful sword In rage and pain the demon roared, And hideous with her awful face Sped to her secret dwelling place.

Soon as the fiend had fled from sight, The brothers, dauntless in their might, Reached a wild forest dark and dread Whose tangled ways were hard to tread.

Then bravest Lakshma?, virtuous youth, The friend of purity and truth, With reverent palm to palm applied Thus to his glorious brother cried:

"My arm presaging throbs amain, My troubled heart is sick with pain, And cheerless omens ill portend Where'er my anxious eyes I bend.

Dear brother, hear my words: advance Resolved and armed for every chance, For every sign I mark to-day Foretells a peril in the way.

This bird of most ill-omened note, Loud screaming with discordant throat, Announces with a warning cry That strife and victory are nigh."

Then as the chiefs their search pursued Throughout the dreary solitude, They heard amazed a mighty sound That broke the very trees around, As though a furious tempest pa.s.sed Crus.h.i.+ng the wood beneath its blast.

Then Rama raised his trusty sword, And both the hidden cause explored.

There stood before their wondering eyes A fiend broad-chested, huge of size.

A vast misshapen trunk they saw In height surpa.s.sing nature's law.

It stood before them dire and dread Without a neck, without a head.

Tall as some hill aloft in air, Its limbs were clothed with bristling hair, And deep below the monster's waist His vast misshapen mouth was placed.

His form was huge, his voice was loud As some dark-tinted thunder cloud.

Forth from his ample chest there came A brilliance as of gus.h.i.+ng flame.

Beneath long lashes, dark and keen The monster's single eye was seen.

Deep in his chest, long, fiercely bright, It glittered with terrific light.

He swallowed down his savage fare Of lion, bird, and slaughtered bear, And with huge teeth exposed to view O'er his great lips his tongue he drew.

His arms unshapely, vast and dread, A league in length, he raised and spread.

He seized with monstrous hands a herd Of deer and many a bear and bird.

Among them all he picked and chose, Drew forward these, rejected those.

Before the princely pair he stood Barring their pa.s.sage through the wood.

A league of shade the chiefs had pa.s.sed When on the fiend their eyes they cast.

A monstrous shape without a head With mighty arms before him spread, They saw that hideous trunk appear That struck the trembling eye with fear.

Then, stretching to their full extent His awful arms with fingers bent, Round Raghu's princely sons he cast Each grasping limb and held them fast.

Though strong of arm and fierce in fight, Each armed with bow and sword to smite, The royal brothers, brave and bold, Were helpless in the giant's hold.

Then Raghu's son, heroic still, Felt not a pang his bosom thrill; But young, with no protection near, His brother's heart was sad with fear, And thus with trembling tongue he said To Rama, sore disquieted:

"Ah me, ah me, my days are told: O see me in the giant's hold.

Fly, son of Raghu, swiftly flee, And thy dear self from danger free.

Me to the fiend an offering give; Fly at thine ease thyself and live.

Thou, great Kakutstha's son, I ween, Wilt find ere long thy Maithil queen, And when thou holdest, throned again, Thine old hereditary reign, With servants prompt to do thy will, O think upon thy brother still."

As thus the trembling Lakshma? cried, The dauntless Rama thus replied: "Brother, from causeless dread forbear.

A chief like thee should scorn despair."

He spoke to soothe his wild alarm: Then fierce Kabandha(517) long of arm, Among the Danavs(518) first and best, The sons of Raghu thus addressed: "What men are you, whose shoulders show Broad as a bull's, with sword and bow, Who roam this dark and horrid place, Brought by your fate before my face?

Declare by what occasion led These solitary wilds you tread, With swords and bows and shafts to pierce, Like bulls whose horns are strong and fierce.

Why have you sought this forest land Where wild with hunger's pangs I stand?

Now as your steps my path have crossed Esteem your lives already lost."

The royal brothers heard with dread The words which fierce Kabandha said.

And Rama to his brother cried, Whose cheek by blanching fear was dried:

"Alas, we fall, O valiant chief, From sorrow into direr grief, Still mourning her I hold so dear We see our own destruction near.

Mark, brother, mark what power has time O'er all that live, in every clime.

Now, lord of men, thyself and me Involved in fatal danger see.

'Tis not, be sure, the might of Fate That crushes all with deadly weight.

Ne'er can the brave and strong, who know The use of spear and sword and bow, The force of conquering time withstand, But fall like barriers built of sand."

Thus in calm strength which naught could shake The son of Dasaratha spake, With glory yet unstained Upon Sumitra's son he bent His eyes, and firm in his intent His dauntless heart maintained.

Canto LXXI. Kabandha's Speech.

Kabandha saw each chieftain stand Imprisoned by his mighty hand, Which like a snare around him pressed And thus the royal pair addressed: "Why, warriors, are your glances bent On me whom hungry pangs torment?

Why stand with wildered senses? Fate Has brought you now my maw to sate."

When Lakshma? heard, a while appalled, His ancient courage he recalled, And to his brother by his side With seasonable counsel cried:

"This vilest of the giant race Will draw us to his side apace.

Come, rouse thee; let the vengeful sword Smite off his arms, my honoured lord.

This awful giant, vast of size, On his huge strength of arm relies, And o'er the world victorious, thus With mighty force would slaughter us.

But in cold blood to slay, O King, Discredit on the brave would bring, As when some victim in the rite Shuns not the hand upraised to smite."