The Ramayana Part 137

"Lost was my power," the king replied, "All strength had fled, all hope had died.

The Vanars owned another lord, But by thy grace was all restored.

All this, O conqueror of the foe, To thee and Lakshma?'s aid I owe.

And his should be the villain's shame Who durst deny the sacred claim.

These Vanar chiefs of n.o.blest birth Have at my bidding roamed the earth, And brought from distant regions all Our legions at their monarch's call: Fierce bears with monkey troops combined, And apes of every varied kind, Terrific in their forms, who dwell In grove and wood and bosky dell: The bright Gandharvas' brood, the seed Of G.o.ds,(649) they change their shapes at need.

Each with his legions in array, Hither, O Prince, they make their way.

They come: and tens of millions swell To numbers that no tongue may tell.(650) For thee their armies will unite With chiefs, Mahendra's peers in might.

From Meru and from Vindhya's chain They come like clouds that bring the rain.

These round thee to the war will go, To smite to earth thy demon foe; Will slay the Rakshas and restore Thy consort when the fight is o'er."

Canto x.x.xIX. The Vanar Host.

Then Rama, best of all who guide Their steps by duty, thus replied: "What marvel if Lord Indra send The kindly rain, O faithful friend?

If, thousand-rayed, the G.o.d of Day Drive every darksome cloud away?

Or, rising high, the Lord of Night Flood the broad heaven with silver light?

What marvel, King, that one like thee The glory of his friends should be?

No marvel, O my lord, that thou Hast shown thy n.o.ble nature now.

Thy heart, Sugriva, well I know: Naught from thy lips but truth may flow, With thee for friend and champion all My foes beneath my arm will fall.

The Rakshas, when my queen he stole, Brought sure destruction on his soul, Like Anuhlada(651) who beguiled Queen Sachi called Puloma's child.

Yes, near, Sugriva, is the day When I my demon foe shall slay, As conquering Indra in his ire Slew Queen Paulomi's haughty sire."(652) He ceased: thick clouds of dust rose high To every quarter of the sky: The very sun grew faint and pale Behind the darkly-gathering veil.

The mighty clouds that hung o'erhead From east to west thick darkness spread, And earth to her foundations shook With hill and forest, lake and brook.

Then hidden was the ground beneath Fierce warriors armed with fearful teeth, Hosts numberless, each lord in size A match for him who rules the skies: From many a sea and distant hill, From rock and river, lake and rill.

Some like the morning sun were bright, Some, like the moon, were silver white: These green as lotus fibres, those White-coated from their native snows.(653) Then Satabali came in view Girt by a countless retinue.

Like some gold mountain high in air Tara's ill.u.s.trious sire(654) was there.

There Ruma's father,(655) far-renowned, With tens of thousands ranged around.

There, tinted like the tender green Of lotus filaments, was seen, Compa.s.sed by countless legions, one Whose face was as the morning sun, Hanuman's father good and great, Kesari,(656) wisest in debate.

There the proud king Gavaksha, feared For his strong warrior arm, appeared.

There Dhumra, mighty lord, the dread Of foes, his ursine legions led.

There Panas, first for warlike fame, With twenty million warriors came.

There glorious Nila, dark of hue, Arrayed his countless troops in view.

There moved lord Gavaya brave and bold, Resplendent like a hill of gold, And near him Darimukha stood With millions from the hill and wood And Dwivid famed for strength and speed, And Mamda, both of Asvin seed.

There Gaja, strong and glorious, led The countless troops around him spread, And Jambavan(657) the king whose sway The bears delighted to obey, With swarming myriads onward pressed True to his lord Sugriva's hest; And princely Ruman, dear to fame, Led millions whom no hosts could tame, All these and many a chief beside(658) Came onward fierce in warlike pride.

They covered all the plain, and still Pressed forward over wood and hill.

In rows for many a league around They rested on the gra.s.sy ground; Or to Sugriva made their way, Like clouds about the Lord of Day, And to the king their proud heads bent In power and might preeminent.

Sugriva then to Rama sped, And raised his reverent hands, and said That every chief from coast to coast Was present with his warrior host.

Canto XL. The Army Of The East.

With practised eye the king reviewed The Vanars' countless mult.i.tude, And, joying that his hest was done, Thus spake to Raghu's mighty son: "See, all the Vanar hosts who fear My sovereign might are gathered here.

Chiefs strong as Indra's self, who speed Wher'er they list, these armies lead.

Fierce and terrific to the view As Daityas or the Danav(659) crew, Famed in all lands for souls afire With lofty thoughts, they never tire, O'er hill and vale they wander free, And islets of the distant sea.

And these gathered myriads, all Will serve thee, Rama, at thy call.

Whate'er thy heart advises, say: Thy mandates will the host obey."

Then answered Rama, as he pressed The Vanar monarch to his breast: "O search for my lost Sita, strive To find her if she still survive: And in thy wondrous wisdom trace Fierce Rava? to his dwelling-place.

And when by toil and search we know Where Sita lies and where the foe, With thee, dear friend, will I devise Fit means to end the enterprise.

Not mine, not Lakshma?'s is the power To guide us in the doubtful hour.

Thou, sovereign of the Vanars, thou Must be our hope and leader now."

He ceased: at King Sugriva's call Near came a Vanar strong and tall.

Huge as a towering mountain, loud As some tremendous thunder cloud, A prince who warlike legions led: To him his sovereign turned and said: "Go, take ten thousand(660) of our race Well trained in lore of time and place, And search the eastern region; through Groves, woods, and hills thy way pursue.

There seek for Sita, trace the spot Where Rava? hides, and weary not.

Search for the captive in the caves Of mountains, and by woods and waves.

To Sarju,(661) Kausiki,(662) repair, Bhagirath's daughter(663) fresh and fair.

Search mighty Yamun's(664) peak, explore Swift Yamuna's(665) delightful sh.o.r.e, Sarasvati(666) and Sindhu's(667) tide, And rapid Sona's(668) pebbly side.

Then roam afar by Mahi's(669) bed Where Kalamahi's groves are spread.

Go where the silken tissue s.h.i.+nes, Go to the land of silver mines.(670) Visit each isle and mountain steep And city circled by the deep, And distant villages that high About the peaks of Mandar lie.

Speed over Yavadwipa's land,(671) And see Mount Sisir(672) proudly stand Uplifting to the skies his head By G.o.ds and Danavs visited.

Search each ravine and mountain pa.s.s, Each tangled thicket deep in gra.s.s.

Search every cave with utmost care If haply Rama's queen be there.

Then pa.s.s beyond the sounding sea Where heavenly beings wander free, And Sona's(673) waters swift and strong With ruddy billows foam along.

Search where his shelving banks descend, Search where the hanging woods extend.

Try if the pathless thickets screen The robber and the captive queen.

Search where the torrent floods that rend The mountain to the plains descend: Search dark abysses where they rave, Search mountain slope and wood and cave Then on with rapid feet and gain The inlands of the fearful main Where, tortured by the tempest's lash, Against rude rocks the billows dash: An ocean like a sable cloud, Whose margent monstrous serpents crowd: An ocean rising with a roar To beat upon an iron sh.o.r.e.

On, onward still! your feet shall tread Sh.o.r.es of the sea whose waves are red, Where spreading wide your eyes shall see The guilt-tormenting cotton tree(674) And the wild spot where Garu?(675) dwells Which gems adorn and ocean sh.e.l.ls, High as Kailasa, n.o.bly decked, Wrought by the heavenly architect.(676) Huge giants named Mandehas(677) there In each foul shape they love to wear, Numbing the soul with terror's chill, Hang from the summit of the hill.

When darts the sun his earliest beam They plunge them in the ocean stream, New vigour from his rays obtain, And hang upon the rocks again.

Speed onward still: your steps shall be At length beside the Milky Sea Whose every ripple as it curls Gleams glorious with its wealth of pearls.

Amid that sea like pale clouds spread The white Mount Rishabh(678) rears his head.

About the mountain's glorious waist Woods redolent of bloom are braced.

A lake where lotuses unfold Their silver buds with threads of gold, Sudarsan ever bright and fair Where white swans sport, lies gleaming there, The wandering Kinnar's(679) dear resort, Where heavenly nymphs and Yakshas(680) sport.

On! leave the Milky Sea behind: Another flood your search shall find, A waste of waters, wild and drear, That chills each living heart with fear.

There see the horse's awful head, Wrath-born, that flames in Ocean's bed.(681) There rises up a fearful cry From the sea things that move thereby, When, helpless, powerless for flight, They gaze upon the horrid sight.

Past to the northern sh.o.r.e, and then Beyond the flood three leagues and ten Your wondering glances will behold Mount Jatarupa(682) bright with gold.

There like the young moon pale of hue The monstrous serpent(683) will ye view, The earth's supporter, whose bright eyes Resemble lotus leaves in size.

He rests upon the mountain's brow, And all the G.o.ds before him bow.

Ananta with a thousand heads His length in robes of azure spreads.

A triple-headed palm of gold- Meet standard for the lofty-souled- Springs towering from the mountain's crest Beneath whose shade he loves to rest, So that in eastern realms each G.o.d May use it as a measuring-rod.

Beyond, with burning gold aglow, The eastern steep his peaks will show, Which in unrivalled glory rise A hundred leagues to pierce the skies, And all the neighbouring air is bright With golden trees that clothe the height.

A lofty peak uprises there Ten leagues in height and one league square Saumanas, wrought of glistering gold, Ne'er to be loosened from its hold.

There his first step Lord Vish?u placed When through the universe he paced, And with his second lightly pressed The loftiest peak of Meru's crest.

When north of Jambudwip(684) the sun A portion of his course has run, And hangs above this mountain height, Then creatures see the genial light.

Vaikhanases,(685) saints far renowned, And Balakhilyas(686) love the ground Where in their glory half divine, Touched by the morning glow, they s.h.i.+ne The light that flashes from that steep Illumines all Sudarsandwip,(687) And on each creature, as it glows, The sight and strength of life bestows.

Search well that mountain's woody side If Rava? there his captive hide.

The rising sun, the golden hill The air with growing splendours fill, Till flashes from the east the red Of morning with the light they shed.

This, where the sun begins his state, Is earth and heaven's most eastern gate.

Through all the mountain forest seek By waterfall and cave and peak.

Search every nook and bosky dell, If Rava? there with Sita dwell.

There, Vanars, there your steps must stay: No farther eastward can ye stray.

Beyond no sun, no moon gives light, But all is sunk in endless night.

Thus far, O Vanar lords, may you O'er sea and land your search pursue.

But wild and dark and known to none Is the drear s.p.a.ce beyond the sun.

That mountain whence the sun ascends Your long and weary journey ends.(688) Now go, and in a month return, And let success my praises earn.