The Ramayana Part 139

Through every land in order go Right onward to the Hills of Snow.

Search mid the peaks that s.h.i.+ne afar, In woods of Lodh and Deodar.(734) Search if with Janak's daughter, screened By sheltering rocks, there lie the fiend.

The holy grounds of Soma tread By G.o.ds and minstrels visited.

Reach Kala's mount, and flats that lie Among the peaks that tower on high.

Then leave that hill that gleams with ore, And fair Sudarsan's heights explore.

Then on to Devasakha(735) hie, Loved by the children of the sky.

A dreary land you then will see Without a hill or brook or tree, A hundred leagues, bare, wild, and dread In lifeless desolation, spread.

Pursue your onward way, and haste Through the dire horrors of the waste Until triumphant with delight You reach Kailasa's glittering height.

There stands a palace decked with gold, For King Kuvera(736) wrought of old, A home the heavenly artist planned And fas.h.i.+oned with his cunning hand.

There lotuses adorn the flood With full-blown flower and opening bud Where swans and mallards float, and gay Apsarases(737) come down to play.

There King Vaisrava?'s(738) self, the lord By all the universe adored, Who golden gifts to mortals sends, Lives with the Guhyakas(739) his friends.

Search every cavern in the steep, And green glens where the moonbeams sleep, If haply in that distant ground The robber and the dame be found.

Then on to Krauncha's hill,(740) and through His fearful pa.s.s your way pursue: Though dark and terrible the vale Your wonted courage must not fail.

There through abyss and cavern seek, On lofty ridge, and mountain peak, On, on! pursue your journey still By valley, lake, and towering hill.

Reach the North Kurus' land, where rest The holy spirits of the blest: Where golden buds of lilies gleam Resplendent on the silver stream, And leaves of azure turkis throw Soft splendour on the waves below.

Bright as the sun at early morn Fair pools that happy clime adorn, Where s.h.i.+ne the loveliest flowers on stems Of crystal and all valued gems.

Blue lotuses through all the land The glories of their blooms expand, And the resplendent earth is strown With peerless pearl and precious stone.

There stately trees can scarce uphold The burthen of their fruits of gold, And ever flaunt their gay attire Of flower and leaf like flames of fire.

All there sweet lives untroubled spend In bliss and joy that know not end, While pearl-decked maidens laugh, or sing To music of the silvery string.(741) Still on your forward journey keep, And rest you by the northern deep, Where springing from the billows high Mount Somagiri(742) seeks the sky, And lightens with perpetual glow The sunless realm that lies below.

There, present through all life's extent, Dwells Brahma Lord preeminent, And round the great G.o.d, manifest In Rudra(743) forms high sages rest.

Then turn, O Vanars: search no more, Nor tempt the sunless, boundless sh.o.r.e."

Canto XLIV. The Ring.

But special counselling he gave To Hanuman the wise and brave: To him on whom his soul relied, With friendly words the monarch cried: "O best of Vanars, naught can stay By land or sea thy rapid way, Who through the air thy flight canst bend, And to the Immortals' home ascend.

All realms, I ween, are known to thee With every mountain, lake, and sea.

In strength and speed which naught can tire Thou, worthy rival of thy sire The mighty monarch of the wind, Where'er thou wilt a way canst find.

Exert thy power, O swift and strong, Bring back the lady lost so long, For time and place, O thou most wise, Lie open to thy searching eyes."

When Rama heard that special hest To Hanuman above the rest, He from the monarch's favour drew Hope of success and trust anew That he on whom his lord relied, In toil and peril trained and tried, Would to a happy issue bring The task commanded by the king.

He gave the ring that bore his name, A token for the captive dame, That the sad lady in her woe The missive of her lord might know.

"This ring," he said, "my wife will see, Nor fear an envoy sent by me.

Thy valour and thy skill combined, Thy resolute and vigorous mind, And King Sugriva's high behest, With joyful hopes inspire my breast."

Canto XLV. The Departure.

Away, away the Vanars sped Like locusts o'er the land outspread.

To northern realms where rising high The King of Mountains cleaves the sky, Fierce Satabal with vast array Of Vanar warriors led the way.

Far southward, as his lord decreed, Wise Hanuman, the Wind-G.o.d's seed, With Angad his swift way pursued, And Tara's warlike mult.i.tude, Strong Vinata with all his band Betook him to the eastern land, And brave Sushe? in eager quest Sped swiftly to the gloomy west.

Each Vanar chieftain sought with speed The quarter by his king decreed, While from his legions rose on high The shout and boast and battle cry: "We will restore the dame and beat The robber down beneath our feet.

My arm alone shall win the day From Rava? met in single fray, Shall rob the robber of his life, And rescue Rama's captive wife All trembling in her fear and woe.

Here, comrades, rest: no farther go: For I will vanquish h.e.l.l, and she Shall by this arm again be free.

The rooted mountains will I rend, The mightiest trees will break and bend, Earth to her deep foundations cleave, And make the calm sea throb and heave.

A hundred leagues from steep to steep In desperate bound my feet shall leap.

My steps shall tread unchecked and free, Through woods, o'er land and hill and sea, Range as they list from flood to fell, And wander through the depths of h.e.l.l."

Canto XLVI. Sugriva's Tale.

"How, King," cried Rama, "didst thou gain Thy lore of sea and hill and plain?"

"I told thee how," Sugriva said, "From Bali's arm Mayavi fled(744) To Malaya's hill, and strove to save His life by hiding in the cave.

I told how Bali sought, to kill His foe, the hollow of the hill; Nor need I, King, again unfold The wondrous tale already told.

Then, wandering forth, my way I took By many a town and wood and brook.

I roamed the earth from place to place, Till, like a mirror's polished face, The whole broad disk, that lies between Its farthest bounds, mine eyes had seen.

I wandered first to eastern skies Where fairest trees rejoiced mine eyes, And many a cave and wooded hill Where lilies robed the lake and rill.

There metal dyes that hill(745) adorn Whence springs the sun to light the morn.

There, too, I viewed the Milky sea, Where nymphs of heaven delight to be.

Then to the south I made my way From regions of the rising day, And roamed o'er Vindhya, where the breeze Is odorous of sandal trees.

Still in my fear I found no rest: I sought the regions of the west, And gazed on Asta,(746) where the sun Sinks when his daily course is run.

Then from that n.o.blest hill I fled And to the northern country sped, Saw Himavan,(747) and Meru's steep, And stood beside the northern deep.

But when, by Bali's might oppressed, E'en in those wilds I could not rest, Came Hanuman the wise and brave, And thus his prudent counsel gave: "'I told thee how Matanga(748) cursed Thy tyrant, that his head should burst In pieces, should he dare invade The precincts of that tranquil shade.

There may we dwell in peace and be From thy oppressor's malice free."

We went to Rishyamuka's hill, And spent our days secure from ill Where, with that curse upon his head, The cruel Bali durst not tread."

Canto XLVII. The Return.

Thus forth in quest of Sita went The legions King Sugriva sent.

To many a distant town they hied By many a lake and river's side.

As their great sovereign's order taught, Through valleys, plains, and groves they sought.

They toiled unresting through the day: At night upon the ground they lay Where the tall trees, whose branches swayed Beneath their fruit, gave pleasant shade.

Then, when a weary month was spent, Back to Prasrava?'s hill they went, And stood with faces of despair Before their king Sugriva there.

Thus, having wandered through the east, Great Vinata his labours ceased, And weary of the fruitless pain Returned to meet the king again, Brave Satabali to the north Had led his Vanar legions forth.

Now to Sugriva he sped With all his host dispirited.

Sushe? the western realms had sought, And homeward now his legions brought.

All to Sugriva came, where still He sat with Rama on the hill.

Before their sovereign humbly bent And thus addressed him reverent: "On every hill our steps have been, By wood and cave and deep ravine; And all the wandering brooks we know Throughout the land that seaward flow, Our feet by thy command have traced The tangled thicket and the waste, And dens and dingles hard to pa.s.s for creeping plants and matted gra.s.s.

Well have we searched with toil and pain, And monstrous creatures have we slain But Hanuman of n.o.blest mind The Maithil lady yet will find; For to his quarter of the sky(749) The robber fiend was seen to fly."

Canto XLVIII. The Asur's Death.

But Hanuman still onward pressed With Tara, Angad, and the rest, Through Vindhya's pathless glens he sped And left no spot unvisited.