The Ramayana Part 162

My secret counsel have I kept, While senseless k.u.mbhakar?a slept.

Six months the warrior's slumbers last And bind his torpid senses fast; But now his deep repose he breaks, The best of all our champions wakes.

I captured, Rama's heart to wring, This daughter of Videha's king.

And brought her from that distant land(920) Where wandered many a Rakshas band.

Disdainful still my love she spurns, Still from each prayer and offering turns, Yet in all lands beneath the sun No dame may rival Sita, none, Her dainty waist is round and slight, Her cheek like autumn's moon is bright, And she like fruit in graven gold Mocks her(921) whom Maya framed of old.

Faultless in form, how firmly tread Her feet whose soles are rosy red!

Ah, as I gaze her beauty takes My spirit, and my pa.s.sion wakes.

Looking for Rama far away She sought with tears a year's delay Nor gazing on her love-lit eye Could I that earnest prayer deny.

But baffled hopes and vain desire At length my patient spirit tire.

How shall the sons of Raghu sweep To vengeance o'er the pathless deep?

How shall they lead the Vanar train Across the monster-teeming main?

One Vanar yet could find a way To Lanka's town, and burn and slay.

Take counsel then, remembering still That we from men need fear no ill; And give your sentence in debate, For matchless is the power of fate.

a.s.sailed by you the G.o.ds who dwell In heaven beneath our fury fell.

And shall we fear these creatures bred In forests, by Sugriva led?

E'en now on ocean's farther strand, The sons of Dasaratha stand, And follow, burning to attack Their giant foes, on Sita's track.

Consult then, lords for ye are wise: A seasonable plan devise.

The captive lady to retain, And triumph when the foes are slain.

No power can bring across the foam Those Vanars to our island home; Or if they madly will defy Our conquering might, they needs must die."

Then k.u.mbhakar?a's anger woke, And wroth at Rava?'s words he spoke: "O Monarch, when thy ravished eyes First looked upon thy lovely prize, Then was the time to bid us scan Each peril and mature a plan.

Blest is the king who acts with heed, And ne'er repents one hasty deed; And hapless he whose troubled soul Mourns over days beyond control.

Thou hast, in beauty's toils ensnared, A desperate deed of boldness dared; By fortune saved ere Rama's steel One wound, thy mortal bane, could deal.

But, Rava?, as the deed is done, The toil of war I will not shun.

This arm, O rover of the night, Thy foemen to the earth shall smite, Though Indra with the Lord of Flame, The Sun and Storms, against me came.

E'en Indra, monarch of the skies, Would dread my club and mountain size, Shrink from these teeth and quake to hear The thunders of my voice of fear.

No second dart shall Rama cast: The first he aims shall be the last.

He falls, and these dry lips shall drain The blood of him my hand has slain; And Sita, when her champion dies, Shall be thine undisputed prize."

Canto XIII. Ravan's Speech.

But Mahaparsva saw the sting Of keen reproach had galled the king; And humbly, eager to appease His anger, spoke in words like these:

"And breathes there one so cold and weak The forest and the gloom to seek Where savage beasts abound, and spare To taste the luscious honey there?

Art thou not lord? and who is he Shall venture to give laws to thee?

Love thy Videhan still, and tread Upon thy prostrate foeman's head.

O'er Sita's will let thine prevail, And strength achieve if flattery fail.

What though the lady yet be coy And turn her from the proffered joy?

Soon shall her conquered heart relent And yield to love and blandishment.

With us let k.u.mbhakar?a fight, And Indrajit of matchless might: We need not other champions, they Shall lead us forth to rout and slay.

Not ours to bribe or soothe or part The foeman's force with gentle art, Doomed, conquered by our might, to feel The vengeance of the warrior's steel."

The Rakshas monarch heard, and moved By flattering hopes the speech approved:

"Hear me," he cried, "great chieftain, tell What in the olden time befell,- A secret tale which, long suppressed, Lies prisoned only in my breast.

One day-a day I never forget- Fair Punjikasthala(922) I met, When, radiant as a flame of fire, She sought the palace of the Sire.

In pa.s.sion's eager grasp I tore From her sweet limbs the robes she wore, And heedless of her prayers and cries Strained to my breast the vanquised prize.

Like Nalini(923) with soil distained, The mansion of the Sire she gained, And weeping made the outrage known To Brahma on his heavenly throne.

He in his wrath p.r.o.nounced a curse,- That lord who made the universe: "If, Rava?, thou a second time Be guilty of so foul a crime, Thy head in s.h.i.+vers shall be rent: Be warned, and dread the punishment."

Awed by the threat of vengeance still I force not Sita's stubborn will.

Terrific as the sea in might: My steps are like the Storm-G.o.ds' flight; But Rama knows not this, or he Had never sought to war with me.

Where is the man would idly brave The lion in his mountain cave, And wake him when with slumbering eyes Grim, terrible as Death, he lies?

No, blinded Rama knows me not: Ne'er has he seen mine arrows shot; Ne'er marked them speeding to their aim Like snakes with cloven tongues of flame.

On him those arrows will I turn, Whose fiery points shall rend and burn.

Quenched by my power when I a.s.sail The glory of his might shall fail, As stars before the sun grow dim And yield their feeble light to him."

Canto XIV. Vibhishan's Speech.

He ceased: Vibhisha? ill at ease Addressed the king in words like these:

"O Rava?, O my lord, beware Of Sita dangerous as fair, Nor on thy heedless bosom hang This serpent with a deadly fang.

O King, the Maithil dame restore To Raghu's matchless son before Those warriors of the woodlands, vast As mountain peaks, approaching fast, Armed with fierce teeth and claws, enclose Thy city with unsparing foes.

O, be the Maithil dame restored Ere loosened from the clanging cord The vengeful shafts of Rama fly, And low in death thy princes lie.

In all thy legions hast thou one A match in war for Raghu's son?

Can k.u.mbhakar?a's self withstand, Or Indrajit, that mighty hand?

In vain with Rama wilt thou strive: Thou wilt not save thy soul alive Though guarded by the Lord of Day And Storm-G.o.ds' terrible array, In vain to Indra wilt thou fly, Or seek protection in the sky, In Yama's gloomy mansion dwell, Or hide thee in the depths of h.e.l.l."

He ceased; and when his lips were closed Prahasta thus his rede opposed:

"O timid heart, to counsel thus!

What terrors have the G.o.ds for us?

Can snake, Gandharva, fiend appal The giants' sons who scorn them all?

And shall we now our birth disgrace, And dread a king of human race?"

Thus fierce Prahasta counselled ill: But sage Vibhisha?'s constant will The safety of the realm ensued; Who thus in turn his speech renewed:

"Yes, when a soul defiled with sin Shall mount to heaven and enter in, Then, chieftain, will experience teach The truth of thy disdainful speech.

Can I, or thou, or these or all Our bravest compa.s.s Rama's fall, The chief in whom all virtues s.h.i.+ne, The pride of old Ikshvaku'a line, With whom the G.o.ds may scarce compare In skill to act, in heart to dare?

Yea, idly mayst thou vaunt thee, till Sharp arrows winged with matchless skill From Rama's bowstring, fleet and fierce As lightning's flame, thy body pierce.

Nik.u.mbha shall not save thee then, Nor Rava?, from the lord of men.

O Monarch, hear my last appeal, My counsel for thy kingdom's weal.

This sentence I again declare: O giant King, beware, beware!

Save from the ruin that impends Thy town, thy people, and thy friends; O hear the warning urged once more: To Raghu's son the dame restore."

Canto XV. Indrajit's Speech.

He ceased: and Indrajit the pride Of Rakshas warriors thus replied:

"Is this a speech our king should hear, This counsel of ign.o.ble fear?