The Ramayana Part 153

For Rama's wrathful hand shall wing His shafts against the giant king.

The day, O Maithil Queen, is near When he and Lakshma? will be here, And by their side Sugriva lead His countless hosts of Vanar breed.

Sugriva's servant, I, by name Hanuman, by his order came.

With desperate leap I crossed the sea To Lanka's isle in search of thee, No traitor, gentle dame, am I: Upon my word and faith rely."

Canto x.x.xV. Hanuman's Speech.

With joyous heart she heard him tell Of the great lord she loved so well, And in sweet accents, soft and low, Spoke, half forgetful of her woe: "How didst thou stand by Rama's side?

How came my lord and thou allied?

How met the people of the wood With men on terms of brotherhood?

Declare each grace and regal sign That decks the lords of Raghu's line.

Each circ.u.mstance and look relate: Tell Rama's form and speech, and gait."

"Thy fear and doubt," he cried, "dispelled, Hear, lady, what mine eyes beheld.

Hear the imperial signs that grace The glory of Ikshvaku's race.

With moon-bright face and lotus eyes, Most beautiful and good and wise, With sun-like glory round his head, Long-suffering as the earth we tread, He from all foes his realm defends.

Yea, o'er the world his care extends.

He follows right in all his ways, And ne'er from royal duty strays.

He knows the lore that strengthens kings; His heart to truth and honour clings.

Each grace and gift of form and mind Adorns that prince of human kind; And virtues like his own endue His brother ever firm and true.

O'er all the land they roamed distraught, And thee with vain endeavour sought, Until at length their wandering feet Trod wearily our wild retreat.

Our banished king Sugriva spied The princes from the mountain side.

By his command I sought the pair And led them to our monarch there.

Thus Rama and Sugriva met, And joined the bonds that knit them yet, When each besought the other's aid, And friends.h.i.+p and alliance made.

An arrow launched from Rama's bow Laid Bali dead, Sugriva's foe.

Then by commandment of our lord The Vanar hosts each land explored.

We reached the coast: I crossed the sea And found my way at length to thee."(858)

Canto x.x.xVI. Rama's Ring.

"Receive," he cried, "this precious ring,(859) Sure token from thy lord the king: The golden ring he wont to wear: See, Rama's name engraven there."

Then, as she took the ring he showed, The tears that spring of rapture flowed.

She seemed to touch the hand that sent The dearly valued ornament, And with her heart again at ease, Replied in gentle words like these: "O thou, whose soul no fears deter, Wise, brave, and faithful messenger!

And hast thou dared, o'er wave and foam, To seek me in the giants' home?

In thee, true messenger, I find The n.o.blest of thy woodland kind.

Who couldst, unmoved by terror, brook On Rava?, king of fiends, to look.

Now may we commune here as friends, For he whom royal Rama sends Must needs be one in danger tried, A valiant, wise, and faithful guide.

Say, is it well with Rama still?

Lives Lakshma? yet untouched by ill?

Then why should Rama's hand be slow To free his consort from her woe?

Why spare to burn, in search of me, The land encircled by the sea?

Can Bharat send no army out With banners, cars and battle shout?

Cannot thy king Sugriva lend His legions to a.s.sist his friend?"

His hands upon his head he laid And thus again his answer made: "Not yet has Rama learnt where lies His lady of the lotus eyes, Or he like Indra from the sky To Sachi's(860) aid, to thee would fly.

Soon will he hear the tale, and then, Roused to revenge, the lord of men Will to the giants' island lead Fierce myriads of the woodland breed, Bridging his conquering way, and make The town a ruin for thy sake.

Believe my words, sweet dame; I swear By roots and fruit, my woodland fare, By Meru's peak and Vindhva's chain, And Mandar of the Milky Main, Soon shalt thou see thy lord, though now He waits upon Prasrava?'s(861) brow, Come glorious as the breaking morn, Like Indra on Airavat(862) borne.

For thee he looks with longing eyes; The wood his scanty food supplies.

For thee his brow is pale and worn, For thee are meat and wine forsworn.

Thine image in his heart he keeps, For thee by night he wakes and weeps.

Or if perchance his eyes he close And win brief respite from his woes, E'en then the name of Sita slips In anguish from his murmuring lips.

If lovely flowers or fruit he sees, Which women love, upon the trees, To thee, to thee his fancy flies.

And 'Sita! O my love!' he cries."

Canto x.x.xVII. Sita's Speech.

"Thou bringest me," she cried again, "A mingled draught of bliss and pain: Bliss, that he wears me in his heart, Pain, that he wakes and weeps apart, O, see how Fate is king of all, Now lifts us high, now bids us fall, And leads a captive bound with cord The meanest slave, the proudest lord, Thus even now Fate's stern decree Has struck with grief my lord and me.

Say, how shall Rama reach the sh.o.r.e Of sorrow's waves that rise and roar, A s.h.i.+pwrecked sailor, well nigh drowned In the wild sea that foams around?

When will he smite the demon down, Lay low in dust the giants' town, And, glorious from his foes' defeat, His wife, his long-lost Sita, meet?

Go, bid him speed to smite his foes Before the year shall reach its close.

Ten months are fled but two remain, Then Rava?'s captive must be slain.

Oft has Vibhisha?,(863) just and wise, Besought him to restore his prize.

But deaf is Rava?'s senseless ear: His brother's rede he will not hear.

Vibhisha?'s daughter(864) loves me well: From her I learnt the tale I tell.

Avindhva(865) prudent, just, and old, The giant's fall has oft foretold; But Fate impels him to despise His word on whom he most relies.

In Rama's love I rest secure, For my fond heart is true and pure, And him, my n.o.blest lord, I deem In valour, power, and might supreme."

As from her eyes the waters ran, The Vanar chief again began: "Yea, Rama, when he hears my tale, Will with our hosts these walls a.s.sail.

Or I myself, O Queen, this day Will bear thee from the fiend away, Will lift thee up, and take thee hence To him thy refuge and defence; Will take thee in my arms, and flee To Rama far beyond the sea; Will place thee on Prasrava? hill Where Raghu's son is waiting still."

"How canst thou bear me hence?" she cried, "The way is long, the sea is wide.

To bear my very weight would be A task too hard for one like thee."(866)

Swift rose before her startled eyes The Vanar in his native size, Like Mandar's hill or Meru's height, Encircled with a blaze of light.

"O come," he cried, "thy fears dispel, Nor doubt that I will bear thee well.

Come, in my strength and care confide, And sit in joy by Rama's side."

Again she spake: "I know thee now, Brave, resolute, and strong art thou; In glory like the Lord of Fire With storm-swift feet which naught may tire But yet with thee I may not fly: For, borne so swiftly through the sky, Mine eyes would soon grow faint and dim, My dizzy brain would reel and swim, My yielding arms relax their hold, And I in terror uncontrolled Should fall into the raging sea Where hungry sharks would feed on me.

Nor can I touch, of free accord, The limbs of any save my lord.

If, by the giant forced away, In his enfolding arms I lay, Not mine, O Vanar, was the blame; What could I do, a helpless dame?

Go, to my lord my message bear, And bid him end my long despair."

Canto x.x.xVIII. Sita's Gem.

Again the Vanar chief replied, With her wise answer satisfied: "Well hast thou said: thou canst not brave The rus.h.i.+ng wind, the roaring wave.