The Ramayana Part 160

Then from the sh.o.r.e the captains gazed On billows which the breezes raised To fury, as they dashed in foam O'er Varu?'s realm, the Asurs' home:(909) The sea that laughed with foam, and danced With waves whereon the sunbeams glanced: Where, when the light began to fade, Huge crocodiles and monsters played; And, when the moon went up the sky, The troubled billows rose on high From the wild watery world whereon A thousand moons reflected shone: Where awful serpents swam and showed Their fiery crests which flashed and glowed, Illumining the depths of h.e.l.l, The prison where the demons dwell.

The eye, bewildered, sought in vain The bounding line of sky and main: Alike in shade, alike in glow Were sky above and sea below.

There wave-like clouds by clouds were chased, Here cloud-like billows roared and raced: Then shone the stars, and many a gem That lit the waters answered them.

They saw the great-souled Ocean stirred To frenzy by the winds, and heard, Loud as ten thousand drums, the roar Of wild waves das.h.i.+ng on the sh.o.r.e.

They saw him mounting to defy With deafening voice the troubled sky.

And the deep bed beneath him swell In fury as the billows fell.

Canto V. Rama's Lament.

There on the coast in long array The Vanars' marshalled legions lay, Where Nila's care had ordered well The watch of guard and sentinel, And Mainda moved from post to post With Dwivid to protect the host.

Then Rama stood by Lakshma?'s side, And mastered by his sorrow cried: "My brother dear, the heart's distress, As days wear on, grows less and less.

But my deep-seated grief, alas, Grows fiercer as the seasons pa.s.s.

Though for my queen my spirit longs, And broods indignant o'er my wrongs, Still wilder is my grief to know That her young life is pa.s.sed in woe.

Breathe, gentle gale, O breathe where she Lies prisoned, and then breathe on me, And, though my love I may not meet, Thy kiss shall be divinely sweet.

Ah, by the giant's shape appalled, On her dear lord for help she called, Still in mine ears the sad cry rings And tears my heart with poison stings.

Through the long daylight and the gloom Of night wild thoughts of her consume My spirit, and my love supplies The torturing flame which never dies.

Leave me, my brother; I will sleep Couched on the bosom of the deep, For the cold wave may bring me peace And bid the fire of pa.s.sion cease.

One only thought my stay must be, That earth, one earth, holds her and me, To hear, to know my darling lives Some life-supporting comfort gives, As streams from distant fountains run O'er meadows parching in the sun.

Ah when, my foeman at my feet, Shall I my queen, my glory, meet, The blossom of her dear face raise And on her eyes enraptured gaze, Press her soft lips to mine again, And drink a balm to banish pain!

Alas, alas! where lies she now, My darling of the lovely brow?

On the cold earth, no help at hand, Forlorn amid the Rakshas band, King Janak's child still calls on me, Her lord and love, to set her free.

But soon in glory will she rise A crescent moon in autumn skies, And those dark rovers of the night, Like scattered clouds shall turn in flight."

Canto VI. Ravan's Speech.

But when the giant king surveyed His glorious town in ruin laid, And each dire sign of victory won By Hanuman the Wind-G.o.d's son, He vailed his angry eyes oppressed By shame, and thus his lords addressed: "The Vanar spy has pa.s.sed the gate Of Lanka long inviolate, Eluded watch and ward, and seen With his bold eyes the captive queen.

My royal roof with flames is red, The bravest of my lords are dead, And the fierce Vanar in his hate Has left our city desolate.

Now ponder well the work that lies Before us, ponder and advise.

With deep-observing judgment scan The peril, and mature a plan.

From counsel, sages say, the root, Springs victory, most glorious fruit.

First ranks the king, when woe impends Who seeks the counsel of his friends, Of kinsmen ever faithful found, Or those whose hopes with his are bound, Then with their aid his strength applies, And triumphs in his enterprise.

Next ranks the prince who plans alone, No counsel seeks to aid his own, Weighs loss and gain and wrong and right, And seeks success with earnest might.

Unwisest he who spurns delays, Who counts no cost, no peril weighs, Speeds to his aim, defying fate, And risks his all, precipitate.

Thus too in counsel sages find A best, a worst, a middle kind.

When gathered counsellors explore The way by light of holy lore, And all from first to last agree, Is the best counsel of the three.

Next, if debate first waxes high, And each his chosen plan would try Till all agree at last, we deem This counsel second in esteem.

Worst of the three is this, when each a.s.sails with taunt his fellow's speech; When all debate, and no consent Concludes the angry argument.

Consult then, lords; my task shall be To crown with act your wise decree.

With thousands of his wild allies The vengeful Rama hither hies; With unresisted might and speed Across the flood his troops will lead, Or for the Vanar host will drain The channels of the conquered main."

Canto VII. Ravan Encouraged.

He ceased: they scorned, with blinded eyes, The foeman and his bold allies, Raised reverent hands with one accord, And thus made answer to their lord: "Why yield thee, King, to causeless fear?

A mighty host with sword and spear And mace and axe and pike and lance Waits but thy signal to advance.

Art thou not he who slew of old The Serpent-G.o.ds, and stormed their hold; Scaled Mount Kailasa and o'erthrew Kuvera(910) and his Yaksha crew, Compelling Siva's haughty friend Beneath a mightier arm to bend?

Didst thou not bring from realms afar The marvel of the magic car, When they who served Kuvera fell Crushed in their mountain citadel?

Attracted by thy matchless fame To thee, a suppliant, Maya came, The lord of every Danav band, And won thee with his daughter's hand.

Thy arm in h.e.l.l itself was felt, Where Vasuki(911) and Sankha dwelt, And they and Takshak, overthrown, Were forced thy conquering might to own.

The G.o.ds in vain their blessing gave To heroes bravest of the brave, Who strove a year and, sorely pressed, Their victor's peerless might confessed.

In vain their magic arts they tried, In vain thy matchless arm defied King Varu?'s sons with fourfold force, Cars, elephants, and foot, and horse, But for a while thy power withstood, And, conquered, mourned their hardihood.

Thou hast encountered, face to face, King Yama(912) with his murdering mace.

Fierce as the wild tempestuous sea, What terror had his wrath for thee, Though death in every threatening form, And woe and torment, urged the storm?

Thine arm a glorious victory won O'er the dread king who pities none; And the three worlds, from terror freed, In joyful wonder praised thy deed.

The tribe of Warriors, strong and dread As Indra's self, o'er earth had spread; As giant trees that towering stand In mountain glens, they filled the land.

Can Raghu's son encounter foes Fierce, numerous, and strong as those?

Yet, trained in war and practised well, O'ermatched by thee, they fought and fell, Stay in thy royal home, nor care The battle and the toil to share; But let the easy fight be won By Indrajit(913) thy matchless son.

All, all shall die, if thou permit, Slain by the hand of Indrajit."

Canto VIII. Prahasta's Speech.

Dark as a cloud of autumn, dread Prahasta joined his palms and said:

"Gandharvas, G.o.ds, the hosts who dwell In heaven, in air, in earth, in h.e.l.l, Have yielded to thy might, and how Shall two weak men oppose thee now?

Hanuman came, a foe disguised, And mocked us heedless and surprised, Or never had he lived to flee And boast that he has fought with me.

Command, O King, and this right hand Shall sweep the Vanars from the land, And hill and dale, to Ocean's sh.o.r.e, Shall know the death-doomed race no more.

But let my care the means devise To guard thy city from surprise."

Then Durmukh cried, of Rakshas race: "Too long we brook the dire disgrace.

He gave our city to the flames, He trod the chambers of thy dames.

Ne'er shall so weak and vile a thing Unpunished brave the giants' king.

Now shall this single arm attack And drive the daring Vanars back, Till to the winds of heaven they flee, Or seek the depths of earth and sea."

Then, brandis.h.i.+ng the mace he bore, Whose horrid spikes were stained with gore, While fury made his eyeb.a.l.l.s red, Impetuous Vajradansh?ra said:

"Why waste a thought on one so vile As Hanuman the Vanar, while Sugriva, Lakshma?, yet remain, And Rama mightier still, unslain?

This mace to-day shall crush the three, And all the host will turn and flee.

Listen, and I will speak: incline, O King, to hear these words of mine, For the deep plan that I propose Will swiftly rid thee of thy foes.

Let thousands of thy host a.s.sume The forms of men in youthful bloom, In war's magnificent array Draw near to Raghu's son, and say: "Thy younger brother Bharat sends This army, and thy cause befriends."

Then let our legions hasten near With bow and mace and sword and spear, And on the Vanar army rain Our steel and stone till all be slain.

If Raghu's sons will fain believe, Entangled in the net we weave, The penalty they both must pay, And lose their forfeit lives to-day."

Then with his warrior soul on fire, Nik.u.mbha spoke in burning ire:

"I, only I, will take the field, And Raghu's son his life shall yield.