The Ramayana Part 163

A scion of our glorious race Should ne'er conceive a thought so base, But one mid all our kin we find, Vibhisha?, whose degenerate mind No spark of gallant pride retains, Whose coward soul his lineage stains.

Against one giant what can two Unhappy sons of Raghu do?

Away with idle fears, away!

Matched with our meanest, what are they?

Beneath my conquering prowess fell The Lord of earth and heaven and h.e.l.l.(924) Through every startled region dread Of my resistless fury spread; And G.o.ds in each remotest sphere Confessed the universal fear.

Rending the air with roar and groan, Airavat(925) to the earth was thrown.

From his huge head the tusks I drew, And smote the G.o.ds with fear anew.

Shall I who tame celestials' pride, By whom the fiends are terrified, Now prove a weakling little worth, And fail to slay those sons of earth?"

He ceased: Vibhisha? trained and tried In war and counsel thus replied

"Thy speech is marked with scorn of truth, With rashness and the pride of youth.

Yea, to thy ruin like a child Thou pratest, and thy words are wild.

Most dear, O Indrajit, to thee Should Rava?'s weal and safety be, For thou art called his son, but thou Art proved his direst foeman now, When warned by me thou hast not tried To turn the coming woe aside.

Both thee and him 'twere meet to slay, Who brought thee to this hall to-day, And dared so rash a youth admit To council where the wisest sit.

Presumptuous, wild, devoid of sense, Filled full of pride and insolence, Thy reckless tongue thou wilt not rule That speaks the counsel of a fool.

Who in the fight may brook or shun The arrows shot by Raghu's son With flame and fiery vengeance sped, Dire as his staff who rules the dead?

O Rava?, let thy people live, And to the son of Raghu give Fair robes and gems and precious ore, And Sita to his arms restore."

Canto XVI. Ravan's Speech.

Then, while his breast with fury swelled, Thus Rava? spoke, as fate impelled:

"Better with foes thy dwelling make, Or house thee with the venomed snake, Than live with false familiar friends Who further still thy foeman's ends.

I know their treacherous mood, I know Their secret triumph at thy woe.

They in their inward hearts despise The brave, the n.o.ble, and the wise, Grieve at their bliss with rancorous hate, And for their sorrows watch and wait: Scan every fault with curious eye, And each slight error magnify.

Ask elephants who roam the wild How were their captive friends beguiled.

"For fire," they cry, "we little care, For javelin and shaft and snare: Our foes are traitors, taught to bind The trusting creatures of their kind."

Still, still, shall blessings flow from cows,(926) And Brahmans love their rigorous vows; Still woman change her restless will, And friends perfidious work us ill.

What though with conquering feet I tread On every prostrate foeman's head; What though the worlds in abject fear Their mighty lord in me revere?

This thought my peace of mind destroys And robs me of expected joys.

The lotus of the lake receives The glittering rain that gems its leaves, But each bright drop remains apart: So is it still with heart and heart.

Deceitful as an autumn cloud Which, though its thunderous voice be loud, On the dry earth no torrent sends, Such is the race of faithless friends.

No riches of the bloomy spray Will tempt the wandering bee to stay That loves from flower to flower to range; And friends like thee are swift to change.

Thou blot upon thy glorious line, If any giant's tongue but thine Had dared to give this base advice, He should not live to shame me twice."

Then just Vibhisha? in the heat Of anger started from his seat, And with four captains of the band Sprang forward with his mace in hand; Then, fury flas.h.i.+ng from his eye, Looked on the king and made reply:

"Thy rights, O Rava?, I allow: My brother and mine elder thou.

Such, though from duty's path they stray, We love like fathers and obey, But still too bitter to be borne Is thy harsh speech of cruel scorn.

The rash like thee, who spurn control, Nor check one longing of the soul, Urged by malignant fate repel The faithful friend who counsels well.

A thousand courtiers wilt thou meet, With flattering lips of smooth deceit: But rare are they whose tongue or ear Will speak the bitter truth, or hear.

Unclose thy blinded eyes and see That snares of death encompa.s.s thee.

I dread, my brother, to behold The shafts of Rama, bright with gold, Flash fury through the air, and red With fires of vengeance strike thee dead.

Lord, brother, King, again reflect, Nor this mine earnest prayer reject, O, save thyself, thy royal town, Thy people and thine old renown."

Canto XVII. Vibhishan's Flight.

Soon as his bitter words were said, To Raghu's sons Vibhisha? fled.(927) Their eyes the Vanar leaders raised And on the air-borne Rakhshas gazed, Bright as a thunderbolt, in size Like Meru's peak that cleaves the skies.

In gorgeous panoply arrayed Like Indra's self he stood displayed, And four attendants brave and bold Shone by their chief in mail and gold.

Sugriva then with dark surmise Bent on their forms his wondering eyes, And thus in hasty words confessed The anxious doubt that moved his breast:

"Look, look ye Vanars, and beware: That giant chief sublime in air With other four in bright array Comes armed to conquer and to slay."

Soon as his warning speech they heard, The Vanar chieftains undeterred Seized fragments of the rock and trees, And made reply in words like these: "We wait thy word: the order give, And these thy foes shall cease to live.

Command us, mighty King, and all Lifeless upon the earth shall fall."

Meanwhile Vibhisha? with the four Stood high above the ocean sh.o.r.e.

Sugriva and the chiefs he spied, And raised his mighty voice and cried: "From Rava?, lord of giants, I His brother, named Vibhisha?, fly.

From Janasthan he stole the child Of Janak by his art beguiled, And in his palace locked and barred Surrounds her with a Rakshas guard.

I bade him, plied with varied lore, His hapless prisoner restore.

But he, by Fate to ruin sent, No credence to my counsel lent, Mad as the fevered wretch who sees And scorns the balm to bring him ease.

He scorned the sage advice I gave, He spurned me like a base-born slave.

I left my children and my wife, And fly to Raghu's son for life.

I pray thee, Vanar chieftain, speed To him who saves in hour of need, And tell him famed in distant lands That suppliant here Vibhisha? stands."

The Rakshas ceased: Sugriva hied To Raghu's n.o.ble son and cried:

"A stranger from the giant host, Borne o'er the sea, has reached the coast; A secret foe, he comes to slay, As owls attack their heedless prey.

'Tis thine, O King, in time of need To watch, to counsel, and to lead, Our Vanar legions to dispose, And guard us from our crafty foes.

Vibhisha? from the giants' isle, King Rava?'s brother, comes with guile And, feigning from his king to flee, Seeks refuge, Raghu's son, with thee.

Arise, O Rama, and prevent By bold attack his dark intent.

Who comes in friendly guise prepared To slay thee by his arts ensnared."

Thus urged Sugriva famed for lore Of moving words, and spoke no more.

Then Rama thus in turn addressed The bold Hanuman and the rest: "Chiefs of the Vanar legions each Of you heard Sugriva's speech.

What think ye now in time of fear, When peril and distress are near, In every doubt the wise depend For counsel on a faithful friend."

They heard his gracious words, and then Spake reverent to the lord of men: "O Raghu's son, thou knowest well All things of heaven and earth and h.e.l.l.

'Tis but thy friends.h.i.+p bids us speak The counsel Rama need not seek.

So duteous, brave, and true art thou, Heroic, faithful to thy vow.

Deep in the scriptures, trained and tried, Still in thy friends wilt thou confide.

Let each of us in turn impart The secret counsel of his heart, And strive to win his chief's a.s.sent, By force of wisest argument."

They ceased and Angad thus began: "With jealous eye the stranger scan: Not yet with trusting heart receive Vibhisha?, nor his tale believe.

These giants wandering far and wide Their evil nature falsely hide, And watching with malignant skill a.s.sail us when we fear no ill.

Well ponder every hope and fear Until thy doubtful course be clear; Then own his merit or detect His guile, and welcome or reject."

Then Sarabha the bold and brave In turn his prudent sentence gave: "Yea, Rama, send a skilful spy With keenest tact to test and try.

Then let the stranger, as is just, Obtain or be refused thy trust."

Then he whose heart was rich in store Of scripture's life-directing lore, King Jambavan, stood forth and cried: "Suspect, suspect a foe allied With Rava? lord of Lanka's isle, And Rakshas sin and Rakshas guile."