The Ramayana Part 107

Canto LIII. Sita's Threats.

Soon as the Maithil lady knew That high through air the giant flew, Distressed with grief and sore afraid Her troubled spirit sank dismayed.

Then, as anew the waters welled From those red eyes which sorrow swelled, Forth in keen words her pa.s.sion broke, And to the fierce-eyed fiend she spoke: "Canst thou attempt a deed so base, Untroubled by the deep disgrace,- To steal me from my home and fly, When friend or guardian none was nigh?

Thy craven soul that longed to steal, Fearing the blows that warriors deal, Upon a magic deer relied To lure my husband from my side, Friend of his sire, the vulture king Lies low on earth with mangled wing, Who gave his aged life for me And died for her he sought to free.

Ah, glorious strength indeed is thine, Thou meanest of thy giant line, Whose courage dared to tell thy name And conquer in the fight a dame.

Does the vile deed that thou hast done Cause thee no shame, thou wicked one- A woman from her home to rend When none was near his aid to lend?

Through all the worlds, O giant King, The tidings of this deed will ring, This deed in law and honour's spite By one who claims a hero's might.

Shame on thy boasted valour, shame!

Thy prowess is an empty name.

Shame, giant, on this cursed deed For which thy race is doomed to bleed!

Thou fliest swifter than the gale, For what can strength like thine avail?

Stay for one hour, O Rava?, stay; Thou shalt not flee with life away.

Soon as the royal chieftains' sight Falls on the thief who roams by night, Thou wilt not, tyrant, live one hour Though backed by all thy legions' power.

Ne'er can thy puny strength sustain The tempest of their arrowy rain: Have e'er the trembling birds withstood The wild flames raging in the wood?

Hear me, O Rava?, let me go, And save thy soul from coming woe.

Or if thou wilt not set me free, Wroth for this insult done to me.

With his brave brother's aid my lord Against thy life will raise his sword.

A guilty hope inflames thy breast His wife from Rama's home to wrest.

Ah fool, the hope thou hast is vain; Thy dreams of bliss shall end in pain.

If torn from all I love by thee My G.o.dlike lord no more I see, Soon will I die and end my woes, Nor live the captive of my foes.

Ah fool, with blinded eyes to choose The evil and the good refuse!

So the sick wretch with stubborn will Turns fondly to the cates that kill, And madly draws his lips away From medicine that would check decay.

About thy neck securely wound The deadly coil of Fate is bound, And thou, O Rava?, dost not fear Although the hour of death is near.

With death-doomed sight thine eyes behold The gleaming of the trees of gold,- See dread Vaitara?i, the flood That rolls a stream of foamy blood,- See the dark wood by all abhorred- Its every leaf a threatening sword.

The tangled thickets thou shall tread Where thorns with iron points are spread.

For never can thy days be long, Base plotter of this shame and wrong To Rama of the lofty soul: He dies who drinks the poisoned bowl.

The coils of death around thee lie: They hold thee and thou canst not fly.

Ah whither, tyrant, wouldst thou run The vengeance of my lord to shun?

By his unaided arm alone Were twice seven thousand fiends o'erthrown: Yes, in the twinkling of an eye He forced thy mightiest fiends to die.

And shall that lord of lion heart, Skilled in the bow and spear and dart, Spare thee, O fiend, in battle strife, The robber of his darling wife?"

These were her words, and more beside, By wrath and bitter hate supplied.

Then by her woe and fear o'erthrown She wept again and made her moan.

As long she wept in grief and dread, Scarce conscious of the words she said, The wicked giant onward fled And bore her through the air.

As firm he held the Maithil dame, Still wildly struggling, o'er her frame With grief and bitter misery came The trembling of despair.

Canto LIV. Lanka.

He bore her on in rapid flight, And not a friend appeared in sight.

But on a hill that o'er the wood Raised its high top five monkeys stood.

From her fair neck her scarf she drew, And down the glittering vesture flew.

With earring, necklet, chain, and gem, Descending in the midst of them: "For these," she thought, "my path may show, And tell my lord the way I go."

Nor did the fiend, in wild alarm, Mark when she drew from neck and arm And foot the gems and gold, and sent To earth each gleaming ornament.

The monkeys raised their tawny eyes That closed not in their first surprise, And saw the dark-eyed lady, where She shrieked above them in the air.

High o'er their heads the giant pa.s.sed Holding the weeping lady fast.

O'er Pampa's flashing flood he sped And on to Lanka's city fled.

He bore away in senseless joy The prize that should his life destroy, Like the rash fool who hugs beneath His robe a snake with venomed teeth.

Swift as an arrow from a bow, Speeding o'er lands that lay below, Sublime in air his course he took O'er wood and rock and lake and brook.

He pa.s.sed at length the sounding sea Where monstrous creatures wander free,- Seat of Lord Varu?'s ancient reign, Controller of the eternal main.

The angry waves were raised and tossed As Rava? with the lady crossed, And fish and snake in wild unrest Showed flashing fin and gleaming crest.

Then from the blessed troops who dwell In air celestial voices fell: "O ten-necked King," they cried, "attend: This guilty deed will bring thine end."

Then Rava? speeding like the storm, Bearing his death in human form, The struggling Sita, lighted down In royal Lanka's glorious town; A city bright and rich, that showed Well-ordered street and n.o.ble road; Arranged with just division, fair With mult.i.tudes in court and square.

Thus, all his journey done, he pa.s.sed Within his royal home at last.

There in a queenly bower he placed The black-eyed dame with dainty waist: Thus in her chamber Maya laid The lovely Maya, demon maid.

Then Rava? gave command to all The dread she-fiends who filled the hall: "This captive lady watch and guard From sight of man and woman barred.

But all the fair one asks beside Be with unsparing hand supplied: As though 'twere I that asked, withhold No pearls or dress or gems or gold.

And she among you that shall dare Of purpose or through want of care One word to vex her soul to say, Throws her unvalued life away."

Thus spake the monarch of their race To those she-fiends who thronged the place, And pondering on the course to take Went from the chamber as he spake.

He saw eight giants, strong and dread, On flesh of bleeding victims fed, Proud in the boon which Brahma gave, And trusting in its power to save.

He thus the mighty chiefs addressed Of glorious power and strength possessed: "Arm, warriors, with the spear and bow; With all your speed from Lanka go, For Janasthan, our own no more, Is now defiled with giants' gore; The seat of Khara's royal state Is left unto us desolate.

In your brave hearts and might confide, And cast ign.o.ble fear aside.

Go, in that desert region dwell Where the fierce giants fought and fell.

A glorious host that region held, For power and might unparalleled, By Dusha? and brave Khara led,- All, slain by Rama's arrows, bled.

Hence boundless wrath that spurns control Reigns paramount within my soul, And naught but Rama's death can sate The fury of my vengeful hate.

I will not close my slumbering eyes Till by this hand my foeman dies.

And when mine arm has slain the foe Who laid those giant princes low, Long will I triumph in the deed, Like one enriched in utmost need.

Now go; that I this end may gain, In Janasthan, O chiefs, remain.

Watch Rama there with keenest eye, And all his deeds and movements spy.

Go forth, no helping art neglect, Be brave and prompt and circ.u.mspect, And be your one endeavour still To aid mine arm this foe to kill.

Oft have I seen your warrior might Proved in the forehead of the fight, And sure of strength I know so well Send you in Janasthan to dwell."

The giants heard with prompt a.s.sent The pleasant words he said, And each before his master bent For meet salute, his head.

Then as he bade, without delay, From Lanka's gate they pa.s.sed, And hurried forward on their way Invisible and fast.

Canto LV. Sita In Prison.

Thus Rava? his commandment gave To those eight giants strong and brave, So thinking in his foolish pride Against all dangers to provide.

Then with his wounded heart aflame With love he thought upon the dame, And took with hasty steps the way To the fair chamber where she lay.

He saw the gentle lady there Weighed down by woe too great to bear, Amid the throng of fiends who kept Their watch around her as she wept: A pinnace sinking neath the wave When mighty winds around her rave: A lonely herd-forsaken deer, When hungry dogs are pressing near.

Within the bower the giant pa.s.sed: Her mournful looks were downward cast.

As there she lay with streaming eyes The giant bade the lady rise, And to the shrinking captive showed The glories of his rich abode, Where thousand women spent their days In palaces with gold ablaze; Where wandered birds of every sort, And jewels flashed in hall and court.

Where n.o.ble pillars charmed the sight With diamond and lazulite, And others glorious to behold With ivory, crystal, silver, gold.

There swelled on high the tambour's sound, And burnished ore was bright around He led the mournful lady where Resplendent gold adorned the stair, And showed each lattice fair to see With silver work and ivory: Showed his bright chambers, line on line, Adorned with nets of golden twine.

Beyond he showed the Maithil dame His gardens bright as lightning's flame, And many a pool and lake he showed Where blooms of gayest colour glowed.

Through all his home from view to view The lady sunk in grief he drew.