The Ramayana Part 172

Down from the peak he came, and viewed The Vanars' ordered mult.i.tude.

Each captain there for battle burned, Each fiery eye to Lanka turned.

On, where the royal brothers led To Lanka's walls the legions sped.

The northern gate, where giant foes Swarmed round their monarch, Rama chose Where he in person might direct The battle, and his troops protect.

What arm but his the post might keep Where, strong as he who sways the deep,(949) Mid thousands armed with bow and mace, Stood Rava? mightiest of his race?

The eastern gate was Nila's post, Where marshalled stood his Vanar host, And Mainda with his troops arrayed, And Dwivid stood to lend him aid.

The southern gate was Angad's care, Who ranged his bold battalions there.

Hanuman by the port that faced The setting sun his legions placed, And King Sugriva held the wood East of the gate where Rava? stood.

On every side the myriads met, And Lanka's walls of close beset That scarce the roving gale could win A pa.s.sage to the hosts within.

Loud as the angry ocean's roar When wild waves lash the rocky sh.o.r.e, Ten thousand thousand throats upsent A shout that tore the firmament, And Lanka with each grove and brook And tower and wall and rampart shook.

The giants heard, and were appalled: Then Raghu's son to Angad called, And, led by kingly duty,(950) gave This order merciful as brave: "Go, Angad, Rava?'s presence seek, And thus my words of warning speak: "How art thou changed and fallen now, O Monarch of the giants, thou Whose impious fury would not spare Saint, nymph, or spirit of the air; Whose foot in haughty triumph trod On Yaksha, king, and Serpent G.o.d: How art thou fallen from thy pride Which Brahma's favour fortified!

With myriads at thy Lanka's gate I stand my righteous ire to sate, And punish thee with sword and flame, The tyrant fiend who stole my dame.

Now show the might, employ the guile, O Monarch of the giants' isle, Which stole a helpless dame away: Call up thy power and strength to-day.

Once more I warn thee, Rakshas King, This hour the Maithil lady bring, And, yielding while there yet is time, Seek, suppliant, pardon for the crime, Or I will leave beneath the sun No living Rakshas, no, not one.

In vain from battle wilt thou fly, Or borne on pinions seek the sky; The hand of Rama shall not spare; His fiery shaft shall smite thee there.' "

He ceased: and Angad bowed his head; Thence like embodied flame he sped, And lighted from his airy road Within the Rakshas king's abode.

There sate, the centre of a ring Of counsellors, the giant king.

Swift through the circle Angad pressed, And spoke with fury in his breast: "Sent by the lord of Kosal's land, His envoy here, O King, I stand, Angad the son of Bali: fame Has haply taught thine ears my name.

Thus in the words of Rama I Am come to warn thee or defy: Come forth, and fighting in the van Display the spirit of a man.

This arm shall slay thee, tyrant: all Thy n.o.bles, kith and kin shall fall: And earth and heaven, from terror freed, Shall joy to see the oppressor bleed.

Vibhisha?, when his foe is slain, Anointed king in peace shall reign.

Once more I counsel thee: repent, Avoid the mortal punishment, With honour due the dame restore, And pardon for thy sin implore."

Loud rose the king's infuriate cry: "Seize, seize the Vanar, let him die."

Four of his band their lord obeyed, And eager hands on Angad laid.

He purposing his strength to show Gave no resistance to the foe, But swiftly round his captors cast His mighty arms and held them fast.

Fierce shout and cry around him rang: Light to the palace roof he sprang, There his detaining arms unwound, And hurled the giants to the ground.

Then, smiting with a fearful stroke, A turret from the roof he broke,- As when the fiery levin sent By Indra from the clouds has rent The proud peak of the Lord of Snow,- And flung the stony ma.s.s below.

Again with loud terrific cry He sprang exulting to the sky, And, joyous for his errand done, Stood by the side of Raghu's son.

Canto XLII. The Sally.

Still was the cry, "The Vanar foes Around the leaguered city close."

King Rava? from the terrace gazed And saw, with eyes where fury blazed, The Vanar host in serried ranks Press to the moat and line the banks, And, first in splendour and in place, The lion lord of Raghu's race.

And Rama looked on Lanka where Gay flags were streaming to the air, And, while keen sorrow pierced him through, His loving thoughts to Sita flew: "There, there in deep affliction lies My darling with the fawn-like eyes.

There on the cold bare ground she keeps Sad vigil and for Rama weeps."

Mad with the thought, "Charge, charge," he cried.

"Let earth with Rakshas blood be dyed."

Responsive to his call rang out A loud, a universal shout, As myriads filled the moat with stone, Trees, rocks, and mountains overthrown, And charging at their leader's call Pressed forward furious to the wall.

Some in their headlong ardour scaled The rampart's height, the guard a.s.sailed, And many a ponderous fragment rent From portal, tower, and battlement.

Huge gates adorned with burnished gold Were loosed and lifted from their hold; And post and pillar, with a sound Like thunder, fell upon the ground.

At every portal, east and west And north and south, the chieftains pressed Each in his post appointed led His myriads in the forest bred.

"Charge, let the gates be opened wide: Charge, charge, my giants," Rava? cried.

They heard his voice, and loud and long Rang the wild clamour of the throng, And sh.e.l.l and drum their notes upsent, And every martial instrument.

Forth, at the bidding of their lord From every gate the giants poured, As, when the waters rise and swell, Huge waves preceding waves impel.

Again from every Vanar throat A scream of fierce defiance smote The welkin: earth and sea and sky Reechoed with the awful cry.

The roar of elephants, the neigh Of horses eager for the fray.

The frequent clash of warriors' steel, The rattling of the chariot wheel.

Fierce was the deadly fight: opposed In terrible array they closed, As when the G.o.ds of heaven enraged With rebel fiends wild battle waged.

Axe, spear, and mace were wielded well: At every blow a Vanar fell.

But shivered rock and brandished tree Brought many a giant on his knee, To perish in his turn beneath The deadly wounds of nails and teeth.

Canto XLIII. The Single Combats.

Brave chiefs of each opposing side Their strength in single combat tried.

Fierce Indrajit the fight began With Angad in the battle's van.

Sampati, strongest of his race, Stood with Prajangha face to face.

Hanuman, Jamb.u.mali met In mortal opposition set.

Vibhisha?, brother of the lord Of Lanka, raised his threatening sword And singled out, with eyes aglow With wrath, Satrughna for his foe.

The mighty Gaja Tapan sought, And Nila with Nik.u.mbha fought.

Sugriva, Vanar king, defied Fierce Praghas long in battle tried, And Lakshma? fearless in the fight Encountered Virupaksha's might.

To meet the royal Rama came Wild Agniketu fierce as flame; Mitraghana, he who loved to strike His foeman and his friend alike: With Rasmiketu, known and feared Where'er his ponderous flag was reared; And Yajnakopa whose delight Was ruin of the sacred rite.

These met and fought, with thousands more, And trampled earth was red with gore.

Swift as the bolt which Indra sends When fire from heaven the mountain rends Smote Indrajit with furious blows On Angad queller of his foes.

But Angad from his foeman tore The murderous mace the warrior bore, And low in dust his coursers rolled, His driver, and his car of gold.

Struck by the shafts Prajangha sped, The Vanar chief Sampati bled, But, heedless of his gashes he Crushed down the giant with a tree.

Then car-borne Jamb.u.mali smote Hanuman on the chest and throat; But at the car the Vanar rushed, And chariot, steeds, and rider crushed.

Sugriva whirled a huge tree round, And struck fierce Praghas to the ground.

One arrow shot from Lakshma?'s bow Laid mighty Virupaksha low.

His giant foes round Rama pressed And shot their shafts at head and breast; But, when the iron shower was spent, Four arrows from his bow he sent, And every missile, deftly sped; Cleft from the trunk a giant head.(951)

Canto XLIV. The Night.

The lord of Light had sunk and set: Night came; the foeman struggled yet; And fiercer for the gloom of night Grew the wild fury of the fight.

Scarce could each warrior's eager eye The foeman from the friend descry.

"Rakshas or Vanar? say;" cried each, And foe knew foeman by his speech.

"Why wilt thou fly? O warrior, stay: Turn on the foe, and rend and slay:"

Such were the cries, such words of fear Smote through the gloom each listening ear.

Each swarthy rover of the night Whose golden armour flashed with light, Showed like a towering hill embraced By burning woods about his waist.

The giants at the Vanars flew, And ravening ate the foes they slew: With mortal bite like serpent's fang, The Vanars at the giants sprang, And car and steeds and they who bore The pennons fell bedewed with gore.

No serried band, no firm array The fury of their charge could stay.

Down went the horse and rider, down Went giant lords of high renown.

Though midnight's shade was dense and dark, With skill that swerved not from the mark Their bows the sons of Raghu drew, And each keen shaft a chieftain slew.

Uprose the blinding dust from meads Ploughed by the cars and trampling steeds, And where the warriors fell the flood Was dark and terrible with blood.

Six giants(952) singled Rama out, And charged him with a furious shout Loud as the roaring of the sea When every wind is raging free.