Book Iii. Canto Xlviii. R'avan's Speech
Canto Xlviii: Rvan'S Speech.
With knitted brow and furious eye
The stranger made his fierce reply;
'In me O fairest dame, behold
The brother of the King of Gold.
The Lord of Ten Necks my title, named
Rvan, for might and valour famed.
Gods and Gandharva hosts I scare;
Snakes, spirits, birds that roam the air
Fly from my coming, wild with fear,
Trembling like men when Death is near
Vais'ravan once, my brother, wrought
To ire, encountered me aud fought,
p. 286
But yielding to superior might
Fled from his home in sore affright.
Lord of the man-drawn chariot, still
He dwells on famed Kailsa's hill.
I made the vanquished king resign
The glorious car which now is mine,--
Pushpak, the far-renowned, that flies
Will-guided through the buxom skies.
Celestial hosts by Indra led
Flee from my face disquieted,
And where my dreaded feet appear
The wind is hushed or breathless is fear.
Where'er I stand, where'er I go
The troubled waters cease to flow,
Each spell-bound wave is mute and still
And the fierce sun himself is chill.
Beyond the sea my Lank stands
Filled with fierce forms and giant bands,
A glorious city fair to see
As Indra's Amarvat.
A towering height of solid wall,
Flashing afar, surrounds it all,
Its golden courts enchant the sight,
And gates aglow with lazulite.
Steeds, elephants, and cars are there,
And drums' loud music fills the air,
Fair trees in lovely gardens grow
Whose boughs with varied fruitage glow.
Thou, beauteous Queen, with me shalt dwell
In halls that suit a princess well,
Thy former fellows shall forget
Nor think of women with regret,
No earthly joy thy soul shall miss,
And take its fill of heavenly bliss.
Of mortal Rma think no more,
Whose terms of days will soon be o'er.
King Das'aratha looked in scorn
On Rma though the eldest born,
Sent to the woods the weakling fool,
And set his darling son to rule
What, O thou large-eyed dame, hast thou
To do with fallen Rma now,
From home and kingdom forced to fly,
A wretched hermit soon to die
Accept thy lover, nor refuse
The giant king who fondly woos.
O listen, nor reject in scorn
A heart by Kma's arrows torn.
If thou refuse to hear my prayer,
Of grief and coming woe beware;
For the sad fate will fall on thee
Which came on hapless Urvas',
When with her foot she chanced to touch
Purravas, and sorrowed much. 1
My little finger raised in fight
Were more than match for Rma's might
O fairest, blithe and happy be
With him whom fortune sends to thee.'
Such were the words the giant said,
And St's angry eyes were red.
She answered in that lonely place
The monarch of the giant race:
'Art thou the brother of the Lord
Of Gold by all the world adored,
And sprung of that illustrious seed
Wouldst now attempt this evil deed?
I tell thee, impious Monarch, all
The giants by thy sin will fall,
Whose reckless lord and king thou art,
With foolish mind and lawless heart.
Yea, one may hope to steal the wife
Of Indra and escape with life.
But he who Rma's dame would tear
From his loved side must needs despair,
Yea, one may steal fair S'ach, dame
Of Him who shoots the thunder flame,
May live successful in his aim
And length of day may see;
But hope, O giant King, in vain,
Though cups of Amrit thou may drain,
To shun the penalty and pain
Of wronging one like me.'
Footnotes
286:1 The story will be found in GARRETT'S
"Classical Dictionary", See Additional NOTES
With knitted brow and furious eye
The stranger made his fierce reply;
'In me O fairest dame, behold
The brother of the King of Gold.
The Lord of Ten Necks my title, named
Rvan, for might and valour famed.
Gods and Gandharva hosts I scare;
Snakes, spirits, birds that roam the air
Fly from my coming, wild with fear,
Trembling like men when Death is near
Vais'ravan once, my brother, wrought
To ire, encountered me aud fought,
p. 286
But yielding to superior might
Fled from his home in sore affright.
Lord of the man-drawn chariot, still
He dwells on famed Kailsa's hill.
I made the vanquished king resign
The glorious car which now is mine,--
Pushpak, the far-renowned, that flies
Will-guided through the buxom skies.
Celestial hosts by Indra led
Flee from my face disquieted,
And where my dreaded feet appear
The wind is hushed or breathless is fear.
Where'er I stand, where'er I go
The troubled waters cease to flow,
Each spell-bound wave is mute and still
And the fierce sun himself is chill.
Beyond the sea my Lank stands
Filled with fierce forms and giant bands,
A glorious city fair to see
As Indra's Amarvat.
A towering height of solid wall,
Flashing afar, surrounds it all,
Its golden courts enchant the sight,
And gates aglow with lazulite.
Steeds, elephants, and cars are there,
And drums' loud music fills the air,
Fair trees in lovely gardens grow
Whose boughs with varied fruitage glow.
Thou, beauteous Queen, with me shalt dwell
In halls that suit a princess well,
Thy former fellows shall forget
Nor think of women with regret,
No earthly joy thy soul shall miss,
And take its fill of heavenly bliss.
Of mortal Rma think no more,
Whose terms of days will soon be o'er.
King Das'aratha looked in scorn
On Rma though the eldest born,
Sent to the woods the weakling fool,
And set his darling son to rule
What, O thou large-eyed dame, hast thou
To do with fallen Rma now,
From home and kingdom forced to fly,
A wretched hermit soon to die
Accept thy lover, nor refuse
The giant king who fondly woos.
O listen, nor reject in scorn
A heart by Kma's arrows torn.
If thou refuse to hear my prayer,
Of grief and coming woe beware;
For the sad fate will fall on thee
Which came on hapless Urvas',
When with her foot she chanced to touch
Purravas, and sorrowed much. 1
My little finger raised in fight
Were more than match for Rma's might
O fairest, blithe and happy be
With him whom fortune sends to thee.'
Such were the words the giant said,
And St's angry eyes were red.
She answered in that lonely place
The monarch of the giant race:
'Art thou the brother of the Lord
Of Gold by all the world adored,
And sprung of that illustrious seed
Wouldst now attempt this evil deed?
I tell thee, impious Monarch, all
The giants by thy sin will fall,
Whose reckless lord and king thou art,
With foolish mind and lawless heart.
Yea, one may hope to steal the wife
Of Indra and escape with life.
But he who Rma's dame would tear
From his loved side must needs despair,
Yea, one may steal fair S'ach, dame
Of Him who shoots the thunder flame,
May live successful in his aim
And length of day may see;
But hope, O giant King, in vain,
Though cups of Amrit thou may drain,
To shun the penalty and pain
Of wronging one like me.'
Footnotes
286:1 The story will be found in GARRETT'S
"Classical Dictionary", See Additional NOTES
