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Book Vi. Canto Lxviii. R'avan's Lament

Canto Lxviii.: Rvan'S Lament.


They ran to Rvan in his hall

And told him of his brother's fall:

'Fierce as the God who rules the dead,

Upon the routed foe he fed;

And, victor for a while, at length

Fell slain by Rma's matchless strength,

Now like a mighty hill in size

His mangled trunk extended lies,

And where he fell, a bleeding mass,

Blocks Lank's gate tbat none may pass.'

The monarch heard: his strength gave way;

And fainting on the ground he lay.

Grieved at the giants' mournful tale,

Long, shrill was Atikya's wail;

Aud Tris'iras in sorrow bowed

His triple head, and wept aloud,

Mahodar, Mahprs'va shed

Hot tears and mourned their brother dead.

At length, his wandering sense restored,

In loud lament cried Lank's lord:

Ah chief, for might and valour famed,

Whose arm the haughty foeman tamed,

Forsaking me, thy friends and all,

Why hast thou fled to Yama's hall?

Why hast thou fled to taste no more

The slaughtered foeman's flesh and gore?

Ah me, my life is done to-day:

My better arm is lopped away.

Whereon in danger I relied,

And, fearless, Gods and fiends defied.

How could a shaft from Rma's bow

The matchless giant overthrow,

Whose iron frame so strong of yore

The crushing bolt of Indra bore?

This day the Gods and sages meet

And triumph at their foe's defeat.

This day the Vnar chiefs will boast

And, with new ardour fired, their host

In fiercer onset will assail

Our city, and the ramparts scale.

What care I for a monarch's name,

For empire, or the Maithil dame?

What joy can power and riches give,

Or life that I should care to live,

Unless this arm in mortal fray

The slayer of my brother slay?

For me, of Kumbhakarna reft,

Death is the only solace left;

And I will seek, o'erwhelmed with woes,

The realm to which my brother goes.

Ah me ill-minded, not to take

His counsel when Vibhshan spake

When he this evil day foretold

My foolish heart was overbold:

I drove my sage adviser hence,

And reap the fruits of mine offence.'

p. 481

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