Book Vi. Canto Xxvii. The V'anar Chiefs
Canto Xxvii.: The Vnar Chiefs.
'Yet more remain, brave chiefs who stake
Their noble lives for Rma's sake.
See, glorious, golden-coated, one
Who glisters like the morning sun,
Whom thousands of his race surround,
'Tis Hara for his strength renowned,
Next comes a mighty chieftain, he
Whose legions, armed with rock and tree,
Press on, in numbers passing tale,
The ramparts of our town to scale.
O Rvan, see the king advance
Terrific with his fiery glance,
Girt by the bravest of his train,
Majestic as the God of Rain,
Parjanya, when his host of clouds
About the king, embattled, crowds:
On Rikshavn's high mountain nursed,
In Narmad 1b he slakes his thirst,
Dhmra, proud ursine chief, who leads
Wild warriors whom the forest breeds.
His brother, next in strength and age,
In Jmbavn the famous sage.
Of yore his might and skill he lent
To him who rules the firmament,
And Indra's liberal boons repaid
The chieftain for the timely aid.
There like a gloomy cloud that flies
Borne by the tempest through the skies,
Pramth stands: he roamed of yore
The forest wilds on Gang's shore,
Where elephants were struck with dread
And trembling at his coming fled.
There on his foes he loved to sate
The old hereditary hate. 2b
p. 449
Look, Gaja and Gavksha show
Their lust of battle with the foe.
See Nala burning for the fray,
And Nla chafing at delay,
Behind the eager captains press
Wild hosts in numbers numberless,
And each for Rma's sake would fall
Or force his way through Lank's wall.'
Footnotes
448:1b The Anglicized Nerbudda.
448:2b According to a Pauranik legend Kes'ar Hanmn's putative father had killed an Asur or demon who appeared in the p. 449 form of an elephant, and hence arose the hostility between Vnars and elephants.
'Yet more remain, brave chiefs who stake
Their noble lives for Rma's sake.
See, glorious, golden-coated, one
Who glisters like the morning sun,
Whom thousands of his race surround,
'Tis Hara for his strength renowned,
Next comes a mighty chieftain, he
Whose legions, armed with rock and tree,
Press on, in numbers passing tale,
The ramparts of our town to scale.
O Rvan, see the king advance
Terrific with his fiery glance,
Girt by the bravest of his train,
Majestic as the God of Rain,
Parjanya, when his host of clouds
About the king, embattled, crowds:
On Rikshavn's high mountain nursed,
In Narmad 1b he slakes his thirst,
Dhmra, proud ursine chief, who leads
Wild warriors whom the forest breeds.
His brother, next in strength and age,
In Jmbavn the famous sage.
Of yore his might and skill he lent
To him who rules the firmament,
And Indra's liberal boons repaid
The chieftain for the timely aid.
There like a gloomy cloud that flies
Borne by the tempest through the skies,
Pramth stands: he roamed of yore
The forest wilds on Gang's shore,
Where elephants were struck with dread
And trembling at his coming fled.
There on his foes he loved to sate
The old hereditary hate. 2b
p. 449
Look, Gaja and Gavksha show
Their lust of battle with the foe.
See Nala burning for the fray,
And Nla chafing at delay,
Behind the eager captains press
Wild hosts in numbers numberless,
And each for Rma's sake would fall
Or force his way through Lank's wall.'
Footnotes
448:1b The Anglicized Nerbudda.
448:2b According to a Pauranik legend Kes'ar Hanmn's putative father had killed an Asur or demon who appeared in the p. 449 form of an elephant, and hence arose the hostility between Vnars and elephants.
