Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Aug 2011 11:29 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:29
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 15
Seeing the foremost of the Yakshas by thousands undergoing trepidation, the lord of riches spoke unto a mighty Yaksha Manibhadra, O foremost of Yakshas, slay the wicked Ravana, set on sin; and do thou (thus) become the refuge of those heroic Yakshas, who are carrying on the conflict. Thus addressed, the mighty armed and invincible Manibhadra, surrounded by four thousahd Yakshas began the fight.
And attacking the Rakshasas with maces and clubs and bearded darts, and with darts Tomoras and bludgeons, the Yakshas rushed at (their adversaries). And fast safely whirling about like hawks, they fought fiercely. And (some) said, Well, give me battle, and (others), I don t want, and (others, again), Let me have (fight)
And then the Devas and the Gandharvas and the sages studying the Vedas, beholding the great encounter, were filled with mighty amazement. And a thousand of the Yakshas were slain by Prahasta in the conflict; and another thousand of capable warriors were slain by Mahodara. And O king, in the twinkling of an eye Maricha, waxing wroth and eagar for encounter brought down two thousand (of enemy s soldiers).
Where is the candid coursing fight of the Yakshas and where the fight of the Rakshas by help of the power of illusion ;and therefore in that battle the advantage was on the side of the Rakshasas. And Dhumracksha, confronting Manibhadra in the mighty conflict hit him at the chest with a bludgeon ;but he did not move thereat. And then Manibhadra dealt the Rakshasa a blow with his mace ;and thereat Dhumraksha smit at the head fell down senseless (on the ground).
And seeing Dhumrakhsa wounded and down, bathed in blood, the Ten necked one rushed at Manibhadra in the encounter. And then that foremost of Yakshas hit Dasanana with three darts as he was rushing in wrath. And on being thus hit, Ravana() struck at Manibhadra s head; and at that stroke his crown was depressed at one side.
And from that day forth that Yaksha remained with his head hollow on one side. And on the high souled Manibhadra having been baffled, a great uproar, O king, rose in that mountain. And then at a distance, the lord of riches, mace in hand, accompanied by Sukra and Praushthapada and Padma and Sanka saw Ravana() in the field.
And seeing his brother in the encounter with his glory obscured through the curse (he had ere this come by), the intelligent (lord of Yakshas) spoke in words worthy of the line of his grand father, As, O wicked minded one, thou desistest not, albeit forbidden by me, thou shalt, afterwards attaining the fruit of this, and repairing to hell, know (the fate that followeth thee). That perverse one, that through ignorance having drunk poison, neglects to adopt proper measures, knoweth the consequence of his act ultimately. The gods have set their face against thee on account of a certain misdeed of thine; and having for this, been reduced to this condition, thou dost not understand things.
He that dishonoreth his father and mother and spiritual preceptor, reapeth the fruit of his act on coming under the sway of the sovereign of the dead. Having regard that this body is uncertain, that foolish person, that doth not acquire asceticism, dying goeth the way that he deserveth., The mind of a perverse man doth not willingly incline towards good ;and he reapeth as he soweth.
In this world people, making their own good fortune and beauty, strength, sons, wealth and valor, gain these by virtue of their pious acts.Being given to such iniquitous acts, thou wilt go to hell ;and thy designs being such, I will not hold parley with thee. Honest people should act carefully in connection with the wicked.
Thus reprimanded by him, his Ravana( s) councillors, headed by Maricha, on beingstruck, took to their heels.Then Dasagriva on being struck in the head with the mace by the lord of Yakshas, did not move from his place. And then, O Rama, the Yaksha and Rakshasa, smiting each other in mighty encounter, did not get bewildered or experience fatigue.
And then the bestower of riches discharged a fiery weapon at him ;and thereat the lord of Rakshasas resisted it with a Varuna weapon. And then the Rakshasa king entered upon Rakshasi illusion ;and began to assume a thousand shapes for compassing the destruction(of his adversary).And the Ten necked one (successively) assumed the shapes of a tiger, a boar, a cloud, a hill, the ocean, a tree, a Yaksha and a Deva.
Thus he wore full many forms and he was not visible in his native shape. And then, O Rama, seizing a mighty weapon the Ten necked one, whirling the same, brought that redoubtable mace down on the head of the bestower of riches. Thus smitten by him, the lord of wealth, bafled, toppled down to the earth covered with blood like an asoka whose roots have been hewn away.
Thereat Padma and other Nidhi deities, surrounding the granter of wealth, raised him up and brought him to the Nandana wood. Conquering the bestower of wealth, the lord of Rakshasas, with a delighted heart, possesed himself of his Pushpaka, the car, as a sign of victory ;furnished with golden pillars, gateways set with lapises, covered with networks of pearls, having trees yielding the fruits of all seasons, endowed with the celerity of thought, ranging everywhere at will, weaing forms at pleasure, capable of coursing in the sky, with golden and jewelled stafs, and daises of polished gold, the vehicle of the gods undeteriorating, bringing delight to the mind and sight ;wonderous exceedingly :painted with images designed to fill the mind with reverence, constructed by Brahma, containing all objects of desire, charming and nonpariel not cold and not yet hot, granting gratification in every season, and graceful to the view. And ascending that (car) coursing at will, won by his prowess, that utterly wicked one, out of swelling insolence, deemed himself master of the three worlds.
And having vanquished the deity Vaisravana, he descended from Kailasa. And having by his energy obtained the victory, the powerful night ranger wearing a bright diadem and necklace, and seated on that superb car, appeared radiant in his cout like Fire himself,"
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