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 16
O Rama, having, vanquished his brother, the lord of riches, the king of Rakshasas went to the great wood of reeds, where Mahasena was born. And the Ten necked one saw the great golden wood of reeds.
Furnished with networks of solar rays, and appearing like a second Sun, and ascending the mountain, he was surveying the heart of the forest, when, O Rama, Pushpaka was (suddenly) deprived of its motion. And the lord of Rakshasas, could not comprehend how the car which had been so made as to course in accordance with the wish of the rider, could have its course impeded ;and thereat he in company with his councillors thought, Wherefore doth not this Pushpaka course at my desire over this mountain ?Whose act is this Thereat Maricha foremost of intelligent ones said, That Pushpaka doth not course cannot, sire, be without cause; or it may be that in consequence of Pushpaka not having born;: any other than the bestower of riches, it hath ceased its course not having the lord of wealth for its rider. As they were speaking thus, that attendant of Bhava, Nandi, terriffic, of yellow black hue, dwarfish,frightful, with his head shaven, having short arms, and stout, coming up to them, said (this).
And the lordly Nandi,undaunted, addressed the sovereign of the Rakshasas, saying Desist thou O Ten necked one Sankara; spoteth in the mountain ;and (now) He is incapable of being approached by every one Suparnas, Nagas and Yakshas Devas;, Gandharvas and Rakshas Hearing Nandi s speech, Ravana(), wrought up with wrath, his eyes coppery, and his ear rings shaking, leapt down from Pushpaka. And saying, who is this Sankara he came down to the base of the mount, and beheld there Nandi stationed at the side of that deity, suppoting himself on his flaming dart, resembling a second Sankara. And seeing that one having a monkey like face, the Rakshasa, deriding him, burst out into laughter, and seemed as if a mass of clouds were sending roars.
Thereat, growing enraged, the reverend Nandi Sankara s other body spoke unto that Raksha Dasagriva present there; As O Dasanana, deriding me for my monkey like form, thou hast indulged in a laughter resembling the bursting of thunder, so Vanaras endowed with prowess, and possessed of my form and energy shall be born for compassing the destruction, of thy race. And armed with teeth and claws, and fierce and furnished with the fleetness of thought, and mad for encounter, and bursting with vigor, and resembling moving mountains. And being born, they shall crush thy high pride and power along with thy coutiers and sons.
But, O night ranger, I can even now end thee quite; yet I must not slay thee for thou hast ere this been slain by thine acts. When that high souled god had spoken thus celestial kettle drums sounded and a blossomy shower rained from the sky. But without heading Nandi s speech, that highly powerful one Dasanana coming to the mountan, said, O Gopati, I will even uproot this mountain, for whom Pushpaka was deprived of its motion as I was journeying.
It must be known by what inluence Bhavaswara spoteth here king like. He doth not know that an occasion of fear hath presented itself? Having said this, O Rama, Ravana seizing the mountain with his arms, lifted it up at once; and then the mountain trembled greatly. And in consequence of the mountain shaking the attendants of the deity (dwelling in it) also shook.
And Parvati also trembled and embraced Maheshvara. And then, O Rama, Mahadeva foremost of the deities even Hara, as in sport pressed the mount with his great toe. And thereat his arms, resembling blocks of stone felt the shock and then there the councilors of that Raksha were struck with amaze.
And the Raksha, from wrath and the pain felt in his arms, set up a shout that shook the entire triune world. And his councillors considered it as the concussion of the thunder at the universal disruption. And then the Devas with Indra at their head shook on their way; and the sea was wild and the mountains shook.
And Yakshas and Vidyadharas and Siddhas asked, What is this. Do thou propitiate Uma s lord the blue throated Mahadeva; for, O Dasanana, save him thy refuge see we none in this matter. Bowing thyself down, do thou seek him as thy shelter.
Then the kind Sankara, on being gratified, will confer on thee his favor. Thus accosted by his councillors, the Ten faced one, bowing down to him having the bull for his standard, began to hymn him with various Soma hymns; and the Raksha passed away a good thousand years in lamentations. And thereat that Lord Mahadeva, pleased, set free the hands of Dasanana stationed at the top of the mount, and O Rama, addressed him, saying, O Dasanana, pleased am I with thee on account of thy hymns.
And as in consequeucc of thy arms having been hurt by the mountain, thou hast uttered a terriffic yell, which struck horror unto the three worlds and put them shaking, therefore, O King, thy name shall be Ravana. And Devas and men and Yakshas and others living on earth shall call thee Ravana terror to creatures. So, O Paulastya, which way thou wishest, and permitted by me, O Lord of Rakshasas, go thou.
Thus accosted by Sambhu, Lanka s lord said of himself. If thou art pleased with me, grant me a boon, who ask thee for it. I have already obtained a boon, bestowing on me immunity from death at the hands of Devas, Gandharvas and Danavas; and Rakshasas and Guhyakas and Nagas; and others also that are of more than oridinary strength.
Man count I not O god :They, I deem, are insigniicant. I have also, O destroyer of Tripura, received a long lease of life from Brahma. Now I wish to pass the remainder of my days in peace: and do thou grant me a weapon.
Thus addressed by him, Ravana(,) Sankara gave him an exceedingly effulgent sword, famed as Chandrahasa; and the master of spectres then also granted him peace for the rest of his life. And making (the sword) over to him, Sambhu said, Thou must not disregard this. If disregarded, it will for certain come (back) to me Having thus received his name from Maheshvara, Ravana, saluting Mahadeva, ascended Pushpaka.
And then, O Rama, Ravana, began to go round the earth. And opposed at places, by the heroic Kshatriyas endowed with energy and irrepressible in fight, who refused submission, he exterminated them along with their retainers; while other men of wisdom, knowing the Raksha to be invincible, said unto the Rakshasa elated with strength, We have been conquered?"
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