Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Aug 2011 11:39 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:39
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 26
Having spent the night on the picturesque summit of the mount Meru and thinking (for some time) the powerful lord of Lanka went to the region of the Moon. (And he saw a person) proceeding, seated on a car, sprinkled with heavenly unguents and attended upon by Apsaras. And worn out with the satisfaction of desire he was being kissed there.
Seeing such a person his curiosity was greatly excited And beholding a Rishi there he said to him "Welcome thou art, O celestial saint. Indeed thou hast come at a proper season. Who is this shameless wight that is going seated on a car and attended by Apsaras ?Does he not perceive his object of fear ?"Being thus addressed by Ravana, Parvata said O my child, O thou gifted with great intellect Hear I shall describe to thee the truth.
By him all the worlds have been conquered and Brahma hath been propitiated. And he is now proceeding to that excellent region full of bliss for obtaining final liberation. As all the worlds have been conquered by thee by virtue of thy asceticism, O lord of Rakshasas, so is he going, undoubtedly performing many pious actions and drinking Soma juice.
O foremost of Rakshasas, thou at heroic, and hast truth for thy prowess. The powerful are never offended with the pious." Thereupon he espied an excellent, huge car, filled with all radiance and efulgence and the sound of musical instruments and singing.
(And Ravana said) O great Rishi, who is that person, gifted with great effulgence, who goeth surrounded by charming songsters, dancing girls and Kinnaras?" Hearing his words Parvata, the foremost of saints, again said "He is heroic and a great warrior he never returneth unsucessful from a battle field. Having performed many heroic feats in battle, and slain many enemies, he hath been assailed with many wounds in fighting and hath renounced his life for his master. Having destroyed many in battle, he hath at last been slain by his enemies and is perhaps now going either to the region of Indra or to some such place.
This best of men is now being entertained by these well versed in the art of singing and dancing." Ravana again said "Who goeth there effulgent like unto the sun ?"Hearing the words of Ravana, Parvata said The person, resembling the full moon and wearing diverse ornaments and cloths, whom thou beholdest, O great king, in the golden car abounding in Apsaras, distributed gold. He, gifted with great efulgence, is now going in a swift coursing car.
Hearing the words of Parvata, Ravana said O foremost of Rishis, do thou tell me, who, of these kings going, if prayed for, may offer me the hospitality of a battle ?For sooth thou art my father ;do thou point out (such a man to me) O thou conversant with piety." Being thus addressed, Parvata again said to Ravana O great king, all these kings wish for heaven not for battle. I shall point out such a man, O great one, as shall enter into conflict with thee.
There is a highly powerful king the lord of Seven islands, well known by the name of Mandhata; he shall enter into an encounter with thee." Hearing the words of Parvata, Ravana again said Do thou tell me, O thou of great devotion, where this king resides. I shall go where lives this foremost of men.
Hearing the words of Ravana, the sage again said The son of Yavanashwa hath conquered the world consisting of seven islands begining with the sea; Mandhata, the foremost of kings, is just coming to meet him." Thereupon Ravana() having long arms, proud of the boon conferred upon him in the three worlds, beheld the heroic Mandhata, the lord of Ayodhya and the foremost of kings. The king of Seven islands proceeded in a golden and well painted car resplendant like that of Mahendra, shining in his beauty and sprinkled with celestial unguents.
The Ten naked Rakshasa said to him Do thou give me battle." Being thus addressed, he, laughing, said to the Ten necked Rakshasa If thy life is not dear unto thee, do thou fight with me, O Rakshasa." Hearing the words of Mandhata, Ravana said Ravana did not experience any affliction from Varuna Kubera or Yama ;why should he experience fear from thee, who art a man ?"Having said this, the lord of Rakshasas as if burning in fire, ordered the Rakshasas irrepressible in battle.
Thereupon the ministers of the vicious souled Ravana, highly enraged and well skilled in warfare, began to make a downpour of arrows. Thereupon the highly powerful king Mandhata, with sharpened shafts, assailed Prahasta, Suka, Sarana, Mahodara, Virupaksha, Akampana and other foremost heroes. Prahasta covered the king with his arrows but before they had approached him, that foremost of men shattered them into pieces.
Like unto fire burning down grass, the host of Rakshasas were burnt down by the king Mandhata by means of hundreds of Bhushundis, Vallas, Vindipalas and Tomaras. As Kartikeya, the son of fire, sundered the mount Krauncha with his shafts so Mandhata, enraged, pierced Prahasta with five Tomaras gifted with great velocity. Then hurling his mace again and again resembling that of Yama, he struck, vehemently, Ravana s car therewith.
That club, resembling the lightning, vehemently descended (upon Ravana s car)and Ravana, like Sakra s banner, was speedily upset by that. Like unto the rising of the waters of the Salt ocean on the full moon, the king Mandhata s joy and strength were greatly increased. Thereupon the entire Rakshasa host, emitting loud cries, stood encircling on all sides the lord of Rakshasas.
Thereat speedily regaining his sense, Ravana, a terror unto all people, the lord of Lanka, greatly assailed the person of Mandhata. And beholding thtt king in a swoon, the highly powerful night rangers were greatly delighted and emitted leonine roars. Regaining his sense in a moment the king of Ayodhya beheld his enemy worshipped by the courtiers and night rangers.
He was instantly worked up with fire; and assuming a person resplendant like that of the sun and the moon he began to slay the Rakshasa host with a dreadful downpour of shafts. With his arrows and the noise thereof the entire Rakshasa army were overwhelmed like the agitated deep. Thereupon there arose a dreadful conflict between men and Rakshasas.
And those two heroic, high souled and foremost of men and Rakshasas seated on warriors seats and holding bow and daggers entered (the field). And possessed by great anger they began to assail one another with shafts Mandhata Ravana and he again the king. They, being assailed
by one another, were both wounded. And setting the Raudra shaft upon his bow Ravana discharged it and Mandhata baffled it by means of his fiery shafts. Dasagriva took up the Gandharva weapon and the king Mandhata the Brahmastra stricking terror unto all.
Ravana then took up the celestial Pasupata weapon, dreadful and increasing the fright of the three worlds, obtained by him from Rudra by virtue of his rigid penances. Seeing this all animals, mobile and immobile, were stricken with terror. Thereupon trembled all the three worlds consisting of mobile and immobile beings the Devas and all the Nagas became inert.
Being apprised (of this conflict) by vitue of meditation the two foremost of ascetics Pulastya and Galava remonstrated with them in many a way and prevented the king Mandhata() and the foremost of Rakshasas. Thereupon that man and Rakshasa being reconciled with one another went back by the ways they had respectively come.
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