Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 23 Aug 2011 11:42 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:42
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 31
After sunset the highly power Ravana encamped his army there. And the clear moon, brilliant as the mountain having risen, that huge army, armed with diverse weapons, became asleep.
And lying down on the summit of the mountain, the highly powerful Ravana espied the caves beautified with the rays of the moon and the trees. And the interior of the forest was beautified with the brilliant groves of Karnikara, with Kadamba and Vakula trees, groves of full blown lotuses, the waters of Mandakini, with Champaka, Asoka, Punnaga Mandara, Mangoe, Patala, Lodra, Pryangu, Arjuna, Ketaka, Tagara, Coconut, Pyala, Panasa and various other trees. And there sang the Kinnaras.
possessed by desire, and having sweet voice, enhancing the delight of the mind. And there danced mirthfully, with their damsels, the Vidyadharas, inebriete and having their eyes reddened with drink. There was audible in the house of the lord of riches, the sweet music of the assembled Apsaras like unto the sound of the bell.
And being shaken by the wind the nectar smelling trees made the hill fragrant with the shower of flowers. And carrying the fagrance rendered salutary with honey and the filaments of flowers, the excellent wind blew enhancing Ravana s desire. Being possessed by desire through the sweet scent of flowers, coldness of air, beauty of the hills, and cool rays of the moon in night, the highly powerful Ravana espied again and again the moon with heavy sighs.
At this time passed by that way the foremost of Apsaras, Rambha, adorned with excellent ornaments and having a countenance like the full moon. Her person was sprinkled with excellent sandal paste her hairs were decked with Mandara lowers her body was beautified with other flowers and her movements tended to increase desire. Her eyes were beautiful and her waist was high, adorned with Mekhala and was as if the refuge of Rati.
Her forehead and other parts of the countenance were painted with the marks of red sandal and adorned with ornaments of lfowers growing in six seasons. Rambha appeared like second Sree, in grace and beauty, natural and artificial. She wore green clothes resembling the clouds ;her face was like the moon, eye brows like excellent bows, thighs like the trunks of elephants and palms soft as leaves.
She was seen by Ravana as proceeding in the midst of soldiers. Having got up and been influenced by lust he took her, shameful as she was, by the hand and smiling said: "Where art thou going, O beautiful damsel ?Whom art thou going of thy own accord to satisfy ?Whose prosperous time hath appeared, with whom thou shalt enjoy ?Who shall be satisfied with dinking the nectar of thy mouth smelling like lotus ?Whose breast, O fare damsel, thy rising breast beautiful like two golden pots closely placed, shall touch ?Who is there so beautiful as I Indra, Vishnu, or two Aswins that thou art passing by me ?Do thou take rest upon this excellent rock, O thou having charming waist. There is no other lord, save me, in the three worlds.
And Dasanana, the lord of the lords of the three worlds, thus begs thee, with folded palms. Do thou therefore seek me." Being thus addressed, Rambha, trembling, with folded palms, said: "Be thou propitited ;it doth not behove thee to speak thus, who art my superior.
Rather shouldst thou protect me if any body else trieth to oppress me. Virtually I am thy daughter in law. I speak to thee the truth.
Thereupon the Dasagriva said to her, standing with her face downwards, and her down standing erect at his very sight. Hadst thou been the wife of my son, thou wouldst have been my daughter in law." Whereto Rambha replied: "Truely it is ;I am, by virtue, the wife of thy son, O foremost of Rakshasas.
Thy brother Vaisravana hath a son, dearer than his life, celebrated in the three worlds under the name of Nalakuvara. In virtue he is like unto a Brahmin, in prowess he equals a Kshatriya, in anger he is very fire and in patience he is like the earth. I have been thus directed by that Lokapala s son.
For him I have adorned my person with these ornaments. I am not attached to any body else but him. O king, O slayer of foes, by virtue of (this relation) it beboveth thoe to save me.
And that virtuous souled one is anxiously expecting me. Thou shouldst not put obstacle in that; it beboveth thee to let me go ;do thou, O foremost of Rakshasas, wend the way treaded by the pious. Thou art worthy of being revered by me and I am an object of thy protection.
Being thus addressed Dasagriva humbly replied "I am daughter in law," as thou hast said, is worthy of being said by who is the only wife. This is the everlasting law of the Devas that the Apsaras have no husband; they cannot be the wife of one husband." Having said this, the Raksha ravished her.
Being released from his grasp Rambha becam divested of her ornaments and garland and became like the river agitated by the elephants. Her hairs were dishevelled and her hands were trembling. Like unto a blossom creeper shaken by the wind, she, trembling and bashful and with folded hands, went to Nalakuvara and fell down at his feet.
Having seen her in that plight the high souled Nalakuvara said O fair one, what is this ?Why hast thou placed thyself at my feet ?"Sighing heavily and and trembling she, with folded palms, related to him everything from the beginning to the end. O lord, on his way to heaven, Dasagriva hath arrived here and hath spent the night with his army. While I was coming to thee, O slayer of foes,I was seen by him.
Then holding me he said "Where art thou going ?"I related to him everythig truly. But being possessed by lust he did not pay heed to my words. He was again prayed by me, O lord, saying "I am thy daughter in law.
But neglecting that he ravished me. O thou of firm vows, it behoveh thee to forgive me for this folly. O gentle one, a woman s strength can never equal that of a man.
Hearing of this ravishment Vaisravana s son was greatly enraged and entered into meditation. Having ascertained the truth within a moment Vaisravana s son, with eyes reddened with fire, took water in his palms. Having taken this and rinsed his mouth duly, he imprecated a dreadful curse upon that lord of Rakshasas.
"O fair one, since thou hast been ravished by him despite thy unwillingness he shall never be able to get by an unwilling damsel. Whenever he shall, stricken by lust, ravish a reluctant damsel, his head shall be sundered into seven pieces. As soon as this curse, like unto a burning flame, was uttered, the celestial bugles were sounded and a shower of flowers fell from heavens.
Being apprised of the plight of people (brought about by him) and of the death of that Rakshasa the patriarch Brahma and other gods were greatly delighted. Hearing of that curse capable of making the down erect, Dasagriva abstained from entertaining lust for unwilling females. And hearing of the curse imprecated by Nalakuvara all the chaste damsels, that were kept captive, attained to great delight.
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