Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Aug 2011 12:16 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:22
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 5
Sage Agastya continued: Sukesa" lived righteosly without any taint of Rakshasas nature. A Gandharva, Gramani by name, gladly gave is daughter Devavati, a celestial beauty, in marriage to Sukesa, who was looked upon as the foster son of Siva and Parvati. In course of time, three sons, as radiant as fire, were born unto them.
They were named Malyavanta, Sumali, and Mali. When they grew up, all the three brothers went to the mount Meru and did terrible penaces in view of obtaining boons. Due to the terrible heat of the penace, all the beings, in the three worlds, were terrorized and went under duress
Fear and disterss, from these penances having struck the Devas, the Rishis and the Rakshasas, God Brahma appeared before them and addressed them thus: "O formost among the Rakshasas, stop your terrible penace, that afflicts the whole world. What bood do you want? ".Thereupon, the three great sons of Sukesa, prayed: "O grandfather, grand thou us the boons of invincibility, great power to subdue the enemies, long life and undisturbed brotherhood among ourselves.
The great God granted those boons saying so be it and disappeared then and there. The penace being over, and great boons having obtained, they filled themselves with pride and started oppression of all beings. The Devas, the Rishis, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Daityas and Danavas were all started to suffer oppression at their hands and ran away in grate confusion.
Once the king of the Devas, Indra, through the great Architect Viswakarma got the most magnificent and the most impregnable Lanka and as splendid as Amaravati of Indra, built on mount Suveladri, surrounded by mountain Trikuta, on the coast of the southern ocean. All its walls were of gold and were so lofty that even birds cannot enter the city. The city was Hundred Yojanas in length and Thirty Yojanas in width.
The sons of Sukesa once captured Viswakarma and asked him: "Do thou construct for as a magnificiant city and palace like the city of Indra.". On being asked thus the celestial architect replied: "Do you repair unto Lanka, where I had formerly built a great city with a magnificiant palace for Vasava.
Hearing this, the Rakshasa brothers, filled with delight, and with their followers, went to the palace and set up in the same, having a strong wall and a moat, abounding in hundreds of golden edifices. And obtaining Lanka, the night rangers, exceedingly delighted, began to dwell therein. At this time, O Raghava, there lived at her pleasure a Gandharvi, named Narmada.
O son of Raghu, she had three daughters, resembling Sri, Hri, and Kirti in splendour. And albeit no Rakshasi herself, she, beginning with the eldest, gladly married to the Rakshasas her daughters having faces resembling the full moon. And under the influence of the star, Bhagadaivata, those three exalted daughters of a Gandharvi were respectively conferred by their mother on the three several Rakshasas of eminence.
And having wedded, O Rama, Sukesa s sons began to sport with their wives, like Devas sporting with Apsaras. Malyavan s beautiful spouse was named Sundari. On her he begot, do thou understand, whom Vajramushti, and Virupaksha, and the Rakshasa Durmukha, and Suptaghna, and Yajnakopa, and Matta and Unmatta ;and, O Rama, there was also born a lovely daughter of Sundari, Anala.
And Sumali s wife, of face like the full Moon, named Ketumati, was dearer to him than his life itself. O mighty king, do thou, gradually, know the offspring that were begot by Sumali on Ketumati, Prahasta, and Kampana, and Vikata, and Kalikamukha, and Dhumraksha, and Danda, and the redoubtable Suparswa, and Sanhradi, and Praghasa, and the Rakshasa, Bhasakarna, and Raka, and Pushpotkata, and Kaikasi of luminous smiles, and Kumbhinasi these are known as the offspring of Sumali. Mali had for wife a graceful Gandharvi, having eyes resembling lotus petals, of a lovely look, and like unto the most magniicent Yakshi of them all.
Do thou, O master, listen to me as 1 mention to thee,0 Raghava,the offspring that Sumali s younger brother begat on her, Anala, and Nila, and Sampati. These night rangers sons unto Mali were the courtiers of Vibhishana. And those three foremost of Rakshasas, accompanied by hundreds of sons night rangers all elated on account of their measureless prowess, began to worry the sages and Nagas and Yakshas, and Devas with Indra (at their head).
And incapable of being confronted (in battle), these resembling Death himself in energy, wondrous elated in consequence of the boon having been conferred on them, ranging the world like unto the Wind, were ever engaged in disturbing the sacrifices (of the sages)."
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