Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 22 Aug 2011 12:16 and updated at 23 Aug 2011 11:23
VALMIKI RAMAYANA
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BOOK 7: UTTARA KANDA
SECTION 6
Thus afflicted, the deities, sages, and ascetics, wrought up with fear, sought the protection of that god of gods Maheshvara creator and destroyer of the cosmos, unborn, of an unmanifest form, the stay of all creatures, worthy of being adored, and the supreme preceptor (of all). And coming to that enemy of Kama and foe of Tripura the three eyed Deity(), the gods, with their voices faltering through fear, represented with joined hands, O reverend one, the creatures of the lord of creatures are being (sorely) troubled by the sons of Sukesa, given to harassing their foes, swolen with insolence on account of the boon conferred on them by the great father, Our asylums, constituting our refuges, have been divested of their power of granting shelter; and driving of the deities from the etherial regions, they are sporting there like the immortals.
I am Vishnu, I am Rudra, I am the king of the Devas, I am Yama, I am Varuna, I am the Moon, I am the Sun, flattering themselves in this fashion, Mali and Sumali and the Rakshasa Malyavan as well as those going before them, are annoying (the gods), breathing exhilaration of martial spirits. Therefore, O god, it behoveth thee to liberate us from fear, who have been greatly tormented by it. Do thou, assuming thy terrific form, slay the thorns of the Devas.
Thus addressed by the immortals in a body, that lord, Kaparddi of red blue hue, relecting that it would be wrong for him to destroy Sukesa (with his own hands), spoke unto the gods, I shall not slay them, ye gods ;they are incapable of being slain by me. But I shall unfold unto you the way in which they will be destroyed. Do ye, ye Maharshis, in the heat of this afair, seek the shelter of Vishnu.
That lord will slay them. Thereat, saluting Maheshvara with the sounds of Jaya, (the Devas) afflicted with the fear of the night rangers, presented themselves before Vishnu. And bowing down unto the god holding the conch, discus and mace, and paying him high homage, they, greatly lurried, addressed him about the sons of Sukesa, saying, O god, by virtue of the boon (that hath been bestowed on them), resembling the three fires, Sukesa s three sons, assailing us, have deprived us of our abode.
There is a city named Lanka, stationed on the top of Trikuta, (extremely) diicult of entrance. Taking up their station at that place, the night rangers in a body pursue us. Do thou, O slayer of Madhu, destroy them for our welfare.
We have sought thy shelter. Become our refuge, O foremost of Devas. Do thou dedicate to Yama the lotuses of their faces, severed (in pieces) with thy discus.
Save thee, we have none who can, while tormented with fright, inspire us with courage. Slay in encounter the elated Rakshasas along with their adherents ;and even as the sun drieth up dew, do thou dispell this fear of ours. Thus accosted by the deities, that god of gods Janardana who bringeth fear unto foes cheering up the Devas, said unto them, I know the Rakshasa, Sukesa, as flushed with the boon bestowed by Isana.
And I also know his sons, of whom Malyavan is the eldest. Those worst of Rakshasas that have over riden your dignity will I, wrought up with wrath, slay (in battle) ;therefore, ye gods, be of good cheer. Thus addressed by the mighty Vishnu, the gods, highly rejoiced, went to their respective quarters, extolling Janardana.
"And hearing of the activity of the Devas, the night ranger Malyavan addressed his heroic brothers, saying, The immortals and sages, going to Sankara, spake these words, desirous of our destruction, The terrific sons of Sukesa, pufed up, and swollen on account of their strength lowing from the boon, are crossing us at every step. We have been overpowered by the Rakshasas. And, O lord of creatures, from fear of those wicked minded ones, we cannot remain in our own homes.
Therefore, to do us good, do thou, O three eyed one, destroy them ;and, O best of consuming ones, do thou with thy roars, burn them up. Thus addressed by the deities, the slayer of Andhaka, hearing their speech, said, shaking his head and hands, Ye gods, Sukesa s sons are incapable of being slain by me in battle. But I shall tell you the means whereby they may be slain.
Do ye seek the shelter of him who holdcth the discus and mace in his hands, and who is clad in a yellow attire, of Janardana, Hari, even of the auspicious Narayana. Having received this counsel of Hara, they, rendering reverence unto that enemy of Kama, came to the abode of Narayana and communicated everything unto him. Then Narayana spoke unto the Devas with Indra at their head, I will slay those foes of the Devas.
Ye gods, cast of all fear O foremost of Rakshasas, Hari promised unto the frightened Devas that he would slay us. Therefore do ye think as to what is it. Hiranyakasipu hath met with death (at the hands of Hari), as also other enemies of the immotals.
And Namuchi and Kalanemi, and that foremost of heroes, Sanhrada and Radheya, and Vahumayi, and the virtuous Lokapala, and Yamala, and Arjuna, and Hardikya, and Sumbha and Nisumbhaka, Asuras and Danavas endowed with strength and possessed of terrific prowess all these, who, having come to the field, had never been heard of as worsted, who had performed hundreds of sacrifices, who had been well skilled in illusion, who had been versed in every branch of knowledge, and who were the terrors of their foes have by hundreds and by thousands been destroyed by Narayana. Learning this, it behoveth you to do what would conduce to the behoof of all. It is a sore task to defeat Narayana, who wisheth to slay us.
Thereat Sumali and Mali, hearing the words of Malyavan, said unto their eldest brother, like the Aswins addressing Vasava, We have studied, performed sacrifices, practised charity, and obtained riches ;and attaining long health and long life, we have established sterling righteousness in our path. And with arms plunging into the sea of Devas, we have conquered our unrivalled enemies. Therefore, we have no fear touching death.
Even Narayana and Rudra, Sakra and Yama, ever fear to stay before us (in the field). And, O lord of Rakshasas, there is no occasion for Vishnu s displeasure of us. The mind of Vishnu hath wavered in consequence of the evil caused by the Devas.
Therefore will we even avenge ourselves on the gods, from whom hath sprung this wrong. Having taken counsel together, those powerful ones conciliated their forces. And proclaiming (their order) that preparations were to be made, all the foremost Nairitas sallied forth for battle, like unto those led by Jamva and Vritra.
And, O Rama, having thus taken counsel together, with all the preparations complete, those huge bodied and redoubtable Rakshas marched foth for conflict, mounted on cars, and elephants, and horses resembling elephants, and mules, and kine, and camels, and purpoises, and Nagas, makaras, and totoises, and fishes, and fowls resembling Garura himself, lions and tigers and boars and Srimaras and Chamaras. And pufed up with pride of prowess, the Rakshas march, leaving Lanka, and the enemies of the Devas went to the heavenly regions for battle. And perceiving the destruction of Lanka at hand, those deities that had taken up their quarters there, everywhere were struck with fear and felt their spirits depressed.
And mounting the best of cars, the Rakshasas by hundreds and thousands with intent minds swiftly sallied foth for the celestial regions. And the deities (aforementioned) followed the tract of the Rakshasas. And at the command of Kala, terrible evil omens foreshadowing the destruction of the Rakshasa chiefs began to aise on the earth well as in the sky.
The clouds showered down bones and hot blood. The oceans ovcrlcapt their continents ;and the mountains shook. And jackals of terrific forms, having voices resembling the roaring of clouds, bursting out into a horse laugh, began to emit cries fightfully.
Creatures were one after another seen to drop down ;and mighty swarms of vultures, with mouths belching foth flames, began to wheel over the Rakshasa, like unto Kala himself. And blood footed pigeons and Sarikas darted of (around). And crows and two legged cats began to cry in loud accents.
But fast bound with the noose of Death, the Rakshasas, proud of their strength, disregarding these omens, march on, and do not stay their course, Malyavan and Sumali possessed of prodigious strength, going before the Rakshasas, like flaming fires. And even as the gods take refuge under Dhata, the night rangers take refuge under Malyavan resembling the mountain, Malyavan. And under the command of Mali, that host of Rakshasas, roaring like mighty clouds,inspired with the desire of victory, went to the celestial regions.
And the lord Narayana, hearing of the preparations of the Rakshasas from a celestial messenger, set his heat on fight. And equipped with weapons and quivers, he mounted on Vinata s ofspring. And donning on his mail furnished with the efulgence of a thousand suns, fastening his spotless quivers filled with shafts, being engit with his waist band and bright falchion, and equipped with his conch, discus, mace, Sarnga, sword, and other superior weapons, that lotus eyed lord, seated on Vinata s ofspring like a very mountain, set out speedily for compassing the destruction of the Rakshasas.
And seated on Suparna s back, the blue brown Hari clad in yellow attire resembled a mass of clouds on the crest of the golden mountain, with lightning playing through it. And hymned by Siddhas and Devas and sages and mighty (semi divine) Nagas and Gandharvas and Yakshas, the enemy of the Asura hosts presented himself, bearing in his hands the discus, sword, that weapon Sarnga and the conch. And the Rakshasa hosts, struck by the wind produced by the wings of Suparna, with their pennons swinging to and fro and their weapons scattered about, quaked like the blue summit of a mountain with its crags tossed about.
Then the night rangers, hemming in Madhava, began to pierce him with thousands of excellent sharpened weapons dyed in flesh and blood, and resembling the fire of Doomsday."
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