BOOK X YUDDHA (The War in Ceylon) RA AMA crossed over with his army from India to Ceylon. There is a chain of islands across the strait, and the Indian poet supposes them to be the remains of a vast causeway which Rama built to cross over with his army. The town of Lanka, the capital of Ceylon, was invested, and the war which followed was a succession of sallies by the great leaders and princes of Lanka. But almost every sally was repulsed, every chief was killed, and at last Ravan himself who made the last sally was slain and the war ended. Among the numberless fights described in the original work, those of Ravan himself, his brother Kumbha-karna, and his son Indrajit, are the most important, and oftenest recited and listened to in India; and these have been rendered into English in this Book. And the reader will mark a certain method in the poet's estimate of the warriors who took part in these battles. First and greatest among the warriors was Rama; he was never beaten by an open foe, never conquered in fair fight. Next to him, and to him only, was Ravan the monarch of Lanka; he twice defeated Lakshman in battle, and never retreated except before Rama. Next to Rama and to Ravan stood their brothers, Lakshman and Kumbha-karna; it is difficult to say who was the best of these two, for they fought only once, and it was a drawn battle. Fifth in order of prowess was Indrajit the son of Ravan, but he was the first in his magic art. Concealed in mists by his magic, he twice defeated both Rama and Lakshman; but in his last battle he had to wage a face to face combat with Lakshman, and was slain. After these five warriors, pre-eminent for their prowess, various Vanars and Rakshas took their rank. The The war ended with the fall of Ravan and his funerals. portions translated in this Book form the whole or portions of Sections xliv., xlviii., lix., lxvi., lxvii. and lxxiii., an abstract of Sections lxxv. to xci., and portions of Sections xciii., xcvi., ci., cii., ciii., cix., cx., and cxiii. of Book vi. of the original text. Indrajit's First Battle The Serpent-Noose Darkly round the leaguered city Rama's countless forces lay, Wrath and anguish shook his bosom and the gates he opened wide, Onward came resistless Rakshas, laid Sugriva's forces low, Bravely fought the scattered Vanars facing still the tide of war, And their shafts like hissing serpents on the falt'ring foemen fell, Fiercer grew the sable midnight with the dying shriek and yell! Dust arose like clouds of summer from each thunder-sounding car, From the hoofs of charging coursers, from the elephants of war, Streams of red blood warm and bubbling issued from the countless slain, Flooded battle's dark arena like the floods of summer rain, Sound of trumpet and of bugle, drum and horn and echoing shell, And the neigh of charging coursers and the tuskers' dying wail, And the yell of wounded Rakshas and the Vanars' fierce delight, Shook the earth and sounding welkin, waked the echoes of the night! Six bright arrows Rama thundered from his weapon dark and dread, Iron-toothed Bajra-dranshtra and his fainting comrades fled, Dauntless still the serried Rakshas, wave on wave succeeding came, Perished under Rama's arrows as the moths upon the flame! Indrajit the son of Ravan, Lanka's glory and her pride, Matchless in his magic weapons came and turned battle's tide, What though Angad in his fury had his steeds and driver slayed, Indrajit hid in the midnight battled from its friendly shade, Shrouded in a cloud of darkness still he poured his darts like rain, On young Lakshman and on Rama and on countless Vanars slain, Matchless in his magic weapons, then he hurled his Naga-dart, Serpent noose upon his foemen draining life blood from their heart! Vainly then the royal brothers fought the cloud-enshrouded foe, Vainly sought the unseen warrior dealing unresisted blow, Fastened by a noose of Naga forced by hidden foe to yield, Rama and the powerless Lakshman fell and fainted on the field! II Sita's Lament Indrajit ere dawned the morning entered in his father's hall, Spake of midnight's darksome contest, Rama's death and Lakshman's fall, And the proud and peerless Ravan clasped his brave and gallant son, Praised him for his skill and valour and his deed of glory done, And with dark and cruel purpose bade his henchmen yoke his car, Bade them take the sorrowing Sita to the gory field of war! Soon they harnessed royal coursers and they took the weeping wife, Where her Rama, pierced and bleeding, seemed bereft of sense and life, Brother lay beside his brother with their shattered mail and bow, And I weep not for my sorrows,-sorrow marked me from my birth,Child of Earth I seek in suffering bosom of my mother Earth! But I grieve for dear Kausalya, sonless mother, widowed queen, How she waits with eager longing till her Rama's exile o'er, Sorely wept the sorrowing Sita in her accents soft and low, But Trijata her companion,-though a Raksha woman she,— Rama and the gallant Lakshman, fainting, not bereft of life, |