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Tuen Akampana bestiring himself, speedily issuin of Janasthana, spake unto R&vana, “O king, a great | Rakshasa living in Janasthana,have been slain,and Khar: hath been slain in battle. I alone have with much diff managed to come here.” Thus addressed, the ten-n one, flaming up in energy, with his eyes reddened in w said this unto Akampana, “Who, having his days numb hath ravaged the dreadful Janasthana? Who shall no wend the way of all beings? Doing mea bad turn, M. van himself, or Vaigravana, or Yama, or Vishnu, ca attain happiness. I am the destroyer of the Destroyer self; and I burn even very Fire. And I can bring I itself to mortality. I can by my impetus resist the for the wind. And when enraged, I can by my energy con the Sun and Fire.” Thereat, Akampana, with joined h: from fear replied to the ten-necked Ravana, in faltering w beseeching courage. Thereat that foremost of Raksl the ten-necked one, granted him courage. Then ins with confidence, Akampana without fear spoke, “There son of Dagaratha, youthful, resembling a lion*, named R of broad shoulders, and possessed of excellent beauty of and mighty-arms. (He) is sable-hued, of high fame * Another reading is Viranga: rupopeta : possessed of handsome poeran

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cf matchless prowess and vigor. Itis he that in Janasthana Wizath slain Khara with Dushana.” Hearing Akampana’s tswords, that lord of the Rakshasas, Ravana, breathing like a smighty serpent, said these words, “Tell me,O Akampana, : hath Rama come to Janasthana, accompanied with the soverreign of the celestials and the body of the immortals? Again hearing Ravana’s words, Akampana described the strength and energy of that high-souled one. (He) is named Rama, and is exceedingly energetic ; the foremost of all bowmen— furnished with celestial panoply ; and is possessed of pre-eminent prowess in warfare. Like unto him in strength, of red eyes, and gifted with a voice like the sound of a kettledrum, = his younger brother, Lakshmana has a countenance resembl- 3 ing the full-moon. He hath met with him (Rama) as the i wind meeteth with a flame. He is endeued with grace, and : is the foremost of monarchs. It is he who hath ravaged ~ Janasthana. The magnanimous gods did not come there. .. No doubts need be entertained on this head. The feathered . shafts, plated with gold near the plumed part, becoming fivemouthed serpents ate up the Rakshasas, Wherever oppressed with fear the Rakshasas go, they see Rama stationed before them. In this way, O sinless one, hath * Janasthana been exterminated by him.” Hearing Akampana’s words, Ravana said, “I will go to Janasthana for slaying Rama with Lakshmana.” When he had said this, Akampana said, “Hear, O king, the true report of Rama's prowess and manliness. Enraged, the highly famous Rama cannot by putting forth vigor be checked. And by means of his shafts, he can make river in full flood turn its course. And he can bring down from the sky its stars and planets, and that graceful one can recover the depressed Earth. And that lord can submerge all creatures by riving the continents of the sea, and with his shafts can resist the onset of the ocean, and the wind ; and that illustrious one that foremost of persons by virtue of his vigor, destroying the worlds, can again create 73

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all creatures. O ten-necked one, forsooth, Rama cannot be subdued in conflict, either by thee or the world of Rakshasas, as heaven is incapable of being attained by asinner. I | deem him incapable of being slain by all the Gods and Asuras together. This alone is the means of slaying. Do thou heedfully listen to it! He has a wife of sterling worth in the world, and that slender-waisted one is known by the name of Sita. She is in the full bloom of youth, and hatha symmetrical person—a jewel among womankind embellished with jewels. And neither a goddess, nor a Gandharbi, nor yet an Apsari, nor a Pannagi is equal to her; and what is a human female? Thrashing him, do thou in the mighty forest, carry away his wife. Without Sita, Rama shall cease to exist.” Thereupon, the lord of the Rakshasas, Ravana, happened to relish those words; and reflecting (a while), that mighty-armed one addressed Akampana, saying, “Excellent well. I will go there alone, accompanied by my charioteer only. I will this very morning with a glad heart bring Vaidehi to this spacious palace.” Saying this, Ravana departed, lighting up all sides, on a sun-shiny car, yoked with mules. And coursing the firmament, that mighty car of that foremost of Rakshasas looked like the Moon among clouds. And proceeding far, he, approaching the asylum (of Taraka’s son), presented himself before him. And Maricha entertained the king with meats and drinks passing human. And having entertained him personally with a seat and water (to wash the feet), Miaricha spoke these pregnant words, “O king, O lord of the Rakshasas, is it well with the worlds? I am filled with fear: I apprehend that all is not right, since thou hast come hither (alone) in such post-haste speed.” Thus addressed by Maricha, the highly energetic Ravana, versed in speech, said, ‘‘My child, the guards (of Janasthana) have been slain by Rama of untiring energy; and all Janasthana, incapable of being slain, hath (by him) been brought down in battle. Do thou, therefore, assist me in carrying

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aaway his wife.” Hearing these words of the lord of Rakshasas, RMaricha said, “What enemy of thine in the guise of a friend, shath spoken of Sita untothee? And, O foremost of monqarchs, who, having been, entertained by thee, doth not bear nthee good will?* Tell me, who is it that hath told thee, 4‘Bring Sita hither?” Who is it that hath set his heart on nSevering the summit of the entire Rakshasa world? He ymust be thy enemy that excites thee to this. Of this there zis not the least doubt. He wishes to extract through thy aagency the fangs of a venomous snake. Who (intends) to ulead thee astray by imposing on thee such adeed? Who, »,O king, hath struck in the head, thee that wast slumbering iin peace? Raghava in war is like a mad elephant, having an zunblemished ancestry for his trunk, perspiration for his ; temporal exudation ; and arms resting well beside him for shis tusks. O Ravana, thou art not competent even to look zat him. Thou ought not to rouse up the sleeping man-lion, . that slayer of skillful Rakshasas resembling deer, with his ; Sport in the field, for his joints and down; arrows for his ; body and sharp scimitar for his teeth. O Sovereign of the . Rakshasas, thou ought not to plunge thyself into this dread- , ful, and abysslesss ocean, having the bow for its alligators, : activity of arms for its shine, arrows for its billows, and ; engagement for its waters. Be.propitious, O lord of Lanka! O foremost of Rakshasas, with a contented heart, thou hadst ; better go thy way to Lanka. Do thou ever sport with thy . own wives : let Rama in company with his wife, sport in the . woods.” Thus addressed by Mféricha, the ten-throated ; Ravana desisted, and entered Lanka the best of capitals. * Another reading is—ko na nandati ninditi ; who having been insulted - by thee, doth not rejoice (in thy prosperity), and, therefore, in the garb of friendship, hath done thee this wrong P—T. meeeeeenenel