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Tuereuron Ravana, with sweet words and gestures pressed his own desire unto Sit&, poorly, deprived of encircled by Rakshasees and leading the life of an asc “O thou having thighs like the trunks of elephants, + thou hast, beholding me, hidden thy breast and belly, per thou art afraid of exposing thy person unto me. I do for thee, O thou having expansive eyes; do thou est me, O my dear one, O thou gifted with all accomplishm and pleasant unto all persons. O Sita, here is no hu being or any Rakshasa assuming shapes at will, do therefore renounce all fear from me. O timid dar for certain it is the virtue of the Rakshasas that they al: visit others’ wives or come by them by force. In spil this, O Maithilee, I do not touch thee for thou art not u the influence of amour—but for me, I am completely « its sway. Do not fear me, O worshipful damsel, confide it O my beloved one, and become attached unto me. not give way to grief. A single lock of hair, to lie d on earth and useless fast—these do not become thee. All ing me, O Maithilee, do thou enjoy excellent garla sandal, ornaments, costly wines, beds, seats, songs, d ing and music. Thou art a jewel of a female; do | not therefore remain in this guise. Puton thy ornam therefore. How shalt thou remain unadorned obtai me, © thou of a beautiful figure > This thy beau youth is passing away, which like the curreat of ar

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when once gone, doth not turn back. O thou of a fair look, laving created thee, the artist of Gods, the maker of zelestial beauties, hath ceased from his work, for a match of thy beauty I find in none. Who is there, O Vaidehi, vho can withstand the influence of amour, getting thee, gifted with beauty and youth? (\What of others) even Brahma, the grand-father of the celestials, is moved. O hou having a moon-like countenance, and well-developed lips, whatever limbs of thine, I behold, I find my gaze fixed therein. O Maithilee, do thou become my spouse, and ‘enounce this delusion. Do thou become the foremost queen of all my excellent wives. O timid one, all the jewels that ‘have collected from the three worlds, and all my kingdom ‘ shall confer on thee. O sportive damsel, for thy satisfaction, . shall conquer the whole earth, engarlanded by many cities ind bestow it upon Janaka. Find I none on this earth vho can withstand my prowess. Do thou behold my natchless prowess in battle. The celestials and Asuras ire incapable of withstanding me, defeated as they were xy me in battle and their pennons struck down, Do thou -herefore desire me to-day, dress thyself in excellent robes ind adorn thyself in beautifully brilliant ornaments. I shall yehold thy dazzling beauty when adorned with ornaments. For pity unto me, do thou embellish thyself with ornaments, ) thou of a graceful countenance. O timid damsel, do thou, it thy pleasure, enjoy all sorts of comforts and luxuries, ind do thou, as thou desirest, confer wealth and land on others. Do thou confiding in me, ask for thy wished-for »bjects and do thou command me like unto an unmannerly jJamsel. Thou shalt, by asking favours from me, satisfy the lesires of thy friends. O gentle lady, O thou of great ‘enown, du thou observe my prosperity. What shalt hou do with Rama, wearing bark, O thou of pleasant »resence. Rama hath ceased from his endeavours for gaining ‘ictory. He hath lost all his beauty, lives in the forest, is

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engaged in observances and always lies down on earth. I fear whether he is living still. O Vaidehi, R&ma shall not be able to see thee like unto the rays of the moon covered with blue clouds preceded by V’alakdés.* Raghava shall never get thee back from my hands, like unto Airanyakasips unable to regain his wife Acerté from Indra. O thou of beautiful teeth, O thou having beautiful eyes, O sportive damsel, O timid one,thou dost steal my mind like unto Garuda catching serpents. Beholding thee, wearing a shattered silken cloth, slender and without any ornaments, I do not find any attachment in my own wives. O daughter of Janaka, do thou exercise, thy supremacy, over all my wives, living in my seraglio and gifted with all accomplishments. O thou having black hair, all my wives are foremost in beaaty over the three worlds. And they shall all attend thee like unto Apsaras waiting upon the Goddess of wealth. O thou having beautiful eye brows and well-developed hips, do thou, along with me, enjoy at thy pleasure all the wealth and riches of Kuvera.t O worshipful damsel, in asceticism, strength or prowess, wealth or fame, Rama is not my equal. Do thou therefore at thy pleasure drink, enjoy and eat I shall confer on thee wealth and the whole earth. Do thos satisfy all thy desires in me, O fair damsel, and let thy frieads be satisfied in thee. And adorned with a beautiful goldea necklace, O timid lady, do thou at thy pleasure, range with me, in the forests, situated on the bank of the ocead, and filled with flowery trees and black bees.” * Akind of crane.—T. t The God of wealth or Pluto in Greek myth.—T.