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Heaarine the speech of the huge-bodied, long-armed and mighty Kumbhakarna, Mahodara said,—‘OQ Kumbhakarna, although sprung in a noble line, thou art wondrous haughty and of a vulgar form; and thou art not everywhere competent to discern thy course. It certainly cannot well be that the king cannot distinguish between proper and improper ; but thou hast from thy youth upwards been insolent ; and thy joy is in talking perenially. But the foremost of the Rakshasas is versed in place and increase and injury,— and knoweth the duties touching season and place,—and how to advance his own party and lower that of the foe. But what * Ocean.

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person ever acteth according to what is proposed feebly* by one having strength, yet of inferior intelligence, and who hath never respected the aged? And thou art not naturally competent to understand what thou thyself sayest touching the opposed virtue, profit and desire. Verily action is the spring of all agencies of happiness or misery ; and it is only those that act either well or ill.that reap the results of their acts. Virtue,f and interest} bring about emancipation as well as heaven and prosperity. But evil cometh from unrighteousness and harms spring therefrom.§ People reap the fruit of their acts in this world or the next ; but the fruit of desire is reaped readily. Therefore should a king set about attaining his desire. And this also had we advised thee with our soul. And what is the harm that one should display his prowess before a foe? Dost thou show the reasons for thy taking the field alone ? But I shall point thee out what is improper and unreasonable in this (proposed) course. How shalt thou alone vanquish that Raghava who formerly routed in Janasthana innumerable Rakshasas possessed of exceeding strength ? Dost thou not to-day in the palace behold those prowerful R&kshasas that had been beaten in Janasthina,— cowed down in fear? Alas! thou wishest to awake Rima,— son unto Dacaratha—knowing full well that he resembles an enraged lion or a sleeping serpent. But whom doth it behove * Vaktum acakyam—incapable of saying. But what sense can be attached to—‘What man acteth according to what is mot advanced by one having strength......aged ?’ I therefore venture to render the passage—/feebly proposed—i.e. proposed with vascillation or half-heartedly. —T. + The maxims enunciated by this counsellor are hardly all of a piece. The text may have been tampered with.—T. ¢~ Artha means sacrifices, gifts, &c., which are capable of being performed with wealth. ‘Sacrifice, gift, and asceticism purify the pious.’ The Lord’s word.—T. . § Dharma,remarks RAmanuja, is here used for contemplation and recitation of scriptural formula performed without regard to happiness as the fruit of those actions. This is what hath been termed aishkdm dharma—disinterested piety. —T. 164

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to confront him ever flaming in energy, difficult of being approached when enraged,—and unbearable even like Death himself? On approaching the foe, this whole host itself shall be imperilled ; and therefore, my child, thy marching alone doth nowise recommend itself to me. Who is there that, albeit weak bent on renouncing his life, wisheth to bring under subjection a foe that is powerful,—as if he would act with reference to one that is inferior 2? O foremost of Rakshasas, why dost thou wish to fight with him whose peer there is none among men, and who is equal to Indra and Vivagwata himself ?” Having said this unto Kumbhakarna wrought up with wrath, Mahodara addressed that destroyer of creatures— . Ravana—in the midst of the Rakshasas,—‘Having already obtained Vaidehi, why dost thou delay ? If thou wishest it, Sita shall come under thy control. I have perceived a way as to how Sita may smile upon thee. Do thou listen ; and should it please thee, act thou accordingly. Do thou proclaim it about that I and Dwijibha and Sanhradi, and Kumbhakarna and Vitardana—these five—are marching for compassing the destruction of Rama. And we, marching out, shall battle with Rama, putting forth our uttermost. And if we succeed in securing victory, no expedient need we resort to (or bringing Sit& round). But if our foe live after fight and we also having faught the fight, then shall we do what I conceive in my mind. We shall come hither from the field, bathed in blood, and having our bodies cleft with arrows marked with the name of Rama. And we shall give out that both Rama and Lakshmana have been eaten up by us. And then we shall hold thy feet, saying,—‘Do thou gratify us.’ Then, O king, do thou through Gajaskandha publish it all round that Rama hath been slain along with his brother and the army. And, O repressor of foes, (pretending to be) well pleased, do thou dispense—viands, and servants, and objects of enjoyments, and wealth unto thy retainers; and unto the many heroes and warriors distribute wreaths and attires and

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unguents. And do thou (simulating) delight, drink. And on this report—name. that Rama hath been eaten up by the Rakshasas along with his friends,—having spread round and round and entering (the agoka wood), and soothing and pacifying Sitd in solitude, allure her with corn and riches and gems. By this deceit, O king, working powerfully through Sit&’s sorrow, she, albeit unwilling, shall, having lost her lord, come under thy contrel. Losing her charming husband, she from despair and female frailty, shall come under thy sway, Having formerly been brought up in happiness, she, although worthy of felicity, (ultimately) had come by misfortune. And now finding happiness to be in thy custody, she shall unreservedly come over to thee. In my opinion this is the properest course to follow. As soon as thou seest Rama, evil shall befall thee. Remain here. Do not wish (to go to the field). By refraining from fight, thou shalt acquire great good. And, O lord of people, by conquering the foe. without battle, thou without losing thy forces and putting thyself to peril, thou, O lord of earth, shalt attain fame and high religious merit, and prosperity and renown for ever and for ever.