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HL eaaine this excellent Pauranic theme in the company of his brothers, Raghava was greatly “surprised. Thereupon hearing the words of the Rishi he said :—“ By thy favour I have listened to the highly’sacred theme. O foremost of Munis, I was greatly worked up with curiosity in this matter. I am not the least surprised to learn, O twice-born one, that those two sons of the celestials would be two highly powerful leading monkeys since their origin isdivine.” Rama having said this Agastya said:—“O thou having long arms, thus in the days of yore the birth of Vali and Sugriva was brought about. O king, I shall now again relate to thee another divine theme. O Rama I shall now describe to thee why did Ravana steal

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Sita. Do thow hear it attentively. O Rama, in the golden age, having bowed unto the Patriarch’s son, the truthful Rishi Sanatkumar, highly effulgent, resplandent like unto the sun, shining in his native brilliance and seated at his own place, Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, said :—‘‘Who is now amongst the celestials brave and powerful, by whose help the celestials can vanquish their enemies and whom the twiceborn ones daily worship and the devotees meditate upon. O thou having piety for wealth, O thou gifted vith six sorts of wealth, do thou describe this to me_ kindly.” Being apprised of Ravana’'s intention, the saint Sanatkumar, who saw every thing through his devotion, said to him out of love—“ Hear my son. The learned duly, in their sacrifices, worship that Hari, respected of people and drinking nectar, who is the lord of the universe, whose origin we do not know, who is daily worshipped by the celestials and Asuras, who is highly powerful Narayana from whose navel has spurng Brahma, the creator of the world, and who has created the universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings. The Yogis maditate upon him and celebrate sacrifices in his honor according to the Puranas, Vedas, Pancharétra and and other rituals. He always vanquisheth in encounter Daityas Danavas, Rakshasas and all other enemies of the celestials and every one of them worships him.” Hearing those words of the great ascetic Sanatkumar, Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, bowing, replied :—‘‘Being slain by Hari to what station do the Daityas, Danavas and Rakshasas attain? And why doth Hari destroy them?” Whereto Sanatkumar replied :— Whoever are slain by the celestials do eternally reside in their region.. And being banished therefrom, they again take their birth on earth. Thus by the misery and happiness acquired in their pristine existence, they go through births and deaths. O king, all the monarchs, slain by Janarddana,holding discus and the lord of the triple world, attained to his own region; even his anger becometh like a 213

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boon.” Hearing those words given vent to by the great ascetic Sanatkumar the night-ranger Ravana, being worked up with delight and surprise, began to meditate how he should enter into conflict with Hari.