Ramayana. The Forest Life.
Rama and Sita and Lakshman wandered throough the forest, welcome guests at every hermitage. The great sages dwelling in the hermitages also complained against those devilish rangers of the night, and besought Rama's protection against them, when he freely promised; and when the gentle Sita one day suggested that they should lay down their arms, abandoning the rule of knights for that of saints, and ceasing from hostility even against the rakshasas -- "The very bearing of weapons changeth the mind of those that carry them," she said -- Rama answered that it might not be, for he was pledged by knightly duty and personal promise.
So Rama dwelt in the forest for ten years, staying a month, a season, or a year at one or another hermitage. Once a fierce rakshasa named Viradha seized Sita and would have carried her off, but Rama and Lakshman with huge labour slew him. Another time they met a mighty vulture; but he was a friend, and announced himself as Jatayu and a friend of Rama's father. Jatayu promised Rama his help, and to guard Sita when Rama and Lakshman went abroad together.
Last of all, Rama and Sita and Lakshman came to Panchavati, where stretched a fair lawn beside the river Godaveri, whose banks were overhung by flowery trees. The waters swarmed with fowl, throngs of deer dwelt in the woods, the cries of peacocks resounded, the hills were covered with good trees and flowers and herbs. There Lakshman built a spacious bamboo house, well thatched with leaves and with a well-smoothed floor. Thither Jatayu also came; and Rama, Sita, and Lakshman were contented, like the gods in Heaven.
Now Rama was seated with Sita, talking to Lakshman, when there came to Panchavati a fearful and hideous rakshasi, sister of Ravana; and when she saw Rama, immediately she desired him. Her name was Surpanakha. Refused by Rama, she sought to become Lakshman's wife, and, repulsed by him, she returned to Rama and would have slain Sita. Then Lakshman seized his sword and cut off her nose and ears, and she fled away bleeding, till she met her brother Khara, younger brother of Ravana. His anger at her misfortune knew no bounds, and he sent fourteen rakshasas to slay those brothers and Sita and bring their blood of Surpanakha to drink. But Rama slew all those evil creatures with his arrows.
Then Khara was indeed filled with furious anger, and set out himself with fourteen thousand rakshasas, every one shape-shifters, horrible, proud as lions, big of mouth, courageous, delighting in cruelty. As this host drove on many evil omens befell; but Khara was fey and not to be turned aside from what he deemed a small matter -- to slay three human beings.
Rama, perceiving the oncoming host, sent Lakshman with Sita to a secret cave, and cast on his mail, for he would fight alone; and all the gods and spirits of the air and creatures of heaven came to behold the battle. The rakshasas came on like a sea, or heavy clouds, and showered their weapons upon Rama, so that the wood-gods were afraid and fled away. But Rama was not affraid, and troubled the rakshasas with his marrow-piercing shafts, so that they fled to Khara for protection. He rallied them, and they came on again, discharging volleys of uprooted trees and boulders. It was in vain; for Rama, alone and fighting on foot, slew all the fourteen thousand terrible rakshasas and stood face to face with Khara himself. A dreadful battle was theirs, as if between a lion and an elephant; the air was dark with flying shafts. At last a fiery arrow discharged by Rama consumed the demon. Then the gods, well pleased, showered blossoms upon Rama, and departed whence they came. And Sita and Lakshman came forth from the cave.
Rama and Sita and Lakshman wandered throough the forest, welcome guests at every hermitage. The great sages dwelling in the hermitages also complained against those devilish rangers of the night, and besought Rama's protection against them, when he freely promised; and when the gentle Sita one day suggested that they should lay down their arms, abandoning the rule of knights for that of saints, and ceasing from hostility even against the rakshasas -- "The very bearing of weapons changeth the mind of those that carry them," she said -- Rama answered that it might not be, for he was pledged by knightly duty and personal promise.
So Rama dwelt in the forest for ten years, staying a month, a season, or a year at one or another hermitage. Once a fierce rakshasa named Viradha seized Sita and would have carried her off, but Rama and Lakshman with huge labour slew him. Another time they met a mighty vulture; but he was a friend, and announced himself as Jatayu and a friend of Rama's father. Jatayu promised Rama his help, and to guard Sita when Rama and Lakshman went abroad together.
Last of all, Rama and Sita and Lakshman came to Panchavati, where stretched a fair lawn beside the river Godaveri, whose banks were overhung by flowery trees. The waters swarmed with fowl, throngs of deer dwelt in the woods, the cries of peacocks resounded, the hills were covered with good trees and flowers and herbs. There Lakshman built a spacious bamboo house, well thatched with leaves and with a well-smoothed floor. Thither Jatayu also came; and Rama, Sita, and Lakshman were contented, like the gods in Heaven.
Now Rama was seated with Sita, talking to Lakshman, when there came to Panchavati a fearful and hideous rakshasi, sister of Ravana; and when she saw Rama, immediately she desired him. Her name was Surpanakha. Refused by Rama, she sought to become Lakshman's wife, and, repulsed by him, she returned to Rama and would have slain Sita. Then Lakshman seized his sword and cut off her nose and ears, and she fled away bleeding, till she met her brother Khara, younger brother of Ravana. His anger at her misfortune knew no bounds, and he sent fourteen rakshasas to slay those brothers and Sita and bring their blood of Surpanakha to drink. But Rama slew all those evil creatures with his arrows.
Then Khara was indeed filled with furious anger, and set out himself with fourteen thousand rakshasas, every one shape-shifters, horrible, proud as lions, big of mouth, courageous, delighting in cruelty. As this host drove on many evil omens befell; but Khara was fey and not to be turned aside from what he deemed a small matter -- to slay three human beings.
Rama, perceiving the oncoming host, sent Lakshman with Sita to a secret cave, and cast on his mail, for he would fight alone; and all the gods and spirits of the air and creatures of heaven came to behold the battle. The rakshasas came on like a sea, or heavy clouds, and showered their weapons upon Rama, so that the wood-gods were afraid and fled away. But Rama was not affraid, and troubled the rakshasas with his marrow-piercing shafts, so that they fled to Khara for protection. He rallied them, and they came on again, discharging volleys of uprooted trees and boulders. It was in vain; for Rama, alone and fighting on foot, slew all the fourteen thousand terrible rakshasas and stood face to face with Khara himself. A dreadful battle was theirs, as if between a lion and an elephant; the air was dark with flying shafts. At last a fiery arrow discharged by Rama consumed the demon. Then the gods, well pleased, showered blossoms upon Rama, and departed whence they came. And Sita and Lakshman came forth from the cave.
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Rama and Sita and Lakshman wandered throough the forest, welcome guests at every hermitage. The great sages dwelling in the hermitages also complained against those devilish rangers of the night, and besought Rama's protection against them, when he freely promised; and when the gentle Sita one day suggested that they should lay down their arms, abandoning the rule of knights for that of saints, and ceasing from hostility even against the rakshasas -- "The very bearing of weapons changeth the mind of those that carry them," she said -- Rama answered that it might not be, for he was pledged by knightly duty and personal promise.
So Rama dwelt in the forest for ten years, staying a month, a season, or a year at one or another hermitage. Once a fierce rakshasa named Viradha seized Sita and would have carried her off, but Rama and Lakshman with huge labour slew him. Another time they met a mighty vulture; but he was a friend, and announced himself as Jatayu and a friend of Rama's father. Jatayu promised Rama his help, and to guard Sita when Rama and Lakshman went abroad together.
Last of all, Rama and Sita and Lakshman came to Panchavati, where stretched a fair lawn beside the river Godaveri, whose banks were overhung by flowery trees. The waters swarmed with fowl, throngs of deer dwelt in the woods, the cries of peacocks resounded, the hills were covered with good trees and flowers and herbs. There Lakshman built a spacious bamboo house, well thatched with leaves and with a well-smoothed floor. Thither Jatayu also came; and Rama, Sita, and Lakshman were contented, like the gods in Heaven.
Now Rama was seated with Sita, talking to Lakshman, when there came to Panchavati a fearful and hideous rakshasi, sister of Ravana; and when she saw Rama, immediately she desired him. Her name was Surpanakha. Refused by Rama, she sought to become Lakshman's wife, and, repulsed by him, she returned to Rama and would have slain Sita. Then Lakshman seized his sword and cut off her nose and ears, and she fled away bleeding, till she met her brother Khara, younger brother of Ravana. His anger at her misfortune knew no bounds, and he sent fourteen rakshasas to slay those brothers and Sita and bring their blood of Surpanakha to drink. But Rama slew all those evil creatures with his arrows.
Then Khara was indeed filled with furious anger, and set out himself with fourteen thousand rakshasas, every one shape-shifters, horrible, proud as lions, big of mouth, courageous, delighting in cruelty. As this host drove on many evil omens befell; but Khara was fey and not to be turned aside from what he deemed a small matter -- to slay three human beings.
Rama, perceiving the oncoming host, sent Lakshman with Sita to a secret cave, and cast on his mail, for he would fight alone; and all the gods and spirits of the air and creatures of heaven came to behold the battle. The rakshasas came on like a sea, or heavy clouds, and showered their weapons upon Rama, so that the wood-gods were afraid and fled away. But Rama was not affraid, and troubled the rakshasas with his marrow-piercing shafts, so that they fled to Khara for protection. He rallied them, and they came on again, discharging volleys of uprooted trees and boulders. It was in vain; for Rama, alone and fighting on foot, slew all the fourteen thousand terrible rakshasas and stood face to face with Khara himself. A dreadful battle was theirs, as if between a lion and an elephant; the air was dark with flying shafts. At last a fiery arrow discharged by Rama consumed the demon. Then the gods, well pleased, showered blossoms upon Rama, and departed whence they came. And Sita and Lakshman came forth from the cave.
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