Ramayana. Vibhishana deserts the Rakshasas.
Meanwhile Ravana in Lanka called another council, for "Victory follows from taking counsel," as the sages say. "Ye know how the monkey Hanuman harried Lanka, and now Rama has reached the ocean shore with a host of bears and monkeys, and he will dry the sea or bridge it and besiege us here. Do ye consider the means of protection for the city and the army" -- thus spake Ravana to his counsellors. And his generals advised him to entrust the battle to his son, Prince Indrajit, while others, as Prahasta, Nikumbha, and Vajrahanu, boasted that they alone would swallow up the monkey army. But Vibhishana, younger brother of Ravana, advised another course. "Force," said he, "is only to be resorted to when other means have failed, viz. conciliation, gifts, and sowing dissension. Moreover, force avails only against such as are weak or are displacing to the gods. What but death can result from a conflict with Rama, self-controlled and vigilant and strong with the might of all the gods? Who ever thought that Hanuman should have done so much? and from this thou shouldst be warned and yield up Sita to her lord, to save thyself and us." And playing a perilous part, he followed his brother to his own chamber and saluted him, and spake yet further for his welfare. "From that day that Sita came," he said, "the omens have been evil: fire is ever obscured by smoke, serpents are found in kitchens, the milk of kine runs dry, wild beasts howl around the palace. Do thou restore Sita, lest we all suffer for thy sin." But Ravana dismissed his brother angrily, and boasted that he would hold Sita as his own, even if all the gods should war against him.
Now the reason why Ravana had never up till now used force to Sita was this, that Brahma, one time when Ravana had ill-used a celesetial dame, laid upon him a curse that if ever again he did the like against his victim's will his head should break in a hundred pieces. And by now Ravana was thin and passion-worn and weary, like a horse spent with a long journey, and he desired to compass Rama's death and make Sita his own. Therefore he took counsel again with his generals for war, but again Vibhishana opposed him, till Ravana cursed him angrily as cowardly and treasonable. Then Vibhishana deemed the time had come when he could suffer no more of such insults, and rising into the air with his four personal followers, he said to Ravana that he had spoken for his welfare, "but the fey refuse avice, as a man on the brink of death refuses medicine." So saying he passed through the sky across the sea and came to the monkey host, and announced himself as come to make alliance with Rama. Most of the monkey leaders were for slaying him, for they put little faith in a rakshasa, even if he were not a disguised spy; but Rama spoke him fair, and engaged, in return for his assistance in the war, to set him on the throne of Lanka when Ravana should have been slain.
Meanwhile Ravana in Lanka called another council, for "Victory follows from taking counsel," as the sages say. "Ye know how the monkey Hanuman harried Lanka, and now Rama has reached the ocean shore with a host of bears and monkeys, and he will dry the sea or bridge it and besiege us here. Do ye consider the means of protection for the city and the army" -- thus spake Ravana to his counsellors. And his generals advised him to entrust the battle to his son, Prince Indrajit, while others, as Prahasta, Nikumbha, and Vajrahanu, boasted that they alone would swallow up the monkey army. But Vibhishana, younger brother of Ravana, advised another course. "Force," said he, "is only to be resorted to when other means have failed, viz. conciliation, gifts, and sowing dissension. Moreover, force avails only against such as are weak or are displacing to the gods. What but death can result from a conflict with Rama, self-controlled and vigilant and strong with the might of all the gods? Who ever thought that Hanuman should have done so much? and from this thou shouldst be warned and yield up Sita to her lord, to save thyself and us." And playing a perilous part, he followed his brother to his own chamber and saluted him, and spake yet further for his welfare. "From that day that Sita came," he said, "the omens have been evil: fire is ever obscured by smoke, serpents are found in kitchens, the milk of kine runs dry, wild beasts howl around the palace. Do thou restore Sita, lest we all suffer for thy sin." But Ravana dismissed his brother angrily, and boasted that he would hold Sita as his own, even if all the gods should war against him.
Now the reason why Ravana had never up till now used force to Sita was this, that Brahma, one time when Ravana had ill-used a celesetial dame, laid upon him a curse that if ever again he did the like against his victim's will his head should break in a hundred pieces. And by now Ravana was thin and passion-worn and weary, like a horse spent with a long journey, and he desired to compass Rama's death and make Sita his own. Therefore he took counsel again with his generals for war, but again Vibhishana opposed him, till Ravana cursed him angrily as cowardly and treasonable. Then Vibhishana deemed the time had come when he could suffer no more of such insults, and rising into the air with his four personal followers, he said to Ravana that he had spoken for his welfare, "but the fey refuse avice, as a man on the brink of death refuses medicine." So saying he passed through the sky across the sea and came to the monkey host, and announced himself as come to make alliance with Rama. Most of the monkey leaders were for slaying him, for they put little faith in a rakshasa, even if he were not a disguised spy; but Rama spoke him fair, and engaged, in return for his assistance in the war, to set him on the throne of Lanka when Ravana should have been slain.
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Meanwhile Ravana in Lanka called another council, for "Victory follows from taking counsel," as the sages say. "Ye know how the monkey Hanuman harried Lanka, and now Rama has reached the ocean shore with a host of bears and monkeys, and he will dry the sea or bridge it and besiege us here. Do ye consider the means of protection for the city and the army" -- thus spake Ravana to his counsellors. And his generals advised him to entrust the battle to his son, Prince Indrajit, while others, as Prahasta, Nikumbha, and Vajrahanu, boasted that they alone would swallow up the monkey army. But Vibhishana, younger brother of Ravana, advised another course. "Force," said he, "is only to be resorted to when other means have failed, viz. conciliation, gifts, and sowing dissension. Moreover, force avails only against such as are weak or are displacing to the gods. What but death can result from a conflict with Rama, self-controlled and vigilant and strong with the might of all the gods? Who ever thought that Hanuman should have done so much? and from this thou shouldst be warned and yield up Sita to her lord, to save thyself and us." And playing a perilous part, he followed his brother to his own chamber and saluted him, and spake yet further for his welfare. "From that day that Sita came," he said, "the omens have been evil: fire is ever obscured by smoke, serpents are found in kitchens, the milk of kine runs dry, wild beasts howl around the palace. Do thou restore Sita, lest we all suffer for thy sin." But Ravana dismissed his brother angrily, and boasted that he would hold Sita as his own, even if all the gods should war against him.
Now the reason why Ravana had never up till now used force to Sita was this, that Brahma, one time when Ravana had ill-used a celesetial dame, laid upon him a curse that if ever again he did the like against his victim's will his head should break in a hundred pieces. And by now Ravana was thin and passion-worn and weary, like a horse spent with a long journey, and he desired to compass Rama's death and make Sita his own. Therefore he took counsel again with his generals for war, but again Vibhishana opposed him, till Ravana cursed him angrily as cowardly and treasonable. Then Vibhishana deemed the time had come when he could suffer no more of such insults, and rising into the air with his four personal followers, he said to Ravana that he had spoken for his welfare, "but the fey refuse avice, as a man on the brink of death refuses medicine." So saying he passed through the sky across the sea and came to the monkey host, and announced himself as come to make alliance with Rama. Most of the monkey leaders were for slaying him, for they put little faith in a rakshasa, even if he were not a disguised spy; but Rama spoke him fair, and engaged, in return for his assistance in the war, to set him on the throne of Lanka when Ravana should have been slain.
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