Then on account of the cries of birds and the sounds of breaking trees,
all the denizons of Lanka were seized with trepidation in consequence of
fright. And agitated with fear, birds and beasts hurried (on all sides);
and omen-boding evil unto the Rakshasas, began to appear (everywhere).
And grim-visaged Rakshasis, awaking from their sleep, saw that wood
devastated, and that heroic mighty monkey. And observing them, that
mighty-armed and powerful monkey endowed with immense strength,
magnified his dimensions, capable of striking terror into the Rakshasas.
And beholding that exceedingly strong monkey resembling a mountain, the
Rakshasis asked Janaka's daughter, saying,--"Who is this? And whence,
and wherefore, hath he come here? And why did he carry on converse with
thee? Tell us this, thou of expansive eyes. O lucky one, entertain no
fear. And, O thou having eyes with dark outer corners, what is the talk
that this one hath held with thee?" Thereat, the chaste Sita, having all
her parts perfect, answered,--"What is my power to read Rakshasas
capable of wearing forms at will? Ye know who he is and what he doeth.
Serpents, without doubt, know the way of serpents. And, furthermore, I
am very much frightened,-- nor know I who that one is. I take him to be
a Rakshasa,-- who hath come here through his capacity to put on any
shape." Hearing Vaidehi's words, the Rakshasis swiftly took to their
heels. Some remained,--and some departed to inform Ravana of the matter.
And before Ravana, the Raksbasis of deformed visages informed him of the
hideous and dreadful monkey. "O king, in the heart of the _acoka_ wood
there is a monkey of a terrific body, who, possessed of immeasurable
might, stayeth, after having carried on a conversation with Janaki. Nor,
albeit questioned by us many a time and oft, doth Janaka's daughter,
Sita, having the eyes of a deer, intend to tell us who the monkey is. He
may be the emissary of Vasava, or of Vaipravana; or he may have been
sent by Rama himself from eagerness to get at the whereabouts of Sita.
And he it is that, wearing a wonderful form, hath destroyed thy charming
arbour of the interior, filled with beasts of various kinds.--And
quarter there is none which hath not been destroyed by him; and only
that place where the exalted Janaki is, remained uninjured by
him,--whether for preserving Janaki, or from fatigue--it doth not
appear. But what is his fatigue? She it is that hath been preserved by
him. And that overgrown Sincapa tree, affluent with elegant foliage,
under which Sita herself hath (always rested), hath been spared by him.
It behoveth thee to order sharp chastisement to be inflicted on that one
of a fierce form, who, having carried on converse with Sita, hath laid
thy wood waste. Who, O Sovereign of the Rakshasas,that hath not his life
severed from him,--converseth with Sita, who hath captivated thy heart?"
Hearing the speeches of the Rakshasis, Ravana, lord of Rakshasas, with
his eyes rolling in rage, flamed up like the fire of a funeral pyre. And
as fall drops of lighted oil from a flaming lamp,fell drops of tears
from the eyes of the enraged Ravana. And that highly energetic one
ordered his heroic servants, resembling himself, to punish Hanuman. And
from that mansion speedily issued eighty thousand of those retainers,
carrying in their hands maces and mallets[370],--having huge bellies,
and large teeth, of dreadful forms, and possessed of unwieldy
strength,--all eager to engage in the conflict and take Hanuman. And
having come near that monkey staying at the main entrance, those
swelling spirits rushed on, even as insects rush into a flame. And
equipped with variegated maces, and bludgeons, and golden
_angadas_,[371] and arrows resembling the Sun, they approached that
foremost of monkeys. And accoutred in maces, axes, and javelins, and
bearing bearded darts and lances in their hands, they suddeuly
surrounded Hanuman and remained before him. And the graceful and
energetic Hanuman also, resembling a hill, flourishing his tail over the
ground, sent up tremendous roars. And attaining mighty proportions,
Hanuman, son unto the Wind-god, brandished his tail, filling Lanka with
sounds. And at the sounds of his flourishing, as well as with those
resounding ones set up by himself, birds began to drop down from the
sky. And he loudly proclaimed,--"Victory to the exceedingly strong Rama
and to the mighty Lakshmana! And victory unto king Sugriva, protected of
Raghava! I am the servant of the Sovereign of Kerala, Rama of untiring
deeds,-- (I am) Hanuman, the destroyer of hostile hosts, offspring of
the Wind-god. And a thousand Ravanas cannot cope with me in conflict,
when I shall hurl crags and trees by thousands. In the very presence of
all the Rakshas, shall I, having desolated the city of Lanka and paid my
reverence to Maithili, go away, my end being compassed." They were
struck with affright at his roars; and they beheld Hanuman elevated as
an evening cloud. And now knowing for certain that the monkey had been
despatched by his master, the Rakshasas commenced assailing him with
various kinds of dire arms.[372] Environed on all sides by those heroes,
that exceedingly powerful one, staying by the main entrance, took up a
terrific bolt. And taking that bolt, like Vinata's offspring handling a
darting serpent, he slew those rangers of the night. And grasping (the
bolt), the Wind-god's son began to range the welkin and destroy (the
Rakshasas), like the thousand-eyed (deity) slaughtering Daityas with his
thunder-bolt. And having slain those Rakshasas, who were the retainers
of Ravana, the heroic offspring of the Wind-god--foremost of
heroes--desirous of fight, stood at the gate. Then certain Rakshasas,
getting off from the field in fear, informed Ravana of the destruction
of all his servants. Hearing that a mighty host of the Rakshasas had
been slain, the king, with his eyes whirling in ire, ordered Prahasta's
son of incomparable prowess, and invincible in battle.
[370] _Kuta--hammer_. The commentator, however,says that it means a
weapon resembling a hammer.--T.
[371] A bracelet worn on the upper arm.--T.
[372] _Swamisandehanihcancah_--may also mean, _having been assured by
Ravana as to his firm resolve--i.e. the Rakshasas must fight with
Hanuman, however desperate the undertaking might prove.--T._