"Having spent the night on the picturesque summit of the mount Meru and
thinking (for some time) the powerful lord of Lankā went to the region
of the moon. (And he saw a person) proceeding, seated on a car,
sprinkled with heavenly unguents and attended upon by Apsarās. And worn
out with the satisfaction of desire he was being kissed there. Seeing
such a person his curiosity was greatly excited. And beholding a Rishi
there he said to him—’Welcome thou art, O celestial saint. Indeed thou
hast come at a proper season. Who is this shameless wight that is going
seated on a car and attended by Apsarās? Does he not perceive his object
of fear?’ Being thus addressed by Rāvana, Parvata said—’O my child, O
thou gifted with great intellect—Hear I shall describe to thee the
truth. By him all the worlds have been conquered and Brahmā hath been
propitiated And he is now proceeding to that excellent region full of
bliss for obtaining final liberation. As all the worlds have been
conquered by thee by virtue of thy asceticism, O lord of Rākshasas, so
is he going, undoubtedly performing many pious actions and drinking Soma
juice. O foremost of Rākshasas, thou art heroic, and hast truth for thy
prowess. The powerful are never offended with the pious.’ Thereupon he
espied an excellent, huge car, filled with all radiance and effulgence
and the sound of musical instruments and singing. (And Rāvana said)—’O
great Rishi, who is that person, gifted with great effulgence, who goeth
surrounded by charming songsters, dancing-girls and Kinnaras?’ Hearing
his words Parvata, the foremost of saints, again said—’He is heroic and
a great warrior—he never returneth unsuccessful from a battle-field.
Having performed many heroic feats in battle, and slain many enemies, he
hath been assailed with many wounds in fighting and hath renounced his
life for his master. Having destroyed many in battle, he hath at last
been slain by his enemies and is perhaps now going either to the region
of Indra or to some such place. This best of men is now being
entertained by these well-versed in the art of singing and dancing.’
"Rāvana again said—’Who goeth there effulgent like unto the sun?’
Hearing the words of Rāvana, Parvata said—’The person, resembling the
full moon and wearing diverse ornaments and cloths, whom thou beholdest,
O great king, in the golden car abounding in Apasaras, distributed gold.
He, gifted with great effulgence, is now going in a swift-coursing car.’
Hearing the words of Parvata, Rāvana said—’O foremost of Rishis, do thou
tell me, who, of these kings going, if prayed for, may offer me the
hospitality of a battle? For sooth thou art my father; do thou point out
(such a man to me) O thou conversant with piety.’ Being thus addressed,
Parvata again said to Rāvana—’O great king, all these kings wish for
heaven not for battle. I shall point out such a man, O great one, as
shall enter into conflict with thee. There is a highly powerful king—the
lord of seven islands, well known by the name of Māndhāta; he shall
enter into an encounter with thee.’ Hearing the words of Parvata, Rāvana
again said—’Do thou tell me, O thou of great devotion, where this king
resides. I shall go where lives this foremost of men.’ Hearing the words
of Rāvana, the sage again said—’The son of Yuvanaswha hath conquered the
world consisting of seven islands begining with the sea; Māndhāta, the
foremost of kings, is just coming to meet him.’ Thereupon (Rāvana)
having long arms, proud of the boon conferred upon him in the three
worlds, beheld the heroic Māndhāta, the lord of Ayodhyā and the foremost
of kings. The king of seven islands proceeded in a golden and
well-painted car resplendant like that of Mahendra, shining in his
beauty and sprinkled with celestial unguents. The Ten-necked demon said
to him—’Do thou give me battle.’ Being thus addressed, he, laughing,
said to the ten-necked demon—’If thy life is not dear unto thee, do thou
fight with me, O Rākshasa.’ Hearing the words of Māndhāta, Rāvana
said—’Rāvana did not experience any affliction from Varuna Kuvera or
Yama; why should he experience fear from thee, who art a man?’ Having
said this, the lord of Rākshasas as if burning in ire, ordered the
Rākshasas irrepressible in battle. Thereupon the ministers of the
vicious-souled Rāvana, highly enraged and well-skilled in warfare, began
to make a downpour of arrows. Thereupon the highly powerful king
Māndhāta, with sharpened shafts, assailed Prahasta, Suka, Sārana,
Mahodara, Birupaksha, Akampana and other foremost heroes. Prahasta
covered the king with his arrows—but before they had approached him,
that foremost of men shattered them into pieces. Like unto fire burning
down grass, the host of Rākshasas were burnt down by the king Māndhāta
by means of hundreds of _Bhushundis_, _Vallas_, _Vindipālās_ and
_Tomaras_. As Kartikeya, the son of fire, sundered the mount Krauncha
with his shafts so Māndhāta, enraged, pierced Prahasta with five
_Tomaras_ gifted with great velocity. Then hurling his mace again and
again resembling that of Yama, he struck, vehemently, Rāvana’s car
therewith. That club, resembling the lightning, vehemently descended
(upon Rāvana’s car) and Rāvana, like Sakra’s banner, was speedily upset
by that. Like unto the rising of the waters of the salt ocean on the
full moon, the king Māndhāta’s joy and strength were greatly increased.
Thereupon the entire Rākshasa host, emitting loud cries, stood
encircling on all sides the lord of Rākshasas. Thereat speedily
regaining his sense, Rāvana, a terror unto all people, the lord of
Lankā, greatly assailed the person of Māndhāta. And beholding that king
in a swoon, the highly powerful night-rangers were greatly delighted and
emitted leonine roars. Regaining his sense in a moment the king of
Ayodhyā beheld his enemy worshipped by the courtiers and night-rangers.
He was instantly worked up with ire; and assuming a person resplendant
like that of the sun and the moon he began to slay the Rākshasa host
with a dreadful downpour of shafts. With his arrows and the noise
thereof the entire Rākshasa army were overwhelmed like the agitated
deep. Thereupon there arose a dreadful conflict between men and demons.
And those two heroic, high-souled and foremost of men and Rākshasas
seated on warriors’ seats and holding bow and daggers entered (the
field). And possessed by great anger they began to assail one another
with shafts—Māndhāta Rāvana and he again the king. They, being assailed
by one another, were both wounded. And setting the Raudra shaft upon his
bow Rāvana discharged it and Māndhāta baffled it by means of his fiery
shafts. The Ten-necked demon took up the Gandharva weapon and the king
Māndhāta the Brahmā-weapon striking terror unto all. Rāvana then took up
the celestial Pāsupata weapon, dreadful and increasing the fright of the
three worlds, obtained by him from Rudra by virtue of his rigid
penances. Seeing this all animals, mobile and immobile, were stricken
with terror. Thereupon trembled all the three worlds consisting of
mobile and immobile beings—the celestials and all the serpents became
inert. Being apprised (of this conflict) by virtue of meditation the two
foremost of ascetics Pulastya and Gālava remonstrated with them in many
a way and prevented the king (Māndhāta) and the foremost of Rākshasas.
Thereupon that man and demon being reconciled with one another went back
by the ways they had respectively come."