"After sunset the highly power Rāvana encamped his army there. And the
clear moon, brilliant as the mountain, having risen, that huge army,
armed with diverse weapons, became asleep. And lying down on the summit
of the mountain, the highly powerful Rāvana espied the caves beautified
with the rays of the moon and the trees. And the interior of the forest
was beautified with the brilliant groves of Karnikar, with Kadamba and
Vakula trees, groves of full blown lotuses, the waters of Mandākini,
with Champaka, Asoka, Punnaga, Mandāra, mangoe, Pātala, Lodra, Pryangu,
Arjuna, Ketaka, Tagara, Coconut, Pyāla, Panasa and various other trees.
And there sang the Kinnaras, possessed by desire, and having sweet
voice, enhancing the delight of the mind. And there danced mirthfully,
with their damsels, the Vidyadharas, inebriete and having their eyes
reddened with drink. There was audible in the house of the lord of
riches, the sweet music of the assembled Apsarās like unto the sound of
the bell. And being shaken by the wind the nectar-smelling trees made
the hill fragrance with the shower of flowers. And carrying the
fragrance rendered salutary with honey and filaments of flowers, the
excellent wind blew enhancing Rāvana’s desire. Being possessed by desire
through songs, richness of flowers, coldness of air, beauty of the
hills, and the rising of the moon in night, the highly powerful Rāvana
espied again and again the moon with heavy sighs. At this time passed by
that way the foremost of Apsarās, Rambhā, adorned with excellent
ornaments and having a countenance like the full moon. Her person was
sprinkled with excellent sandal paste—her hairs were decked with Mandāra
flowers—her body was beautified with other flowers and her movements
tended to increase desire. Her eyes were beautiful and her waist was
high, adorned with Mekhala⁹² and was as if the refuge of Rati⁹³. Her
forehead and other parts of the countenance were painted with the marks
of red sandal and adorned with ornaments of flowers growing in six
seasons. Rambhā appeared like second Sree, in grace and beauty, natural
and artificial. She wore green clothes resembling the clouds; her face
was like the moon, eye brows like excellent bows, thighs like the trunks
of elephants and palms soft as leaves. She was seen by Rāvana as
proceeding in the midst of soldiers. Having got up and been influenced
by lust he took her, shameful as she was, by the hand and smiling
said:—’Where art thou going, O beautiful damsel? Whom art thou going of
thy own accord to satisfy? Whose prosperous time hath appeared, with
whom thou shalt enjoy? Who shall be satisfied with drinking the nectar
of thy mouth smelling like lotus? Whose breast, O fair damsel, thy
rising breast beautiful like two golden pots closely placed, shall
touch? Who is there so beautiful as I—Indra, Vishnu, or two Aswins that
thou art passing by me? Do thou take rest upon this excellent rock, O
thou having charming waist. There is no other lord, save me, in the
three worlds. And Daçānana, the lord of the lords of the three worlds,
thus begs thee, with folded palms. Do thou therefore seek me.’ Being
thus addressed, Rambhā, trembling, with folded palms, said:—’Be thou
propitiated; it doth not behove thee to speak thus, who art my superior.
Rather shouldst thou protect me if any body else trieth to oppress me.
Virtually I am thy daughter-in-law. I speak to thee the truth.’
Thereupon the Ten-necked demon said to her, standing with her face
downwards, and her down standing erect at his very sight. ’Hadst thou
been the wife of my son, thou wouldst have been my daughter-in-law.’
Whereto Rambhā replied:—’Truely it is; I am, by virtue, the wife of thy
son, O foremost of Rākshasas. Thy brother Vaisrabana hath a son, dearer
than his life, celebrated in the three worlds under the name of
Nalakuvara, In virtue he is unto a Brahmin, in prowess he equals a
Kshatriya, in anger he is very fire and in patience he is like the
earth. I been thus directed by that Lokapāla’s son. For him I have
adorned my person with these ornaments. I am not attached to any body
else but him. O king, O slayer of foes, by virtue of (this relation) it
behoveth thee to save me. And that virtuous-souled one is anxiously
expecting me. Thou shouldst not put obstacle in that; it behoveth thee
to let me go; do thou, O foremost of Rākshasas, wend the way treaded by
the pious. Thou art worthy of being revered by me and I am an object of
thy protection.’ Being thus addressed Daçagriva humbly replied:—’"I am
daughter-in-law," as thou hast said, is worthy of being said by one who
is the only wife. This is the everlasting law of the celestials that the
Apsarās have no husband; they cannot be the wife of one husband.’ Having
said this, the Raksha ravished her. Being released from his grasp Rambhā
became divested of her ornaments and garland and became like the river
agitated by the elephants. Her hairs were dishevelled and her hands were
trembling. Like unto a blossoming creeper shaken by the wind, she,
trembling and bashful and with folded hands, went to Nalakuvara and fell
down at his feet. Having seen her in that plight the high-souled
Nalakuvara said—’O fair one, what is this? Why hast thou placed thyself
at my feet?’ Sighing heavily and trembling she, with folded palms,
related to him everything from the beginning to the end. ’O lord, on his
way to heaven, Daçagriva hath arrived here and hath spent the night with
his army. While I was coming to thee, O slayer of foes, I was seen by
him. Then holding me he said—"Where art thou going?" I related to him
everything truly. But being possessed by lust he did not pay heed to my
words. He was again prayed by me, O lord, saying "I am thy
daughter-in-law." But neglecting that he ravished me. O thou of firm
vows, it behoveh thee to forgive me for this folly. O gentle one, a
woman’s strength can never equal that of a man.’ Hearing of this
ravishment Vaisravana’s son was greatly enraged and entered into
meditation. Having ascertained the truth within a moment Vaisravana’s
son, with eyes reddened with ire, took water in his palms. Having taken
this and rinsed his mouth duly, he imprecated a dreadful curse upon that
lord of Rākshasas. ’O fair one, since thou hast been ravished by him
despite thy unwillingness he shall never be able to get by an unwilling
damsel. Whenever he shall, stricken by lust, ravish a reluctant damsel,
his head shall be sundered into seven pieces’. As soon as this curse,
like unto a burning flame, was uttered, the celestial bugles were
sounded and a shower of flowers fell from heavens. Being apprised of the
plight of people (brought about by him) and of the death of that
Rākshasa the patriarch Brahmā and other gods were greatly delighted.
Hearing of that curse capable of making the down erect, Daçagriva
abstained from entertaining lust for unwilling females. And hearing of
the curse imprecated by Nalakuvara all the chaste damsels, that were
kept captive, attained to great delight."
⁹² A kind of ornament used on the waist.
⁹³ Wife of Kama—the god of love in Hindu mythlogy.