Then the spies communicated unto Lanka's lord news concerning Raghava
and his host stationed at the mount Suvela. Hearing the words of the
spies, that Rama, accompanied by a mighty army, had arrived (there),
Ravana was a little agitated and spoke unto Sardula,--"Thy color hath
changed its natural aspect, and, O ranger of the night, thou lookest
poorly. Didst not come under the control of the wrathful foes?" Thus
ordered by him, then (Sardula), bewildered by fear, addressed that tiger
of a Rakshasa, saying,--"Those powerful monkeys, O king, puissant,
strong, and protected by Raghava, are incapable of being ranged (by us).
And they cannot be conversed with or interrogated. All around, the
courses are kept by monkeys resembling hills. As soon as I entered, and
was scanning that host, I was discovered. And forcibly taken by the
Rakshas, I was pulled by them hither and thither. And furiously assailed
by the monkeys with thighs, clenched fists, teeth, and palms, I was
dragged in the midst of the army by the enraged monkeys. And, after
having been taken all about, I was (at length) taken before Rama,
bleeding, with my limbs showing sorry work, and my senses swimming and
paralysed. And, having been belabored by the monkeys, I, on craving his
kindness with joined hands, was, at his pleasure, rescued by Raghava,
with, "Don't, don't"! Having filled up the deep with rocks and crags,
Rama equipped with weapons, stayeth, occupying the gate of Lanka. And,
letting me off, that one of suspasstng vigor, surrounded by monkeys,
and, arranging his forces in the Garuda fashion, advanceth upon Lanka.
And he draweth nigh to the wall. Therefore, do one of these things in
preference to the other,--either render back Sita, or give him battle".
Hearing this, Ravana, lord of Rakshasas, then reflecting in his mind,
spoke unto Sardula these pregnant words,--'Even if the gods, Gandharvas,
and Danavas should array themselves against me, Sita I shall not give,
from fear of all creatures". Having said this, that exceedingly
energetic one again said,--"Thou hast ranged this army. Who here among
the monkeys are heroic? And, amiable one, what is their potency? And
what are those monkeys that are hard to approach, like? And, O thou of
fair vows, whose sons and grandsons are they? Truly relate all this (to
me). Having ascertained their strength and weakness, I shall in this
matter adopt my course. Those who wish for fight, certainly take account
of all this". Thus addressed by Ravana, Sardula--best of spies--thus
begin to speak in the presence of Ravana,--"O king, that unconquerable
one in fight, Jambavan, is well known as the son Gadgada, king of bears.
The other son of Gadgada is the son of Sakra's preceptor. By which son,
single-handed, was done immense oppression to the Rakshas. And the
righteous and puissant Sushena is the son of Dharma.[82] And the mild
monkey, Dadhimukha, O king, is the son of Soma.[83] And Sumukha,
Durmukha and the monkey, Vegadarcin (resembling) Death himself, were for
certain begot by the Self-create in the shape of a monkey.[84] And Nila
himself is the son of the bearer of sacrificial oblations;[85] and
Hanuman is famed as the son of the Wind-god. And the irrepressible and
youthful Angada is the grandson of Sakra. And the lusty Mainda and
Dwivida are sprung from Acwi. And five are the sons of Vaivaswata,
resembling the Reaper himself--Gaya, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sarabha and
Gandhamadana. But I can not enumerate the rest, ten _kotis_ of heroic
monkeys--all sons of deities--burning for battle. And this is
Dacaratha's son--this youth resembling a lion, who slew Dushana and
Khara and _Triciras_. There breathes none on Earth that is like unto
Rama in prowess, by whom was slain Viradha and Kavandha, resembling the
Destroyer. No person can on earth describe the virtues of Rama; by whom
have been slain all those Rakshasas that had gone to Janasthana. And
here also is the virtuous Lakshmana, like unto the foremost of
elephants, coming in the way of whose shafts, even Vasava doth not live.
And here are Sweta and Jyotirmukha, sprung from Vatskara's self; and the
monkey Hemakuta is the son of Varuna. And the heroic Nala--best of
monkeys, is the son of Vicwakarma. And powerful and impetuous, Durdhara
is the son of Vasu. And that foremost of Rakshasas, Bibhishana, thy
brother, engaged in the welfare of Raghava, hath laid seige to Lanka.
Thus have I described unto thee the entire monkey host stationed in
mount Suvela. As for what remaineth to be done, thou art the master".
[82] Righteousness.
[83] Moon.
[84] Another meaning is,--_"The monkey, Vegadarci--who is Death himself
in the shape of a monkey"._ But I give the more acceptable sense.
T.
[85] Fire.