Bound up terribly with shafts, Dacaratha's sons, lying down bathed in
blood, sighed hard like unto serpents. And all those foremost monkeys,
along with Sugriva, possessed of exceeding strength,--overwhelmed with
sorrow, remained surrounding those high-souled ones. In the meanwhile,
the powerful Rama, albeit fast bound by the shafts, awoke by virtue of
the exceeding toughness of his person, as well as his might. Then,
seeing his brother, having a distressful countenance, covered with
blood, feeble, and fast bound by the shafts,--Rama, greatly aggrieved,
began to mourn. "Of what use unto me is the recovery of Sita, or life
either, when to-day I see my brother vanquished in fight and lying down
in the field? Seeking in the world (of men), I may light upon a woman
like Sita; but never on a brother, or a helper, or a warrior like unto
Lakshmana. If that enhancer of Sumitra's joy have met with his end, my
life I must renounce in the sight of the monkeys. What shall I say unto
Kaucalya: and what shall I say unto Kaikeyi? And what shall I say unto
mother Sumitra, eager for a sight of her son? And if I go (back) without
him, how shall I soothe her, like unto a cow reft of her calf; and
trembling; and resembling a mourning Kurari? And how shall I say unto
Satrughana and the illustrious Bharata,--'He went with me to the forest;
but I come (back) here without him?' I shall not be able to bear the
rebuke of mother Sumitra. Therefore even here shall I renounce my
person; for certainly I dare not live. Fie on me, who am wicked and
base; for me this Lakshmana, brought down, lieth in the field of battle,
like one that is without life. O Lakshmana, thou ever comfortest me when
I am dispirited. But to day, having lost thy life, thou canst not speak
to me, who am afflicted. Thou, O hero, who hadst in battle slain
innumerable Rakshasas lying around, hast (at length) thyself been slain
in the field with shafts. And lying down in the battle-field, bleeding,
and covered with arrows, thou appearest like the Sun when he hath gone
up the Setting-hill. And in consequence of shafts piercing thy vitals,
thou canst not speak; but thy visible expression, albeit thou art dumb,
betokens pain. O thou endowed with exceeding splendour, even as thou
didst follow me into the forest, will I follow thee unto the mansion of
Yama. Thou, having dear friends, and ever following me, hast come by
this plight in consequence of my reprehensible conduct. I do not
remember having heard any harsh speech from the heroic Lakshmana, even
when he had happened to be exceedingly wroth. He that could discharge at
one shot five hundred shafts,--that Lakshmana is superior to
Karttaviryya himself in that weapon--the bow. He that with his arms
could resist the arms of Sakra himself,--that one worthy of a costly
couch--lieth down on the ground, slain. And that false babble shall now,
without doubt, consume me; for by me hath not Bibhishana been made
monarch of the Rakshasas. Do thou, O Sugriva, this very moment retrace
thy steps. Bereft of thy strength through me, thou wilt be worsted by
Ravana. And, O Sugriva, placing Angada to the fore, do thou, taking thy
host as well as the equipage, in company with Nila and Nala, cross over
the Ocean. By thee hath been achieved a mighty feat incapable of being
done by another in battle. And pleased am I with the king of bears, and
the lord of Golangulas; and Angada hath quit himself nobly, as also
Mainda and Dwivida. And Kecarin and Sampati have both fought terribly.
And Gavaya, and Gavaksha, and Sarabha, and Gaja,--and other monkeys have
fought as others are incapable of fighting,--determined to lay down
their lives (for me). But, O Sugriva, man cannot overrule Destiny. Thou,
my friend, fearing righteousness,[154] hast done what lay in thy power.
And, Ye foremost of monkeys, ye also have acted as becometh friends.
Now, with my permission, go ye whithersoever ye are minded". Hearing
Rama's lament, the monkeys--those dark-eyed and others--began to shed
tears from their eyes. Then Bibhishana, quieting the army, taking a mace
in his hand, swiftly went to where Raghava was. And seeing him fast
making his way, resembling a mass of dark collyrium, the monkeys taking
him to be Ravana's son,[155] began to run away.
[154] _Dharma-bhiru--fearing righteousness_--is the epithet generally
applied to persons fearing not in fact _righteousness_, but
unrighteousness. This may be taken as an _idiotism_ in
Sanskrit.--T.
[155] Indrajit. Such was the fear he had spread by his redoubtable
deeds!--T.