Hearing the speech of the huge-bodied, long-armed and mighty
Kumbhakarna, Mahodara said,--"O Kumbhakarna, although sprung in a noble
line, thou art wondrous haughty and of a vulgar form; and thou art not
everywhere competent to discern thy course. It certainly cannot well be
that the king cannot distinguish between proper and improper; but thou
hast from thy youth upwards been insolent; and thy joy is in talking
perenially. But the foremost of the Rakshasas is versed in place and
increase and injury,--and knoweth the duties touching season and
place,--and how to advance his own party and lower that of the foe. But
what person ever acteth according to what is proposed feebly[215] by one
having strength, yet of inferior intelligence, and who hath never
respected the aged? And thou art not naturally competent to understand
what thou thyself sayest touching the opposed virtue, profit and desire.
Verily action is the spring of all agencies of happiness or misery; and
it is only those that act either well or ill that reap the results of
their acts. Virtue,[216] and interest[217] bring about emancipation as
well as heaven and prosperity. But evil cometh from unrighteousness and
harms spring therefrom.[218] People reap the fruit of their acts in this
world or the next; but the fruit of desire is reaped readily. Therefore
should a king set about attaining his desire. And this also had we
advised thee with our soul. And what is the harm that one should display
his prowess before a foe? Dost thou show the reasons for thy taking the
field alone? But I shall point thee out what is improper and
unreasonable in this (proposed) course. How shalt thou alone vanquish
that Raghava who formerly routed in Janasthana innumerable Rakshasas
possessed of exceeding strength? Dost thou not to-day in the palace
behold those powerful Rakshasas that had been beaten in
Janasthana,--cowed down in fear? Alas! thou wishest to awake Rama,--son
unto Dacaratha--knowing full well that he resembles an enraged lion or a
sleeping serpent. But whom doth it behove to confront him ever flaming
in energy, difficult of being approached when enraged,--and unbearable
even like Death himself? On approaching the foe, this whole host itself
shall be imperilled; and therefore, my child, thy marching alone doth
nowise recommend itself to me. Who is there that, albeit weak bent on
renouncing his life, wisheth to bring under subjection a foe that is
powerful,--as if he would act with reference to one that is inferior? O
foremost of Rakshasas, why dost thou wish to fight with him whose peer
there is none among men, and who is equal to Indra and Vivacwata
himself?" Having said this unto Kumbhakarna wrought up with wrath,
Mahodara addressed that destroyer of creatures--Ravana--in the midst of
the Rakshasas,--"Having already obtained Vaidehi, why dost thou delay?
If thou wishest it, Sita shall come under thy control. I have perceived
a way as to how Sita may smile upon thee. Do thou listen; and should it
please thee, act thou accordingly. Do thou proclaim it about that I and
Dwijibha and Sanhradi, and Kumbhakarna and Vitardana--these five--are
marching for compassing the destruction of Rama. And we, marching out,
shall battle with Rama, putting forth our uttermost. And if we succeed
in securing victory, no expedient need we resort to (or bringing Sita
round). But if our foe live after fight and we also having fought the
fight, then shall we do what I conceive in my mind. We shall come hither
from the field, bathed in blood, and having our bodies cleft with arrows
marked with the name of Rama. And we shall give out that both Rama and
Lakshmana have been eaten up by us. And then we shall hold thy feet,
saying,--'Do thou gratify us.' Then, king, do thou through Gajaskandha
publish it all round that Rama hath been slain along with his brother
and the army. And, O repressor of foes, (pretending to be) well pleased,
do thou dispense--viands, and servants, and objects of enjoyments, and
wealth unto thy retainers; and unto the many heroes and warriors
distribute wreaths and attires and unguents. And do thou (simulating)
delight, drink. And on this report--name that Rama hath been eaten up by
the Rakshasas along with his friends,--having spread round and round and
entering (the acoka wood), and soothing and pacifying Sita in solitude,
allure her with corn and riches and gems. By this deceit, O king,
working powerfully through Sita's sorrow, she, albeit unwilling, shall,
having lost her lord, come under thy control. Losing her charming
husband, she from despair and female frailty, shall come under thy sway.
Having formerly been brought up in happiness, she, although worthy of
felicity, (ultimately) had come by misfortune. And now finding happiness
to be in thy custody, she shall unreservedly come over to thee. In my
opinion this is the properest course to follow. As soon as thou seest
Rama, evil shall befall thee. Remain here. Do not wish (to go to the
field). By refraining from fight, thou shalt acquire great good. And, O
lord of people, by conquering the foe without battle, thou without
losing thy forces and putting thyself to peril, thou, O lord of earth,
shalt attain fame and high religious merit, and prosperity and renown
for ever and for ever.
[215] _Vaktum acakyam--incapable of saying_. But what sense can be
attached to--"What man acteth according to what is _not_ advanced
by one having strength......aged?" I therefore venture to render
the passage--_feebly proposed--i.e. proposed with vascillation or
half-heartedly.--T._
[216] The maxims enunciated by this counsellor are hardly all of a
piece. The text may have been tampered with.--T.
[217] Artha means sacrifices, gifts, &c., which are capable of being
performed with wealth. 'Sacrifice, gift, and asceticism purify the
pious.' _The Lord's word.--T._
[218] _Dharma_, remarks Ramanuja, is here used for contemplation and
recitation of scriptural formula performed without regard to
happiness as the fruit of those actions. This is what hath been
termed _nishkam dharma_--disinterested piety.--T.