‘Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, laughed in sport and spoke to his advisers—Maricha, Shuka and Sarana. “Behold. The one with the one thousand rays has made the world golden. The sun, whose fierce rays radiate heat, is located in the middle of the sky. However, on knowing that I am seated here, the sun is behaving like the moon.610 The waters of the Narmada are cool and fragrant, destroying all exhaustion. Because of its fear of me, the wind is also blowing in a restrained way. The Narmada is the best among rivers and is one that enhances pleasure. With fish and birds hidden in the waters, it is stationed like a frightened woman. In encounters, you have been wounded by the weapons of kings who are Indra’s equal. Blood has flowed out, like the juices from red sandalwood. All of you also bathe in Narmada, just as large and crazy elephants bathe in the Ganga, holding large lotuses in their trunks. It brings pleasure to men. Bathe in this great river and cleanse yourselves of your sins. This bank is like the autumn moon in its radiance. I will slowly put together a garland of flowers for Umapati.”611 Having been instructed by Ravana, Maricha, Shuka and Sarana, with Mahodara and Dhumraksha, immersed themselves in the Narmada. Like the giant elephants Vamana, Anjana and Padma bathing in the Ganga, the elephants of the Indra among the rakshasas also agitated the river Narmada. The rakshasas bathed in the excellent waters of the Narmada. They ascended from the waters and started to collect offerings of flowers for Ravana. Narmada’s beautiful bank was as radiant as a white cloud. In a short while, those Indras among rakshasas created a pile of flowers that resembled a mountain. Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, held those accumulated flowers and descended into the river, like a giant elephant wishing to bathe in the Ganga. Having bathed, Ravana emerged from the waters of the Narmada. He followed the rituals and chanted excellent hymns. As Ravana joined his hands in salutation and advanced, those seven rakshasas612 followed Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, wherever he went. They carried a golden linga613 everywhere. Ravana set up that linga in the middle of an altar made out of sand and worshipped it with fragrant flowers and immortal scents. The supreme Hara removes the afflictions of all virtuous people. He is the one who grants boons. He is the one who wears the moon as an adornment. The roamer in the night worshipped him. He then stretched out his large hands and danced.’
Chapter 7(32)
‘Ravana, Indra among the rakshasas, rendered that offering of flowers at a spot on the banks of the Narmada. Arjuna, best among victorious ones, was the lord and master of Mahishmati. Not very far from that spot, he was submerged in the waters of the Narmada, sporting with his women. In their midst, King Arjuna was radiant. He was like a male elephant in the midst of one thousand female elephants. He wished to test the supreme strength of his one thousand arms. Therefore, Arjuna used his arms to stem Narmada’s flow. The sparkling waters reached the dam created by Kartavirya’s arms. Flooding the bank, the force started to flow in the reverse direction. The flood of Narmada’s waters was full of fish, crocodiles and makaras and spread over the flowers and laid out kusha grass,614 as if it was the monsoon. The flood of waters created by Kartavirya carried away all the offerings of flowers Ravana had gathered. Ravana had only completed half of the rituals and had to abandon them. He saw that Narmada was like a beautiful and beloved woman who had turned perverse. He saw that the increasing flood of waters resembled an ocean. However, instead of heading westwards, it was flowing in an easterly direction. Ravana saw that the waters of the river were behaving like a wanton woman. The birds were also disturbed from their natural and excellent state. Making a sound, Ravana pointed with the fingers of his left hand and commanded Shuka and Sarana to determine the reason for this sudden increase in flow. The brothers, Shuka and Sarana, were commanded by Ravana. Those brave ones left through the sky, heading in the western direction. Those two roamers in the night travelled for only half a yojana and saw a man sporting in the waters with women. He resembled a giant sala tree. His loosened hair was as turbulent as the waters. His eyes were red with intoxication. His form was as resplendent as that of Madana. The scorcher of enemies had barricaded the river with his one thousand arms, as if the mountain with the one thousand feet615 had barricaded the earth. There were one thousand young and excellent women around him. They were like one thousand maddened female elephants around a bull elephant. The rakshasas, Shuka and Sarana, saw this extraordinary sight. They returned and told Ravana what they had seen. “O lord of the rakshasas! There is a man who resembles a giant sala tree. He is sporting with women and has barricaded Narmada. The waters of the river have been obstructed with his one thousand arms. That is the reason these torrents, resembling waves in the ocean, have been created.” He heard what Shuka and Sarana had to say. “That is Arjuna.” Saying this, Ravana arose, desiring to fight. The lord of the rakshasas left in Arjuna’s direction. He roared loudly and red rain showered down from clouds. Mahodara, Mahaparshva, Dhumraksha, Shuka and Sarana surrounded the Indra among rakshasas and went to the spot where Arjuna was.
‘The terrible and powerful rakshasa dazzled like a mass of collyrium. In a short while, he reached the pool in Narmada. He saw the Indra among men, surrounded by the women, resembling a bull elephant filled with desire. King Arjuna also saw the rakshasas. Filled with strength, the eyes of the Indra among rakshasas turned red with rage. In a rumbling voice, he told his advisers, “This is Arjuna. O advisers! Quickly tell the king of the Haihayas that the one who is named Ravana has arrived to fight.” Hearing Ravana’s words, holding their weapons, Arjuna’s ministers arose and addressed Ravana in these words. “O Ravana! You are virtuous and you have determined an opportune time to fight. You wish to fight against our king, who has been drinking and is surrounded by women. He is intoxicated and is in the midst of those who are full of desire. You are like a tiger that has approached an elephant. O Dashagriva! Pardon us now. O son!616 Sleep during the night. If you like the idea of fighting, you can fight tomorrow with Arjuna. Alternatively, if you are filled with thirst for a fight and you must do it now, slay us. You can then approach Arjuna and fight with him.” At this, Ravana’s advisers killed the king’s advisers in the encounter. Hungry, they devoured them. As those who followed Arjuna clashed against Ravana’s ministers, a tumultuous sound arose along the banks of the Narmada. With arrows, spears, javelins that were like the vajra to the touch and weapons that could drag, they roared with Ravana and powerfully attacked the warriors on the side of the lord of the Haihayas. There was an extremely terrible sound, like that made by crocodiles, fish and makaras in the ocean. With an energy that was like that of the fire, Ravana’s advisers, Prahasta, Shuka and Sarana, angrily consumed Kartavirya’s forces. Arjuna was still sporting. The men who were supposed to guard the gate went and told Arjuna what Ravana and his ministers had done. Arjuna told them and the women, “Do not be frightened.” Like Anjana getting out of the waters of the Ganga, he arose from the water. Arjuna was like a fire and his eyes were filled with rage. He was extremely terrible and blazed like the fire that arrives at the end of a yuga. Wearing excellent and golden armlets, he quickly climbed up the bank. Seizing a club, he rushed against the rakshasas, just as the sun attacks darkness. He flung his arms around and raised that giant club. Using a force that was like that of Garuda, Arjuna descended on them. Prahasta fought with a mace and stood in his way, just as Mount Vindhya obstructs the path of the sun. He was stationed like Vindhya and did not waver. Maddened, he raised that terrible mace, which was plated with iron. Thundering like a cloud, Prahasta angrily hurled this. The tip of that mace blazed with flames, resembling a flowering ashoka. Hurled from Prahasta’s hand, it seemed to burn everything down. Kartavirya Arjuna was like an elephant in his valour. As the mace headed towards him, he used his club to skilfully counter it. The lord of the Haihayas then attacked Prahasta. He whirled the heavy club around in five hundred of his arms. Prahasta was struck by the great force of that club. He fell down, like a stationary mountain struck by the vajra wielded by the wielder of the vajra. On seeing that Prahasta had fallen down, Maricha,
Shuka, Sarana, Mahodara and Dhumraksha withdrew from the field of battle.
‘When the advisers withdrew and Prahasta was brought down, Ravana quickly attacked Arjuna, supreme among kings. There was an extremely terrible battle between the king with one thousand arms and the rakshasa with twenty arms. It made the body hair stand up. They were like two agitated oceans, two mountains that began to move at the foundations, two suns that were full of energy and two fires that consumed everything. They were like two powerful elephants, like two bulls filled with desire. They roared like clouds and were as strong as lions. The rakshasa and Arjuna were as angry as Rudra and Death. They severely struck each other with their clubs. The man and the rakshasa tolerated those terrible blows of the clubs, just as mountains withstand the blow of the vajra. Echoes result when there is thunder. Like that, the sound of the clubs descending were heard in all the directions. When Arjuna’s club descended on his chest, the sky was filled with a golden tinge, as if through a flash of lightning. In a similar way, Ravana repeatedly brought down the radiant club on Arjuna’s chest, like a meteor descending on a large mountain. Arjuna did not suffer. Nor did the lord of large numbers of rakshasas. The encounter between them was between two equals, like that between Bali and Indra in earlier times. They were like two bulls fighting with their horns, or like two elephants fighting with their tusks. The man and the best among rakshasas struck each other. In the great duel, Arjuna wrathfully used all his strength and brought the club down between Ravana’s breasts. However, he possessed an armour because of the boon. But the club descended on Ravana’s chest and weakened him. It was shattered into two pieces and fell down on the ground, where the soldiers were. The club released by Arjuna struck Ravana. He was benumbed and roared, withdrawing only the distance of one bow length. Arjuna saw that Dashagriva was suffering. He violently seized him, the way Garuda seizes a serpent. Dashanana was forcibly seized in those one thousand arms. The powerful king bound him down, like Narayana did to Bali. On seeing that Dashagriva had thus been captured, the siddhas, charanas and gods uttered words of praise and showered down flowers on Arjuna’s head. It was like a tiger seizing a deer, or a lion seizing an elephant. The king of the Haihayas repeatedly roared in delight, like a cloud. Regaining his senses, Prahasta saw that Dashanana had been bound. With the other rakshasas, he angrily rushed towards the king. The roamers in the night powerfully descended on him, just as at the end of the summer, clouds rush towards the ocean. They said, “Release him. Let him go. Wait. Wait for us.” Saying this, they showered down clubs and spears on Arjuna. However, Arjuna was not scared. The slayer of enemies deftly avoided and seized the weapons of the enemy. He used extremely excellent weapons to shatter and drive away the rakshasas, just as the wind drives away clouds. Kartavirya Arjuna terrified the rakshasas. Seizing Ravana and surrounded by his well-wishers, he entered his city. He was like Puruhuta617 and the brahmanas and citizens showered down flowers on him. Arjuna entered the city with him, just as the one with one thousand eyes captured Bali.’
Chapter 7(33)
‘This act of seizing Ravana was like that of capturing the wind. The rishi Pulastya heard the gods conversing about this in heaven. Out of affection towards his son’s son, the one with great fortitude trembled. The great rishi went to see the lord of Mahishmati. The brahmana resorted to the path followed by the wind, travelling at a speed that was like that of the wind. With his valour and speed like that of thoughts, he reached the city of Mahishmati. He saw that it was like Amaravati, populated by happy and well-nourished people. Like Brahma entering Indra’s Amaravati, he entered the city. It was as if the sun had descended and arrived on foot. It was a sight that was extremely difficult to behold. The news about his arrival was conveyed to Arjuna. The lord of the Haihayas heard the news about Pulastya. He joined his hands above his head in salutation and went forward to receive the best among brahmanas. Like Brihaspati before Indra, the priest advanced ahead of the king, carrying arghya and madhuparka.618 The rishi arrived, like a sun that has arisen. On seeing this, Arjuna approached and worshipped him, like Indra honouring Ishvara.619 He offered him padya, arghya and madhuparka. In a voice that was filled with delight, the Indra among kings spoke to Pulastya. “Today, you have made Mahishmati just like Amaravati. O Indra among all the Indras among brahmanas! I have seen you today. It is a sight that is extremely difficult to behold. O god! I am fortunate today. My lineage has been uplifted today. Your feet are worshipped by large numbers of gods and I have been able to worship them today. O brahmana! This kingdom, my sons, my wives and all of us belong to you. What is the task that needs to be done? Command us.” Pulastya asked King Arjuna of the Haihayas about whether all was well with dharma, the fire620 and the servants. He told the king, “O Indra among kings! O one with eyes like the petals of a lotus! O one with a face like the full moon! Since you have vanquished Dashagriva, your strength is infinite. My grandson is extremely difficult to defeat. The oceans and the winds remain immobile and stationary, out of their fear for him. But you have captured him today. O son! Your fame has been enhanced and your name has been heard everywhere. O child! However, pay heed to my words and release Dashanana.” Without uttering any words to counter this, Arjuna accepted Pulastya’s command. Cheerfully, the Indra among Indras among kings released the Indra among the rakshasas. Arjuna released the enemy of the gods and honoured him with divine ornaments, garlands and garments. With the fire as a witness, he contracted a pact of non-violence and friendship with him. Bowing down before Brahma’s son,621 he returned to his residence. Pulastya met the powerful Indra among the rakshasas. Though he had been embraced622 and treated like a guest and released thereafter, he was ashamed. Having freed Dashagriva, Pulastya, supreme among sages and the grandfather’s son, went to Brahma’s world. Thus, Ravana was afflicted by Kartavirya. Because of Pulastya’s words, he subsequently released him. O descendant of the Raghava lineage! If someone is strongest among the strong and desires his own welfare, he should never disrespect others. Thus the king with one thousand arms contracted friendship with the devourer of flesh. However, he623 was insolent and continued to roam around the entire earth, causing carnage among men.’
Chapter 7(34)
‘Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, was freed by Arjuna. He roamed around the earth, slighting everyone. Ravana was insolent. Whenever he heard that any rakshasa or human was superior in strength, he approached him and challenged him to a fight. The city of Kishkindha was protected by Vali. On one occasion, he went there and challenged Vali, who wore a golden garland, to a fight. The adviser among the apes, the lord Tara, Tara’s father,624 addressed Ravana, who had arrived with a desire to fight, in these words. “O Indra among the rakshasas! Vali is your equal in strength. But he is not here. No other ape is capable of standing before you. O Ravana! Remain here for a while. Having performed sandhya625 in the four oceans, Vali will soon return. Behold these piles of bones that are as white as conch shells. These belong to those who came here with a desire to fight against the energetic lord of the apes. O Ravana! O rakshasa! Clash against Vali only if you have drunk the juices of amrita. Otherwise, your life will be over. Alternatively, if you wish to die quickly, go to the southern ocean. You will see Vali there, bowing down before the sun.” Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, was reprimanded by Tara. He mounted Pushpaka and left for the southern ocean.
‘Ravana saw Vali there, engaged in the sandhya worship. He was like a golden mountain, like the rising sun in his complexion. Resembling a mass of dark collyrium, Ravana descended from Pushpaka. Desiring to quickly seize Vali, he silently advanced on foot. However, at ease, Vali opened his eyes and saw Ravana. Though he got to know about his evil intentions, he was not scared. He was like a lion that sees a hare, like Garuda seeing a serpent. Ravana’s intentions were wicked. Vali thought, “Evil in his intentions, he wishes to seize me now. I will grasp him by my side and go to the great oceans.626 This enemy will be seen to dangle from my lap, like a garment dangling from my side. Dashagriva will be lik
e a serpent seized by Garuda.” Having made up his mind, Vali continued to listen.627 He was like a king of the mountains and chanted mantras from the sacred texts. The king of the apes and the king of the rakshasas wished to seize each other. They were insolent and strong and exerted themselves to accomplish this task. Through the sound of the footsteps, Vali decided that Ravana was about to seize him. Without looking backwards, he extended his arms and grasped him, like the one born from the egg628 seizes a serpent. The lord of the rakshasas desired to seize the ape, but was captured by him instead. Grasping him close to his side, the ape powerfully leapt up into the sky. He struck and pierced him repeatedly with his nails. Vali seized Ravana, like the wind seizing a cloud. The advisers of the rakshasa saw that Dashanana was being abducted. Desiring to free him, they roared in terrible voices and rushed behind them. They followed Vali, who was radiant in the middle of the sky. It was as if clouds in the sky were following the one with the rays.629 Those excellent rakshasas tried to reach Vali. However, because of the force of his arms and his thighs, they were exhausted and fell down. Vali’s trail was impossible to follow, even if Indras among mountains had attempted it. The Indra among apes was extremely swift and followed a path that even the birds couldn’t follow. He progressively reached all the oceans and performed the sandhya rites there. Travelling through the sky, the ape was worshipped by all the creatures who roamed around in the sky. With Ravana, Vali went to the western ocean. The ape performed the sandhya worship there, bathed and chanted. Bearing Ravana, he then went to the northern ocean. He performed the sandhya worship in the northern ocean. Bearing Dashanana, Vali then went to the eastern ocean, the great store of waters. Vasava’s son, the lord of the apes, performed the sandhya worship there. Seizing Ravana, he then returned towards Kishkindha. The ape had performed the sandhya rites in the four oceans. Exhausted at having had to bear Ravana, he descended in a grove in Kishkindha. The supreme ape freed Ravana from his flank and laughing at Ravana, asked him, “Where have you come from?” Ravana had been filled with great amazement. He was tired and his eyes rolled around. The lord of the rakshasas addressed the lord of the apes in these words. “O Indra among the apes! O one whose complexion is like that of the great Indra! I am Ravana, Indra among the rakshasas. I had come here, desiring to fight, but have suffered at your hands. Your strength is amazing. Your valour and depth are amazing. You seized me like an animal and travelled around the four oceans. O brave ape! I do not see any other brave one who could have borne me and travelled around like this, without suffering from exhaustion. O bull among apes! There are only three creatures who possess this kind of movement—thought, the wind and Suparna. There is no doubt about this. O bull among the apes! I have witnessed your strength. In front of the fire, I desire to contract an everlasting and affectionate pact of friendship with you. O lord of the apes! Wives, sons, the city, the kingdom, all the objects of pleasure, garments, food and everything else that I possess, will be divided and belong to both of us.” After this, the ape and the rakshasa lit a fire. With fraternal sentiments, they embraced each other. The ape and the rakshasa stretched out their hands and cheerfully entered Kishkindha, like two lions entering a cave in the mountains. Like Sugriva, Ravana resided there for a month. His advisers were interested in oppressing the three worlds. They arrived and took him away. O lord! This is the former conduct of Vali towards Ravana. Having made him suffer, in the presence of the fire, he behaved towards him like a brother. O Rama! Vali’s unmatched strength was extraordinary. However, he was consumed by you, like an insect by a flame.’
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 131