{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry234.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry234.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry234.htm","text":"'Hear me, M\u00e1r\u00edcha, while I speak,\n And tell thee why thy home I seek.\n Sick and distressed am I, and see\n My surest hope and help in thee.\n Of Janasth\u00e1n I need not tell,\n Where S\u00farpanakh\u00e1, Khara dwell,\n And D\u00fashan with the arm of might.\n And Tris'iras, the fierce in fight,\n Who feeds on human flesh and gore,\n And many noble giants more,\n Who roam in dark of midnight through\n The forest, brave and strong and true.\n By my command they live at ease\n And slaughter saints and devotees.\n Those twice seven thousand giants, all\n Obedient to their captain's call,\n Joying in war and ruthless deeds\n Follow where mighty Khara leads.\n Those fearless warrior bands who roam\n Through Janasth\u00e1n their forest home,\n In all their terrible array\n Met R\u00e1ma in the battle fray.\n Girt with all weapons forth they sped\n With Khara at the army's head.\n The front of battle R\u00e1ma held:\n With furious wrath his bosom swelled.\n Without a word his hate to show\n He launched the arrows from his bow.\n On the fierce hosts the missiles came,\n Each burning with destructive flame,\n The twice seven thousand fell o'erthrown\n By him, a man, on foot, alone.\n Khara the army's chief and pride,\n And D\u00fashan, fearless warrior, died,\n And Trisiras the fierce was slain,\n And Dandak wood was free again.\n \n \n He, banished by his angry sire.\n Roams with his wife in mean attire.\n This wretch, his Warrior tribe's disgrace\n Has slain the best of giant race.\n \n \n Harsh, wicked, fierce and greedy-souled,\n A fool, with senses uncontrolled,\n No thought of duty stirs his breast:\n He joys to see the world distressed.\n He sought the wood with fair pretence\n Of truthful life and innocence,\n But his false hand my sister left\n Mangled, of nose and ears bereft.\n This R\u00e1ma's wife who bears the name\n Of S\u00edt\u00e1, in her face and frame\n Fair as a daughter of the skies,--\n Her will I seize and bring the prize\n Triumphant from the forest shade:\n For this I seek thy willing aid\n If thou, O mighty one, wilt lend\n Thy help and stand beside thy friend,\n I with my brothers may defy\n All Gods embattled in the sky.\n Come, aid me now, for thine the power\n To succour in the doubtful hour.\n Thou art in war and time of fear,\n For heart and hand, without a peer.\n For thou art skilled in art and wile,\n A warrior brave and trained in guile.\n With this one hope, this only aim,\n O Rover of the Night, I came.\n Now let me tell what aid I ask\n To back me in my purposed task.\n In semblance of a golden deer\n Adorned with silver spots appear.\n Go, seek his dwelling: in the way\n Of R\u00e1ma and his consort stray.\n Doubt not the lady, when she sees\n The wondrous deer amid the trees,\n Will bid her lord and Lakshman take\n The creature for its beauty's sake.\n Then when the chiefs have parted thence,\n And left her lone, without defence,\n As R\u00e1hu storms the moonlight, I\n Will seize the lovely dame and fly.\n Her lord will waste away and weep\n For her his valour could not keep.\n Then boldly will I strike the blow\n And wreak my vengeance on the foe.'\n \u00a0\u00a0 When wise M\u00e1r\u00edcha heard the tale\n His heart grew faint, his cheek was pale,\n He stared with open orbs, and tried\n To moisten lips which terror dried,\n And grief, like death, his bosom rent\n As on the king his look he bent.\n \u00a0\u00a0 The monarch's will he strove to stay,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Distracted with alarm,\n \u00a0\u00a0 For well he knew the might that lay\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In R\u00e1ma's matchless arm.\n \u00a0\u00a0 With suppliant hands Mar\u00edcha stood\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And thus began to tell\n \u00a0\u00a0 His counsel for the tyrant's good,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And for his own as well.","title":"BOOK III: Canto XXXVI.: R\u00e1van's Speech.","type":"page"}