{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry286.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry286.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry286.htm","text":"Then R\u00e1ma, that his friend might know\n His strength unrivalled, grasped his bow,\n That mighty bow the foe's dismay,--\n And on the string an arrow lay.\n Next on the tree his eye he bent,\n And forth the hurtling weapon went.\n Loosed from the matchless hero's hold,\n That arrow, decked with burning gold,\n Cleft the seven palms in line, and through\n The hill that rose behind them flew:\n \n \n Six subterranean realms it passed,\n And reached the lowest depth at last,\n Whence speeding back through earth and air\n It sought the quiver, and rested there. \u00a01\n Upon the cloven trees amazed.\n The sovereign of the V\u00e1nars gazed.\n With all his chains and gold outspread\n Prostrate on earth he laid his head.\n Then, rising, palm to palm he laid\n In reverent act, obeisance made,\n And joyously to R\u00e1ma, best\n Of war-trained chiefs, these words addressed:\n \u00a0\u00a0 'What champion, Raghu's son, may hope\n With thee in deadly fight to cope,\n Whose arrow, leaping from the bow.\n Cleaves tree and hill and earth below?\n Scarce might the Gods, arrayed for strife\n By Indra's self, escape, with life\n Assailed by thy victorious hand:\n And how may B\u00e1li hope to stand?\n All grief and care are past away,\n And joyous thoughts my bosom sway,\n Who have in thee a friend, renowned.\n As Varun \u00a02 or as Indra, found.\n Then on! subdue,--'tis friendship's claim,--\n My foe who bears a brother's name.\n Strike B\u00e1li down beneath thy feet:\n With suppliant hands I thus entreat,'\n Sugr\u00edva ceased, and R\u00e1ma pressed\n The grateful V\u00e1nar to his breast;\n And thoughts of kindred feeling woke\n In Lakshman's bosom, as he spoke:\n 'On to Kishkindh\u00e1, on with speed!\n Thou, V\u00e1nar King, our way shalt lead,\n Then challenge B\u00e1li forth to fight.\n Thy foe who scorns a brother's right.'\n \u00a0\u00a0 They sought Kishkindh\u00e1's gate and stood\n Concealed by trees in densest wood,\n Sugr\u00edva, to the fight addressed,\n More closely drew his cinctured vest,\n And raised a wild sky-piercing shout\n \n \n To call the foeman B\u00e1li out.\n Forth came impetuous B\u00e1li, stirred\n To fury by the shout he heard.\n So the great sun, ere night has ceased,\n Springs up impatient to the east.\n Then fierce and wild the conflict raged\n As hand to hand the foes engaged,\n As though in battle mid the stars\n Fought Mercury and fiery Mars. \u00a01\n To highest pitch of frenzy wrought\n With fists like thunderbolts they fought,\n While near them R\u00e1ma took his stand,\n And viewed the battle, bow in hand.\n Alike they stood in form and might,\n Like heavenly As'vins \u00a02 paired in fight,\n Nor might the son of Raghu know\n Where fought the friend and where the foe;\n So, while his bow was ready bent.\n No life-destroying shaft he sent.\n Crushed down by B\u00e1li's mightier stroke\n Sugr\u00edva's force now sank and broke,\n Who, hoping naught from R\u00e1ma's aid,\n To Rishyam\u00faka fled dismayed,\n Weary, and faint, and wounded sore,\n His body bruised and dyed with gore,\n From B\u00e1li's blows, in rage and dread,\n Afar to sheltering woods he fled.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Nor B\u00e1li farther dared pursue,\n The curbing curse too well he knew.\n 'Fled from thy death!' the victor cried,\n And home the mighty warrior hied.\n Han\u00fam\u00e1n, Lakshman, Raghu's son\n Beheld the conquered V\u00e1nar run.\n And followed to the sheltering shade\n Where yet Sugr\u00edva stood dismayed.\n Near and more near the chieftains came,\n Then, for intolerable shame,\n Not daring yet to lift his eyes,\n Sugr\u00edva spoke with burning sighs:\n 'Thy matchless strength I first beheld,\n And dared my foe, by thee impelled.\n Why hast thou tried me with deceit\n And urged me to a sure defeat?\n \n \n Thou shouldst have said, 'I will not slay\n Thy foeman in the coming fray.'\n For had I then thy purpose known\n I had not waged the fight alone.'\n \u00a0\u00a0 The V\u00e1nar sovereign, lofty-souled,\n In plaintive voice his sorrows told.\n Then R\u00e1ma spake: 'Sugr\u00edva, list,\n All anger from thy heart dismissed,\n And I will tell the cause that stayed\n Mine arrow, and withheld the aid.\n In dress, adornment, port, and height,\n In splendour, battle-shout, and might,\n No shade of difference could I see\n Between thy foe, O King, and thee.\n So like was each, I stood at gaze,\n My senses lost in wildering maze,\n Nor loosened from my straining bow\n A deadly arrow at the foe,\n Lest in my doubt the shaft should send\n To sudden death our surest friend.\n O, if this hand in heedless guilt\n And rash resolve thy blood had spilt,\n Through every land, O V\u00e1nar King,\n My wild and foolish act would ring,\n Sore weight of sin on him must lie\n By whom a friend is made to die;\n And Lakshman, I, and S\u00edt\u00e1, best\n Of dames, on thy protection rest.\n On, warrior! for the fight prepare;\n Nor fear again thy foe to dare.\n Within one hour thine eye shall view\n My arrow strike thy foeman through;\n Shall see the stricken B\u00e1li lie\n Low on the earth, and gasp and die.\n But come, a badge about thee bind,\n O monarch of the V\u00e1nar kind.\n That in the battle shock mine eyes\n The friend and foe may recognize.\n Come, Lakshman, let that creeper deck\n With brightest bloom Sugr\u00edva's neck,\n And be a happy token, twined\n Around the chief of lofty mind.'\n \u00a0\u00a0 Upon the mountain slope there grew\n A threading creeper fair to view,\n And Lakshman plucked the bloom and round\n Sugr\u00edva's neck a garland wound,\n Graced with the flowery wreath he wore,\n The V\u00e1nar chief the semblance bore\n Of a dark cloud at close of day\n Engarlanded with cranes at play,\n In glorious light the V\u00e1nar glowed\n As by his comrade's side he strode.\n And, still on R\u00e1ma's word intent,\n His steps to great Kishkindh\u00e1 bent.\n \n \n338:1 The Bengal recension makes it return In the form of a swan.\n338:2 Varuna is one of the oldest of the Vedic Gods, corresponding in name and partly in character to the \u03bf\u1f50\u03c1\u03b1\u03bd\u03cc\u03c2 of the Greeks and is often regarded as the supreme deity. He upholds heaven and earth, possesses extraordinary power and wisdom, sends his messengers through both worlds, numbers the very winkings of men's eyes, punishes transgressors whom he seizes with his deadly noose, and pardons the sins of those who are penitent. In later mythology he has become the God of the sea.\n339:1 Budha, not to be confounded with the great reformer Buddha, is the son of Soma or the Moon, and regent of the planet Mercury. Ang\u00e1ra is the regent of Mars who is called the red or the fiery planet. The encounter between Michael and Satan is similarly said to have been as if\n339:2 The As'vins or Heavenly Twins, the Dioskuri or Castor and Pollux of the Hindus, have frequently been mentioned. See p. 36, Note","title":"BOOK IV: Canto XII.: The Palm Trees.","type":"page"}