{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry407.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry407.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry407.htm","text":"Dark as a cloud of autumn, dread\n Prahasta joined his palms and said:\n \n \n 'Gandharvas, Gods, the hosts who dwell\n In heaven, in air, in earth, in hell,\n Have yielded to thy might, and how\n Shall two weak men oppose thee now?\n Han\u00fam\u00e1n came, a foe disguised,\n And mocked us heedless and surprised,\n Or never had he lived to flee\n And boast that he has fought with me.\n Command, O King, and this right hand\n Shall sweep the V\u00e1nars from the land,\n And hill and dale, to Ocean's shore,\n Shall know the death-doomed race no more.\n But let my care the means devise\n To guard thy city from surprise.'\n \n \n Then Durmukh cried, of R\u00e1kshas race:\n 'Too long we brook the dire disgrace.\n He gave our city to the flames,\n He trod the chambers of thy dames.\n Ne'er shall so weak and vile a thing\n Unpunished brave the giants' king.\n Now shall this single arm attack\n And drive the daring V\u00e1nars back,\n Till to the winds of heaven they flee,\n Or seek the depths of earth and sea.'\n \n \n Then, brandishing the mace he bore,\n Whose horrid spikes were stained with gore,\n While fury made his eyeballs red,\n Impetuous Vajradanshtra said:\n \n \n 'Why waste a thought on one so vile\n As Han\u00fam\u00e1n the V\u00e1nar, while\n Sugriva, Lakshman, yet remain,\n And R\u00e1ma mightier still, unslain?\n This mace to-day shall crush the three,\n And all the host will turn and flee.\n Listen, and I will speak: incline,\n O King, to hear these words of mine,\n For the deep plan that I propose\n Will swiftly rid thee of thy foes.\n Let thousands of thy host assume\n The forms of men in youthful bloom,\n In war's magnificent array\n Draw near to Raghu's son, and say:\n 'Thy younger brother Bharat sends\n This army, and thy cause befriends.'\n Then let our legions hasten near\n With bow and mace and sword and spear,\n And on the V\u00e1nar army rain\n Our steel and stone till all be slain.\n If Raghu's sons will fain believe,\n Entangled in the net we weave,\n The penalty they both must pay,\n And lose their forfeit lives to-day.'\n \n \n Then with his warrior soul on fire,\n Nikumbha spoke in burning ire:\n \u00a0\u00a0 'I, only I, will take the field,\n And Ragha's son his life shall yield.\n Within these walls, O Chiefs, abide,\n Nor part ye from our monarch's side.'","title":"BOOK VI: Canto VIII.: Prahasta's Speech.","type":"page"}