{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry440.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry440.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry440.htm","text":"When R\u00e1ma saw each bloody trace\n On King Sugr\u00edva's limbs and face,\n He cried, while, sorrowing at the view,\n His arms about his friend he threw:\n 'Too venturous chieftain, kings like us\n Bring not their lives in peril thus;\n Nor, save when counsel shows the need,\n Attempt so bold, so rash a deed.\n Remember. I, Vibh\u00edshan all\n Have sorrowed fearing for thy fall.\n O do not--for us all I speak--\n These desperate adventures seek,\n 'I could not,' cried Sugr\u00edva, 'brook\n Upon the giant king to look,\n \n \n Nor challenge to the deadly strife\n The fiend who robbed thee of thy wife.'\n 'Now Lakshman, marshal,' R\u00e1ma cried,\n 'Our legions where the woods are wide,\n And stand we ready to oppose\n The fury of our giant foes.\n This day our armies shall ascend\n The walls which R\u00e1van's powers defend,\n And floods of R\u00e1kshas blood shall stain\n The streets encumbered with the slain.'\n Down from the peak he came, and viewed\n The V\u00e1nars' ordered multitude.\n Each captain there for battle burned,\n Each fiery eye to Lank\u00e1 turned.\n On, where the royal brothers led\n To Lank\u00e1's walls the legions sped.\n The northern gate, where giant foes\n Swarmed round their monarch, R\u00e1ma chose\n Where he in person might direct\n The battle, and his troops protect.\n What arm but his the post might keep\n Where, strong as he who sways the deep, \u00a01\n Mid thousands armed with bow and mace,\n Stood R\u00e1van mightiest of his race?\n The eastern gate was N\u00edla's post.\n Where marshalled stood his V\u00e1nar host,\n And Mainda with his troops arrayed,\n And Dwivid stood to lend him aid.\n The southern gate was Angad's care,\n Who ranged his bold battalions there.\n Han\u00fam\u00e1n by the port that faced\n The setting sun his legions placed,\n And King Sugr\u00edva held the wood\n East of the gate where R\u00e1van stood.\n On every side the myriads met,\n And Lank\u00e1's walls of close beset\n That scarce the roving gale could win\n A passage to the hosts within.\n Loud as the angry ocean's roar\n When wild waves lash the rocky shore,\n Ten thousand thousand throats upsent\n A shout that tore the firmament,\n And Lank\u00e1 with each grove and brook\n And tower and wall and rampart shook.\n The giants heard, and were appalled:\n Then Raghu's son to Angad called,\n And, led by kingly duty, \u00a02 gave\n This order merciful as brave:\n 'Go, Angad, R\u00e1van's presence seek,\n And thus my words of warning speak:\n 'How art thou changed and fallen now,\n O Monarch of the giants, thou\n Whose impious fury would not spare\n Saint, nymph, or spirit of the air;\n Whose foot in haughty triumph trod\n On Yaksha, king, and Serpent God:\n \n \n How art thou fallen from thy pride\n Which Brahm\u00e1's favour fortified!\n With myriads at thy Lank\u00e1's gate\n I stand my righteous ire to sate,\n And punish thee with sword and flame,\n The tyrant fiend who stole my dame.\n Now show the might, employ the guile,\n O Monarch of the giants' isle,\n Which stole a helpless dame away:\n Call up thy power and strength to-day.\n Once more I warn thee, R\u00e1kshas King,\n This hour the Maithil lady bring,\n And, yielding while there yet is time,\n Seek, suppliant, pardon for the crime,\n Or I will leave beneath the sun\n No living R\u00e1kshas, no, not one.\n In vain from battle wilt thou fly,\n Or borne on pinions seek the sky;\n The hand of R\u00e1ma shall not spare;\n His fiery shaft shall smite thee there.'\n \n \n He ceased: and Angad bowed his head;\n Thence like embodied flame be sped,\n And lighted from his airy road\n Within the R\u00e1kshas king's abode.\n There sate, the centre of a ring\n Of counsellors, the giant king.\n Swift through the circle Angad pressed,\n And spoke with fury in his breast:\n 'Sent by the lord of Kosal's land,\n His envoy here, O King, I stand,\n Angad the son of B\u00e1li: fame\n Has haply taught thine ears my name.\n Thus in the words of R\u00e1ma I\n Am come to warn thee or defy:\n Come forth, and fighting in the van\n Display the spirit of a man.\n This arm shall slay thee, tyrant: all\n Thy nobles, kith and kin shall fall:\n And earth and heaven, from terror freed,\n Shall joy to see the oppressor bleed,\n Vibh\u00edshan, when his foe is slain,\n Anointed king in peace shall reign.\n Once more I counsel thee: repent,\n Avoid the mortal punishment,\n With honour due the dame restore,\n And pardon for thy sin implore.'\n \n \n Loud rose the king's infuriate cry:\n 'Seize, seize the V\u00e1nar, let him lie.'\n Four of his band their lord obeyed,\n And eager hands on Angad laid.\n He purposing his strength to show\n Gave no resistance to the foe,\n But swiftly round his captors cast\n His mighty arms and held them fast.\n Fierce shout and cry around him rang:\n Light to the palace roof he sprang,\n There his detaining arms unwound.\n And hurled the giants to the ground,\n Then, smiting with a fearful stroke,\n A turret from the roof he broke,--\n As when the fiery levin sent\n \n \n By Indra from the clouds has rent\n The proud peak of the Lord of Snow,-\n And flung the stony mass below.\n Again with loud terrific cry\n He sprang exulting to the sky,\n And, joyous for his errand done,\n Stood by the side of Raghu's son.\n \n \n \n \n457:1 The Rusuk * also called Palas'a, is Bruten Frondosa, a tree that bears beautiful red crescent shaped blossoms and is deservedly a favorite with poets. * ??????? Seekal the silk cotton * ????? bush also bears red blossoms.\n458:1 Varuna.\n458:2 The duty of a king to save the lives of his people and avoid bloodshed until milder methods have been tried in vain.","title":"BOOK VI: Canto XLI.: R\u00e1ma's Envoy.","type":"page"}