Chapter CLI: Section IX

And located within that excellent mansion, Hanuman, son unto the Wind-god, saw a superior and grand structure, stainless and spacious; half a _yojana_ in width and one in length,--belonging to the lord of the Rakshasas, and abounding with many a palace. And searching for Videha's daughter, the large eyed Sita, that slayer of enemies, Hanuman, ranged all through (this edifice). And Hanuman beheld the goodly edifice where the Rakshasas used to dwell in common. And (at length) that one came upon the mansion itself of the lord of Rakshasas, having three-tusked and four-tusked elephants, and protected by persons with upraised arms, and covering a capacious area. And (Hanuman beheld) the residence of Ravana, thronged with his Rakshasi wives, as well as with princesses forcibly brought thither (by him),-- like unto the sea teeming with alligators and _makaras_, abounding in _timingilas_ and fishes and snakes, and agitated by the force of the wind. The same enchanting splendour that is in Vaicravana or the ray-riding Moon, remained ever constant and abiding in Ravana's abode. And the prosperity of king Kuvera, or Yama, or Varuna, was here present in the house of the Raksha,--or even surpassed by the prosperity (of Ravana). In the midst of that mansion the Wind-god's offspring found another,[261] excellently constructed, having innumerable mad elephants;--that noble car embellished with all gems, entitled _Pushpaka_, which had been constructed in heaven by Vicwakarma for Brahma himself,-- which Kuvera obtained from the Great-father through high austerities,--and which, vanquishing Kuvera by his prowess, the Rakshasa chief got possession of. And the mighty monkey ascended the splendid car _Pushpaka_, containing figures of wolves,--made of _Karttaswara_ and _Hiranya_; graced with ranges of goodly pillars; as if blazing in splendour; throughout garnished with narrow secret rooms and saloons, piercing the heavens, and resembling Meru or Mandara, and like unto the flaming Sun; skilfully reared by Vicwakarma; with golden staircases and graceful and grand raised seats, rows of golden and crystal windows, and daises composed of sapphires, emeralds and other superb gems; embellished with noble _vidrumas_, costly stones, and round pearls, as also with plastered terraces; pasted with red sandal, like unto gold, and furnished with a sacred aroma; and resembling the sun new risen. And stationed thereon,[262] Hanuman smelt the rich odour of viands and drinks that was spreading on all sides;-- and like one dear friend smelling another, he also smelt the mighty Air, impregnated with aroma, which seemed like embodied Odour. And (the Air) said unto Hanuman,--"Come here, where that Ravana is." Then (descending from _Pushpaka_ and repairing to that sleeping apartment of Ravana), Hanuman saw the same, grand and graceful; belonging to Ravana; of transcendent beauty; comely like unto a lovely lady; diversified with jewelled staircases; illumined with heaps of gems; with its terraces constructed of crystal; having statues of ivory, pearls, diamonds, coral, silver and gold; adorned with jewelled pillars; and embellished all round with pillasters; and upheld on all sides by straight, elevated and gorgeously ornamented pillars of equal dimensions, resembling prodigious wings,--(the mansion) appearing to tower to the sky; containing spacious and parti-colored woolen cloths bearing the marks of the Earth;[263] extensive as the Earth is, with kingdoms and dwellings; resounding with the roars of infuriated elephants; redolent of divine fragrance; furnished with gay canopies; inhabited by the sovereign of the Rakshas; cloudy with _aguru_ and _dhupa_; spotless; of a swan-like whiteness; engarlanded with flowers and leaves like unto the dappled and brilliant cow (of Vasishtha); bringing delight unto the heart; and enhancing the grace (of all creatures); removing sorrow; noble; and the generatrix of Grace herself. And as soon as Hanuman entered the mansion protected by Ravana, it like a mother regaled his senses with their proper objects. "This must be _swarga_, or the region of the immortals, or the city of Amaravati, or the supreme Siddhi--"[264] thought the Wind-god's offspring. And he saw the golden lamps (shorn of their brightness),[265] like unto gamblers worsted at dice by others exceedingly skilful, and, in consequence, plunged in thought. And (Hanuman) conceived that (Ravana's sleeping apartment) was in a conflagration, on account of the display of the lamps, Ravana' s energy, and the splendour of the ornaments. And when the night had been half spent, (Hanuman) saw thousands of superb dames, adorned in various attires, and bearing apparels of diverse hues, and wreaths,--who having given up sport, and come under the influence of wine and sleep,-- were fast asleep on woolen sheets. And in consequence of the silence that reigned (in that apartment) embellished with (ornaments), it resembled a large lotus-grove, where the swans and the black bees are silent. And the Wind-god's offspring beheld the countenances of those beauteous women, with closed eyes,--having their lashes shut through languor; and odorous with lotus-perfume. And their faces appeared like lotuses blowing on the expiry of night and closing their petals by night. "These lotus-faces like unto very lotuses themselves, ever the six-footed ones[266] seek once and again." Thus thought with discrimination the graceful, mighty monkey; and on account of their perfections, he confessed those countenances to be equal to water-sprung[267] (lotuses). And that apartment, in consequence of being graced by those women, appeared splendid, like the autumnal, complacent sky decorated with the stars. And surrounded by them, the Rakshasa chief resembled the fair Moon encircled by the stars. "Those stars that drop from the firmament on their virtue deteriorating, have assembled here in a body," thus thought the monkey at that time. And the shine, form, and splendour of those females resembled, forsooth those of magnificently displayed, noble and lustrous stars. And on account of their having been bereft of consciousness through sleep, induced by fatigue brought on by drink (and dance), their hair was dishevelled, and their full wreaths and goodly ornaments lay scattered about. And some of those paragons had got their beauty-spots, smudged; and some, their bangles loosening off; some, their chains running to one side. And others had their pearl necklaces burst,-- and their cloths getting away (from their persons), and the chains of their zones straying irregularly;--resembling way-worn mares. And others again were without their ear-rings, and had their garlands torn and crushed; and resembled blossoming creepers, trodden down in a vast forest by mighty elephants. And the pearl chains of some sinning females resembling moon beams, having got topsy-turvy, was lying like sleeping swans between the breasts of the damsels. And the lapis chains of some resembled water-crows;[268] and the fine golden chains turned upside down of others appeared like ruddy geese. And those ladies resembled rivers having hips for banks; containing swans and Karandavas, and beautified with ruddy geese. And those sleeping females appeared like streams; having _Kinkinis_ for their ripples; and large gold lotuses;[269] marks[270] of amorous encounter on their persons for ferocious aquatic animals; and perfections,[271] for their banks. And on the tender frames, as well as on the tops of the breasts, of some graceful scratches consequent on pressure, appeared like ornaments. And the scarf-ends of some stirred by the air that was blowing about their faces, flapped on them again and again. And at the nether part of the faces of Ravana's wives, they (the scarf-ends)appeared beauteous like uplifted streamers of exceeding elegance, composed of many-hued golden yarn. And the ear-rings of some dames possessed of a pleasant sheen, stirred by the air that was breathing about their faces, were undulating gently. And the sweet breath of their faces, naturally fragrant, and redolent of sugar and dsava, was then regaling Ravana. And out of fear sprung from sleep and intoxication, some of Ravana's wives were again and again smelling the faces of those, co-wives with them, taking the faces to belong to Ravana. And from their hearts being firmly fixed on Ravana, those excellent women, having their sense af separateness removed, (albeit thus dealt with), did what was dear unto them.[272] And other females, making their gay scarf-ends (for their sheets), and making their arms, their pillows, were lying down there. And some were lying on others' bosoms and others again, on the arms of the latter. And some lay on the laps of others; and others, again, on the breasts of the latter. And they reposed on each other's thighs, flanks, waists, and backs; and coming under the influence of wine and amour, they lay on each other's persons. And those females having elegant waists, receiving pleasure from the contact with others' persons, were sleeping there, with their hands fastened by each other. And that garland of females strung by the threads of their hands, appeared beauteous, like a real wreath strung on a thread, with maddened black bees (seated thereon). And that multitude of females in a medley appeared like an assemblage of blooming plants in the month of Chaitra,[273] with its wreaths formed in consequence of their coming in contact with one another, and of its clusters touching each other, on account of the breeze blowing;--with the plants encircling the graceful (necks of the trees),--and rife with Bhramaras chasing each other.--And although the ornaments of those women wearing ornaments, attires and wreaths, were put on proper places; yet (on account of the profusion of the ornaments themselves, as well as because of the circumstance of the dames' sleeping),[274] it was difficult to ascertain which ornament belonged to one damsel and which to another. And it seemed as if, Ravana having attained rest (through sleep), the flaming golden lamps furnished with various rays, were gazing at the girls with winkless eyes. Daughters of Rajarshis, of Vipras, of Daityas, of Gandharbas. and of Rakshasas, having come under the influence of desire, had become his wives. And all those women had been procured by Ravana because he sought fight (with their relations) and some haughty dames, rapt with desire, had of themselves come to this place. And there was no woman there, who had been won by force by (Ravana), possessed as he was of prowess; but they had all been subdued by his qualities. And save the surpassingly worthy daughter of Janaka, no female (had been brought), who had set her heart on another, or who had known any other before. And there was none who, being his wife, was not of high extraction; none who was defective in grace; none who was not of sterling merit; none who was not decked out in ornaments and attire; and none who was infirm; and none who was not an object of desire of her lover. And the lord of monkeys endowed with uprightness of sense, thought,--"If the righteously wedded wife of Raghava were as one of the wives of the king of the Rakshasas, it would well for him." Again reflected he,-- "Sita is crowned with chastity and other virtues; and the powerful lord of Lanka, assuming an illusory form, hath with much ado perpetrated this ignominious act."

[261] _The car Pushpaka_, according to Tirtha, whose view is accepted by
Ramanuja. According to Kataka, _Vesma_ means a _bedchamber of
husband and wife.--T._

[262] _i. e._ on Pushpaka.--T.

[263] _i. e._ four-cornered, The Earth, in Hindu cosmogony, is a flat
surface having four corners.--T.

[264] _Svarga_ is the region where persons reap the fruit of
Jyotishtoma, etc. _Siddhi_ is Illusion spread by Gandharbas.--T.

[265] By the superior splendour of Ravana.--T.

[266] _Shatpada_--six-footed--a name of the black bee.--T.

[267] _Salilodbhavas_,--water-sprung--a name of the lotus.--T.

[268] _Kadamva_--a drake; or, according to some, a teal; a gander; or
the species _gallinula porphyria.--T._

[269] _i.e._ the faces of the females are meant. Another meaning is,
_gold for large lotuses.--T._

[270] Vilasa may also mean arch displays by way of coquetry.--T.

[271] _Yasa_, according to some, here means _grace_.--T.

[272] The sense is very imperspicuous only by reason of the unskilful
use of the pronouns. _The damsels kissed did not resent the act;
but kissed the kissers in turn.--T._

[273] March-April.

[274] In consequence also, remarks the commentator, of the uniformity
running through the ornaments, as well as of the close contact of
the persons of the ladies.--T.