Reading section 114

899 The God of the sea.

900 Indra’s elephant.

901 Kuvera, God of wealth.

902 Kuvera’s elephant.

903 The planet Venus, or its regent who is regarded as the son of Bhrigu and preceptor of the Daityas.

904 The seven _rishis_ or saints who form the constellation of the Great Bear.

905 Triśanku was raised to the skies to form a constellation in the southern hemisphere. The story in told in Book I, Canto LX.

906 The sage Viśvámitra, who performed for Triśanku the great sacrifice which raised him to the heavens.

907 One of the lunar asterisms containing four or originally two stars under the regency of a dual divinity Indrágni, Indra and Agni.

908 The lunar asterism Múla, belonging to the Rákshases.

909 The Asurs or demons dwell imprisoned in the depths beneath the sea.

910 The God of Riches, brother and enemy of Rávaṇ and first possessor of Pushpak the flying car.

911 King of the Serpents. Śankha and Takshak are two of the eight Serpent Chiefs.

912 The God of Death, the Pluto of the Hindus.

913 Literally Indra’s conqueror, so called from his victory over that God.

914 Their names are Nikumbha, Rabhasa, Súryaśatru, Suptaghna, Yajnakopa, Mahápárśva, Mahodara, Agniketu, Raśmiketu, Durdharsha, Indraśatru, Prahasta, Virúpáksha, Vajradanshṭra, Dhúmráksha, Durmukha, Mahábala.

915 Similarly Antenor urges the restoration of Helen:

“Let Sparta’s treasures be this hour restored, And Argive Helen own her ancient lord. As this advice ye practise or reject, So hope success, or dread the dire effect,”

POPE’S _Homer’s Iliad_, Book VII.

916 The _Agnisálá_ or room where the sacrificial fire was kept.

917 The exudation of a fragrant fluid from the male elephant’s temples, especially at certain seasons, is frequently spoken of in Sanskrit poetry. It is said to deceive and attract the bees, and is regarded as a sign of health and masculine vigour.

918 Consisting of warriors on elephants, warriors in chariots, charioteers, and infantry.

919 Indra, generally represented as surrounded by the Maruts or Storm-Gods.

920 Janasthán, where Ráma lived as an ascetic.

921 Máyá, regarded as the paragon of female beauty, was the creation of Maya the chief artificer of the Daityas or Dánavs.

922 One of the Nymphs of Indra’s heaven.

923 The Lotus River, a branch of the heavenly Gangá.

_ 924 Trilokanátha_, Lord of the Three Worlds, is a title of Indra.

925 The celestial elephant that carries Indra.

926 As producers of the _ghi_, clarified butter or sacrificial oil, used in fire-offerings.

927 This desertion to the enemy is somewhat abrupt, and is narrated with brevity not usual with Válmíki. In the Bengal recension the preceding speakers and speeches differ considerably from those given in the text which I follow. Vibhishaṇ is kicked from his seat by Rávaṇ, and then, after telling his mother what has happened, he flies to Mount Kailása where he has an interview with Śiva, and by his advice seeks Ráma and the Vánar army.

928 Vṛihaspati the preceptor of the Gods.

929 In Book II, Canto XXI, Kaṇdu is mentioned by Ráma as an example of filial obedience. At the command of his father he is said to have killed a cow.

930 A King of the Yakshas, or Kuvera himself, the God of Gold.

931 The brace protects the left arm from injury from the bow-string, and the guard protects the fingers of the right hand.

932 The story is told in Book I, Cantos XL, XLI, XLII.

933 Fiends and enemies of the Gods.

934 The Indus.

935 Cowherds, sprung from a Bráhman and a woman of the medical tribe, the modern Ahírs.

936 Barbarians or outcasts.

_ 937 Vraṇa_ means wound or rent.

938 Here in the Bengal recension (Gorresio’s edition), begins Book VI.

939 The Goomtee.

940 The Anglicized Nerbudda.

941 According to a Pauranik legend Keśarí Hanumán’s putative father had killed an Asur or demon who appeared in the form of an elephant, and hence arose the hostility between Vánars and elephants.

942 Here follows the enumeration of Sugríva’s forces which I do not attempt to follow. It soon reaches a hundred thousand billions.

943 I omit the rest of this canto, which is mere repetition. Rávaṇ gives in the same words his former answer that the Gods, Gandharvas and fiends combined shall not force him to give up Sítá. He then orders Śárdúla to tell him the names of the Vánar chieftains whom he has seen in Ráma’s army. These have already been mentioned by Śuka and Sáraṇ.

944 Lakshmí is the Goddess both of beauty and fortune, and is represented with a lotus in her hand.

945 The poet appears to have forgotten that Śuka and Sáraṇ were dismissed with ignominy in Canto XXIX, and have not been reinstated.

946 The four who fled with him. Their names are Anala, Panasa, Sampáti, and Pramati.

947 The numbers here are comparatively moderate: ten thousand elephants, ten thousand chariots, twenty thousand horses and ten million giants.

948 The Kinśuk, also called Paláśa, is Butea Frondosa, a tree that bears beautiful red crescent shaped blossoms and is deservedly a favorite with poets. The Seemal or Śálmalí is the silk cotton tree which also bears red blossoms.

949 Varuṇa.

950 The duty of a king to save the lives of his people and avoid bloodshed until milder methods have been tried in vain.

951 I have omitted several of these single combats, as there is little variety in the details and each duel results in the victory of the Vánar or his ally.

952 Yajnaśatru, Mahápárśva, Mahodar, Vajradanshṭra, Śuka, and Sáraṇ.

953 Angad.

954 A mysterious weapon consisting of serpents transformed to arrows which deprived the wounded object of all sense and power of motion.

955 On each foot, and at the root of each finger.

956 Varuṇ.