Saturday 10 January 2015

219. The ultimatum of Ravana.

       Listening Seetha's riposte all the twenty ears of our villain started burning and his ten faces became very ugly, but in different ways. He could not control his anger. With a great effort he somehow managed to control his anger in one of his heads and spoke to Seetha from the mouth of that head. He said "No wench dared to speak to me like that you did. So far whichever beautiful woman, human, apsara, sura, asura etc. whom I desired agreed readily to my wishes. You are the first wench, that too a human who has not done so. I am very angry with you, but I accept the desire and the burning lust for you are subduing my anger like a horse running amok being subdued by a good charioteer. Desire of men is unfavourable. Don't you know that a man who  is tied up by desire,  does have a lot of compassion and fondness?
       "O! one with a beautiful face! For this reason although you well deserve to be crushed to death or at least to be humiliated, I am sparing you this time.
    "O Seetha with an wonderful complexion! As I already gave you two months time. I will abide by that. Thereafter climb my bed well before the end of of that time limit or else be prepared to be killed in my kitchen for my breakfast."
        Seeing Seetha frightened by Ravana,  the Deva and Gandharva maidens in the firmament grieved with troubled eyes. A few of the rakshashies guarding her felt sorry for Seetha. Some tried to console her by way of lips and in like manner some others with faces and eyes. Consoled by them Seetha got back her courage and retorted that king of rakshashas   "In case there is anyone who tries to prevent you from these obnoxious actions of yours, that person is definitely interested in your welfare, but there seem to be none. O vile rakshash! You will certainly be punished for your  abominable, insufferable, execrable and detestable behaviour. Like an hare challenging an elephant in rut, you are challenging my lord. O vile one! Rama is like an elephant and you are  like a hare.
       "Such as you are,  an immoral, scandalous, wicked, sordid, abject, despicable and depraved there is no wonder that you are not shameful abusing the lord of Ikshvaku dynasty, Rama. O ignoble one! I am surprised why at least any of your these eyes which are cruel, crooked, black and reddish brown, which are seeing me, have not fallen down.  I wonder why your tongues did not fall off speaking in such a vile manner about me who is the wife of Rama and the daughter-in-law of Dasharatha. O Ravana! Although you are fit to be burnt into ashes, without the mandate of Rama and preserving austerity, I am not reducing you into ashes with my glory.
       "This your act of abducting me will definitely lead to your end. There is no doubt that. Start counting your days."
        Listening Seetha's words the taste in all the ten mouths of the king of rakshasas, Ravana turned bitter. Staring Seetha with all his twenty cruel eyes Ravana looked like a black cloud, with big shoulders and neck with the strength and gait of a lion, glorious with radiant tips of tongues and eyes. He was tall with moving front portion of crown, with excellent garlands and anointment, wearing red garlands and clothes, with ornaments made of refined gold. Like the Mount Mandara tied by Vasuki for producing amruth, (see 18. The legend of churning Milk Ocean.Ravana was well tied by a black big thread. Looking like a mountain the king of rakshashas shone with those perfect shoulders like Mount Mandara with its peaks. With the color of just risen sun, decorated by earrings, he was like a mountain with Ashoka trees with red flowers and shoots. Looking like the  Kalpavriksha he resembled the embodiment of spring season. Also looking like a funeral mound in a grave-yard he, though decorated looked horrible.
       With red eyes due to anger Ravana was looking at Seetha sighing like a serpent and spoke to Seetha "O! beautiful but a very bad mannered wench, if you do not accede to my wishes, I surely will make you my breakfast, which I hope will not be as bad as your manners."
       The king Ravana then ordered all the rakshasis women with horrible appearances "O rakshashies! I do not care how you will do it. But I want that you make this daughter of Janaka, Seetha agree to become under my control quickly. With hostile and favorable means, with kind words, with the lure of gifts and dividing words and exertion of punishment, or by any other means you deem fit, make Seetha agree to be under my possession."
      Ravana repeated his above orders with a mind full of lust and anger which made the frightened Seetha shiver like a leaf.
     Thereafter a rakshashi named Dhanyamalini rushed to Ravana, embraced him and said "O king! Sport with me. O lord of rakshshas! Of what use to you is this Seetha who is colorless and a wretched human. O king! Lord Barhma did not assign to her the wonderful luxuries earned by the might of your arms. This is definite. The body of one who desires a woman without being desired suffers pain. Good happiness will occur to one who loves a woman who desires him."
         Not wanting to be rude to her, Ravana smiled at her condescendingly and then turned back laughing. His angry departure with  bangs of his feet shaking the earth and entered his house with the luster of blazing sun shine. Deva, Gandharva and Naga maidens surrounding Ravana in all directions entered his beautiful palace, too. 
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