Chapter 5 - The Story of the three Sons of Sukesha

“A gandharva named Gramani, who was as effulgent as fire, had a daughter named Devavati in all the beauty of her youth, famed in the Three Worlds, equal to a second Shri, and that virtuous Gandharva, beholding Sukesha to be thus endowed, gave her to him as a second Shri of whom he was the guardian.

“Approaching her beloved consort, who had attained a sovereign state by virtue of the boons he had received, as a mendicant on whom wealth has been conferred, Devavati was highly delighted. United to that woman, the ranger of the night appeared as majestic as a great elephant, the offspring of Aryama. In time Sukesha became a father, O Raghava, and begot three sons, the equals of the Three Sacrificial Fires, Malyavan, Sumali and Mali, the foremost of heroes, rivals of the Three-eyed God; such were the sons of the Sovereign of the Rakshasas. In repose, they resembled the Three worlds, in action, they were like unto the three Sacrificial Fires, as powerful as the Three Vedas and as formidable as the three humours of the body. “These three sons of Sukesha, shining like three fires, throve like diseases that have been neglected and, learning of the boons their sire had received, which had led him to increased sovereignty and which he owed to his asceticism, the three brothers repaired to Mount Meru in order to practice penance.

“Adopting a rigid and formidable course of austerity, O Foremost of Monarchs, those Rakshasas gave themselves up to fearful mortifications, sowing terror among all beings. On account of their penances, faith, virtue and equanimity, scarce to be witnessed on earth, they agitated the Three Worlds with the Gods, Asuras and men.

“Then the Four-faced Deity [i.e., Brahma], in his marvellous chariot, came to pay homage to the sons of Sukesha and said:—

“‘It is I who am the conferrer of boons!’

“Whereupon they, recognizing him to be Brahma, the Dispenser of Favours, who was accompanied by the Indras and their Hosts, with joined palms, shaking like trees, answered him, saying:—

“‘If our penance has found favour with you, O Lord, then grant us the boons of remaining invincible, of destroying our enemies, of living long, of becoming powerfill and of being devoted to one another.’

“‘Let it be so!’” replied the God, who was a lover of brahmins, to the sons of Sukesha and he returned to Brahmaloka. Thereupon those rangers of the night, O Rama, who had become supremely arrogant on account of the boons they had received, began to harass the Gods and Asuras, and the Celestials with the companies of Rishis and Caranas, being thus persecuted and having no protector with whom they could take refuge, resembled beings in hell.

“Meantime, O Prince of Raghu, the three Rakshasas sought out the immortal Vishvakarma, the foremost of architects and joyously said to him:—

“‘O You, who from thine own resources, created the palaces of the great Gods, strong, dazzling and impregnable, do you in your transcendent intelligence construct a dwelling for us of our own choosing on the Himavat, Meru or Mandara Mountains. Build us a vast abode equal to that belonging to Maheshvara.’

“Then the mighty-armed Vishvakarma spoke to the Rakshasas concerning a residence equal to Indra’s Amaravati and said

“‘On the shores of the southern sea there is a mountain named Trikuta and there is also another named Suvela, O Princes of the Rakshasas. On the central peak resembling a cloud, inaccessible even to birds and which is hewn on four sides, is a city of thirty leagues in extent, covering a space of a hundred leagues in length. Surrounded by golden walls, pierced by gateways and furnished with terraces of gold, it is called Lanka, and was constructed by me at Shakra’s command. Go and establish yourselves in that city, O Invincible Rakshasas, as the inhabitants of heaven dwell in Amaravati. When you occupy that Citadel of Lanka with the innumerable Rakshasas who surround you, none will be able to expel you and you will overcome your foes.’

“Thus counselled by Vishvakarma, the foremost of the Rakshasas followed by thousands of their companions went to inhabit the City of Lanka. Surrounded by strong walls and deep moats, it was filled with hundreds of golden palaces and there the rangers of the night began to dwell in great felicity.

“At that time, there lived a Gandharvi named Narmada, O Descendant of Raghu, and she had three daughters born of her own will, who were as lovely as Shri or Kirti. Though not of their race, she gave her three daughters, whose faces were as radiant as the full moon, to those three Indras among the Rakshasas. The youthful Gandharvis of supreme attraction were wedded by their mother under the Uttara Phalguni Constellation, which is presided over by the Deity Bhaga.

“Having accepted their wives, O Rama, the sons of Sukesha diverted themselves with them, as the Celestials sport with the Apsaras. And the consort of Malyavan, Sundari in name and nature, gave birth to many sons—Vajramushti, Virupaksha, Durmukha, Suptagna, Yajnakopa, Matta and Unmatta. Sundari had a daughter also, O Rama, the lovely Anala.

“On her side, the consort of Sumali, whose complexion resembled the full moon, was called Katumati and she was dearer to him than his own life. I will enumerate the offspring that ranger of the night begot with her according to their birth, O Great King:—

“They were—Prahasta, Akampana, Vikata, Kalikamukha, Dhumraksha, Danda, Suparshva of great energy, Samhradi, Praghasa, Bhasakarna, Raka, Pashpotkala, Kaikasi of gracious smiles and Kumbhanasi. These, we are told, were the offspring of Sumali.

“Mali’s wife was the Gandharvi named Vasuda, who was supremely graceful, whose eyes resembled lotus petals and who rivalled the most ravishing of the Yakshis. Hear, O Lord Raghava, and I will tell you of the offspring the youngest brother begot with her; they were Anala, Anila, Hara and Sampati; these sons of Mali became the counsellors of Bibishana.

“Meanwhile, those foremost of night-rangers surrounded by hundreds of their sons, in the intoxication of their extreme strength, harassed the Gods and their leaders with the Rishis, Nagas and Yakshas. Ranging the earth, irresistible as the tempest, ruthless as death in combat, overweeningly proud of their boons, they constantly impeded the sacrifices of the Sages.