Chapter 10 - Hanuman sees Ravana surrounded by his Wives

Looking round, Hanuman observed a splendid dais, worthy of the Gods, made of crystal encrusted with pearls, furnished with couches of emerald mounted on ivory and gold and covered with rich and priceless rugs. And he saw a white canopy, in that place, festooned with celestial garlands that gleamed like the moon.

And he observed a magnificent couch inlaid with gold, flaming like fire and bearing garlands of Ashoka flowers, around which figures were waving fans to and fro, creating cooling draughts and perfumes of every kind wreathed it with delicious fragrance. Spread with soft woollen cloths and decked with chaplets of flowers, it was adorned on every side.

And there, resembling a thundercloud, the Sovereign of the Titans lay with bright and flashing earrings, reddened eyes, golden raiment, his limbs smeared with saffron and fragrant sandal, like a purple cloud at dusk, riven with lightning. Adorned with celestial ornaments, magnificent to behold, able to change his form at will, as he lay asleep he resembled the Mandara Mountain with its trees, groves and bushes without number. Having ceased from dalliance, decked with priceless ornaments, the delight of the titans and dear to all the titan women, his feasting over he lay sleeping on the golden bed, breathing like a serpent.

And Hanuman, filled with awe, shrank back in fear, and stationed himself on a landing of the stairway, pressing himself against the inner wall; then that courageous monkey looked down on that lion among titans lying there in a drunken stupor. And as the King of the Titans lay sleeping, his luxurious couch resembled a great waterfall by which a mighty tusker in mustha is resting.

Hanuman looked down on the two outstretched arms, encircled with golden bracelets of that gigantic monarch, resembling the standards of Indra, which had formerly been pierced in combat by the sharp tusks of Airavata and torn by the discus of Vishnu and the great shoulders that had been lacerated by India’s mace. Those vast arms, firmly set with well-formed, powerful muscles and thumbs and nails bearing auspicious marks, rings coverings the fingers, those arms, thick as clubs, rounded like the trunk of an elephant, that lay along the opulent couch as it were two snakes with five heads, smeared with sandal of the colour of hare’s blood, fresh, extremely rare and of a delicious fragrance massaged by women of sovereign beauty with precious unguents, those arms that had caused Yakshas, Pannagas, Gandharvas Devas and Danavas to cry out in terror, that monkey gazed upon as they lay along the couch, like two great and angry reptiles sleeping in a cave on the Mandara Mountain. And with his two great arms, the Chief of the Titans resembled Mount Mandara with its twin peaks.

The scent of the Mango or Punnaga tree, impregnated with that of the Bakula blended with the savour of viands and the aroma of wine, issued from the vast mouth of that Monarch of Titans during sleep and seemed to fill the whole apartment. His diadem was decorated with rubies and precious stones, gleaming with gold and he was adorned with earrings, smeared with red sandal, his well-developed chest bearing a string of pearls; a white silken cloth, flung aside, revealed his scars and he was covered with a costly yellow coverlet. Like a mass of light he lay, hissing like a serpent so that it seemed as if an elephant lay asleep in the deep waters of the Ganges. Four lamps, set on golden pillars, cast their light to the four sides as lightning reveals the surface of a mass of cloud.

Then that foremost of monkeys saw the wives of that great monarch of the titans sleeping at the foot of their lord, their faces bright as the moon, wearing precious earrings and fresh garlands. Skilled musicians and dancers, they lay in the arms and on the breast of that Indra of Titans, attired in beautiful raiment, and the monkey gazed on those women wearing golden bracelets and earrings set with diamonds and emeralds, their faces fair as the moon, illumined by the reflection of their glittering earrings, lighting the hall as stars illumine the firmament.

Overcome with drinking and amorous dalliance, those slender-waisted wives of the King of the Demons lay fast asleep where they had been seated; and one, possessed of lovely limbs, skilled in the dance, slept there, wearied by her graceful motions, whilst another, embracing her Vina, looked like a lotus that had fallen into the water clinging to a passing raft; a third darkeyed maiden held her Mankuka in her lap, as a youthful woman would her child, while yet another with graceful limbs and shapely bosom, slept with her tambourine pressed to her heart, as one embraces his love after a long absence. This one, with eyes like lotuses had fallen asleep clasping her Vina, as a beautiful girl enfolds her beloved one affectionately in her arms. Here one of restrained sense lay beside her lute which she encircled with her arms, resembling one affianced lying by the side of her chosen one; there, one whose limbs gleamed like Kanada gold, dimpled, ravishing, her eyes heavy with wine, though sleeping, was striking her drum. One of slender waist and flawless beauty, worn out by feasting, slept with a cymbal in her lap and yet another held a Dindima and had another slung on her back so that she looked like a young mother with her husband and her child. One, with eyes large as lotus petals, clasping her Adambara tightly to her breast, had fallen asleep under the influence of wine and yet another, her water vessel overturned, resembled a flowery wreath that is sprinkled with water to keep it green; another, falling under the sway of sleep, with her hands covered her breasts resembling two golden cups, and one, with eyes like lotuses, fair as the moon, had fallen asleep embracing one of her companions possessed of lovely hips. Peerlessly beautiful women, clasping musical instruments, pressed them to their bosoms like lovers their chosen ones.

And that monkey beheld a marvellous bed set apart, on which one of these lovely women lay, richly attired, adorned with pearls and precious gems, who seemed to lend radiance to that magnificent apartment. Clad in silk bright as Kanaka gold, Ravana’s favourite Queen, Mandodari by name, that slender-waisted woman of gracious features, lay fast asleep, adorned with ornaments and, seeing her, that offspring of the Wind-God said to himself: “This one, endowed with the wealth of youth and beauty may be Sita” and he rejoiced exceedingly. Thereafter, in his delight, he leapt into the air, waving his tail and manifesting his joy by his antics, frolicking, singing, climbing up the pillars from whence he dropped to the ground, thus demonstrating his monkey nature.