Chapter 22 - Ravana’s Threats

To this stern speech from the gracious Sita, the King of the Titans replied harshly:—

“In the world it is said the more gentleness one manifests towards a woman, the more responsive she becomes, but the more kindness I show to you the more you dost repulse me. Verily only the love I bear you restrains my wrath, as a skilful charioteer controls the horses who seek to leave the road. Mighty indeed is the power of love, for even if the object of his affection invoke his anger, man covers her with pity and tenderness. It is on this account, O Lady of lovely mien, that I do not slay you, you dost merit death and dishonour, you who delightest in asceticism without reason. For each and every harsh word which you have addressed to me, you meritest a dreadful end, O Maithili.”

Having spoken thus to Sita, the Princess of Videha, Ravana, Lord of the Titans, filled with indignation, added:—“I shall grant you two months as the term assigned to you, after which you must share my bed. If you should’st refuse, my cooks shall mince your limbs for my morning repast.”

Hearing these threats addressed by the King of the Titans to Janaki, the daughters of the Gods and Gandharvas were exceedingly perturbed and, by the expression of their lips and eyes and their gestures sought to reassure Sita thus menaced by him.

Encouraged by them, Sita, fortified by her virtue and her pride in Rama, addressed Ravana, the Lord of the Titans, in his own interests, saying:—

“It appears that there is none in this city who desires your welfare and therefore seeks to prevent you from this despicable deed. Who in the Three Worlds would desire to possess the chaste consort of the high-souled One, who resembles Indra’s Saci? O Vilest of Demons, how will you escape the consequences of this insult offered to Rama’s consort, he whose valour is immeasurable? Like unto an infuriated elephant, encountering a hare in the forest, so shalt you, the wretched hare, meet with that elephant Rama. You dost not fear to rail at the Chief of the Ikshvakus so long as you are not in his presence. Why do not those cruel, terrible, coppery eyes of thine fall out, looking on me so lustfully, O Ignoble Creature? O Contemptible Wretch, when you didst threaten the spouse of that high-souled Rama, the daughter-in-law of King Dasaratha, why did not your tongue dry up? O Tennecked One, by the power of my asceticism, I could reduce you to ashes instantly had I Rama’s mandate. On account of my consuming virtue and ascetic observances, I could never have been wrested from Rama, were it not that thine evil act was to be the cause of your destruction, O Dashagriva! Assisted by the brother of Kuvera and proud of thine own heroism, you didst lure Rama from the hermitage and succeed in bearing me away by stealth.”

Hearing Sita’s words, Ravana, the King of the Titans, cast ferocious glances at her. Like a mass of black clouds, with his enormous arms and neck, endowed with an elephantine gait, his eyes smouldering, his tongue like a darting flame, of immense stature, wearing a plumed diadem, covered with necklaces, sprinkled with perfume, decked with garlands and, bracelets of gold, his waist encircled with a dark blue belt so that it resembled the Mandara mountain encompassed by the snake at the time of the churning of the ocean; with his vast arms, the Lord of the Titans looked like a mountain with twin peaks. Adorned with earrings gleaming like the rising sun, he resembled a hill between two Ashoka trees enveloped in crimson flowers and buds or like the wish-fulfilling tree or spring incarnate or an altar in a crematorium.

Then Ravana cast furious glances from his bloodshot eyes at the Princess of Videha and, hissing like a serpent, addressed her, saying:—“O You who art attached to that wretch without resource or moral sense, I shall destroy you to-day as the sun’s radiance is obliterated at the time of dusk.”

Having spoken thus to Maithili, Ravana, the oppressor of his foes, looked at those female titans of formidable appearance, some of whom had a single eye or ear, some enormous ears and some the ears of kine or elephants. Some had ears that hung down and some none at all, some had the feet of elephants, some of horses, some of kine, some were hairy, others possessed but a single eye and foot, some had enormous feet and others none at all. Some had heads and necks of inordinate size, some enormous chests and bellies, some disproportionately large mouths and eyes or long tongues and nails and some had no nose or possessed jaws like lions, some had mouths like oxen or snouts like pigs.

Then Ravana, transfiixing those titans with his glance, said to them:—“You Titans seek by fair or foul means, by threats or persuasion or honeyed words or gifts to induce Sita to look on me with favour.”

Repeating his command again and again, the King of the Titans filled with desire and anger began to inveigh against Janaki, whereupon a female titan named Dhanyamalini, approaching Dashagriva, embraced him and said:—

“O Great King, enjoy thyself with me, what need hast you for this human being who is wretched and whose countenance is pale? O King of the Titans, it is not with her that the Gods have destined you to taste the exquisite pleasures that are the reward of the strength of thine arms. He who loves one who is unwilling exposes himself to torment, whereas he whose love is reciprocated, enjoys perfect happiness.”

Having said this, the female titan drew Ravana away but he, resembling a mass of cloud, turned back, laughing scornfully.

Then Dashagriva strode away, causing the earth to tremble, and returned to his palace that shone with the brilliance of the orb of day.

Surrounding Ravana, the daughters of the Gods and Gandharvas as well as those of the Serpent Race returned to that sumptuous abode with him. Thus Ravana, distracted with desire, left the Princess of Mithila of irreproachable virtue trembling and entered his own dwelling.