Chapter 27 - Trijata’s Dream

These words of Sita roused the female titans to great fury and some hurried away to repeat them to that vile creature, Ravana.

Then those monsters of hideous aspect approached her and began to threaten her in the same way as before with as little success and some said:

“O Wretched Sita, to-day those demons whose destruction you have planned, will devour your flesh at their pleasure.”

Seeing Sita threatened by those vile demons, Trijata, who was aged and prudent, said to them: “You Wretches, devour me, but do not lay hands on Sita, the daughter of Janaka and the beloved daughter-in-law of King Dasaratha. Last night, I had a terrible dream causing my hair to stand on end, foretelling the overthrow of the titans and the triumph of this woman’s husband.”

Hearing these words uttered by Trijata, all those titan women, filled with ire, terrified, demanded that she should speak further, saying:—“Do you relate the manner of your dream and what you didst behold last night.”

Hearing those words, falling from the lips of the titan women, Trijata began to relate the dream that had come to her in the early hours, saying:—

“I beheld a celestial chariot made of ivory, drawn by a hundred swans traversing the ethereal regions in which Raghava accompanied by Lakshmana stood clad in dazzling raiment, adorned with garlands. And I saw Sita wearing the purest white, standing on a snow-white mountain surrounded by the sea and she was re-united with Rama, as the light with the sun. And again I beheld Raghava seated on a mighty elephant possessing four tusks, resembling a hill, as also Lakshmana, whereupon those two lions among heroes, ablaze with their own effulgence, approached Janaki arrayed in dazzling robes and decked with garlands. Upon this, she mounted on the shoulders of an elephant led by her lord, appearing in the sky near the summit of that mountain! Thereafter, that lotus-eyed one, rose into the air from her husband’s embrace and I beheld her wiping the sun and moon with her hand. Then that foremost among elephants with those two princes and the large-eyed Sita stood over Lanka.

“And again, in dream, I saw Rama,clothed in brilliant attire, wearing garlands, accompanied by Lakshmana, in a chariot drawn by eight white bullocks and I beheld that foremost of men, Rama, whose essence is valour with his brother Lakshmana and Sita ascending a celestial flowery car, bright as the sun, driving towards the northern regions.

“Then I saw Ravana, lying on the earth coveredin oil, shaven, attired in red, garlanded with oleander flowers, intoxicated and still drinking. And I beheld him falling from the flowery chariot, Pushpaka, on to the earth, shorn, wearing a black cloth, dragged hither and thither by a woman. Thereafter I saw him seated in a chariot drawn by asses, robed in red, with his body stained likewise, quaffing sesamum oil, laughing and dancing, his mind confused, his senses clouded, speeding towards the south. Again I saw Ravana, the Lord of the Titans, stricken with fear, fall headlong on the earth, thereafter leaping up suddenly, terrified, bemused with liquor, staggering about naked like a madman, incapable of speech yet babbling continuously, stinking and foul, resembling hell itself. Then, proceeding towards the south, he entered a lake where even the mud had dried up and a dark woman clad in red, besmeared with mud, placed a rope round the neck of Dasha-griva dragging him to the region of death.

“There I beheld the mighty Kumbhakarna and all the sons of Ravana, their heads shaven, besmeared with oil. Dasha-griva riding a boar, Indrajita a porpoise and Kumbhakarna a camel; only Bibishana appeared to me standing in space, under a white canopy, accompanied by four ministers. Thereafter a great company of titans wearing red garlands and raiment filed past, playing on stringed instruments, dancing and drinking. And I beheld the enchanting city of Lanka, filled with elephants, chariots and horses, her gateways and arches shattered, falling into the sea. And in Lanka, crimson with flames, the female titans were laughing and creating a terrible clamour, quaffing oil. I saw Kumbhakarna and all the other titans, dark-hued, wearing scarlet robes, falling headlong into a cesspool.

“Do you now depart since Raghava is about to be re-united with Sita and, in extreme ire, will exterminate you all with the titans. If his beloved and revered consort, who, for his sake, followed him to the forest, is threatened and tormented by you, Raghava will never brook the insult. Enough therefore of these invidious threats, occupy yourselves in consoling her and crave her forgiveness; you should seek to influence Vaidehi by persuasion. That unfortunate one, on whose account I had so significant a dream, is about to be delivered from her woes and re-united to her beloved and illustrious lord once more. Even after the menaces you have uttered, let us give up all harsh words and implore her forgiveness. In truth, a terrible disaster for the titans will proceed from Raghava. By casting yourselves at her feet, you may placate Maithili, the daughter of Janaka, who is able to preserve us from a great calamity. Furthermore, I do not find any blemish in that lady of large eyes nor the least defect in any of her limbs. Verily I deem the misfortune that has befallen this goddess, who does not merit adversity, has no more substance than a shadow.

“I foresee the immediate attainment of Vaidehi’s desires, the destruction of the King of the Titans and the imminent triumph of Raghava. Behold the indications of great joy, held in check by that lady, in the twitching of her left eye large as a lotus petal and without apparent cause; the slight trembling of the left arm of that virtuous daughter of Videha, her left thigh too resembling an elephant’s trunk is quivering, as if Raghava himself stood before her and the winged creatures nesting in the branches above her are pouring forth their song as if to announce the advent of an auspicious hour.”

Thereupon, that modest and youthful woman, greatly delighted at the prospect of her husband’s victory, said to them: “If this prove true I will be your protector.”