Chapter 4 - Origin of the Rakshasas and of the Boons they received

This discourse of Agastya filled Rama with astonishment. “How was it that the Rakshasas formerly dwelt in Lanka?”, such was the question that Rama put to the ascetic, shaking his head and casting wondering glances upon him from time to time.

He said:—“O Blessed One, the words ‘Formerly Lanka belonged to the Eaters of Flesh’ from your lips causes me extreme surprise. We have been told that the Rakshasas were the offspring of Paulastya and now, you affirmest that they owe their origin to a different source. Were Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Prahasta, Vikata and Ravani stronger than they? Who, O Brahmin, was their first king? What was the name of that one of terrific strength? For what fault were they driven out by Vishnu? Tell me all in detail, O Irreproachable Sage and, as the sun chases away the shade, so dispel my curiosity!”

Hearing Raghava’s fair and eloquent words, Agastya, amazed, answered:—

“Formerly Prajapati created the waters, choosing that element as his source and, thereafter, in order to protect it, that lotus-born One generated all creatures.

Then those beings, tormented by hunger and thirst, humbly presented themselves before their author and enquired saying:—

“‘What shall we do?’

“Whereupon Prajapati, smiling, gave this answer to them all:—

‘Protect the waters carefully, O Sons of Manu!’

Then some said:—‘Rakshami’ (we will protect) and others ‘Yakshami’ (we will sacrifice). Thus addressed by those afflicted by hunger and thirst, the Creator said

“‘Those among you who have said “Rakshami” shall be Rakshasas and those among you who have said “Yakshami” shall be Yakshas.’

“On this, two brothers sprang up, named Heti and Praheti, the equals of Madhu and Kaitabha, who were Rakshasas, oppressors of their foes; and the righteous Praheti withdrew to the solitudes to practice asceticism, but Heti did all in his power to find a wife and, immeasurably intelligent and of great wisdom, he espoused the sister of Kala, a young girl named Bhaya, who was exceedingly terrifying; and that foremost of those possessing sons begot a son by the name of Vidyutkesha.

“The son of Heti, Vidyutkesha, was possessed of the splendour of the sun and grew like a lotus in a lake and that ranger of the night, having reached the bloom of youth, his sire resolved that he should wed. In the interests of his son he sought out the daughter of Sandhya, who was his equal in beauty, and Sandhya, reflecting ‘a daughter must inevitably be given to some stranger’ gave her to Vidyutkesha in marriage, O Raghava.

“Vidyutkesha, that ranger of the night, having received the daughter of Sandhya, began to divert himself with her as Maghavat with the daughter of Paulomi. After a time, O Rama, Salatantaka was filled with child, as a cloud is charged with water from the ocean.

“Repairing to the Mandara Mountain, the Rakshasi brought forth a child who was as beautiful as a cloud, even as Ganga had been delivered of an infant by the God of Fire. Having given birth to that child, she again desired to disport herself with Vidyutkesha and, forsaking her son, she rejoined her consort. Then the infant who had just been born and was as radiant as the autumnal sun, whose voice resembled the rumbling of a cloud, placing his fist in his mouth cried for a long time, and Shiva, who was following the Path of the Wind, mounted on his bull and accompanied by Parvati, heard the sound of weeping and with Uma beheld the son of the Rakshasi who was crying. Allowing himself to be moved by compassion by his consort, Bhava, the Destroyer of Tripura, made him equal to his mother in age and bestowed immortality upon him.

Thereafter the unchanging and imperishable Mahadeva bestowed an aerial car upon him that traversed space, in order to gratify Parvati, and she, on her side, also conferred a boon on him, saying:—

“‘The Rakshasas shall conceive instantly and give birth as they conceive; their children shall at once attain the age of their mothers.’

“Thereafter the highly intelligent Sukesha, proud of the favours he had received, having obtained this great fortune from the Lord Hara, began to range everywhere, displaying himself in his aerial car and resembling Purandara when he obtained heaven.