Chapter XXIV

Then next morning which happened to be fine, those repressors of their foes, with Viśvāmitra at their head, came to the banks of the river. (Gaṅgā).

The legend is that when the saint Agastya had sucked up the ocean, the Ganges replenished it.

And those high-souled ascetics observing vows, having brought an elegant bark, addressed Viśvāmitra, saying.

Do you ascend the bark, with the princes at your head! May your journey be auspicious: let no delay occur

Thereupon saying, So be it! and having paid homage to those ascetics, Viśvāmitra set about crossing that river, which had replenished the ocean.

It came to pass that while thus engaged, they heard a sound augmented by the dashing of the waves. And having come to the middle of the stream, the highly energetic Rāma with his younger brother, became curious to ascertain the cause of that sound.

And reaching the middle of the river, Rāma asked that best of ascetics, What is this loud uproar that seem to come riving the waters?

Hearing Rāghava’s words dictated by curiosity, that righteous-souled one spoke, unfolding the true cause of that noise.

O Rāma, there is in the Kailāsa mountain an exceedingly beautiful pool, created mentally by Brahmā, O foremost of men, and hence this watery expanse go by the name of Mānasa Pool.

And the stream that issues from that liquid lapse, flows through Ayodhyā: the sacred Sarayū issues from that pool of Brahmā.

And as the Sarayū meets the Jāhnavī, this tremendous uproar is heard, being produced by the clashing of the waters. Do you, O Rāma, bow down to them with a concentrated mind.

Thereupon, boṃ of those exceedingly righteous ones, bowed down to those streams; and betaking themselves to the right bank, began to proceed with fleet vigour.

And beholding a dreadful and trackless, forest, that son of the foremost of men, Ikṣvāku’s descendant, asked that best of ascetics.

Ah! deep is this forest abounding in crickets; and filled with terrible ferocious beasts, and various birds possessed of shocking voices and creaming frightfully; and graced by lion, and tigers, and boars, and elephants; and crowded with Dhavas* (Grislea Tomentosa). and Aśvas and Karṇas (Cassia fistula) and Kakubhas and Vilvas (Aegle marmalos) and Tiṇḍukas\ (Diospyros glutinosa) and Pāṭalas (Bignonia suave-olens) and Baḍarīs (Fujube). Whence is this dreadful forest?

Him answered thus the mighty ascetic Viśvāmitra endowed with high energy, Do you listen, O Kākutstha, as to whom belong this dreadful forest!

Here were formerly, O foremost of men, two flourishing provinces, named Maladā, and Karūṣa, built by celestial architects.

In days of yore, O Rāma, on the occasion of the destruction of Vṛtra, the thousand-eyed one came to have hunger, to be besmeared with excreta, and to slay a Brāhmaṇa.

When Indra had been thus besmeared, the deities, and the saints having asceticism for wealth, washed him here, and cleansed his person from the dirt.

And the deities, having renounced here the filth that had clung to the person of the mighty Indra, as well as his hunger, attained exceeding delight.

And thereat Indra becoming purified, attained his former brightness, and looked like to gold. And mightily pleased with this region, he conferred on it an excellent boon, saying, Since these two places have held excreta from my body, the going by the names of Maladā and Kārūṣa, shall attain exceeding prosperity and fame among men.

And beholding the land ṃus honoured by the intelligent Sacra, the deities said to the subduer of Pāka,—Well Well!

O repressor of foes, these two places, Maladā and Karuṣā, enjoyed prosperity for a long time and were blessed with com and wealth.

Then after a space of time, was born a Yakṣīṇi capable of assuming forms at will, and endowed with the strength of a thousand elephants.

Her name, good betide you! was Tāṭakā, and she was the spouse of the intelligent Sunda—she whose son is the Rākṣasa, Mārīca, possessed of the prowess of Sacra; having round arms, with a huge head, a capacious mouth and a cyclopean body.

And that Rākṣasa of dreadful form daily frightens people. And, O descendant of Raghu, Ṭāṭakā of wicked deeds, daily commits havoc upon these countries, Maladā and Karuṣā.

And now at the distance of over half a Yojana, she stays, obstructing the way. And since this forest belong to Tāṭakā, you should repair there; and, resorting to the might of your own arms, slay this one of wicked deeds.

And, by my direction, do you again rid this region of its thorn; for no one dare to approach such a place, infested,

O Rāma, by the dreadful and unbearable Yakṣiṇī. And now I have related to you all about this fearful forest. And to this day none is capable of letting that Yakṣiṇī from committing ravages right an left.