Triveni Journal
1927 | 11,233,916 words
Triveni is a journal dedicated to ancient Indian culture, history, philosophy, art, spirituality, music and all sorts of literature. Triveni was founded at Madras in 1927 and since that time various authors have donated their creativity in the form of articles, covering many aspects of public life....
THEY ENCIRCLE LANKA
(A Song of Sankardev : 15th
Century)
Rendered from Assamese by Prof. P. Goswami, M.A.
Refrain: Listen, O people, listen, the destroyer of demon enemies,
the cause of destruction of the rakshasas,
He, whose name is Rama, marches out to the fierce battle
accompanied by his hosts.
Song: Spreading over streets and market-places they encircle Lanka.
Every now and then is heard noise like that of claps thunder and the clash of clouds,
so that it strikes one with fear.
Steady;
chief among heroes, is Raghava–
Ravana!
on you He does leap!
Gods, men, kinnaras, serpents–all shake–
the mountains quake in terror.
O you blind and fatuous ten-headed one, you of misguided intelligence,
take Janaki on your head and take her ,
O you night-prowler, take to the shelter of Raghupati–
this is the means (of saving yourself) given you by Sankar.*
* This is a song of the Bargit class, sung to classical ragas.