Rama Feeds the Army Beyond the Sea, and Lanka Receives Its First Wounded Messengers
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 5
Doha 5 · Movement 1 of 2
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Rama and Lakshmana smile at the wondrous crossing and descend with the uncountable host upon Lanka's shore. Before issuing a command of war, Rama establishes camp and tells every monkey and bear to go enjoy the beautiful roots and fruits.
Nature answers his care by breaking its own calendar. Trees fruit for Rama in season and out of season. Warriors eat sweetness, shake trunks, and hurl mountain peaks toward Lanka. When they find roaming demons, they surround them, force them into wild dances, pull teeth, and cut noses and ears.
The wounded are made to praise Rama before release. They return as living reports of the force now established across the ocean. Ravana hears the impossible words that the sea has been bridged. Behind his ten faces, agitation rises before his voice can conceal it.
Rama's first command in enemy land is to feed his army, while fear enters Lanka through the mouths of survivors.
Read the passage from the Manas
अस कौतुक बिलोकि द्वौ भाई। बिहँसि चले कृपाल रघुराई।। सेन सहित उतरे रघुबीरा। कहि न जाइ कपि जूथप भीरा।। सिंधु पार प्रभु डेरा कीन्हा। सकल कपिन्ह कहुँ आयसु दीन्हा।। खाहु जाइ फल मूल सुहाए। सुनत भालु कपि जहँ तहँ धाए।। सब तरु फरे राम हित लागी। रितु अरु कुरितु काल गति त्यागी।। खाहिं मधुर फल बटप हलावहिं। लंका सन्मुख सिखर चलावहिं।। जहँ कहुँ फिरत निसाचर पावहिं। घेरि सकल बहु नाच नचावहिं।। दसनन्हि काटि नासिका काना। कहि प्रभु सुजसु देहिं तब जाना।। जिन्ह कर नासा कान निपाता। तिन्ह रावनहि कही सब बाता।। सुनत श्रवन बारिधि बंधाना। दस मुख बोलि उठा अकुलाना।।
Seeing such a wondrous spectacle, the two brothers smiled, and Raghurai proceeded forward. Raghuvira descended with his army, and the multitude of vaanara troops was beyond description. The Lord established his camp across the ocean and gave his commands to all the monkeys. He told them to go and enjoy the beautiful fruits and roots. Hearing this, the bears and monkeys rushed in all directions. All the trees bore fruit for Rama's sake, abandoning the natural order of seasons and time. They ate sweet fruits and shook the trees, hurling mountain peaks toward Lanka. Wherever they found roaming rakshasas, they surrounded them and made them dance wildly. They pulled their teeth and cut their noses and ears, then released them after making them praise the Lord. Those whose noses and ears were severed went and told Ravana the entire story. Hearing about the bridging of the ocean, Dashanana spoke up in great agitation.