Ravana Drives Away Bitter Counsel and Climbs Into a Palace of Music
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 10
Doha 10 · Movement 1 of 2
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Accept this counsel, Prahasta says, and Ravana's fame will endure whether peace follows or battle becomes necessary. The ten headed king turns upon his son in anger. Who taught you such thinking? Doubt has entered you like a destroying growth at the root of bamboo.
The terrible words break the exchange. Prahasta leaves for his residence with an answer of his own: wholesome counsel no longer reaches one seized by Time, just as medicine cannot save the person already held by death.
Evening descends upon Lanka. Ravana studies his twenty arms and walks to a wondrous palace high upon the city's peak. He takes his place within an arena of pleasure. Kinnaras sing his virtues, drums and pakhawaj answer the veena, and skilled apsaras begin to dance. Beyond the walls, the enemy sleeps upon Suvela.
Ravana closes his ears to medicine and asks music to cover the sound of the army outside.
Read the passage from the Manas
यह मत जौं मानहु प्रभु मोरा। उभय प्रकार सुजसु जग तोरा।। सुत सन कह दसकंठ रिसाई। असि मति सठ केहिं तोहि सिखाई।। अबहीं ते उर संसय होई। बेनुमूल सुत भयहु घमोई।। सुनि पितु गिरा परुष अति घोरा। चला भवन कहि बचन कठोरा।। हित मत तोहि न लागत कैसें। काल बिबस कहुँ भेषज जैसें।। संध्या समय जानि दससीसा। भवन चलेउ निरखत भुज बीसा।। लंका सिखर उपर आगारा। अति बिचित्र तहँ होइ अखारा।। बैठ जाइ तेही मंदिर रावन। लागे किंनर गुन गन गावन।। बाजहिं ताल पखाउज बीना। नृत्य करहिं अपछरा प्रबीना।।
If you would accept this counsel of mine, O my lord, your good name shall spread through the world in both ways. The ten-headed Ravana spoke angrily to his son: 'O fool, who has taught you such thinking?' Already doubt has entered my heart. O son, you have become like a weed at the root of bamboo. Hearing his father's words, harsh and terrible, Vibhishana's brother departed to his palace, speaking bitter words in return. Wholesome advice does not reach you any longer, just as medicine fails one who is already seized by death. Knowing it was the hour of sandhya, the ten-headed one walked to his palace, gazing upon his twenty arms. Atop the peak of Lanka stood a palace of wondrous beauty, where an arena of pleasure was arrayed. Ravana went and took his seat in that very palace, and the kinnaras began singing songs of praise. Drums, pakhawaj, and veena rang out together, and apsaras skilled in dance began their graceful performance.