Ravana Turns His Twenty Arms Into Oceans Before Angada
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 28
Doha 28 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ravana mocks the bridge as the work of monkeys. Birds cross wide waters during the rains, he says, and no one calls them warriors. Then his image expands. Each of his arms becomes a fathomless sea brimming with strength, a depth in which gods and mortal heroes have drowned.
Twenty fathomless oceans surround the throne. Who could reach their farther shore? Ravana declares that the guardians of the directions drew water for him and kings sang of his fearsome renown. If Rama is truly the champion Angada praises, why send an envoy and seek friendship with an enemy?
Again he raises the memory of Kailasa. Look upon the arms that shook Shiva's mountain, he commands, then praise your master. Ravana offers magnitude as proof of invincibility, yet Angada stands already inside the ring of those imagined seas. The envoy has crossed the actual ocean by Rama's command, and no ocean made from boasting can carry him away.
Ravana becomes twenty oceans in his own speech, while Angada remains the shore they cannot overwhelm.
Read the passage from the Manas
सठ साखामृग जोरि सहाई। बाँधा सिंधु इहइ प्रभुताई।। नाघहिं खग अनेक बारीसा। सूर न होहिं ते सुनु सब कीसा।। मम भुज सागर बल जल पूरा। जहँ बूड़े बहु सुर नर सूरा।। बीस पयोधि अगाध अपारा। को अस बीर जो पाइहि पारा।। दिगपालन्ह मैं नीर भरावा। भूप सुजस खल मोहि सुनावा।। जौं पै समर सुभट तव नाथा। पुनि पुनि कहसि जासु गुन गाथा।। तौ बसीठ पठवत केहि काजा। रिपु सन प्रीति करत नहिं लाजा।। हरगिरि मथन निरखु मम बाहू। पुनि सठ कपि निज प्रभुहि सराहू।।
'You fool, with monkeys as your allies you bridged the ocean. This is your lord's great power!' 'Many birds cross the waters in the rains. Listen, all these monkeys are no warriors.' 'My arm is an ocean brimming with the water of strength, in which many gods and mortal heroes have drowned.' 'Twenty such oceans, fathomless and shoreless. What hero can cross to the other side?' 'I made the Lokapalas draw water for me, and kings have sung my dread fame to my face.' 'If your lord is truly a champion in battle, whose noble deeds you sing again and again,' 'then why does he send an envoy? He feels no shame in seeking friendship with the foe?' 'Behold these arms that shook Mount Kailasa. Then, foolish monkey, go praise your lord.'