Angada Strikes the Earth and Ravana's Crowns Fly Toward Rama
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 32
Doha 33 · Movement 1 of 2
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When Ravana reviles Rama, rage blazes through the prince of monkeys. To hear the slander of Hari or Hara and remain unmoved, the verse warns, bears sin as grave as killing a cow. Angada gnashes his teeth and brings both powerful arms down upon the floor of the court.
The earth heaves. Courtiers tumble from their places and flee as though the wind of death has seized them. Ravana reels, catches himself, and watches his splendid crowns strike the ground. He restores some to his heads, but Angada sends four others hurtling through the sky toward Rama.
Across the daylight, the vanaras see blazing shapes racing toward the camp and scatter. Are these meteors, thunderbolts flung by the furious king, or Rahu descending? Rama laughs and quiets their hearts. They are none of these. The brightness approaching like weapons is Ravana's own royalty, dispatched by Bali's son.
Angada strikes the floor of pride, and four pieces of Ravana's splendor fly home to Rama.
Read the passage from the Manas
जब तेहिं कीन्ह राम कै निंदा। क्रोधवंत अति भयउ कपिंदा।। हरि हर निंदा सुनइ जो काना। होइ पाप गोघात समाना।। कटकटान कपिकुंजर भारी। दुहु भुजदंड तमकि महि मारी।। डोलत धरनि सभासद खसे। चले भाजि भय मारुत ग्रसे।। गिरत सँभारि उठा दसकंधर। भूतल परे मुकुट अति सुंदर।। कछु तेहिं लै निज सिरन्हि सँवारे। कछु अंगद प्रभु पास पबारे।। आवत मुकुट देखि कपि भागे। दिनहीं लूक परन बिधि लागे।। की रावन करि कोप चलाए। कुलिस चारि आवत अति धाए।। कह प्रभु हँसि जनि हृदयँ डेराहू। लूक न असनि केतु नहिं राहू।। ए किरीट दसकंधर केरे। आवत बालितनय के प्रेरे।।
When Ravana slandered Rama, the mighty prince of monkeys blazed with rage. Whoever hears the slander of Hari or Hara with his ears incurs sin equal to the killing of a cow. The great monkey prince gnashed his teeth and struck the earth with both his mighty arms. The ground shook, the courtiers tumbled from their seats, and fled in terror as if seized by the wind of death. As Ravana stumbled and caught himself, his beautiful crowns fell clattering to the ground. Some he gathered and set back upon his heads; others Angada sent flying to his Lord. Seeing the crowns hurtling toward them, the monkeys fled. Even in daylight, meteors seemed to rain. Could it be that Ravana in his rage had hurled four thunderbolts speeding toward them? The Lord laughed and said: 'Fear not in your hearts. These are no thunderbolts, no meteors, no Rahu.' These are the crowns of the ten-headed Ravana, sent here by the son of Vali.