Angada Answers Ravana's War Command With a Prophecy of Falling Tongues
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 33
Doha 34 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ravana commands his champions to rush from Lanka, devour every bear and monkey, clear the earth of their race, and capture the two ascetic brothers alive. Angada answers the swelling order with scorn. Have you no shame, he asks, boasting while the strength before you remains unbroken?
He names Ravana a destroyer of his lineage, thief of a woman, traveler upon a wicked path, heap of impurity, and man eater already seized by Time. The king's harsh speech sounds to Angada like the delirious raving of one whose final hour has entered the body before death itself arrives.
Soon bears and monkeys will deliver the fruit of these words with their blows. Above all, Angada cannot let Ravana's insult stand. You call Rama merely human, and your proud tongues do not fall? They will fall without doubt, he declares, not here through the envoy's anger, but together with Ravana's heads upon the field of war.
Ravana orders the army forward, and Angada hears the tongues of the king already falling silent in battle.
Read the passage from the Manas
एहि बिधि बेगि सूभट सब धावहु। खाहु भालु कपि जहँ जहँ पावहु।। मर्कटहीन करहु महि जाई। जिअत धरहु तापस द्वौ भाई।। पुनि सकोप बोलेउ जुबराजा। गाल बजावत तोहि न लाजा।। मरु गर काटि निलज कुलघाती। बल बिलोकि बिहरति नहिं छाती।। रे त्रिय चोर कुमारग गामी। खल मल रासि मंदमति कामी।। सन्यपात जल्पसि दुर्बादा। भएसि कालबस खल मनुजादा।। याको फलु पावहिगो आगें। बानर भालु चपेटन्हि लागें।। रामु मनुज बोलत असि बानी। गिरहिं न तव रसना अभिमानी।। गिरिहहिं रसना संसय नाहीं। सिरन्हि समेत समर महि माहीं।।
In this manner, O brave warriors, rush out at once! Devour the bears and monkeys wherever you find them. Go and rid the earth of every monkey. Only capture alive those two ascetic brothers. Then the prince spoke again in anger: Have you no shame, boasting so loudly? Die, you shameless destroyer of your own line! Seeing my strength, does your heart not shatter? O thief of women, walker of wicked paths! You heap of filth, dull-witted and lustful. You rave with the delirium of a dying man. Death has seized you, O vile man-eater. You shall taste the fruit of this before long, when bears and monkeys rain blows upon you. You dare call Rama a mere mortal? Does your tongue not fall from your mouth, O proud one? Fall it shall, without any doubt. Together with your heads, upon this battlefield.