Ravana Mourns Kumbhakarna While Meghnad Promises an Unseen Power
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 72
Doha 72 · Movement 1 of 2
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At sunset both armies withdraw, heavy with the labor of battle. Rama's grace makes the vanara force grow like flame meeting dry grass, while the demons diminish day and night like merit spent by praising one's own virtue aloud.
Ravana holds his brother's severed head against his breast and laments. Women beat their hearts and recount Kumbhakarna's immense strength. Meghnad enters the grief, consoles his father, and promises that tomorrow will reveal a prowess not yet shown, power and a chariot received from his chosen deity.
Their words last until dawn. Monkeys gather at four gates, and demons face them with equal resolve. Warriors fierce as Time collide for victory in a battle Shiva says cannot be described even to Garuda. Night has not healed Lanka. It has only moved sorrow into another son's promise.
Ravana closes the night around his brother's head and opens the morning beneath Meghnad's promise.
Read the passage from the Manas
दिन कें अंत फिरीं दोउ अनी। समर भई सुभटन्ह श्रम घनी।। राम कृपाँ कपि दल बल बाढ़ा। जिमि तृन पाइ लाग अति डाढ़ा।। छीजहिं निसिचर दिनु अरु राती। निज मुख कहें सुकृत जेहि भाँती।। बहु बिलाप दसकंधर करई। बंधु सीस पुनि पुनि उर धरई।। रोवहिं नारि हृदय हति पानी। तासु तेज बल बिपुल बखानी।। मेघनाद तेहि अवसर आयउ। कहि बहु कथा पिता समुझायउ।। देखेहु कालि मोरि मनुसाई। अबहिं बहुत का करौं बड़ाई।। इष्टदेव सैं बल रथ पायउँ। सो बल तात न तोहि देखायउँ।। एहि बिधि जल्पत भयउ बिहाना। चहुँ दुआर लागे कपि नाना।। इत कपि भालु काल सम बीरा। उत रजनीचर अति रनधीरा।। लरहिं सुभट निज निज जय हेतू। बरनि न जाइ समर खगकेतू।।
At the day's end both armies retired; the warriors on each side were weary from the fierce fighting. By Rama's grace, the monkey army's strength swelled ever greater, like fire that blazes wildly when it finds dry grass. The demons dwindled day and night, just as one's store of merit wanes when one speaks of it from one's own mouth. The ten-headed Ravana lamented greatly, pressing his slain brother's head to his breast again and again. The women wailed, beating their chests with their palms, praising the fallen warrior's immense valor and strength. At that hour Meghnad arrived and consoled his father with many words. 'Watch tomorrow and you shall see my prowess. Why should I boast idly now?' 'From my chosen deity I have obtained a divine chariot and great power. Father, I have not yet shown you that strength.' While they spoke in this manner, dawn broke, and monkeys of every kind stationed themselves at all four gates. On one side stood monkey and bear warriors fierce as Death, and on the other the demons, supremely brave in battle. The great warriors clashed, each side fighting for its own victory. O Khagaketu, that battle is beyond all description.