Angada Returns to Rama While Ravana Rises Behind Ten Bows
Lanka Kanda, Chhand 22
Doha 97 · Movement 2 of 3
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Angada throws Ravana hard upon the ground and follows the fall with a mighty kick. Then the son of Vali turns away from the conquered moment and goes directly back to his Lord.
Ravana gathers himself and rises. A terrible roar comes from the ten throats as humiliation converts immediately into another display of force. Ten bows are strung beneath the pride of twenty arms.
Arrows descend in a dense shower and warrior after warrior is wounded. Ravana looks upon the fear and pain his strength has produced and rejoices in that strength. The scene places two movements beside each other. Angada performs an astonishing deed and returns to Rama without claiming it. Ravana recovers from defeat, harms those before him, and turns the suffering of others into proof of himself.
Angada carries victory back to Rama, while Ravana gathers fresh pride from the wounds beneath his arrows.
Read the passage from the Manas
गहि भूमि पार् यो लात मार् यो बालिसुत प्रभु पहिं गयो। संभारि उठि दसकंठ घोर कठोर रव गर्जत भयो।। करि दाप चाप चढ़ाइ दस संधानि सर बहु बरषई। किए सकल भट घायल भयाकुल देखि निज बल हरषई।।
Grasping him, the son of Bali threw Ravana to earth with a mighty kick, then returned to his Lord. Gathering himself, the ten-necked demon rose up and roared with terrible, harsh sounds. With great pride he strung his ten bows, fitted many arrows, and showered them down. Seeing all the warriors wounded and stricken, he rejoiced in his own strength.