Rain-drops fall upon the lotus but unmingling hang apart,
False relations round us gather but they blend not heart with heart,

Winter clouds are big with thunder but they shed no freshening rain,
False relations smile and greet us but their soothing words are vain,

Bees are tempted by the honey but from flower to flower they range,
False relations share our favour but in secret seek a change!

Lying is thy speech, Bibhishan, secret envy hirks within,
Thou wouldst rule thy elder's empire, thou wouldst wed thy elder's queen,

Take thy treason to the foemen,--brother's blood I may not shed,--
Other Raksha craven-hearted by my royal hands had bled!"

X

BIBHISHAN'S DEPARTURE

This to me Bibhishan answered, as with fiery comrades four,
Rose in arms the wrathful Raksha and in fury rushed before.

"But I spare thee, roval Ravan, angry words thy lips have passed,
False and lying and unfounded is the censure thou hast cast!

True Bibhishan sought thy safety, strove to save his elder's reign,--
Speed thee now to thy destruction since all counsel is in vain,

Many are thy smiling courtiers who with honeyed speech beguile,--
Few are they with truth and candour speak their purpose void of guile!

Blind to reason and to wisdow, Ravan seek thy destined fate,
For thy impious lust of woman, for thy dark unrighteous hate,

Blind to danger and destruction, deaf to word of counsel given,
By the flaming shaft, of Rama thou shalt die by will of Heaven!

Yet, O! yet, my king and elder, let me plead with latest breath,
'Gainst the death of race and kismen, 'gainst my lord and brother's death,

Ponder yet, O Raksha monarch, save thy race and save thy own,
Ravan, part we now ever,--guard thy ancient sea-girt throne!"

RAMAYANA BOOK X

YUDDHA

(The War in Ceylon)

RAMA crossed over with his army from India to Ceylon. There is a chain of islands across the strait, and the Indian poet supposes them to be the remains of a vast causeway which Rama built to cross over with his army.

The town of Lanka, the capital of Ceylon, was invested, and the war which followed was a succession of sallies by the great leaders and princes of Lanka. But almost every sally was repulsed, every chief was killed, and at last Ravan himself who made the last sally was slain and the war ended.

Among the numberless fights described in the original work, those of Ravan himself, his brother Kumbha-karna, and his son Indrajit, are the most important, and oftenest recited and listened to in India; and these have been rendered into English in this Book. And the reader will mark a certain method in the poet's estimate of the warriors who took part in these battles.