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TALES FROM THE HINDU DRAMATISTS - Awaken Video

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the Monkeys, and triumphs over him.<br />

He now despatches Hanuman to Lanka, Hanuman pays a visit to Sita.<br />

He performs various feats at Lanka and returns to Rama whose hosts now<br />

advance towards Lanka.<br />

Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, expostulates with his royal brother,<br />

but in vain. Consequently he deserts the king and goes over to Rama.<br />

The Monkeys advance further towards Lanka.<br />

A bridge is built over the sea.<br />

The troops cross over it.<br />

Where first the Monkey bands advance, they view a watery belt smoothly<br />

circling round the shore: the following troops plough their way through<br />

the thick mire with labour; the chief who leads the rear, filled with<br />

wonder, exclaims, "Here is Ocean."<br />

Rama now sends Angada, the son of Bali, to persuade Ravana to relinquish<br />

Sita peaceably. Angada has some feeling of aversion to Rama, who killed<br />

his father, but thinks he shall best fulfil his father's wishes by<br />

promoting the war between Ravana and Rama; he therefore goes to Ravana<br />

and defies him in very haughty terms.<br />

Ravana says:--<br />

"Indra, the king of the gods, weaves garlands for me; the thousand-rayed<br />

or the Sun keeps watch at my gate; above my head Chandra or the Moon<br />

uprears the umbrella of dominion; the wind's and the ocean's monarchs<br />

are my slaves; and for my board the fiery godhead toils. Knowest thou<br />

not this, and canst thou stoop to praise the son of Raghu, whose frail<br />

mortal body is but a meal to any of my households?"<br />

Angada laughs and observes:--"Is this thy wisdom, Ravana? Infirm of<br />

judgement dost thou deem of Rama thus--a mortal man? Then Ganga merely<br />

flows a watery stream; the elephants that bear the skies, and Indra's<br />

steed, are brutal forms; the charms of Rembha are the fleeting beauties<br />

of earth's weak daughters, and the golden age, a term of years. Love is<br />

a petty archer; the mighty Hanuman, in thy proud discernment, is an<br />

ape."<br />

Angada, having in vain endeavoured to persuade Ravana to restore Sita,<br />

leaves him to expect the immediate advance of the Monkey host.<br />

Virupaksha and Mahodara, two of Ravana's ministers utter a string of<br />

moral and political sentences.<br />

Ravana is not to be persuaded, but goes to Sita to try the effect of his<br />

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