66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

Ravana said, “My boy, you have spoken truly what I feel at
heart. Let us raise our flags, gather our armies and march
forward immediately.”
Now Ravana’s son, Indrajit, said, “Great one! You should
not bestir yourself in this manner. After all, we are not being
opposed by a regular infantry, cavalry, or elephants, but by a
crowd of monkeys and some men. You should not trouble
yourself to meet them. Leave it to me. I will let go my arrows,
and you will find the shrunken-faced monkeys chattering and
running away. And then I will go and, I promise you, bring the
heads of Rama and Lakshmana and place them at your feet.
Stay where you are.”
When he said this, Vibishana, Ravana’s youngest brother,
interrupted the young man. “You do not know what you are
saying.” He addressed Ravana: “I speak in sorrow. You are
everything to me: a father, leader, and guru. What grieves
me is that you are about to lose the position which you have
attained through so much effort. I speak from my heart, with
sincerity, and after much deliberation; I cannot shout like
others and I have not the daring to speak challengingly. But I
am speaking what I feel is the truth. Please listen to me fully
without losing your patience. What really set this city on fire
was not the torch at a monkey’s tail, but the flame that rages
in the soul of a woman called Janaki. A man loses his
honour and name only through lust and avarice. You have
acquired extraordinary powers through your own spiritual