66697602-The-Ramayana-R-K-Narayan

11
THE SIEGE OF LANKA 11
Ravana deployed the pick of his divisions to guard the
approaches to the capital and appointed his trusted
generals and kinsmen in special charge of key places.
Gradually, however, his world began to shrink. As the fight
developed he lost his associates one by one. No one who
went out returned.
He tried some devious measures in desperation. He sent
spies in the garb of Rama’s monkey army across to deflect
and corrupt some of Rama’s staunchest supporters, such as
Sugreeva, on whom rested the entire burden of this war. He
employed sorcerers to disturb the mind of Sita, hoping that if
she yielded, Rama would ultimately lose heart. He ordered a
sorcerer to create a decapitated head resembling Rama’s
and placed it before Sita as evidence of Rama’s defeat.
Sita, although shaken at first, very soon recovered her
composure and remained unaffected by the spectacle.
At length a messenger from Rama arrived, saying, “Rama
bids me warn you that your doom is at hand. Even now it is
not too late for you to restore Sita and beg Rama’s
forgiveness. You have troubled the world too long. You are
not fit to continue as King. At our camp, your brother,