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Ramayana, Epic of Rama, Prince of India

An Abbreviated Translation of the Indian Classic, the Ramayana by Romesh Chundar Dutt in 2,000 verses

An Abbreviated Translation of the Indian Classic, the Ramayana by Romesh Chundar Dutt in 2,000 verses

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X. The War in Ceylon - 129<br />

Indrajit the son <strong>of</strong> Ravan, Lanka’s glory and her pride,<br />

Matchless in his magic weapons came and turned battle’s tide,<br />

What though Angad in his fury had his steeds and driver slaved,<br />

Indrajit hid in the midnight battled from its friendly shade,<br />

Shrouded in a cloud <strong>of</strong> darkness still he poured his darts like rain,<br />

On young Lakshman and on <strong>Rama</strong> and on countless Vanars slain,<br />

Matchless in his magic weapons, then he hurled his Naga-dart,<br />

Serpent noose upon his foemen draining life blood from their heart!<br />

Vainly then the royal brothers fought the cloud-enshrouded foe,<br />

Vainly sought the unseen warrior dealing unresisted blow,<br />

Fastened by a noose <strong>of</strong> Naga forced by hidden foe to yield,<br />

<strong>Rama</strong> and the powerless Lakshman fell and fainted on the field!<br />

II. Sita’s Lament<br />

[140] Indrajit ere dawned the morning entered in his father’s hall,<br />

Spake <strong>of</strong> midnight’s darksome contest, <strong>Rama</strong>’s death and Lakshman’s fall,<br />

And the proud and peerless Ravan clasped his brave and gallant son,<br />

Praised him for his skill and valour and his deed <strong>of</strong> glory done,<br />

And with dark and cruel purpose bade his henchmen yoke his car,<br />

Bade them take the sorrowing Sita to the gory field <strong>of</strong> war!<br />

Soon they harnessed royal coursers and they took the weeping wife,<br />

Where her <strong>Rama</strong>, pierced and bleeding, seemed bereft <strong>of</strong> sense and life,<br />

Brother lay beside his brother with their shattered mail and bow,<br />

Arrows thick and dark with red blood spake the conquest <strong>of</strong> the foe,<br />

Anguish woke in Sita’s bosom and a dimness filled her eye,<br />

And a widow’s nameless sorrow burst in widow’s mournful cry:<br />

“<strong>Rama</strong>, lord and king and husband! didst thou cross the billowy sea,<br />

Didst thou challenge death and danger, court thy fate to rescue me,<br />

Didst thou hurl a fitting vengeance on the cruel Raksha force,<br />

Till the hand <strong>of</strong> hidden foeman checked thy all-resistless course?

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