SECTION –CCLXXIII
(Draupadi-harana Parva Continued)
Markandeya said, "The Muni named Visrava,
who was begotten of half the soul of Pulastya, in a fit of passion, began to
look upon Vaisravana with great anger. But, O monarch, Kuvera, the king of the
Rakshasas, knowing that his father was angry with him, always sought to please
him. And, O best of Bharata's race, that king of kings living in Lanka, and
borne upon the shoulders of men, sent three Rakshasa women to wait upon his
father. Their names, O king, were Pushpotkata, Raka and Malini. And they were
skilled in singing and dancing and were always assiduous in their attentions on
that high-souled Rishi. And those slender-waisted ladies vied with one another,
O king, in gratifying the Rishi. And that high-souled and adorable being was
pleased with them and granted them boons. And to every one of them he gave
princely sons according to their desire. Two sons--those foremost of Rakshasas
named Kumvakarna and the Ten-headed Ravana,--both unequalled on earth in
prowess, were born to Pushpotkata. And Malini had a son named Vibhishana, and
Raka had twin children named Khara and Surpanakha. And Vibhishana surpassed
them all in beauty. And that excellent person was very pious and assiduously
performed all religious rites. But that foremost of Rakshasas, with ten heads,
was the eldest to them all. And he was religious, and energetic and possessed
of great strength and prowess. And the Rakshasa Kumvakarna was the most
powerful in battle, for he was fierce and terrible and a thorough master of the
arts of illusion. And Khara was proficient in archery, and hostile to the
Brahmanas, subsisting as he did on flesh. And the fierce Surpanakha was
constant source of trouble to the ascetics. And the warriors, learned in the
Vedas and diligent in ceremonial rites, all lived with their father in the
Gandhamadana. And there they beheld Vaisravana seated with their father,
possessed of riches and borne on the shoulders of men. And seized with
jealousy, they resolved upon performing penances. And with ascetic penances of
the most severe kind, they gratified Brahma. And the Ten-headed Ravana,
supporting life by means of air alone and surrounded by the five sacred fires
and absorbed in meditation, remained standing on one leg for a thousand years.
And Kumvakarna with head downwards, and with restricted diet, was constant in
austerities. And the wise and magnanimous Vibhishana, observing fasts and
subsisting only on dry leaves and engaged in meditation, practised severe
austerities for a long period. And Khara and Surpanakha, with cheerful hearts,
protected and attended on them while they were performing those austerities.
And at the close of a thousand years, the invincible Ten-headed One, cutting
off his own heads, offered them as offering to the sacred fire. And at this act
of his, the Lord of the Universe was pleased with him. And then Brahma,
personally appearing to them, bade them desist from those austerities and
promised to grant boons unto every one of them. And the adorable Brahma said, I
am pleased with you, my sons! Cease now from these austerities and ask boons of
me! Whatever your desires may be, they, with the single exception of that of
immortality, will be fulfilled! As thou hast offered thy heads to the fire from
great ambition, they will again adorn thy body as before, according to thy
desire. And thy body will not be disfigured and thou shall be able to assume
any form according to thy desire and become the conqueror of thy foes in
battle. There is no doubt of this!' thereupon Ravana said, 'May I never
experience defeat at the hands of Gandharvas, Celestials, Kinnaras, Asuras,
Yakshas, Rakshasas, Serpents and all other creatures!' Brahma said, 'From those
that hast named, thou shalt never have cause of fear; except from men (thou shalt
have no occasion for fear). Good betide thee! So hath it been ordained by me!'
"Markandeya said, 'Thus addressed, the
Ten-headed (Ravana) was highly gratified, for on account of his perverted
understanding, the man-eating one slightened human beings. Then the great
Grandsire addressed Kumbhakarna as before. His reason being clouded by
darkness, he asked for long-lasting sleep. Saying, 'It shall be so' 'Brahma
then addressed Vibhishana, 'O my son, I am much pleased with thee! Ask any boon
thou pleasest!' Thereupon, Vibhishana replied, 'Even in great danger, may I
never swerve from the path of righteousness, and though ignorant, may I, O
adorable Sire, be illumined with the light of divine knowledge!' And Brahma
replied, 'O scourge of thy enemies, as thy soul inclines not to unrighteousness
although born in the Rakshasa race, I grant thee immortality!'
"Markandeya continued, 'Having obtained this
boon, the Ten-headed Rakshasa defeated Kuvera in battle and obtained from him
the sovereignty of Lanka. That adorable Being, leaving Lanka and followed by
Gandharvas, Yakshas, Rakshas, and Kinnaras, went to live on mount Gandhamadana.
And Ravana forcibly took from him the celestial chariot Pushpaka. And upon this
Vaisravana cursed him, saying, 'This chariot shall never carry thee; it shall
bear him who will slay thee in battle! And as thou hast insulted me, thy elder
brother, thou shalt soon die!'
"The pious Vibhishana, O King, treading in
the path followed by the virtuous and possessed of great glory, followed
Kuvera. That adorable Lord of wealth, highly pleased with his younger brothers,
invested him with the command of the Yaksha and Raksha hosts. On the other
hand, the powerful and man-eating Rakshasas and Pisachas, having assembled
together, invested the Ten-headed Ravana with their sovereignty. And Ravana,
capable of assuming any form at will and terrible in prowess, and capable also
of passing through the air, attacked the gods and the Daityas and wrested from
them all their valuable possessions. And as he had terrified all creatures, he
was called Ravana. And Ravana, capable of mustering any measure of might
inspired the very gods with terror."
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