Mandodarī expostulates with Rāvaṇa; dialogue between Rāvaṇa and Prahasta (his son)
Dohas
bāṃdhyō bananidhi nīranidhi jaladhi siṃdhu bārīsa.
satya tōyanidhi kaṃpati udadhi payōdhi nadīsa..5.. [6-5]
“What! has he really bridged the waves, the billows, the sea, the ocean, the main, the deep, the brine, the tide, the hyaline, the lord of rivers?”
Chaupais
nija bikalatā bicāri bahōrī. bihaomsi gayau graha kari bhaya bhōrī..
maṃdōdarīṃ sunyō prabhu āyō. kautukahīṃ pāthōdhi baomdhāyō.. [6-5-1]
kara gahi patihi bhavana nija ānī. bōlī parama manōhara bānī..
carana nāi siru aṃcalu rōpā. sunahu bacana piya parihari kōpā.. [6-5-2]
nātha bayaru kījē tāhī sōṃ. budhi bala sakia jīti jāhī sōṃ..
tumhahi raghupatihi aṃtara kaisā. khalu khadyōta dinakarahi jaisā.. [6-5-3]
atibala madhu kaiṭabha jēhiṃ mārē. mahābīra ditisuta saṃghārē..
jēhiṃ bali bāomdhi sahajabhuja mārā. sōi avatarēu harana mahi bhārā.. [6-5-4]
tāsu birōdha na kījia nāthā. kāla karama jiva jākēṃ hāthā.. [6-5-5]
Then, realizing his own nervousness, he laughed and left for his palace forgetting his fear. When Mandodarī (Rāvaṇa’s consort) heard that the Lord had arrived and bridged the ocean in mere sport, she took her spouse by the hand, led him to her own palace and spoke to him in most sweet accents. Bowing her head at his feet, she spread the end of her garment as a token of supplication and said, “Listen to my words without getting angry, my beloved: one should enter into hostilities with him alone whom one may be able to conquer by wit or physical force. The disparity between you and the Lord of the Raghus, however, is certainly analogous to that obtaining between a fire-fly and the sun. He who disposed of the most powerful Madhu and Kaiṭabha and finished the most valiant sons of Diti (Hiraṇyakaśipu and Hiraṇyākṣa), nay, who bound Bali and despatched King Sahasrabāhu (so-called because he was possessed of a thousand arms)-it is He who has descended on earth in order to relieve it of its burden. My lord, you should not oppose Him who is the Master of Time, fate and the soul.”
Dohas
rāmahi saupi jānakī nāi kamala pada mātha.
suta kahu rāja samarpi bana jāi bhajia raghunātha..6.. [6-6]
Bowing your head at Śrī Rāma’s lotus feet restore Janaka’s Daughter to Him; then, handing over the kingdom to your son and, retiring to the forest, worship the Lord of the Raghus.”
Chaupais
nātha dīnadayāla raghurāī. bāghau sanamukha gaēom na khāī..
cāhia karana sō saba kari bītē. tumha sura asura carācara jītē.. [6-6-1]
saṃta kahahiṃ asi nīti dasānana. cauthēṃpana jāihi nṛpa kānana..
tāsu bhajana kījia tahaom bhartā. jō kartā pālaka saṃhartā.. [6-6-2]
sōi raghuvīra pranata anurāgī. bhajahu nātha mamatā saba tyāgī..
munibara jatanu karahiṃ jēhi lāgī. bhūpa rāju taji hōhiṃ birāgī.. [6-6-3]
sōi kōsaladhīsa raghurāyā. āyau karana tōhi para dāyā..
jauṃ piya mānahu mōra sikhāvana. sujasu hōi tihu pura ati pāvana.. [6-6-4]
Śrī Rāma (the Lord of the Raghus), my lord, is compassionate to the humble (He will surely forgive you). Even a tiger (the most ferocious of all beasts) will not devour a man if he goes submissively before him. You have already accomplished all that you had to do: you have conquered not only gods and demons but the whole animate and inanimate creation. Holy men, my lord, have declared this maxim that a monarch should retire to the forest in the fourth stage of his life. There, my spouse, you should adore Him who is the creator, preserver and destroyer (of the universe). Renouncing all worldly ties, my lord, worship the selfsame Hero of Raghu’s line, who is fond of the suppliant. The same Lord of the Raghus, the King of Kosala, whom the greatest of sages strive hard to realize and for whom monarchs relinquish their throne and shed every attachment- it is He who has arrived here to shower His grace on you. If, my beloved, you accept my advice, your fair and exceedingly holy renown shall spread through all the three spheres.”
Dohas
asa kahi nayana nīra bhari gahi pada kaṃpita gāta.
nātha bhajahu raghunāthahi acala hōi ahivāta..7.. [6-7]
So saying she clasped him by the feet; and with eyes full of tears and trembling in every limb she added, “My lord, worship Śrī Rāma (the Lord of the Raghus) so that my union with you may last till eternity.”
Chaupais
taba rāvana mayasutā uṭhāī. kahai lāga khala nija prabhutāī..
sunu tai priyā bṛthā bhaya mānā. jaga jōdhā kō mōhi samānā.. [6-7-1]
baruna kubēra pavana jama kālā. bhuja bala jitēu sakala digapālā..
dēva danuja nara saba basa mōrēṃ. kavana hētu upajā bhaya tōrēṃ.. [6-7-2]
nānā bidhi tēhi kahēsi bujhāī. sabhāom bahōri baiṭha sō jāī..
maṃdōdarīṃ hadayaom asa jānā. kāla basya upajā abhimānā.. [6-7-3]
sabhāom āi maṃtrinha tēṃhi būjhā. karaba kavana bidhi ripu saiṃ jūjhā..
kahahiṃ saciva sunu nisicara nāhā. bāra bāra prabhu pūchahu kāhā.. [6-7-4]
kahahu kavana bhaya karia bicārā. nara kapi bhālu ahāra hamārā.. [6-7-5]
Thereupon Rāvaṇa lifted Māyā’s daughter (Mandodarī) and the wretch began to harp on his own glory. “Listen, darling; you are haunted by idle fears. What warrior in this world is my equal? I have conquered by the might of my arm not only Varuṇa (the god presiding over the waters), Kubera (the god of riches), the wind-god, Yama (the god of punishment), and all the other regents of the quarters but Death himself. Gods, demons and human beings are all under my control; what is the cause of your fear, then?” He thus reassured her in many ways and once more went and sat in his council-chamber. Mandodarī was now convinced at heart that it was her husband’s impending death which had turned his head. Returning to his council-hall he asked his ministers: “How shall we proceed to fight the enemy?” “Listen, O lord of the demons,” replied the ministers, “why do you ask this question again and again? What is there to be afraid of, which should engage our thought? Human beings, monkeys and bears are our food.”
Dohas
saba kē bacana śravana suni kaha prahasta kara jōri.
niti birōdha na karia prabhu matriṃnha mati ati thōri..8.. [6-8]
Hearing the words of all, Prahasta (Rāvaṇa’s son) said with joined palms, “Transgress not the bounds of propriety, my lord; your counsellors possess very little wit.”
Chaupais
kahahiṃ saciva saṭha ṭhakurasōhātī. nātha na pūra āva ēhi bhāomtī..
bāridhi nāghi ēka kapi āvā. tāsu carita mana mahu sabu gāvā.. [6-8-1]
chudhā na rahī tumhahi taba kāhū. jārata nagaru kasa na dhari khāhū..
sunata nīka āgēṃ dukha pāvā. sacivana asa mata prabhuhi sunāvā.. [6-8-2]
jēhiṃ bārīsa baomdhāyau hēlā. utarēu sēna samēta subēlā..
sō bhanu manuja khāba hama bhāī. bacana kahahiṃ saba gāla phulāī.. [6-8-3]
tāta bacana mama sunu ati ādara. jani mana gunahu mōhi kari kādara..
priya bānī jē sunahiṃ jē kahahīṃ. aisē nara nikāya jaga ahahīṃ.. [6-8-4]
bacana parama hita sunata kaṭhōrē. sunahiṃ jē kahahiṃ tē nara prabhu thōrē..
prathama basīṭha paṭhau sunu nītī. sītā dēi karahu puni prītī.. [6-8-5]
All your stupid ministers tell you only that which is pleasing to their master; but that way you cannot succeed; my lord. A stray monkey sprang across the ocean and came this side and all the people still extol his doings in their heart of hearts. What ! Did none of you have any appetite then? Why did you not seize and devour him while he was burning your city? Your ministers have given you, my lord, an advice which, though pleasant to hear, will hand you in trouble afterwards. He who has had the sea bridged in mere sport and has crossed over to the Suvela hill with all his army, tell me, is He an ordinary mortal whom you say you will devour? All these people are simply bragging. Dear father, listen to my words with great attention and do not account me a coward. There are multitudes of men in this world who are given to hearing and uttering pleasant words. Those men, however, who hear and utter words which are most salutary yet jarring to the ear are few and far between, my lord. Listen to my sound advice : first send an envoy to Śrī Rāma; and afterwards, when you have restored Janaka’s Daughter, make friends with Him.”
Dohas
nāri pāi phiri jāhiṃ jauṃ tau na baḍhaāia rāri.
nāhiṃ ta sanmukha samara mahi tāta karia haṭhi māri..9.. [6-9]
If He withdraws on receiving back His Consort, you should have no more quarrel with Him. Otherwise meet Him face to face on the battle-field, and give him a tough fight.”
Chaupais
yaha mata jauṃ mānahu prabhu mōrā. ubhaya prakāra sujasu jaga tōrā..
suta sana kaha dasakaṃṭha risāī. asi mati saṭha kēhiṃ tōhi sikhāī.. [6-9-1]
abahīṃ tē ura saṃsaya hōī. bēnumūla suta bhayahu ghamōī..
suni pitu girā paruṣa ati ghōrā. calā bhavana kahi bacana kaṭhōrā.. [6-9-2]
hita mata tōhi na lāgata kaisēṃ. kāla bibasa kahu bhēṣaja jaisēṃ..
saṃdhyā samaya jāni dasasīsā. bhavana calēu nirakhata bhuja bīsā.. [6-9-3]
laṃkā sikhara upara āgārā. ati bicitra tahaom hōi akhārā..
baiṭha jāi tēhī maṃdira rāvana. lāgē kiṃnara guna gana gāvana.. [6-9-4]
bājahiṃ tāla pakhāuja bīnā. nṛtya karahiṃ apacharā prabīnā.. [6-9-5]
“If, my lord, you accept this advice of mine, your fair renown will spread throughout the world in either case.” The ten-headed monster asked his son (Prahasta) in a fury, “Fool, who has taught you such wisdom? If you entertain doubt in your mind from even now, my son, you have proved yourself to be a prickly plant at the root of a bamboo (which brings about the destruction of the bamboo).” On hearing the harsh and most malignant remarks of his father Prahasta left for home uttering these bitter words: “Words of good counsel fall flat on you even as a medicine proves ineffectual for a man who is doomed to die.” Finding that it was evening now the ten-headed monster turned towards his palace fondly gazing on his twenty arms. On the highest level of Laṅkā stood a most wonderful hall, where music and dancing contests used to be held. Rāvaṇa went and took his seat in that hall, while Kiṁnaras (celestial songsters) began to sing his praises. Expert celestial nymphs commenced their dance to the accompaniment of cymbals, tabors and lutes.
Dohas
sunāsīra sata sarisa sō saṃtata karai bilāsa.
parama prabala ripu sīsa para tadyapi sōca na trāsa..10.. [6-10]
He constantly revelled in luxuries which could be enjoyed only by a hundred Indras. He had a most powerful foe threatening at his door; yet he had no anxiety or fear.