Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/472

408 a fury at hearing them: "Wretch, you are within an inch of your death. It is all owing to me, you villain, that you have been able to live at all; and yet, fool as you are, you take the side of my enemies. Can you tell me, wretch, of any one in the whole world, whom I have not conquered by the might of my arm. You live in my capital, but are in love with hermits; you had better go to them, if you want to preach." So saying, he spurned him with a kick; but he still continued to clasp him by the feet. "You are as it were my father; kill me, if you think proper; but, O my lord, to worship Ráma would be far better for you." This is the virtue of the saints, Umá, that they return good for evil. Taking his ministers with him, he went his way through the air, proclaiming aloud to them all:

"Ráma is the very soul of truth; your courtiers, my lord, are overpowered by fate; I will now take refuge with Raghu-bír; lay no blame to me."

After Vibhíshan had left with these words, it was all over with everyone of them. Disrespect to a saint, Bhaváni, brings speedy ruin on the most prosperous undertaking. As soon as Vibhíshan had left, Rávan lost all his glory and good fortune. But he rejoiced as he went to meet Ráma, and revolved in his mind many agreeable anticipations: "I am about to behold his lotus feet, so roseate, so soft, so beneficent to all who wait upon them; at whose touch the Rishi's wife was delivered from the curse and the Dandaka forest was sanctified; feet that Sita cherished in her bosom, even while they ran to seize the delusive deer; lotus feet in Siva's lake-like heart; how blest am I who am now about to see them!

"With these very eyes shall I this day behold the feet, whose shoes even Bharat keeps clasped to his heart."

With such loving fancies to occupy his mind, he quickly arrived on this side the ocean. When the monkeys saw Vibhíshan coming, they took him to be some special envoy. So they stopt him and went to their chief and told him all the circumstances. Said Sugríva: "Hearken, Raghurái; Rávan's brother has come to see you." The lord replied: "What do you advise, friend?" The monkey king rejoined: "Mark my words, Sire; the craft of these demons is past all telling. Why should he come thus of his own accord? The