Sunder Kand in Hindi, English And Sanskrit

Sunder Kand Doha 9

English

Hearing himself likened to a glow-worm and Sri Rama compared to the sun, and exasperated at Her harsh words, the monster drew out his sword and said:

“Sita, you have offered me an insult; I will accordingly cut off your head with my relentless sword. If not, obey my command at once; or else you lose your life, O beautiful lady.” “My lord’s arm is lovely as a string of blue lotuses and shapely and long as the trunk of an elephant, O ten-headed monster. Either that arm or your dreadful sword will have my neck: hear this my solemn vow, O fool. (Turning to Ravana’s glittering scimitar) Take away, O Candrahasa*, the burning anguish of my heart caused by the fire of separation from the Lord of the Raghus. You possess a cool, sharp and good blade; therefore, relieve the burden of my sorrow,” Sita said. On hearing these words he rushed forward to kill Her; it was Queen Mandodari (Maya’s daughter) who (intervened and) pacified him with words of good counsel. Summoning all the demonesses (posted there) he said, “Go and intimidate Sita in every way. If she does not accept my advice in a month’s time I will draw my sword and behead her.”

* The word literally means “That which derides the moon by its cool brilliance”. Though generally used as a synonym for a curved sword, it particularly denotes the sword possessed by Ravana as a gift from Bhagavan Sankara, to whom it originally belonged. In Her utter despair Sita looked to Ravana’s sword alone to come to Her rescue and end Her miserable existence; and the sword, though cruel and dreadful to all appearance, appeared to Her as agreeable and soothing as the moon’s rays to a burning heart. The appellation ‘Candrahasa’ thus sounded most appropriate to Her.