Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 104

104. Rāvaṇa at Battle Field Again

[Rāvaṇa tells the charioteer that he should not have come away from the battle field. He says he may be an enemy agent. The Charioteer defends himself and says that he did because he loved Rāvaṇa. He says that is one of the duties of Charioteer to save his master. Rāvaṇa becomes pleased and orders him to take him back to the battle-field. He does it.]

That Rāvaṇa lead forcefully by fate, with blood red eyes due to great anger, due to confusion spoke thus to the charioteer. 104.1

"O evil-minded one, Despising me as though I was bereft of manliness, incapable, deficient in strength, cowardly, petty-minded, devoid of energy, without any brilliance, deserted of conjuring tricks and abandoned by divine arrows, you had acted as per your discretion." 104.2-104.3

"Why have you driven away my chariot, bringing me down before my enemies, without asking my consent?" 104.4

"Oh ungentle fellow, the fame that I have earned over very long periods, my lustre and the trust others had on me has been destroyed by you today." 104.5

"When my famous and valorous enemy who entertained others by his valour was looking on, you have made me a contemptible person though I had great desire to do the war." 104.6

"Oh evil minded person, If you due to your illusion do not take my chariot immediately to the battle field, my assumption that you have been corrupted by the enemy would be correct." 104.7

"The act that you have done now is only in the interest of my enemies and indeed not the work of a friend, who wishes me well." 104.8

"If you have lived with me for a long time and if you happen to remember my character, drive back this chariot with speed so that my enemy does not go back." 104.9

Hearing those harsh words of Rāvaṇa who had lost his senses, that charioteer who had his good in mind said these conciliatory words to Rāvaṇa. 104.10

"I was neither scared nor stupid and nor was I bribed by the enemies, nor did I commit a mistake, nor did I stop loving you and also I had not forgotten your good." 104.11

"I who wished your welfare and wanted to protect your honour with a mind full of affection, did this act which you did not like, thinking it would be in your interest." 104.12

"Oh king, you should not think me as petty minded and unworthy as I am devoted completely to your good and pleasure and am not guilty in this matter." 104.13

"Please hear the reason, which made me carry away the chariot away from the battle field, like the rushing tide of a river cannot be pushed back." 104.14

"I understand your exhaustion, due to your strenuous fighting in the great battle. I am not reflecting on the nature of your valour or on your superiority over your enemy." 104.15

"The horses that pull the chariot were broken down and were exhausted by drawing the chariot and they became miserable and very tired, like cows lashed by great rain." 104.16

"I am noticing several omens which are against nature and I examined all those omens which were in large numbers." 104.17

"The time and place of the occurrence of these omens as well as their good and bad, facial expressions, depression and liveliness and strength of the weakness of the warriors occupying the chariot must be examined by the Charioteer." 104.18

"The bumps and depressions of the place as well as the their rugged and level nature, the appropriate time to fight, the weak and strong points of the enemy should be known to the charioteer." 104.19

"How to reach a place and retreat from there, how to hold on to one's position and how to retreat must all be known to the charioteer, seated on the chariot." 104.20

"The action that I took was very proper in order to give you rest and to these horses and chariots and also relive your great tiredness." 104.21

"Oh valorous Lord, I did not move away the chariot on my own accord and what was done by me was due to my great devotion to you who is my master." 104.22

"Oh destroyer of enemies, oh valorous one, please order me and I will do whatever you desire with due attention and with a relieved manner about why I should do it." 104.23

Rāvaṇa became happy with the words of his charioteer, praised him in many ways and he who was desirous of war spoke the following words. 104.24

"Oh charioteer, quickly take this chariot towards Rāma for in a War Rāvaṇa does not turn back without killing his enemies." 104.25

After saying this, that king of Rākṣasas who was pleased presented a pretty and excellent ornament to that charioteer and after he instructed him he took the chariot back to the battle field. 104.26

Following Rāvaṇa's command, that charioteer quickly drove the horses forward and, that chariot of Rāvaṇa stood within a moment, before Rāma's chariot on the battle-field. 104.27

This is the end of One Hundred and Fourth Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.