Ramayana Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /196

THEO RAMAYANA
 
178
 
Oama, this great congregation of
forest-dwellers, consisting mainly of
Brahmins, though having you as their
protector, are being sorely destroyed by
the Rama, this great congregation of
forestkshasas as if they had no pro-dwellers, consisting mainly of
Brahmins, though having you as their
protector, are being sorely destroyed by
the Rakshasas as if they had no pro-

tector.
 

 
एहि पश्य शरीराणि मुनीनां भावितात्मनाम् ।

हतानां राक्षसैर्घोरेरैर्बहूनां बहुधा वने ॥
 

Come and see the bodies of the numer-

ous ascetics who, while intent on realising

their self, have been killed in various

ways in the forest by the cruel
ways in

Rakshasas.
 

 
परा त्वत्तो गतिवींर्वीर पृथिव्यां नोपपद्यते ।

परिपालय नस्सर्वान् राक्षसेभ्यो नृपात्मनज ॥
 
recourse for us in

O hero, there is no recourse for us in
this earth except you.O Prince, protect
 
O hero, there is no
this earth except you
all of us from the Rakshasas.
all of us from the Rakshasas.
 

 
एतच्छ्रुत्वा च काकुत्स्थस्तापसानां तपस्विनाम् ।

इदं प्रोवाच धर्मात्मा सर्वानेव तपस्विनः ।
 

Hearing these words of the ascetics

practising penances, the righteous-mind-

ed Rama said to all the ascetics :