Then Kumbhakarna laughed aloud And cried; 'O Monarch, once so proud, We warned thee, but thou wouldst not hear And now the fruits of sin appear. We warned thee, I, thy nobles, all Who loved thee, in thy council hall. Those sovereigns who with blinded eyes Neglect the foe their hearts despise, Soon, falling from the their high estate Bring on themselves the stroke of fate.
Accept at length, thy life to save, The counsel sage Vibhíshan gave, The prudent counsel spurned before, And Sita to her lord restore.' The monarch frowned, by passion moved And thus in angry words reproved: ' Wilt thou thine elder brother school, Forgetful of the ancient rule That bids thee treat him as the sage Who guides thee with the lore of age?
Think on the dangers of the day, Nor idly throw thy words away: If, led astray, by passion stirred, I in the pride of power have erred; If deeds of old were done amiss. No time for vain reproach is this. Up, brother; let thy loving care The errors of thy king repair.'
To calm his wrath, his soul to ease, The younger spake in words like these: ' Yea, from our bosoms let us cast All idle sorrow for the past. Let grief and anger be repressed: Again be firm and self-possessed. This day, O Monarch, shalt thou see The Vánar legions turn and flee, And Ráma and his brother slain With their hearts' blood shall dye the plain Yea, if the God who rules the dead, And Varun their battalions led;
If Indra with the Storm-Gods came Against me, and the Lord of Flame, Still would I fight with all and slay Thy banded foes, my King, to-day. If Raghu's son this day withstand The blow of mine uplifted hand. Deep in his breast my darts shall sink, And torrents of his life-blood drink.
O fear not, in my promise trust; This arm shall lay him in the dust, Shall leave the fierce Sugríva dyed With gore, and Lakshman by his side, And strike the great Hanúmán down. The spoiler of our glorious town.'
