, came to her
and approached her presence. And inflamed by desire, that conquerer in
battle of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, and the
Kimpurushas, attired in celestial robes and possessing handsome features,
decked with jewelled earrings and wearing a beautiful garland and crown,
entered the Asoka woods, like an embodiment of the vernal season. And
dressed with care, Ravana looked like the Kalpa tree in Indra's garden.
But though adorned with every embellishment, that inspired her only with
awe, like a beautified banian in the midst of a cemetery. And that night
wanderer, having approached the presence of that slender-waisted lady,
looked like the planet Saturn in the presence of Rohini. And smitten with
the shafts of the god of the flowery emblem he accosted that fair-hipped
lady then affrighted like a helpless doe, and told her these words, 'Thou
hast, O Sita, shown thy regard for thy lord too much! O thou of delicate
limbs, be merciful unto me. Let thy person be embellished now (by these
maids in waiting). O excellent lady, accept me as thy lord! And, O thou
of the most beautiful complexion, attired in costly robes and ornaments,
take thou the first place among all the women of my household. Many are
the daughters of the celestials and also the Gandharvas that I possess! I
am lord also of many Danava and Daitya ladies! One hundred and forty
millions of Pisachas, twice as many man-eating Rakshasa of terrible deed,
and thrice as many Yaksha do my bidding! Some of these are under the sway
of my brother who is the lord of all treasures. In my drinking hall, O
excellent lady of beautiful thighs, Gandharvas and Apsaras wait on me as
they do on my brother! I am, again, the son of that regenerate Rishi
Visravas himself of high ascetic merit. I am renowned, again, as the
fifth Regent of the Universe! And, O beautiful lady, of food and edibles
and drinks of the very best kind, I have as much as the Lord himself of
the celestials! Let all thy troubles consequent on a life in the woods
cease! O thou of fair hips, be my Queen, as Mandodari herself!' Thus
addressed by him, the beautiful princess of Videha, turning away and
regarding him as something less than a straw, replied unto that wanderer
of the night. And at that time the princess of Videha, that girl of
beautiful hips, had her deep and compact bosom copiously drenched by her
inauspicious tears shed ceaselessly. And she who regarded her husband as
her god