onth. And having
crossed the ocean and arrived at Lanka, Rama caused its extensive and
numerous gardens to be devastated by his monkeys. And while Rama's troops
were there, two of Ravana's counsellors and officers, named Suka and
Sarana, who had come as spies, having assumed the shape of monkeys, were
seized by Vibhishana. And when those wanderers of the night assumed their
real Rakshasa forms, Rama showed them his troop and dismissed them
quietly. And having quartered his troops in those woods that skirted the
city, Rama then sent the monkey Angada with great wisdom as his envoy to
Ravana."

SECTION CCLXXXII

"Markandeya said, 'Having quartered his army in those groves abounding
with food and water and with fruits and roots, the descendant of
Kakutstha began to watch over them with care. Ravana, on the other hand,
planted in his city many appliances constructed according to the rules of
military science. And his city, naturally impregnable on account of its
strong ramparts and gate-ways, had seven trenches, that were deep and
full of water to the brim and that abounded with fishes and sharks and
alligators, made more impregnable still by means of pointed stakes of
Khadira wood. And the ramparts, heaped with stones, were made impregnable
by means of catapults. And the warriors (who guarded the walls) were
armed with earthen pots filled with venomous snakes, and with resinous
powders of many kinds. And they were also armed with clubs, and
fire-brands and arrows and lances and swords and battle-axes. And they
had also Sataghnis[98] and stout maces steeped in wax.[99] And at all the
gates of the city were planted movable and immovable encampments manned
by large numbers of infantry supported by countless elephants and horses.
And Angada, having reached one of the gates of the city, was made known
to the Rakshasas. And he entered the town without suspicion or fear. And
surrounded by countless Rakshasas, that hero in his beauty looked like
the Sun himself in the midst of masses of clouds. And having approached
the hero of Pulastya's race in the midst of his counsellors, the eloquent
Angada saluted the king and began to deliver Rama's message in these
words, 'That descendant of Raghu, O king, who ruleth at Kosala and whose
renown hath spread over the whole world, sayeth unto thee these words
suited to the occasion. Accept thou that message and act according to it!
Provinces and towns, in consequence of their connection w