Canto 22 - Deadline to Death
Hurt as he by Seetha’s taunts
Spoke thus Ravan in harsh tone.
Wonder the way women all tend
Tends as enamoured man of them,
As though his stock fell so low
Tend they all to belittle him.
If not for my love for thee
Rein in how could my anger!
It’s but fondness for thee mine
Makes me spare the day for thee.
But for the fact thou won me
Head thine would have rolled by now.
Know the way thee rubbished me
Should’ve earned thee third degree.
Afflicted though by his lust
Couldn’t take Ravan Seetha’s snub.
Months two more is all I give
For thee to choose death or me.
Fail if thou to bed with me
Make thy flesh then my breakfast.
Feared all angels having heard
Threat that Ravan’s to Seetha.
Concern theirs for Seetha then
Made them signal her welfare.
Assured thus of angelic grace
Spoketh Seetha thus assured:
To put the right into thy head
Sad O Ravan thee have none.
Knowing that I’m Rama’s wife
Thinks fit none to day-dream me.
For the sin of snaring me
Escape there none thee from death.
Bid in thine to kidnap me
If not for thy fear of Ram
Why thee contrived his absence?
What to make of thy valour
Boast thou as from safe distance
From my Lord thou fear to face?
Ogle as thee Rama’s wife
Wonder how thou turned not blind?
Abused as thou my Lord Ram
How come thou not turned yet dumb!
Given if Rama me the nod
Power I have to burn thee now.
It’s no joke to dupe my man
Ruse it’s but of thine own fate
Helped thee thus to hijack me
So that my Lord sees thy end.
For that cowardly act of thine
Boasts of thine all sound hollow.
Enraged by her words Ravan
Stared at her in seething rage.
Shook he as in burning wrath
Stilted sideways his gold crown.
Turned as his, eyes blood red
Peeled off sandal paste on him.
Turned to lumps of coal at once
Diamonds of his waist-band then.
On his arms with gold epaulets
Hair his stood all in straight lines.
Ear-rings his of bright corals
Matched they both the rising sun.
In his rage did Ravan seem
Like the funeral pyre on fire.
Hissed then Ravan in anger
Spoke to her thus in despair.
But for lack of common sense
How can someone fall for Ram!
Looks like I have lost patience
Time I end thy rein on life.
Having spoken to Ram’s wife
Addressed Ravan his own folk.
Know I lost my heart to her
Kept I whom as thy captive.
For the possession of this lass
Passion mine is ever on raise.