DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0466
STORY OF RAMA 381
tras, which caused Celestial weapons to appear for Rama,
and the spirits of the weapons stood before the prince
with clasped hands and said: " We are thy servants, O
nobly generous one. Good betide thee! Whatever thou dost
desire, hi we shall accomplish for thee."1
Said Rama: "When I have need of you, 1 will think
of you, and then you will wait upon me."
Thereafter Vishwamitra led the princes to his hermi-
tage, which was situated in a pleasant grove where deer
disported and birds sang sweetly. All the sages wel-
comed them. It chanced that when six days had gone
past, the Brahmans prepared to offer up a sacrifice. Sud-
denly a band of Rakshasas, led by Maricha, son of the
hag Taraka and Savahu, rushed towards the altar to defile
the offering with bones and blood. Rama thought of his
Celestial weapons, and they immediately appeared beside
him. He cast one at Maricha which drove him hundreds
of miles out to sea, and he threw a fire weapon at Savahu
which consumed him; then he attacked and slew all the
other demons... . The sages rejoiced greatly, and honoured
the prince.
Next morning Vishwamitra informed Rama and Lak-
shmana that he and the other sages purposed to attend a
great sacrifice which was to be offered up by Janaka, Rajah
of Mithila. "You will accompany us," he said, "and
the rajah will show you Shiva's great bow, which neither
god nor man can break."
Now, both while they abode at the hermitage and as
they journeyed towards Mithila, the princes heard the
sacred legends of Vishnu in his dwarf incarnation, of
the Churning of the Ocean, of the descent of Ganga
through Shiva's hair, and of the cursing of Indra by a
sage.
A Gaelic axiom says, "Every weapon has its demon".
tras, which caused Celestial weapons to appear for Rama,
and the spirits of the weapons stood before the prince
with clasped hands and said: " We are thy servants, O
nobly generous one. Good betide thee! Whatever thou dost
desire, hi we shall accomplish for thee."1
Said Rama: "When I have need of you, 1 will think
of you, and then you will wait upon me."
Thereafter Vishwamitra led the princes to his hermi-
tage, which was situated in a pleasant grove where deer
disported and birds sang sweetly. All the sages wel-
comed them. It chanced that when six days had gone
past, the Brahmans prepared to offer up a sacrifice. Sud-
denly a band of Rakshasas, led by Maricha, son of the
hag Taraka and Savahu, rushed towards the altar to defile
the offering with bones and blood. Rama thought of his
Celestial weapons, and they immediately appeared beside
him. He cast one at Maricha which drove him hundreds
of miles out to sea, and he threw a fire weapon at Savahu
which consumed him; then he attacked and slew all the
other demons... . The sages rejoiced greatly, and honoured
the prince.
Next morning Vishwamitra informed Rama and Lak-
shmana that he and the other sages purposed to attend a
great sacrifice which was to be offered up by Janaka, Rajah
of Mithila. "You will accompany us," he said, "and
the rajah will show you Shiva's great bow, which neither
god nor man can break."
Now, both while they abode at the hermitage and as
they journeyed towards Mithila, the princes heard the
sacred legends of Vishnu in his dwarf incarnation, of
the Churning of the Ocean, of the descent of Ganga
through Shiva's hair, and of the cursing of Indra by a
sage.
A Gaelic axiom says, "Every weapon has its demon".