Chapter XXXI: Section XXXII

Seeing fourteen thousands of Rakshasas of dread deeds, together with Dushana, and Khara, and Tricira, slain in battle by Rama single-handed, that one resembling clouds, Surpanaka, again fell to send up mighty sounds. And witnessing Rama's deeds, incapable of being performed by others, she, extremely agitated, went to Lanka, ruled by Ravana. And she saw the effulgent Ravana in front of his palace, surrounded by his counsellors, like Vasava surrounded by the Maruts; seated on a supreme golden seat resembling the sun, and like unto a flaming fire on a golden dais kept alive by sacrificial offerings; unconquerable by high-souled saints, celestials, Gandharbas and all creatures; terrible like the Destroyer with his mouth wide open; his persons containing scars[49] of wounds inflicted by the thunderbolt and the lightnings, in the war between the gods and Asuras; his breast bearing marks of attacks made by Airavata with the ends of his tusks;--having twenty hands and ten heads,--wearing elegant attire; broad breasted; heroic; marked with royal signs; (in hue) resembling cool lapises; embellished in ornaments of burnished gold; having goodly hands, white teeth, and a huge face resembling a hill;--even him who in the war of the gods had been assailed an hundred ways with the descent of Vishnu's discus; whose body had been cut with all the weapons of the celestials; (him) who furiously disturbs the deep incapable of being disturbed; uproots mountain summits, and tramples over gods,--the destroyer of righteousness, and the violater of other's wives;--the employer of all celestial arms, and the disturber of sacrifices;--who going to the city of Bhagab and vanquishing Vasaki, had carried off Takshaka's beloved wife; who, going to Kailaca, and defeating him having for his vehicle a human being, had carried off the car Pushpaka coursing at every where at will; who endeued with prowess had devastated the divine Chaitraratha grove, the tank (situated there) and the Nandana wood,--as well as the gardens of the gods; and, who, himself resembling a mountain summit, had by means of his upraised arms, obstructed the rising of these repressor of foes the exalted Sun and Moon; who, possessed of calmness, having formerly for ten thousand years carried on asceticism in the mighty forest, offered his own heads unto the self create one; who in conflict fears, not death from either gods or Danavas or Gandharbas, or Picachas or birds or serpents, from none save human beings; who, possessed of prodigious strength, forcibly takes away the clarified butter sanctified with mantras from the sacrificial ground; the destroyer of sacrifices about to be completed; of villanous nature; the slaughterer of Brahmanas; of cruel deeds; harsh and kindless, and ever bent on doing evil unto all creatures; and railing furiously at all creatures; the inspirer of fear in all beings. And the Rakshasi beheld her exceedingly powerful and cruel brother, wearing gorgeous apparel and ornaments, and decked in a glorious garland,--seated, like the Destroyer at the time (of dissolution) ready (to destroy); the exalted chief of Rakshasas; the delight of the race of Paulastya. Stupified with fear, the Rakshasi, approaching that destroyer of foes; Ravana, surrounded by his counsellors, said these words. And transported with fear and desire, Surpanakha, given to fearlessly ranging every where, who had been deformed by that high-souled one, showing (her mutilation), addressed these harsh words unto Ravana of flaming and expansive eyes.

[49] This reminds one of Milton: of Belzebub, he says,--
"-------------- His person, Deep scars of thunder had
intrenched--_Par. Lost_,--Book 1