Hearing the sharp words of pleasing Sita, the lord of demons replied in unpleasant terms:

"The more the lover is courteous and loving and pleasing to women the more he is humiliated by them.

"My love for you has restrained my anger, just as a good charioteer controls the horses galloping on a wrong path.

"Love is partial. It gets bound to those in whomsoever compassion and friendship is generated, even though they are punishable.

"O beautiful one it is on this account that I do not kill you even though you deserve to be killed and insulted (for the words used), even as you are engaged in a pseudoascetic life.

"O Mythili for each of the piercing statements made you deserve dreadful death."

Ravana, the lord of demons, said these words in reply to Vaidehi who was overcome with anger and exitement.

"I shall wait for two months, the deadline fixed. O lady of beautiful hue thereafter you have to share my bed.

"If you are still reluctant to accept me as your husband after two months you will be sent to kitchen to be cooked as morning breakfast for me".

Observing Janaki, threatened by the demon king the daughters of gods and gandharvas shed tears with distressful eyes.

When Sita was threatened by the demon king, the daughters of gods and gandharvas there consoled her through gestures of their lips and eyes.

Having thus been consoled, Sita, proud of the power of her virtues, said this to Ravana in selfdefence:

"Obviously there is no one among your people keen on your welfare since nobody is preventing you from this reproachable act.

"Who in all the three worlds other than you would, even in mind, seek this consort of the righteous self (Sri Rama) like Sachi to Indra? .

"O stupid demon where can you go to escape the consequences of your sinful words spoken against Rama's consort of undimmed brilliance?

"It is like a proud elephant fighting in war with a rabbit. Rama is like an elephant and you are like an ordinary rabbit people speak of.

"You are not ashamed of belittling Rama in his absence. You have not yet walked into his sight.

"O ignoble wretch I wonder why your dark brown, distorted eyes do not fall off (the socket) when you look at me (lustfully).

"Why does not your tongue drop down while you speak such words against this consort of the righteous king (Rama) and daughterin law of Dasaratha?

"O Ravana I can reduce you to ashes through the fire of my chastity. But I do not have Rama's permission and I want to preserve my power of ascetism even though you are fit to be consigned to the flames.

"When I was with wise Rama, it was not possible for you to abduct me. No doubt Providence has ordained this to bring about your death.

"You are a (great) warrior and a brother of Kubera. You possess an army. Then why did you abduct Rama's wife bypassing him?"

On hearing Janaki, the lord of demons, Ravana looked at her with his cruel eyes opened wide and rolling.

Prosperous Ravana looked like a mass of dark cloud, with strong arms, stout neck, gait of a lion, a blazing tongue and burning eyes

He appeared taller with an unsteady crown. He was wearing wonderful red flower garlands and clothes and was smeared with unguents, shining in ornamental armlets.

Wrapped well with a big black thread around his hips, he appeared like mount Mandara encompassed by a black serpent at the time of churning the milkocean for nectar.

The lord of demons shone like mount Mandara, both his long two arms like two mountain peaks.

He stood like a mountain with two Ashoka trees clothed with red leaves and flowers in the form of earrings of the colour of the rising Sun.

He was comparable to the wishfulfilling tree grown in heaven, a personified spring season and a memorial structure raised on the cremation ground. He looked frightening even though welladorned.

Looking at Vaidehi, eyes red with anger, and breathing heavily like a histing snake, Ravana replied:

"O Sita you are following a vow of chastity and treading a meaningless, wrong path. I will destroy you as the Sun dispels the morning twilight with his lustre".

King Ravana, a tormentor of enemies, having thus threatened Mythili commanded the shedemons women of fiecrceful appearance as follows:

Of them one had one eye, the other one ear, another with ears covered, one had the ear of a cow, another had ears of an elephant and yet another, long, hanging ears. One had the feet of an elephant, another, hoofs of a horse and still another of a cow. While one had a single foot, another had broad feet and yet another no feet at all. One had a long neck and a large head. One had large breasts and belly. One had a big face and eyes, another had a long tongue and yet another no tongue at all. One had no nose and still another had a lion face and yet another the face of a cow.

Of them one had one eye, the other one ear, another with ears covered, one had the ear of a cow, another had ears of an elephant and yet another, long, hanging ears. One had the feet of an elephant, another, hoofs of a horse and still another of a cow. While one had a single foot, another had broad feet and yet another no feet at all. One had a long neck and a large head. One had large breasts and belly. One had a big face and eyes, another had a long tongue and yet another no tongue at all. One had no nose and still another had a lion face and yet another the face of a cow.

Of them one had one eye, the other one ear, another with ears covered, one had the ear of a cow, another had ears of an elephant and yet another, long, hanging ears. One had the feet of an elephant, another, hoofs of a horse and still another of a cow. While one had a single foot, another had broad feet and yet another no feet at all. One had a long neck and a large head. One had large breasts and belly. One had a big face and eyes, another had a long tongue and yet another no tongue at all. One had no nose and still another had a lion face and yet another the face of a cow.

"O demonesses, all of you jointly dispose Janaki towards me. See that she submits to me at once.

"By adopting means favourable or contrary to her will or through persuasion or coercion or through reward or punishment, draw Vaidehi's mind towards me." (said Ravana).

The demon king repeatedly commanded the ogresses burning in anger and passion and threatened Sita again and again, pointing his finger at her.

An ogress called Dhanyamalini at once approached the tenheaded Ravana and embracing him, said:.

"O king of demons, sport with me, my lord. What purpose will be served with this pale wretched Sita, a human being after all?

"O king surely she is not ordained by Brahma, the foremost among the immortals to enjoy the luxuries earned by the strength of your arms.

"The body of one who desires a woman without desire suffers pain. Good happiness will occur to one who loves a woman who desires him."

Having heard her words, the demon king who resembled a fierce dark cloud turned away, laughing heartily.

Thereupon the tennecked demon departed, as if he was shaking the earth and entered his residence which was shining like the blazing midday Sun.

Then the daughters of gods, gandharvas and nagas gathered round and followed him into his excellent palace.

Having derided Mythili trembling in fear yet steadfast in treading the righteous path, Ravana, overpowered with passion left her and entered his glittering mansion. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे द्वाविंशस्सर्गः। Thus ends twentysecond sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.