ord
himself of the celestials! Let all thy troubles consequent on a life in
the woods cease! O thou of fair hips, be my Queen, as Mandodari
herself!" Thus addressed by him, the beautiful princess of Videha,
turning away and regarding him as something less than a straw, replied
unto that wanderer of the night. And at that time the princess of
Videha, that girl of beautiful hips, had her deep and compact bosom
copiously drenched by her inauspicious tears shed ceaselessly. And she
who regarded her husband as her god, answered that mean wretch, saying,
"By sheer ill-luck it is, O king of the Rakshasas, that I am obliged to
hear such words of grievous import spoken by thee! Blessed be thou, O
Rakshasa fond of sensual pleasures, let thy heart be withdrawn from me!
I am the wife of another, ever devoted to my husband, and, therefore,
incapable of being possessed by thee! A helpless human being that I am,
I cannot be a fit wife for thee! What joy can be thine by using violence
towards an unwilling woman? Thy father is a wise Brahmana, born of
Brahma and equal unto that Lord himself of the creation! Why dost thou
not, therefore, thyself being equal to a Regent of the Universe, observe
virtue? Disgracing thy brother, that king of the Yakshas, that adorable
one who is the friend of Maheswara himself, that lord of treasures, how
is it that thou feelest no shame?" Having said these words, Sita began
to weep, her bosom shivering in agitation, and covering her neck and
face with her garments. And the long and well-knit braid, black and
glossy, falling from the head of the weeping lady, looked like a black
snake. And hearing these cruel words uttered by Sita, the foolish
Ravana, although thus rejected, addressed Sita once more, saying, "O
lady, let the god having the _Makara_ for his emblem burn me sorely. I
will, however, on no account, O thou of sweet smiles and beautiful hips,
approach thee, as thou art unwilling! What can I do to thee that still
feelest a regard for Rama who is only a human being and, therefore, our
food?" Having said those words unto that lady of faultless features, the
king of the _Rakshasa_ made himself invisible then and there and went
away to the place he liked. And Sita, surrounded by those _Rakshasa_
women, and treated with tenderness by _Trijata_, continued to dwell
there in grief.'"

SECTION CCLXXX

"Markandeya said, 'Meanwhile the illustrious descendant of Raghu, along
with his brother, hospitably tre