But, O monarch, Kuvera, the king of the Rakshasas,
knowing that his father was angry with him, always sought to please him.
And, O best of Bharata's race, that king of kings living in Lanka, and
borne upon the shoulders of men, sent three Rakshasa women to wait upon
his father. Their names, O king, were Pushpotkata, Raka and Malini. And
they were skilled in singing and dancing and were always assiduous in
their attentions on that high-souled Rishi. And those slender-waisted
ladies vied with one another, O king, in gratifying the Rishi. And that
high-souled and adorable being was pleased with them and granted them
boons. And to every one of them he gave princely sons according to their
desire. Two sons--those foremost of Rakshasas named Kumvakarna and the
Ten-headed Ravana,--both unequaled on earth in prowess, were born to
Pushpotkata. And Malini had a son named Vibhishana, and Raka had twin
children named Khara and Surpanakha. And Vibhishana surpassed them all
in beauty. And that excellent person was very pious and assiduously
performed all religious rites. But that foremost of Rakshasas, with ten
heads, was the eldest to them all. And he was religious, and energetic
and possessed of great strength and prowess. And the Rakshasa Kumvakarna
was the most powerful in battle, for he was fierce and terrible and a
thorough master of the arts of illusion. And Khara was proficient in
archery, and hostile to the Brahmanas, subsisting as he did on flesh.
Pages:
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498