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The Thirty-Seventh Chapter
Even for the Sadhus, it is not proper to cause pain to ordinary people. What to speak of this one who is worshipped by thousands of kings? || 142 ||
O Bhadra! You have subdued him, so release him. Knowing his own strength, where will he go now? || 143 ||
Having captured powerful enemies, they are released after being honored according to the agreement. This is an ancient tradition. || 144 ||
Thus spoken to, Lakshmana, placing his hands on his head, said, "Devi! What you say is true." || 145 ||
"Let it be so, my lord. Let him be released by your command. By your grace, I can make him worthy of worship even by the gods." || 146 ||
Thus, with the commotion calmed, Lakshmana standing firm, Ativirya, with a clear mind, praised Padma and spoke. || 147 ||
"Well done, well done! You have done a wonderful thing. My mind, which had never arisen before, has now arisen." || 148 ||
Seeing him with his crown and garland removed, Raghava, compassionate and with a gentle form, reassured him, saying, "O Bhadra! Do not give in to despair. Hold fast to your ancient courage. It is only the great who experience wealth accompanied by misfortune." || 149-150 ||
"There is no harm here! In this continuous Nandya-vartta, be obedient to Bharata and rule as you wish." || 151 ||
Then Ativirya said, "I have no desire for the kingdom now. The kingdom has given me its fruit. Now I wish to engage in something else." || 152 ||
"With a burning desire for honor, I wished to conquer the entire earth from the Himalayas to the ocean. But I have uprooted my own honor and become empty. How can I, holding onto my manhood, bow down to another?" || 153-154 ||
"Even those great men who protected this six-part earth were not satisfied. How can I be satisfied with these five villages?" || 155 ||
"See the strength of this karma done in past lives, by which I have been brought down like the moon by Rahu's shadow." || 156 ||