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An Incident in the Royal Court
desiring to sit on the throne of Lanka and to be glorified as the king of Lanka, he desired to perform circumambulations around the images of the Paramatma in those mountains and caves; and to be a devotee of the Paramatma.
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After having been thus hallowed and sanctified physically and spiritually, he was descending the mountains with his relatives and friends, when, all of a sudden, he heard the trumpeting of a wild elephant of the forests. The relatives and friends who were following him were greatly agitated and horror-stricken. At a distance, he heard the wild leapings and trumpetings of a wild elephant.
Just then, a guard by name, Prahasta bowed to Ravan and said, "Your excellency ! Oh King of Lanka".
"What's the matter?"
"This elephant that has been trumpeting thus is not an ordinary one".
"Then ?"
"It seems to be the King of elephants. It is the gem among elephants".
Glancing towards Prahasta with thoughtful eyes, Ravan said, "That means ?"
"This mighty elephant is absolutely worthy of being yours Prahasta said.
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At once, Ravan proceeded in the direction from which the noises were heard. At some distance, he noticed an infatuated elephant trumpeting loudly and madly in the midst of thick bushes, in the dense part of the forest. Ravan went near it; and cast his eyes upon it and he was astounded to see it. It was not like any ordinary elephant of the forest. It was like a heavenly elephant with a beautiful, massive, fascinating body. From its intoxicated temples, a stream of fatty juice kept flowing like a river incessantly. Its long, pointed gold-coloured tusks shone resplendent in the light of the radiant sun.
Ravan
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