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THE KIDNAPING OF SĪTĀ
219
On hearing this, Vajrakarṇa at once supplied the city with an abundance of grass and grain and saw the dust of the enemy's army in the air. Immediately Daśāngapura was surrounded by Sinhodara with strong forces on all sides like a sandal tree by serpents. Then Sinhodara sent a messenger to Vajrakarṇa: 'Deceitful wretch! I have been deceived for a long time by your trick-bowing. Come and bow to me without your ring. Otherwise you and all your household will go to the house of Yama.' Vajrakarņa replied, 'I have made the resolution: "I will not bow to any one except the Arhat and sadhus." There is no pride in heroism in this, but pride in dharma. Take everything of mine that you want except homage. Give me a concession 158 that I may go somewhere else for dharma. Let dharma alone be my wealth.'
He did not agree to this speech of Vajrakarṇa's. Certainly haughty men do not consider right or wrong. Sinhodara besieged the city and Vajrakarna and has remained outside, looting, and the country has become depopulated from fear of him. I and my household have been ruined in this quarrel between kings. Today palaces here were burned. My hut is dilapidated. I am going in that direction, sent by a cruel wife, to bring household paraphernalia from the empty houses of rich men. There has been this auspicious fruit to me of her hard command. By fate I have seen you who resemble a god."
Raghudvaha, an ocean of compassion, gave a cord made of gold and jewels to the poor man after he had told him this. Then Rāma dismissed him, went to Daśāngapura, bowed to Candraprabha in an outside shrine, and stopped there. At Rama's command Saumitri entered the city at once and went before Vajrakarna. For that is the custom of straightforward persons. Vajrakarṇa recognized that he was a superior person of noble
158 36. Dharmadvära has a peculiar Jain usage. It is the permission to leave with a certain amount of property. In Avacurņi, I, p. 564, dharmadvāra is what can be taken in one chariot.
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