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bering how they were defeated by Ráma, and seeing that Lohajangha was also a man who had crossed the sea, they were once more alarmed in their hearts. So, after they had deliberated together, one of them went off immediately and told the whole occurrence to king Vibhíshana; king Vibhíshana too, as he had seen the prowess of Ráma, being terrified at the arrival of a man, said to that Rákshasa; "Go, my good friend, and tell that man from me in a friendly manner, that he is to do me the favour of coming to my palace." The Rákshasa said, "I will do so," and timidly approached Lohajangha, and told him that request of his sovereign's. Lohajangha for his part accepted that invitation with unruffled calm, and went to Lanká
with that Rákshasa and his companion. And when he arrived in Lanká, he was astonished at beholding numerous splendid edifices of gold, and entering the king's palace, he saw Vibhíshana. The king welcomed the Bráhman, who blessed him in return, and then Vibhishana said, " Bráhman, how did you manage to reach this country?" Then the cunning Lohajangha said
to Vibhíshana " I am a Bráhman of the name of Lohajangha residing in Mathurá; and I, Lohajangha being afflicted at my poverty, went to the temple of the god, and remaining fasting, for a long time performed austerities in the presence of Náráyana.*[1] Then the adorable Hari*[2] commanded me in a dream, saying, ' Go thou to Vibhíshana, for he is a faithful worshipper of mine, and he will give thee wealth.' Then, I said, ' Vibhíshana is where I cannot reach him'—— but the lord continued,
'To-day shalt thou see that Vibhíshana.' So the lord spake to me, and immediately I woke up and found myself upon this side of the sea. I know no more." When Vibhíshana heard this from Lohajangha, reflecting that Lanká was a difficult place to reach, he thought to himself " Of a truth this man possesses divine power." And he said to that Bráhman,——" Remain here, I will give you wealth." Then he committed him to the care of the man-slaying Rákshasas as an inviolable deposit; and sent some of his subjects to a mountain in his kingdom called Swarnamúla, and brought from it a young bird belonging to the race of Garuda; and he gave it to that Lohajangha, (who had to take a long journey to Mathurá,) to ride upon, in order that he might in the meanwhile break it in. Lohajangha for his part mounted on its back, and riding about on it in Lanká, rested there for some time, being hospitably entertained by Vibhíshana.
One day he asked the king of the Rákshasas, feeling curiosity on the point, why the whole ground of Lanká was made of wood; and Vibhíshana when he heard that, explained the circumstance to him, saying, " Bráhman, if you take any interest in this matter, listen, I will explain it to you. Long ago Garuda the son of Kaśyapa, wishing to redeem his mother from her slavery to the snakes, to whom she had been subjected in accordance
