Ramavijaya. 5

perform their marriage, when Havana attacked the ship
at night with a large army of demons and broke her in
the sea. All perished except Dasharatha and Kausalya.
Karana put Kausalya into a box and handed it over to a
fish, which carried it to a desolate island and deposited it
there for safety, Dasharatha struggled much with the
waves of the sea but at last he got into a broken vessel,
which was carried by the waves to the island, where the
box was deposited by the fish. Dasharatha landed on the
sea-shore ; and seeing the box there he seated himself up-
on it for rest. Having got refreshed, he opened the box
out of curiosity but, to his great surprise, he found Kau-
salya in it. Narada came there in the meantime and,
having perfonied their marriage, blessed them, saying that
the god, Kama, would be born to them, In Lanka Ravana.
asked the god, Bramhadev, about his prediction. . He said
to the god, " Where is Dasharatha? You. know, he has al-
ready perished in the sea." Bramhadev replied, "Long since
Dasharatha has been married to Kausalya; and you will see
tjaat Rama will be shortly born to them." Havana said,
" Well then, get them here." Bramhadev -replied, "If I
get them here, what will you give me ?" Rava*na said, "I
promise to give you whatever you will ask from me."
Bramhadev then went and brought the box from the island
and, having opened it, he showed the bride and bride-
groom to the demon. As soon as he saw them, he got
exceedingly enraged and was about to cut off their heads,
when Bramhadev stepped forward and said to him, " You
promised me that you would give me whatever I would ask
from you. I, therefore, ask you not to kill Dasharatha
and Kausalya/ Ravana replied, " You-may ask me for
any other thing but I cannot spare the lives of those wreft-
fcched beings." Bramnadev said, " I do not want any other
hings from you bufc I want you to spare their lives/ Ba-
Tana could not break his promise and accordingly spare<J