and slew her, hero as he was, and all undismayed crossed over to the opposite shore. Arriving there, he marked the teauty of the wood, with the bees buzzing in their search for honey, the diverse trees all resplendent with simultaneous flower and fruit, and multitudes of birds and deer delightful to behold. Seeing a huge rock further on, he fearlessly sprang on to the top of it. But, Umá, this was not at all the monkey's own strength, but the gift of the Lord, who devours even Death himself. Mounted on the height, he surveyed Lanká, a magnificent fortress that defies description, with tho deep sea on all four sides around its golden walls of dazzling splendour.
Chhand 1.
Its golden walls studded with all kinds of jewels, a marvellously beautiful sight, with market-places, bazárs, quays, and streets, and all the other accessories of a fine city. Who could count the multitude of elephants, horses and mules, the crowds of footmen and chariots, and the troops of demons of every shape, a formidable host beyond all description. The woods, gardens, groves, and pastures, the ponds, wells and tanks were all superb; and the soul of a saint would be ravished at the sight of the fair daughters, both of men and Nágas, of gods and Gandharvas. Here wrestlers, of monstrous stature like mountains, were thundering with mighty voice and grappling with one another in the different courts, with shouts of mutual defiance. Thousands of warriors of huge bulk were sedulously guarding the city on all four sides; elsewhere horrid demons were banqueting in the form of buffaloes, men, oxen, asses and goats. Tulsi Dás for this reason gives them a few words of mention, because they lost their life by Ráma's hallowed shafts and thus became assured of entrance into heaven.
Dohá 3.
Seeing the number of the city guards, the monkey thought to himself, 'I must make myself very small and slip into the town by night.'
Chaupái.
Thereupon he assumed the form of a gnat[1] and entered Lanká after invoking Vishnu.[2] The female demon, by name Lankini, accosted him: "How
- ↑ The word masak, which I translate 'gnat,' never, so far as I am aware, bears any other meaning. But in one glossary, with reference to this particular passage, it is explained by bilár, 'a cat,' only—as it would seem—because that is the animal mentioned in the Sanskrit Rámáyana. In both cases the poet has no sooner stated the transformation than be forgets all about it; for all Hanumán's subsequent actions are described as if performed by him in his natural shape. Or, he may be supposed to have resumed it as soon as he had passed the guard.
- ↑ Nara-hari stands for the more common Nar-sinha—hari and sinha both meaning 'a lion'—and here denotes not that particular incarnation, but Vishnu generally.
98
