THE RÁMÁYAN OF VÁLMÍKI, VOL. III - Gujarat Knowledge Centre

Canto XXim THE R^M^YAN. 107
The throbbings of mine arm foretell
That ruin waits the hostile powers,
And triumph in the fight is ours.
I hail the welcome omen : thou
Art bright of face and clear of brow.
For Lakshmaij, when the eye can trice
A cloud upon the warrior's face
Stealing the cheerful light away,
His life is doomed in battle fray.
List, brother, to that awful cry
With shout and roar the fiends draw nigh.
With thundering beat of many a drum
The savage-hearted giants come.
The wise who value safety know
To meet, prepared, the coming blow '.
In paths of prudence trained aifight
They watch the stroke before it smite.
Take thou thine arrows and thy bow.
And with the Maithil lady go
For shelter to the mountain cave
Where thickest trees their branches wave,
I will not have thee, Lakshman, say
One word in answer, but obey.
By all thy honour for these feet
Of mine, dear brother, I entreat.
Thy warlike arm, I know, could smite
To death these rovers of the night
But I this day would fight alone
Till all the fiends be overthrown.'
He spake :
and Lakshmaa answered naught
His arrows and his bow he brought,
And then with Sit^ following hied
For shelter to the mountain side.
As Lakshman and the lady through