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

108 THE-RjtMJ'YAN. Booh JIL
The forest to the oave withdrew,
' 'Tis weir, cried R^ma. Then he braced
His coat of mail around his. waist.
When, bright as blazing fire, upon
His mighty limbs that armour shone.
The hero stood like some great light
Uprising in the dark of night.
His dreadful shafts were by his, side ;
His trusty bow he bent and plied.
Prepared he stood :
the bowstring rang.
Filling the welkin with the elang.
The high-souled Gods together drew
The wander of the fight to view,
The s^nts made free from spot and stain.
And bright Gandharvas' heavenly train.
Each glorious sage the assembly sought.
Each saint divine of loftiest, thought.
And filled with zeal for Rama's sake,
Thus they whose deeds were holy spaJie 5
' Now be it well with Brahmans, now
Well with the worlds and every cow !
Let Ejama in the deadly fray
The fiends who walk in darkness slay.
As He who bears the discus' slew
The chieftains of the Asur crew.'
Then each with anxious glances viewed
His fellow and his speech renewed
'There twice seven thousand giants stand
With impious heart and cruel hand :
.Here RaTOa stauds, by virtue known :
How can the hero fight- ftlone V
Thus royal sage and Brahman saint,
Spirit, and Virtue free from taint,
' Vishnu, who bears a cTtah'a or discus,