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

CANTO II.
VIRADHA.
Thus entertained he passed the night.
Then, with the morning's early light,
To all the hermits bade adieu
And sought his onward way anew.
He pierced the mighty forest where
Roamed many a deer and pard and bear
Its ruined pools he scarce could see
For creeper rent and prostrate tree,
Where shrill cicala's cries were heard,
And plaintive notes of many a bird.
Deep in the thickets of the wood
With Lakshman and his spouse he stood.
There in the horrid shade he saw
A giant passing nature's law
Vast as some mountain-peak in size,
With mighty voice and sunken eyes,
Huge, hideous, tall, with monstrous face.
Most ghastly of his giant race.
A tiger's hide the Rdkshas wore
Still reeking with the fat and gore :
Huge,.faced, like Him who rules the dead.
All living things }ie struck with dread,
Three lions, tigers four, ten deer
He carried on his iron spear.
Two wolves, an elephant's head beside
With mighty tusks which blood-drops dyed.
When op the three his fierce eye fell,
He charged them with a roar and yell