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

240 THE RjtMJ^TAN, ^ook III.
Swooped down upon the giant's back.
Down to the bone the talons went
With many a wound the flesh was rent
Such blows infuriate drivers deal
Their elephants with pointed steel.
Fixed in his back the strong beak lay.
The talons stripped the flesh away.
He fought with claws and beak and wing.
And tore the long hair of the king.
Still as the royal vulture beat
The giant with his wings and feet.
Swelled the fiend's lips, his body shook
With furious rage too great to btook.
About the Maithil dame he cast
One huge left arm and held her fast.
In- furious rage to fren^ fanned
He struck the vulture with his hand.
Jat%us mocked the vain assay.
And rent his ten left arms away.
Down dropped the severed limbs s anew
Ten others from his body grew
Thus bright with pearly radiance glide
Dread serpents from the hillock side.
Again in wrath the giant pressed
The lady closer to his breast,
And foot and fist sent blow on blow
In ceaseless fury at the foe.
So fierce and dire the battle, waged
Between those mighty cbamjnons, raged
Here was the lord of giants, there
The noblest of the birds of air.
Thus, as his love of Rdma taught,
The faithful vulture strove and fought.
But Ravan seized his sword and smote