Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists

Myths of the Hindus & Buddhistsdeadly blow with his mace, and Nila flung a tall tree atPrahasta s breast ;but he lightly avoided that and rushedon Nila. Then Nila flung a mighty crag at the rakshasa,shattering his head, so that he fell slain. The rakshasahost drew back; like water rushing through a brokendyke, they melted away and entered Lanka, stricken withgrief and fear.Ravana was inflamed with wrath to learn of Prahasta sdeath, and his heart sank, but he boasted that he wouldhimself destroy Rama and Lakshman with a thousandshafts, and mounted his own shining car and led arakshasa host against the monkeys he seemed like the;Destroyer himself, accompanied by ghosts and fleshdevouringmonsters with burning eyes. Big-belly andGoblin and Man-destroyer and Three-heads, fighters withmountain-peaks and flaming maces, came with Ravana.But he, when they were face to face with the besiegers,dismissed the host to take their ease, and himself advancedto fightalone. Then firstSugriva hurled a mountain-topat him, but Ravana severed it with his golden shafts, sothat it fellvainly to the earth, and he sped a deadlyflaming shaft at the monkey-king that bore him to theground groaning with pain.Then other monkey-chiefstogether rushed at Ravana, but these in like fashion hedestroyed, so that they cried to Rama for help.Lakshmanprayed for that battle, and Rama granted him, and hetook the field ;but already Hanuman was pressing Ravanahard, so that he cried: "Well done, monkey; thou art afoe in whom Imay Therewith he struck therejoice."Wind-god s son a heavy blow so that he shuddered andfell back, and Ravana turned to fight with Nila. But theon to Ravana sFire-god s son, flaming with anger, sprangcar and darted like fire from point to point ;84and Ravana s