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SETUBANDHA
36. The tracks of the moving whales, resembling currents of a flooded river, were discernible in the midst of the waters; and, the nether regions were blackened by the sooty poze issuing from the base of the submarine fire.
37. Thereupon as the power of the sea was seen as it rose surging towards the sky, revealing its bottom, while the earth was trampled by the host of apes, it was apparent that Rāma had appraised its magnitude with his eyes.30
38. Even at the sight of the ocean, his couch at another epoch, Rāma, with his mind rivetted on Sitā, did not remember the goddess of wealth, his companion at the epoch of universal ruin.31
39. Glancing at the waters, and laughing as he held converse with Sugrīva, Laksmana remained calm even on seeing the ocean, as if he had not seen it.
40. Sugrīva, too, looked at the ocean, and seemed to restrain his body, half aloft in the air,32 with the chest prominent and looking broader, being stuck out in joy. 33
41. Sugrīva, his heart set on traversing the sea, surveyed the army of apes, ranged on both sides, and bright as fire; like as Garuda, desiring to cross the sea, looks at his outspread wings (of gold).
42. Terror-stricken, all of a sudden, at the sight of the sea, and trembling and moving away, but held back (by shame), the apes stood like painted figures, with wide flickerless, eyes.
43. As they beheld the sea even their fickle eyes rested admiringly on Hanümat, fixed in a gaze of unwonted amazement.34
30. The earth is fancied as trembling under the heavy tread of the apes and thereby convulsing the sea, which appeared to Rāma to be not as formidable as it was imagined to be.
31. Răma is presented as an incarnation of Vişnu, who periodically sleeps in the ocean with his consort Lakşmi in attendance. Cf. 1.21. * 32. i.e., it seemed as if he was about to fly across the sea, but held himself back.
33. Lit. stretched and raised in joy. 34. Because he had leaped over to Lankā.
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