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132
SETUBANDHA twisting about on their mane, stuck in the gore of the gods.39 served as the reins.
66. The hand, gripping the hilt of the sword, excited wrath; repaid the master's kindness, however great; and destroyed the foeman's pride.
67. The strong armed themselves, and could not endure the yelling (of the apes), and were aggrieved (at the delay); while the celestial maidens kept on coming to the door of their aerial cars and going back to adorn themselves.39
68. While the demons were thus arming themselves, delighted and eager for the battle, the host of apes, watched by Rāma, closed in upon Lankā.
69. The apes attacked the city of the demons, which was panicstricken, with the parks laid waste, and was denuded of splendour, being desolate with the pleasure gardens and the gateways to the (suburban) mansions destroyed."
70. Hemmed in by the demons, and hard put to it, the host of apes, held together by Sugriva, who kept calm, roared as they sprang up in a rage and rushed (at the enemy).
71. While the gods gathered in the sky, hidden by the proud host of apes41 as they rushed forward, the celestial maidens looked down at the city of the demons, which they could hitherto see only as captives.
72. As the apes rushed forth, hasting to the battle, the trees, broken and severed from the peaks of the mountains crumbling
38. i.e. the dry blood of the gods wounded in previous battles with the demons.
39. They wished to ascertain if the battle had begun, as they were getting ready to accept as their lovers the heroes coming to heaven after their death on the battlefield.
40. The verse describes the attack on the outskirts of Lankā. See Krsna in Extracts.
41. i.e., hidden by the gigantic figures of the apes. Acc. to Rámadása's reading (see Extracts), the gods gathered at a point in the sky corresponding to the position of the apes below, as they wished to be near the latter for fear of the Rākşasas.
42. Those carried by the apes for use as weapons. See verse 32.
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