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156
SETUBANDHA his chest with a strong and heavy punch,21 emanating like thunder from my hand.
54. "With my hands I will part, pull and sever each of his groaning heads from the body, and dash it down; and with my nails tear out his heart, attached to Sītā in vain.22
55. 'After Rāvana is thus killed by me even today, Sitā, taken to Kişkindhā, shall either see Rāma alive, or die after he is dead.'
56. When Sugrīva was held back by Vibhīşana, saying: "These are serpent arrows', Rāma began to meditate on the mystic formula sacred to Garuda.23
57. Thereupon the Suvela mountain was washed by a portion of the sea stirred up all of a sudden; and the corpses of the demons were scattered by a violent gale.24
58, 59. Rāma beheld Garuda. The darkness of the night was dispelled by the pervasive brilliance of his golden feathers. The imprint of Vişnu's seat on his firm back was plain to view, being stripped of the down; while the breast was clearly visible with a feather lost under the impact of the irresistible thunder-bolt of Indra;25 and he held a serpent, dragged out of the nether regions, and twined round his neck.
60. Thereupon as Garuda bowed to Rāma, and was beheld by him as he alighted on the ground and stood before him, the serpent arrows left the bodies of both Rāma and Lakşmaņa. None knew whither they were gone.
61. Delivered from the grip of the arrows, Rāma was healed as he embraced Garuda. Instructed by the latter in the mystic formula that was a weapon against serpents, he attained irresistible strength after Garuda had taken his leave.
21. Lit. fist. 22. Verses 51-54 form a kulaka.
23. The mythical bird with a human face who destroys serpents and carries Vişnu on his back.
24. The verse describes the advent of Garuda, the flapping of whose wings troubles the sea and produces a gale.
25. A reference to the story of Garuda's fight with Indra and the other gods after he had carried off the closely guarded jar of nectar, which the gods eventually got back by conciliating him.
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