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SETUBANDHA
159 shaggy mass of his hair scattered over his shoulders: he looked like a rain-cloud33 suffused with the glow of the evening sky.
80. The ape then swooped down on Prahasta's bow and snatched it from him; and as he returned and stood still in the sky, he seemed to be held up by the arrows discharged before by the demon.
81. The club, which Prahasta next hurled at Nīla, rebounded from the latter's forehead, and was caught by the demon midway, with a roar, quickly evading it as it came towards him.34
82. Thereupon the Son of the Fire god35 took up a black rock, resembling a cloud resting upon a peak of the Suvela, and broad and hard as Prahasta's massive chest.
83. As Nila sprang high into the air, and shut out the sun with the rock, it was day in the sky and at the same moment murky night on the earth.
84. Having endured Nīla's powerful blow36 by virtue of his martial zeal, Prahasta, shattered by the shock37 resulting from the injury, became unconscious and sank to the ground.
33. There is a hint at the literal meaning of his name Nila. 34. i.e., to avoid being hit by his own weapon. 35. Nila. 36. i.e., the impact of the rock hurled by Nila.
37. Lit. internal disturbance. The reading of Krşna and Kulanātha is followed. Acc. to Rāmadāsa's reading (see Extracts): Prahasta, shattered within by the impact, sank to the ground as his life-blood oozed away.
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