Then with his furious eyes aglow The giant rushed upon the foe, Where, with a woody hill upheaved, Hanuman's might his charge received. Through his vast frame the giant fells The angry blow Haiiuman dealt. He reeled a moment, sore distressed, Then smote the Vanar on the breast, As when the War-God's furious stroke Through Krauncha'shill/i passage broke.1 Fierce was the blow, and deep and wide The rent: with crimson torrents dyed, Hanumar:, maddened by the pain, Roared like a cloud that brings the rain, And from each Rakshas throat rang out Loud clamour and exultant shout. Then Nila hurled with mustered might The fragment of a mountain height; Nor would the rock the foe have missed, But Kumbhakarna raised his fist And smote so fiercely that the mass Fell crushed to powder on the grass. Five chieftains of the Vanar race* Charged Kumbhakarna face to face, And his huge frame they wildly beat With rocks and trees and hands and feet. Round Rishabh first the giant wound His arms and hurled him to the ground, Where speechless, senseless, wounded sore, He lay his face besmeared with gore. Then Nila with his fist he slew, And Sarabh with his knee o'erthrew, Nor could Gavt'iksha's strength withstand The force of his terrific hand. At Gandhamadan's eager call Rushed thousands to avenge their fall, Nor ceased those Vanars to assail With knee and fist and tooth and nail. Around his foes the giant threw His mighty arms, and nearer drew The captives subject to his will: Then snatched them up and ate his fill. There was no raspite then, no pause: Fast gaped and closed his hell-like jaws: Yet, prisoned in that gloomy cave, Some Vanars still their lives could save: Some through his nostrils found a way, Some through his ears resought the day. Like Indra with his thunder, like 1 Karttikeya the God of War, and the hero and incarnation Parasurama are said to have cut a passage through the mountain Krauncha, a part of the Himalayan range, in the same way as the immense gorge that splits the Pyrenees under the towers of Marbore was cloven at one blow of Roland's sword Durandal.
' Rishabh, garabh, Nila, Gavaksha, and fraridhamM.dan.
The God of Death in act ro strike, The giant seized his ponderous spear, And charged the foe in swift career. Before his might the Vanars fell, Nor could their hosts his charge repel. Then trembling, nor ashamed to run, They turned and fled to Raghu's son.
When Bali's warrior son1 beheld Their flight, his heart with fury swelled. He rushed, with his terrific shout, To meet the foe and stay the rout, He came, he hurled a mountain peak, And smote the giant on the cheek. His ponderous spear the giant threw; Fierce was the cast, the aim was true; But Angad, trained in war and tried, Saw ere it came, and leapt aside. Then with his open hand he smote The giant on the chest and throat. That blow the giant scarce sustained; lUit sense and strength were soon regained. With force which nothing might resist He caught the V&nar by the wrist, Whirled him, as if in pastime, round, And dashed him senseless on the ground. There low on earth his foe lay crushed: At King Sugriva next he rushed, Who, waiting for the charge, stood still, And heaved on high a shattered hill, He looked on Kurnbhakarna dyed With streams of blood, and fiercely cried: * Great glory has thine arm achieved, And thousands of their lives bereaved. New leave a while thy meaner foes, And brook the hill Sugriva throws.'
He spoke, and hurled the mass he held: The giant's chest the stroke repelled, Then on the Vanars fell despair, And Rakshas clamour filled the air. The giant raised his arm, and fast Came the tremendous2 spear he cast. Hanuman caught it as it Hew, And knapped it on his knee in two. The giant saw the broken spear: His clouded eye confessed his fear; Yet at Sugriva's head he sent A peak from Lanka's mountain rent.
1 Angad. The text calls him the son of the son of him who holds the thunder- bolt, i. e. the grandson of Indra, 2 Literally, weighing a thousand bhd- ras. The Ihdra is a weight equal to 2000 palas, ihepala is equal to four harms, and the karfa to 11375 French grammes or about 170 grains troy. The spear seems very light for a warrior of Kumbhakarna's strength and stature and the work per- formed with it.
Canto LXVIL THE RAMA YAN.
The rushing mass no might could stay: Sugriva fell and senseless lay. The giant stooped his foe to seize, And bore him thence, as hears the breeze A cloud in autumn through the sky, He heard the sad Immortals sigh, And shouts of triumph long and loud Went up from all the Rakshas crowd. Through Lanka's gate the giant passed Holding his struggling captive fast, While from each terrace, house, and tower Fell on his haughty head a shower Of fragrant scent and flowery rain, Blossoms and leaves and scattered grain.1 By slow degrees the Vanars' lord Felt life and sense and strength restored. He heard the giants1 joyful boast: He thought upon his Vanar host. His teeth and feet he fiercely plied, And bit and rent the giant's side, Who,mad with pain and smeared with go re, Hurled to the ground the load he bore. Regardless of a storm of blows Swift to the sky the Vanar rose, Then lightly like a flying ball High overleapt the city wall, And joyous for deliverance won Regained the side of Raghu's son. And Kumbhakarna, mad with hate And fury, sallied from the gate, The carnage of the foe renewed And filled his maw with gory food, Slaying, with headlong frenzy blind, Bbth Vanar foes and giant kind.
Nor would iSumitra's valiant son2 The might of Kumbhakarna shun, Who through his harness felt the sting Of keen shafts loosened from the string. His heart confessed the warrior's power, And, bleeding from the ceaseless shower That smote him on the chest and side, With words like these the giant cried: * Well fought, well fought, Sumitra's son; Eternal glory hast thou won, For thou in desperate fight hast met The victor never conquered yet, Whom, borne on huge Aira vat's back, E'en Iridra trembles to attack. Go, son of Queen Sumitra, go: Thy valour and thy strength I know. Now all rny hope and earnest will Is Rama in the fight to kill. L#t him beneath my weapons fall, And I will meet and conquer all.'
1 The custom of throwing parched or roasted grain, with wreaths and flowers, on the heads of kings and conquerors when they go forth to battle and return is frequently mentioned by Indian poets, The chieftain, of Sumitra born, Made answer as he laughed in scorn: Yea, thou hast won a victor's fame From trembling Gods and Indra's shame. There waits thee now a mightier foe Whose prowess thou hast yet to know. There, famous in a hundred lands, Rama the son of Raghu stands.'
Straight at the king the giant sped, And earth was shaken at his tread. His bow the hero grasped and strained, And deadly shafts in torrents rained. As Kumbhakarna felt each stroke From his huge mouth burst fire and smoke; His hands were loosed in mortal pain And dropped his weapons on the plain. Though reft of spear and sword and mace No terror changed his haughty face. With heavy hands he rained his blows And smote to death a thousand foes. Where'er the furious monster strode While down his limbs the red blood flowed Like torrents down a mountain's side, Vanars and bears and giants died. High o'er his head a rock he swung, And the huge mass at Rama flung. But Rama's arrows bright as flame Shattered the mountain as it came. Then Raghu's son, his eyes aglow With burning anger, charged the foe, And as his bow he strained and tried With fearful clang the cord replied. Wroth at the bowstring's threatening clang To meet his foe the giant sprang. High towering with enormous frame Huge as a wood-crowned hill he came. But Rama firm and self-possessed In words like these the foe addressed: 4 Draw near, O Rakshas lord, draw near, Nor turn thee from the fight in fear. Thou meetest Rama face to face, Destroyer of the giant race. Come, fight, and thou shalt feel this hour.
Laid low in death, thy conqueror's power.'
He ceased: and mad with wrath and pride The giant champion thus replied: ' Come thou to me and thou shalt find A foeman of a different kind. No Khara, no Viradha.— thou Hasfc met a mightier warrior now. The strength of Kumbhakarna fear, And dread the iron mace I rear. This mace in days of yore subdued The Gods and Danav multitude. Prove, lion of Ikshvaku's line. Thy power upon these limbs of mine. Then, after trial, shalt thou bleed, And with thy flesh my hunger feed.'
He ceased: and Rama, undismayed, TTnon his nnrrl tlmsp. ovrnwa In.irl THE RAMAYAN.
VI.
Which pierced the stately Sal trees through, And Bali king of Vanars slew. They flew, they smote, but smote in vain Those mighty limbs that felt no pain. Then Rama sent with surest aim The dart that bore the Wind-God's name. The missile from the giant tore His huge arm and the mace it bore, Which crushed the Vanars where it fell: And dire was Kumbhakarna's yell, The giant seized a tree, and then Rushed madly at the lord of men. Another dart, Lord Indra's own, To meet his furious onset thrown, His left arm from the shoulder lopped, And like a mountain peak it dropped. Then from the bow of Rama sped Two arrows, each with crescent head; And, winged with might which naught could stay, could stay, They cut the giant's legs away. They fell, and awful was the sound As those vast columns shook the ground; And sky and sea and hill and cave In echoing roars their answer gave. Then from his side the hero drew A dart that like the tempest flew — No deadlier shaft has ever flown Than that which Indra called his own — Nor could the giant's mail-armed neck The fury of the missile check. Through skin and flesh and bone it smote And rent asunder head and throat. Down with the sound of thunder rolled The head adorned with rings of gold, And crushed to pieces in its fall A gate, a tower, a massive wall. Hurled to the sea the body fell; Terrific was the ocean's swell, Nor could swift fin and nimble leap Save the crushed creatures of the deep.
Thus he who plagued in impious pride The Gods and Brahmans fought arid died. Glad were the hosts of heaven, and long The air re-echoed with their song. ' 1 I have abridged this long Canto by omitting some vain repetitions, common- place epithets and simile> and other unim- portant matter. There are many verses in this Canto which European scholars would rigidly exclude as unmistakeably the work of later rhapsodists. Even the reverent Commentator whom I follow ventures to remark once or twice: Ay am sloka prak shipta itl baharah, 'This sloka or verse is in the opinion of many interpolated.'
CANTO LXVIII.
RAVAN'S LAMENT.
They ran to Ravan in his hall And told him of his brother's fall: ' Fierce as the God who rules the dead, Upon the routed foe he fed; And, victor for a while, at length Fell slain by Rama's matchless strength. Now like a mighty hill in size His mangled trunk extended lies, And where he fell, a bleeding mass, Blocks Lanka's gate that none may pass.' The monarch heard: his strength gave way; And fainting on the ground he lay. Grieved at the giants' mournful tale, Long, shrill was Atikaya's wail; And Trisiras in sorrow bowed His triple head, and wept aloud. Alahodar, Mahaparsva shed Hot tears and mourned their brother dead. At length, his wandering sent-e restored, In loud lament cried Lanka's lord: ' Ah chief, for might and valour famed, Whose arm the haughty foemari tamed, Forsaking me, thy friends and all, Why hast thou fled to Yama's hall? Why hast thou fled to taste no more The slaughtered foeman's flesh and gore? Ah me, my life is done to-day: My better arm is lopped away. Whereon in danger I relied, And, fearless, Gods and fiends defied. How could a shaft from Rama's bow The matchless giant overthrow, Whose iron frame so strong of yore The crushing bolt of Indra bore; This day the Gods and sages meet And triumph at their foe's defeat.
This day the Vanar chiefs will boast And, with new ardour iired, their host In fiercer onset will assail Our city, and the ramparts scale. What care I for a monarch's name, For empire, or the Maithil dame? What joy can power and riches give, Or life that I should care to live, Unless this arm in mortal fray The slayer of my brother slay? For me, of Kunibhakarna reft, Death is the only solace'left; And I will seek, o'er whelmed with woes, The realm to which my brother goes. Ah me ill-minded, not to take His counsel when Vibhishan spake When he this evil day foretold My foolish heart was overbold: I drove my sage adviser hence, And reap the fruits of mine offence.'
Canto LXX.
THE RAM AY AN.
CANTO LXIX.
NARANTAK'S DEATH.
Pierced to the soul by sorrow's sting Thus wailed the evil -hearted king. Then Trisiras stood forth and cried: 'Yea. father, he has fought and died, Our bravest: and the loss is sore: But rouse thee, and lament no more, Hast thou not still thy coat of mail, Thy bow and shafts which never fail 1 A thousand asses draw thy car Which roars like thunder heard afar. Thy valour and thy warrior skill, Thy God-given strength, are left thee still. Unarmed, thy matchless might subdued The Gods find Danav multitude. Armed with thy glorious weapons, how Shall Raghu'sson oppose thee now? Or. sire, within thy palace stay; And I myself will sweep away Thy foes; like Garud when he makes A banquet of the writhing snakes. Soon Raghu's son shall press the plain, As Narak1 fell by Vishnu slain, Or Sambar2 in rebellious pride Who met the King of Gods3 and died,' The monarch heard: his courage grew, And life and spirit came anew. Devantak and Narantak heard, And their fierce souls with joy were stirred; And Atikaya4 burned to fight, And heard the summons with delight; While from the rest loud rang the cry, ' I too will fight,' arid I,' • and I.'
The joyous king his sons embraced, With gold and chains and jewels graced, And sent them forth with stirring speech Of benison and praise to each. Forth from the gate the princes sped And ranged for war the troops they led. The Vfinar legions charged anew. And trees and rocks for missiles flew. They saw Nanmtak's mighty form Borne on a steed that mocked the storm. To check his charge in vain they strove: Straight through their host his way he clove, As springs a dolphin through the tide: And countless Vanars fell and died, 1 Narak was a demon, son of Bhumi or Earth, who haunted the city Pragjyotisha.
2 £ am bar was a demon of drought.
3 Indra.
4 Devantak (Slayer of Gods) Narantak (Slayer of Men) Atikaya (Huge of Frame) and Trisiras (Three Headed) were all sons of Kuvaa.
And mangled limbs and corpses lay To mark the chief's ensanguined way.
Sugrivsi. saw them fall or fly When fierce Narantak's steed was nigh, And marked the giant where he sped O'er heaps of dying or of dead, He bade the royal Angad face That bravest chief of giant race.
As springs the sun from clouds dispersed, So Angad from the Vanars burst.
No weapon for the fight he bore Save nails and teeth, and sought no more.
1 Leave, giant chieftain,1 thus he spoke, ' Leave foes unworthy of thy stroke, And bend against a nobler heart The terrors of thy deadly dart.'
Narantak heard the words he spake: Fast breathing, like an angry snake, With bloody teeth his lips he pressed And hurled his dart at Angad's breast. True was the aim and fierce the stroke, Yet on his breast the missile broke. Then Angad at the giant flew, And with a blow his courser slew: The fierce hand crushed through flesh and bone, And steed and rider fell o'erthrown. Narantak's eyes with fury blazed: His heavy hand on high he raised And struck in savage wrath the head Of Bali's son, who reeled and bled, Fainted a moment and no more: Then stronger, fiercer than before Smote with that fist which naught could stay, And crushed to death the giant lay.
CANTO LXX.
THE DEATH OF TRI&IRAS.
Then raged the Rakshas chiefs, and all Burned to avenge Narantak's fall. Devantak raised his club on high And rushed at Angad with a cry. Behind came Trisiras, and near Mahodar charged with levelled spear. There Angad stood to fight with three: High o'er his head he waved a tree, And at Devantak, swift and true As Indra's flaming bolt, it flew. But, cut by giant shafts in twain, With minished force it flew in vain. A shower of trees and blocks of stone From Angad's hand was fiercely thrown; But well his club Devantak plied And turned each rock and tree aside. Nor yet, by three such foes assailed, THE RAM AY AN.
Book VI.
The heart of Angad sank or quailed. He slew the mighty beast that bore Mahodar: from his head he tore A.bleeding tusk, and blow on blow Fell fiercely on his Rakshas foe. The giant reeled, but strength regained, And furious strokes on Angad rained, Who, wounded by the storm of blows, Sank on his knees, but swiftly rose. Then Trisiras, as up he sprang, Drew his great bow with awful elang, And fixed three arrows from his sheaf Full in the forehead of the chief. Hanuman saw, nor long delayed To speed with Nila to his aid, Who at the three-faced giant sent A peak from Lanka's mountain rent. But TrisLras with certain aim Shot rapid arrows as it came: And shivered by their force it broke And fell to earth with flash and smoke. Then as the Wind-God's son came nigh, Devantak reared his mace on high. Hanuman smote him on the head And stretched the monstrous giant dead. Fierce Trisiras with fury strained His bow, and showers of arrows rained 'That smote on Nila's side and ehest: He sank a moment, sore distressed; But quickly gathered strength to seize A mountain with its crown of trees. Crushed by the hill, distained with gore, Mahodar fell to rise no more.
Then Trisiras raised high his spear Which chilled the trembling foe with fear, And, like a flashing meteor through •The air at Hanuman it flew. The Vanar shunned the threatened stroke, And with strong hands the weapon broke. The giant drew his glittering blade: Dire was the wound the weapon made Deep in th Vanars ample ehest, Who, for a moment sore oppressed, Raised his broad hand, regaining might, And struck the rover of the night. Fierce was the blow: with one wild yell Low on the earth the monster fell. Hanuman seized his fallen sword Which served no more its senseless lord, And from the monster triple-necked -Smote his huge heads with erowns be- decked.
Then Mahaparsva burned with ire; Fierce flashed his eyes with vengeful fire. A moment 00 the dead he gazed, Then his blaek mace aloft was raised, And down the mass ef iron came That struck and shook the Vanar's frame. Hanurnan's chest was well nigh crushed, And from his mouth red torrents gushed; Jet served oue instant to restore His spirit: from the foe he tore His awful mace, and smote, and laid The giant in the dust di&mayed. Crushed were his jaws and teeth and eyes: Breathless and still lie lay as lies A summit from a mountain rent By him who rules the firmament.
CANTO LXXI.
ATIKAYA'S DEATH.
But Atikaya's wrath grew high To see his noblest kinsmen die.
He, fiercest of the giant race, Presuming still on Brahma's grace: Proud tamer of the Immortals' pride, Whose power and might with India's vied, For blood and vengeful carnage burned, And on the foe his fury turned.
High on a car that flashed and glowed Bright as a thousand suns he rode.
Around his princely brows was set A rich bejewelled coronet.
Gold pendants in his ears he wore; He strained and tried the bow he bore, And ever, as a shaft he aimed.
His name and royal race proclaimed.
Scarce might the Vanars brook to hear His clanging bow and voice of fear: To Raghu's elder son they fled, Their sure defence in woe and dread.
Then Kama bent his eyes afar And saw the giant in his ear Fast following the flying crowd And roaring like a rainy cloud.
He, with the lust of battle tired, Turned to Vibhishan and inquired: 'Say, who is this, of mountain size, This archer with the lion eyes?
His car, which strikes our host with awe, A thousand eager coursers draw.
Surrounded by the flashing spears Which line his car, the chief appears Like some hugecloud when lightnings play About it on a stormy day; And the great bow he joys to hold Whose bended back is bright with gold, As Indra's bow makes glad the skies, That best of chariots glorifies.
O.see the sunlike splendour flung From the great flag above him hung, Where, blazoned with refulgent lines, Rahu1 the dreadful Dragon shines.
Full thirty quivers near his side, His car with shafts is well supplied; 1 The demon of eclipse who seizes the Sun and Moon.
'Canto LXXI1.
THE RAM AY AN.
And flashing like the light of stars •Gleam his two mighty scimitars. Sav, best of giants, who is he Before whose face the Vanars flee? ' ' Thus Kama spake. Vibhishan eyed The giants chief, and thus replied: ( This Kama, this is Ravan's son: High fame his youthful might has won. He, best of warriors, bows his ear The wisdom of the wise to hear. Supreme is he mid those who know The mastery of sword and bow. Unrivalled' in the bold attack On elephant's or courser's back, He knows, beside, each subtler art, To win the foe, to bribe, or part. On him the giant hosts rely, And fear no ill when he is nigh. This peerless chieftain bears the name Of Atikaya huge of frame, Whom Dhanyainalini of yore To Ravan lord of Lanka bore.'
Housed by his bow-string's awful clang, To meet their foes the Vanars sprang. Armed with tall trees from Lanka's wood, And rocks and mountain peaks, they stood. The giant's arrows, gold-bedecked, The storm of hurtling missiles checked; And ever on his foemen poured Fierce tempest from his clanging cord; Nor could the Vanar chiefs sustain His shafts' intolerable rain. They fled: the victor gained the place Where stood the lord of Raghu's race, And cried with voice of thunder: ' Lo, Borne on my car, with shaft and bow, I, champion of the giants, scorn To fight with weaklings humbly born. Come forth your bravest, if he dare, And fight with one who will not spare.'
Forth sprang Sumitra's noble child,1 And strained his ready bow, and smiled; And giants trembled as the clang Through heaven and earth reechoing rang. The giant to his string applied A pointed shaft, and proudly cried; * Turn, turn, Sumitra's son and fly, For terrible as Death am I. Fly, nor that youthful form oppose, Untrained in war, to warriors' blows. What! wilt thou waste thy childish breath And wake the dormant fire of death? Cast down, rash boy, that useless bow: Preserve thy life; uninjured go.'
He ceased: and stirred by wrath & pride Sumitra's noble son replied: ' By warlike deed, not words alone, The valour of the brave is shown. Cease with vain boasts my scorn to move, 1 Lakshrnan, And with thinerarm"thy prowess prove. Borne on thy car, with sword and bow, With all thine arms, thy valour show. Fight, and my deadly shafts this day Low in the dust thy head shall lay, And. rushing fast in ceaseless flood, Shall rend thy flesh and drink thy blood,' His giant foe no answer made, But on his string an arrow laid. He raised his arm, the cord he drew, < At Lakshman's breast the arrow flew. Sumitra's son, his foemen's dread, Shot a fleet shaft with crescent head, Which cleft that arrow pointed well, And harmless to the earth it fell. A shower of shafts from Lakshman's bow Fell fast and furious on the foe Who quailed not as the missiles smote With idle force his iron coat. Then came the friendly Wind-God near, And whispered thus in Lakshman's ear: * Such shafts as these in vain assail Thy foe's impenetrable mail. A more tremendous missile try, Or never may the giant die. Employ the mighty spell, and aim The weapon known by Brahma's name.3 He ceased: Sumitra's son obeyed: On his -great bow the shaft was laid, And with a roar like thunder, true As Indra's Hashing bolt, it flew. The giant poured his shafts like rain To check its course, but all in vain. With spear and mace and sword he tried To turn the fiery dart aside. Winged with a force which naught could check.
It smote the monster in the neck, And, sundered from his shoulders, rolled To earth his head and helm of gold.
CANTO LXXII.
RAVAN'S SPEECH.
The giants bent, in rage and grief, Their eyes upon the fallen chief; Then flying wild with fear and pale To Uavan bore the mournful tale. He heard how Atikaya died, Then turned him to his lords, and cried: ' Where are they no w— my bravest— where, 1 Wise to consult and prompt to dare? Where is Dhmnraksha. skilled to wield All weapons in the battle field? Akampan, and Prahasta's might, And Kumbhakarna bold in figui? These, these and':many a Rakshas more, master of the arms he bore.
THE HAM AY AN.
Book VI Who every foe in fight overthrew, The victors none could e'er subdue, Have perished by the might of one, The vengeful arm of Raghvi's son.
In vain I cast mine eyes around, No match for Rama here is found, No chief to stand before that how Whose deadly shafts have caused our woe..
Now, warriors, to your stations hence; Provide ye for the wall's defence, And be the Asoka garden, where The lady lies, your special care.
Be every lane and passage barred, feet at each gate a chosen guard.
And witli yoar troops, where danger calls, Be ready to defend the walls, Each movement of the Vanars mark; Observe them when the skies grow dark; Be ready in the dead of night, And ere'the morning bring the light.
Taught by our Joss we may not scorn These legions of the forest-born.'
He ceased: the Rakshas lords obeyed; Each at his post his troops arrayed: And, torn with pangs that pierced him through The monarch from the hall withdrew.
CANTO LXXIII.
INDRAJIT'S VICTORY.
$5ut Indrajit the fierce and bold With words like these his sire consoled: '< Dismiss, O King, thy grief and dread, And be not thus disquieted.
Against this numbing sorrow strive, For Indrajit is yet alive; And none in battle may withstand The fury of his strong right hand.
This day, O sire, thine eyes shall see The sons of Raghu slain by me.'
He ceased: he bade the king farewell: •Clear, mid the roar of drum and shell, The clash of sword and harness rang As to his car the warrior sprang. Close followed by his Rakshas train Through Lanka's gate he reached the plain. Then down he leapt, and bade a band Of giants by the chariot stand: Then with due rites, as rules require, Did worship to the Lnrd of Fire. The sacred oil, as texts ordain, Withwreathsof scented flowers and grain, Within the flame in order due, That mightiest of the giants threw. There on the ground were spear and blade, And arrowy leaves and fuel laid, Au iroii ladle deep and wide, And robes with sanguine colours dyed.
Beside him stood a sable goat: The giant seized it by the "throat, And straight from the consuming flame Auspicious signs of victory came.
For swiftly, curling to the right^ The tire leapt up with willing light UiKlimmed by smoky cloud, and, red Like gold, upon the offering fed.
They brought him, while the flame yet glowed, The dart by Brahma's grace bestowed, And all the arms he wielded well Were charmed with text and holy spell.