Shankara’s bow was the bark and Rama’s strength of arm was the ocean to be crossed. The whole throng of those who had boarded the ship out of ignorance was drowned

The Lord tossed the two broken halves of the bow on the ground and everyone rejoiced at the sight. Vishvamitra stood as the holy ocean, full of the sweet and unfathomable water of love.

Beholding Rama’s beauty, which represented the full moon, the sage felt an increasing thrill of joy, as waves swell high when they look upon the moon. There was a jubilant noise of kettledrums in the sky and heavenly nymphs sang and danced.

Brahma and all the other gods, adepts and great sages praised the Lord and gave him blessings, raining down wreaths of many-coloured flowers; the Kinnaras (a class of demigods)sang melodious songs.

Shouts of victory so filled the universe that the crash that followed the breaking of the bow was drowned in it. Everywhere men and women in their joy cried, ‘Rama has broken Shiva’s massive bow!’

Talented bards, minstrels and rhapsodists sang loud-voiced paeans, and everybody gave away lavish offerings of horses, elephants, riches, jewels and raiment.

There was a crash of cymbals and tabors, conches and clarionets, drums and sweet-sounding kettledrums, both large and small; and many other charming instruments sounded merrily. Everywhere young maidens sang auspicious songs.