Holding the edifice in their hands, they overthrew it, pinnacles and all, and the Demon King was dismayed at the sight, while the women beat their breasts with their hands, crying, ‘Now two of these pestilent monkeys have come!’

Angad and Hanuman frightened them with their monkey pranks and proclaimed aloud the glory of Ramachandra. Then, grasping the golden columns in their hands, the two champions cried, ‘Let’s now make a start on our ravaging job!’

They roared and leapt down into the midst of the enemy’s ranks and began to lay them low with their mighty strength of arms, kicking some and slapping others and crying, ‘Take the consequences of not worshipping Rama!’

The two heroes crushed their adversaries one against another, and smashing off the victims’ heads, hurled them with such precision that they came tumbling in front of Ravana and burst open like so many pots of curd.

Whenever the two monkey chiefs caught any great commander of the demon host, they would seize him by the foot and send him flying to the Lord. Vibhishana told him their names and Rama assigned even them his own sphere in heaven.

Thus those monstrous cannibals who feasted on the flesh of holy Brahmans won to a blessed state that yogis crave. O Uma, said Shiva, Rama is so tender-hearted and such a storehouse of compassion that he bestowed the highest state (final liberation) even upon the demons for this reason, that they had him in mind, though it be in a spirit of enmity.

Tell me, Bhavani, who else is so merciful as he? Most dull-witted are they and utterly hapless who, even on hearing of such a Lord, abandon not their errors to worship him.