The ten quarters of the sky were thickly covered with arrows, as though the clouds of Magha; (the tenth of the twenty-seven Nakshatras) had been pouring down torrential showers. The cries of ‘Seize! Seize! Kill!’ filled every ear, but no one could perceive who it was that struck them.

Snatching up hills and trees, the monkeys rushed up into the air, but still they could not see him and fell back sore disappointed. Meanwhile by the power of his magic Meghanada had turned every inaccessible ravine, road and mountain cave into a veritable aviary of arrows.

The monkeys were distraught when they realized that they knew not where to find refuse and felt helpless like so many mountains thrown into prison by Indra. Meghanada had sapped the strength of all such gallant warriors as Hanuman, Angad, Nala, Nila and the rest.

Next, he smote Lakshmana, Sugriva and Vibhishana, riddling their bodies with showers of darts. Then he joined in combat with Raghunatha himself and let fly his arrows, which as they struck him became serpents.

Rama the slayer of Khara, who is ever independent, infinite and immutable, the one without a second, was overpowered by the serpents’ coils. Like a juggler he plays many a part – he, the one, ever-free and omnipotent Lord.

It was to invest the battle with a glory of its own that the Lord let himself be bound by the serpents’ coils, though the gods were in a panic at the sight.

Is it, O Girija, possible that the Lord, who is the omnipresent abode of the universe and whose name when repeated enables the sages to sever the bonds of birth and death, should fall into bondage?