Having slaughtered the servants, Hanuman, having reflected awhile,
thought,--"I have broken down the wood; but have not destroyed the
edifice dedicated to the deities of the Rakshasas. Therefore, this very
day will I demolish this structure." Having thought thus in his heart,
that foremost of monkeys, Hanuman, son unto the Wind-god, displaying his
strength, bounded unto the Chaitya[373] building, elevated like a summit
of Meru. And having ascended the edifice resembling a mountain, that
leader of monkey-bands, possessed of wondrous energy, looked like
another Sun risen (in the sky). And having broken down that superb
edifice, the irrepressible Hanuman, flaming in auspicionsness, resembled
(the mountain) Pariyatra. And magnifying his dimensions through his
energy, the offspring of the Wind-god fearlessly fell to striking his
arms with his hands, and thus filling Lanka, with the sounds. And at
those sounds of striking arms, capable of striking deafness into the
hearer, birds began to drop down there, as well as the warders of the
religious mansion, with their senses overwhelmed. "Victory unto Rama
versed in arms! And unto Lakshmana endowed with immense strength! And
victory unto king Sugriva, who is protected by Raghava! Hanuman, son
onto the Wind-god, destroyer of hostile hosts, is the slave of Rama of
untiring deeds. And not a thousand Ravanas can cope with me in conflict
as I hurl stones and trees by thousands. Having destroyed the city of
Lanka and paid my respects to Mithila's daughter, I, my object gained,
shall depart in the presence of all the Rakshasas." Having spoken thus,
that one of a prodigious person, seated on the _Chaitya_, emitted
tremendous roars, striking terror into the Rakshas. In consequence of
that mighty cry, an hundred guards attached to the _Chaitya_ sallied
out, taking various weapons--bearded darts, scimitars and axes; and they
surrounded the Wind-god's offspring, as he went on increasing his body.
And they encountered that foremost of monkeys with various maces, and
axes, and golden _Angadas_, and arrows resembling the Sun. And those
numbers of Rakshas, encountering that best of monkeys,resembled an
extensive and mighty whirlpool in the Ganga. Thereat, the Wind-god's
son, the mighty Hanuman,[374] waxing enraged, violently uprooting a huge
piller of the edifice, plated with gold, and having an hundred borders,
began to whirl it (in the air).[375] And the fire generated there thus,
burnt down the entire edifice. Seeing that edifice in flames, the
graceful monkey-leader, having slain the hundred Rakshasas, like Indra
slaying Asuras with his thunderbolt,--remaining in the sky,
said,--"Thousands of strong, high-souled and foremost monkeys like
myself, having been created, and remaining under the command of Sugriva,
--including ourselves as well as other monkeys--are ranging all over the
world. Some are endowed with the strength of ten elephants, some with
the strength of an hundred, some have the prowess of a thousand
elephants, and some the strength of elephants numbered by herds. Some
are equal in strength to the Wind,--and there are there some
monkey-leaders who have no limit to their strength. Surrounded with
monkeys of this sort, having nails and teeth for their arms,--in
hundreds and thousands and _kotis_ and _ayutas_, cometh our
Sugriva,--the slayer of all (foes). Neither this city of Lanka, nor you,
nor yet Ravana, shall exist,--having created hostility with that
high-souled hero of the Ikshwaku race."
[373] A building designed for deities.--T.
[374] _Marutatmaya_--son unto the Wind-god, left out on the score of
redundancy.--T.
[375] The reader is powerfully reminded of a like feat of Manoah's
son--'the Herculean Samson.'--T.