Book V. Canto Xliii. The Ruin Of The Temple

Canto Xliii.: The Ruin Of The Temple.


The Wind-God's son a temple 1b scaled

Which, by his fury unassailed,

High as the hill of Meru, stood

Amid the ruins of the wood;

And in his fury thundered out

Again his haughty battle-shout:

'I am the slave of Kosal's King

Whose wondrous deeds the minstrels sing.'

Forth hurried, by that shout alarmed,

The warders of the temple armed

With every weapon haste supplied,

And closed him in on every side,

With bands that strove to pierce and strike

With shaft and axe and club and pike.

Then from its base the Vnar tore

A pillar with the weight it bore.

Against the wall the mass he dashed,

And forth the flames in answer flashed,

That wildly ran o'er roofs and wall

In hungry rage consuming all.

He whirled the pillar round his head

And struck a hundred giants dead.

Then high upheld on air he rose

And called in thunder to his foes:

'A thousand Vnar chiefs like me

Roam at their will o'er land and sea,

Terrific might we all possess:

Our stormy speed is limitless.

And all, unconquered in the fray,

Our king Sugrva's word obey.

Backed by his bravest myriads, he

Our warrior lord will cross the sea,

Then Lank's lofty towers, and all

Your hosts and Rvan's self shall fall.

None shall be left unslaughtered; none

Who braves the wrath of Raghu's son.'