Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/445

Rh saint's prophecy has come true to-day. Hearken to my words and set about your lord's business. On the top of mount Trikút is the city of Lanká; there lives Rávan in absolute security and there, in a grove of Asoka trees, sits Síta, a prey to grief.

I see her, though you cannot; a vulture's sight has no bounds. I am now old, or else I would have given you some assistance.

If any one of you can leap over a hundred leagues of sea, he will do Ráma's business for him very cleverly. Look at me and reassure yourselves; see how my body has been restored by Ráma's favour. Any wretch, who invokes his name, is able to cross the vast and boundless ocean of existence and you are his messengers; have then no fear, but with Ráma's image impressed upon your soul, concert your plans." So saying, Garúr, the vulture left them, and their soul was in the greatest amazement. Each one vaunted his own strength, but doubted whether he could leap across. Said the king of the bears, "I am now too old and not a particle of my former strength is left in my body; when Kharári took his three strides, then I was young and full of vigour.

As he fettered Bali, the lord increased in stature to an indescribable size, but in less than an hour I ran round him seven times."

Angad said: "I will leap across; but I am rather doubtful about getting back again. Then said Jámbaván: "You are quite competent; but why should we send our leader? Hearken Hanumán," added the king of the bears, "why is our champion so silent? You are the son of the wind and strong as your sire, a storehouse of good sense, discretion and knowledge; in all the world what undertaking is there so difficult that you, my son, cannot accomplish it? and it is on Ráma's account that you have come down upon earth." On hearing this he swelled to the size of a mountain, with a body of golden hue and of dazzling splendour, as though a very monarch of mountains, and roaring again and again as it were a lion, cried "I can easily spring across the salt abyss, and slay Rávan with all his army, and uproot Trikút and bring it here. But I ask you, Jámbaván, what I ought to do; give me proper instructions." "All