SECTION XLIV.

Commanded by the lord of Rākshasas, Prahasta's son, the powerful Jamvumāli, having large teeth, went out bow in hand. And he wore a red wreath and attire, with a garland hung round his neck, and elegant ear-rings; and he was huge, and terrible, with his eyes whirling,—invincible in encounter. And he impetuously stretched a graceful bow, resembling the bow of Sakra, and roaring like vajra and the thunderbolt.[³⁷⁶] And the entire welkin, and all sides and quarters, were suddenly filled with the mighty sounds of that bow as it was being stretched. And seeing him approaching in a car yoked with asses, Hanumān endowed with vigour both rejoiced and shouted. Thereat, the highly energetic Jamvumāli pierced with whetted shafts that mighty monkey, Hanumān, who was seated on an awry plank at the gate serving as a perch for pigeons.[³⁷⁷] He pierced that lord of monkey's face with half-moon (shaped) arrows, his head with one having its head made like a hook and his arms with ten nārāchas.[³⁷⁸] And pierced by the arrows, his coppery face looked beautiful like a blown autumnal red lotus shot at by the solar rays.—And his naturally red countenance being painted with blood, looked lovely like a majestic red lotus in the sky, washed with the honey of the red açoka.—Wounded by the shafts, the redoubted monkey grew enraged. And he espied a huge and gigantic crag beside him. Thereat, at once uprooting it, that one endowed with celerity and strength hurled it (at his foe). And the enraged Rākshasa opposed it by ten shafts. Witnessing his action rendered fruitless, the energetic Hanumān of terrific prowess, uprooting a large sāla, began to whirl it (in the air). Seeing the exceedingly strong monkey whirling the sāla tree, the highly powerful Jamvumāli dischanged a many shafts. And he severed the sāla by means of four shafts, and wounded the monkey in the arm with five, in the chest, with one, and with ten, between the teats. With his body covered all over with shafts, (Hanumān) getting into a furious passion, taking up the same bolt, again began to swing it with rapidity. And that terrific one gifted with exceeding impetuosity, having whirled the bolt with wondrous rapidity, let it light upon Jamvumāli's spacious breast. And (anon) there was neither seen there his head, nor bis arms, nor his thighs, nor his bow, nor his car, nor his steeds, nor his arrows at that place. And that mighty car-warrior, Jamvumāli, speedily slain, fell down to the earth, like a tree whose trunk hath been crushed. Hearing Jamvumāli as well as his exceedingly powerful servants slaughtered, Rāvana became transported with anger, and his eyes became reddened in wrath. And on the mighty son of Prahasta having been slain, the lord of the night-rangers, with his reddened eyes rolling in rage, speedily commanded the sons of his counsellors, endowed with vast energy and prowess, (to encounter Hanumān in battle.)