All the bears and monkeys are born warriors, and, moreover, they have the Lord Râma at their head. O Râma, they could conquer in battle even Death himself, a myriad times over.
A hundred thousand Seshnâgs would fail to declare all Râma's glory and power and wisdom. With a single shaft he could burn up a hundred seas, yet so prudent is He that he took advice of your brother and, on hearing his reply, went to the sea and humbly asked the favour of a passage." On hearing this, the Ten-headed smiled: "Truly he showed as much sense then as when he took monkeys for his allies. He has put faith in the words of that arrant coward, my brother, and like a spoiled child, begs of ocean what he will never get. Fool, you have been extolling a mere impostor: I have sounded the depth of my enemy's strength and skill. Where in the world could any one achieve the glory of a triumph, who had such a cowardly counsellor as Vibhishan?" The envoy waxed wrath at the wretch's speech, and thought it a good time to produce the letter. "Râma's brother gave me this letter: have it read, my lord, and much good may it do you." Râvan smiled and took it with his left hand and told his minister, the wretch, to read it out.
A hundred thousand Seshnâgs would fail to declare all Râma's glory and power and wisdom. With a single shaft he could burn up a hundred seas, yet so prudent is He that he took advice of your brother and, on hearing his reply, went to the sea and humbly asked the favour of a passage." On hearing this, the Ten-headed smiled: "Truly he showed as much sense then as when he took monkeys for his allies. He has put faith in the words of that arrant coward, my brother, and like a spoiled child, begs of ocean what he will never get. Fool, you have been extolling a mere impostor: I have sounded the depth of my enemy's strength and skill. Where in the world could any one achieve the glory of a triumph, who had such a cowardly counsellor as Vibhishan?" The envoy waxed wrath at the wretch's speech, and thought it a good time to produce the letter. "Râma's brother gave me this letter: have it read, my lord, and much good may it do you." Râvan smiled and took it with his left hand and told his minister, the wretch, to read it out.