{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry402.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry402.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry402.htm","text":"He ceased: and Raghu's son gave heed,\n Attentive to his prudent rede:\n Then turned again, with hope inspired,\n To Hanum\u00e1n, and thus inquired:\n \n \n 'Light were the task for thee, I ween,\n To bridge the sea that gleams between\n The mainland and the island shore.\n Or dry the deep and guide as o'er.\n Fain would I learn from thee whose feet\n Have trod the stones of every street,\n Of fenced Lank\u00e1's towers and forts,\n And walls and moats and guarded ports,\n And castles where the giants dwell,\n And battlemented citadel.\n O V\u00e1yu's son, describe it all,\n With palace, fort, and gate, and wall.'\n \n \n He ceased: and, skilled in arts that guide\n The eloquent, the chief replied:\n \n \n 'Vast is the city, gay and strong,\n Where elephants unnumbered throng,\n And countless hosts of R\u00e1kshas breed\n Stand ready by the car and steed,\n Four massive gates, securely barred,\n All entrance to the city guard,\n With murderous engines fixt to throw\n Bolt, arrow, rock to check the foe,\n \n \n And many a mace with iron head\n That strikes at once a hundred dead.\n Her golden ramparts wide and high\n With massy strength the foe defy,\n Where inner walls their rich inlay\n Of coral, turkis, pearl display.\n Her circling moats are broad and deep,\n Where ravening monsters dart and leap.\n By four great piers each moat is spanned\n Where lines of deadly engines stand.\n In sleepless watch at every gate\n Unnumbered hosts of giants wait,\n And masters of each weapon, rear\n The threatening pike and sword and spear.\n My fury hurled those ramparts down,\n Filled up the moats that gird the town,\n The piers and portals overturned,\n And stately Lank\u00e1 spoiled and burned,\n Howe'er we V\u00e1nars force our way\n O'er the wide seat of Varun's\u00a01 sway,\n Be sure that city of the foe\n Is doomed to sudden overthrow,\n Nay, why so vast an army lead?\n Brave Angad, Dwivid good at need,\n Fierce Mainda, Panas famed in fight,\n And N\u00edla's skill and Nala's might,\n And J\u00e1mbav\u00e1n the strong and wise,\n Will dare the easy enterprise.\n Assailed by these shall Lank\u00e1 fall\n With gate and rampart, tower and wall.\n Command the gathering, chief: and they\n In happy hour will haste away.'","title":"BOOK VI: Canto III.: Lank\u00e1.","type":"page"}