Baal Kaanda
50 - Laksmana's fulmination
Chaupais
Description
O elephants guarding the cardinal points, O divine tortoise*, O serpent-king, and O divine boar*, steadily hold the earth that it may not shake. Sri Rama seeks to break the bow of Sankara; therefore, listen to my command and be ready." When Rama drew near to the bow, men and women present there invoked in His behalf the help of gods as well as of their past good deeds. The doubts and ignorance of all who had assembled there, the arrogance of the foolish kings, the proud pretensions of Parasurama (the Chief of Bhrgu's race), the apprehension of gods and the great sages, the distress of Sita, King Janaka's remorse and the fire of the queen's terrible agony-all these boarded together the great bark of Sambhu's bow, with whose help they sought to cross the boundless ocean of Sri Rama's strength of arm; but there was no helmsman to steer the ship.