Sundar Kaanda
153 - Sri Rama's march to the beach alongwith the army of monkeys
Chhands
Description
The elephants of the eight cardinal points trumpeted, the earth rocked, the mountains trembled and the oceans were agitated. The Gandharvas, gods, sages, Nagas and Kinnaras, all felt delighted at heart to perceive that their troubles were over. Myriads of formidable monkey warriors gnashed their teeth (in a bellicose mood); while many more millions dashed forward crying "Glory to Sri Rama, Kosala's lord, of mighty valour" and hymning His praises. Even the great lord of serpents (Sesa) found himself unable to bear the crushing weight of the belligerent troops and felt dizzy again and again. But each time he would struggle by clutching with his teeth the hard shell of the divine Tortoise. The scratches thus made by his teeth would make one imagine as if, knowing the departure of Sri Rama (the Hero of Raghu's line) on His glorious expedition to be a most attractive theme, the serpent-king was inscribing its immortal and sacred story on the Tortoise's back.