ught with heavenly foes,
And Amrit from the churning rose.(767)
A mighty task before me lies,
To prosper Rama's enterprise,
A task too hard for one whom length
Of days has rifled of his strength.
I saw the cruel Ravan bear
A gentle lady through the air.
Bright was her form, and fresh and young,
And sparkling gems about her hung.
"O Rama, Rama!" cried the dame,
And shrieked in terror Lakshman's name,
As, struggling in the giant's hold,
She dropped her gauds of gems and gold.
Like sun-light on a mountain shone
The silken garments she had on,
And glistened o'er his swarthy form
As lightning flashes through the storm.
That giant Ravan, famed of old,
Is brother of the Lord of Gold.(768)
The southern ocean roars and swells
Round Lanka, where the robber dwells
In his fair city nobly planned
And built by Visvakarma's(769) hand.
Within his bower securely barred,
With monsters round her for a guard,
Still in her silken vesture clad
Lies Sita, and her heart is sad.
A hundred leagues your course must be
Beyond this margin of the sea.
Still to the south your way pursue,
And there the giant Ravan view.
Then up, O Vanars, and away!
For by my heavenly lore I say,
There will you see the lady's face,
And hither soon your steps retrace.
In the first field of air are borne
The doves and birds that feed on corn.
The second field supports the crows
And birds whose food on branches grows.
Along the third in balanced flight
Sail the keen osprey and the kite.
Swift through the fourth the falcon springs
The fifth the slower vulture wings.
Up to the sixth the gay swans rise,
Where royal Vainateya(770) flies.
We too, O chiefs, of vulture race,
Our line from Vinata may trace,
Condemned, because we wrought a deed
Of shame, on flesh and blood to feed.
But all Suparna's(771) wondrous powers
And length of keenest sight are ours,
That we a hundred leagues away
Through fields of air descry our prey.
Now from this spot my gazing eye
Can Ravan and the dame descry.
Devise some plan to overleap
This barrier of the briny deep.
Find the Videhan lady there,
And joyous to your home repair.
Me too, O Vanars, to the side
Of Varun's(772) home the ocean, guide,
Where due libations shall be paid
To my great-hearted brother's shade."

Canto LIX. Sampati's Story.

They heard his counsel to the close,
Then swiftly to their feet they rose;
And Jambavan with joyous breast
The vulture king again addressed:

"Where, where is Sita