ad usurped the empire of the three worlds, and
who was deprived of two thirds of his dominions by Vishnu in the
Dwarf-incarnation.

884 When Hanuman was bound with cords, Indrajit released his captive
from the spell laid upon him by the magic weapon.

885 "One who murders an ambassador (_raja bhata_) goes to Taptakumbha,
the hell of heated caldrons." WILSON'S _Vishnu Purana_, Vol. II. p.
217.

886 The fire which is supposed to burn beneath the sea.

887 Sita is likened to the fire which is an emblem of purity.

888 I omit two stanzas which continue the metaphor of the sea or lake of
air. The moon is its lotus, the sun its wild-duck, the clouds are
its water-weeds, Mars is its shark and so on. Gorresio remarks:
"This comparison of a great lake to the sky and of celestial to
aquatic objects is one of those ideas which the view and qualities
of natural scenery awake in lively fancies. Imagine one of those
grand and splendid lakes of India covered with lotus blossoms,
furrowed by wild-ducks of the most vivid colours, mantled over here
and there with flowers and water weeds &c. and it will be understood
how the fancy of the poet could readily compare to the sky radiant
with celestial azure the blue expanse of the water, to the soft
light of the moon the inner hue of the lotus, to the splendour of
the sun the brilliant colours of the wild-fowl, to the stars the
flowers, to the cloud the weeds that float upon the water &c."

889 Sunabha is the mountain that rose from the sea when Hanuman passed
over to Lanka.

890 Three Cantos of repetition are omitted.

_ 891 Madhuvan_ the "honey-wood."

892 Indra's pleasure-ground or elysium.

893 Janak was king of Videha or Mithila in Behar.

894 The original contains two more Cantos which end the Book. Canto
LXVII begins thus: "Hanuman thus addressed by the great-souled son
of Raghu related to the son of Raghu all that Sita had said." And
the two Cantos contain nothing but Hanuman's account of his
interview with Sita, and the report of his own speeches as well as
of hers.

895 The Sixth Book is called in Sanskrit _Yuddha-Kanda_ or _The War_,
and _Lanka-Kanda_. It is generally known at the present day by the
latter title.

896 Vayu is the God of Wind.

897 Garuda the King of Birds.

898 Ser