Seeing the monkey so perfect in strength and wit, Janaki said, ‘Go then, my son, and eat the luscious fruit with your thoughts fixed on Raghunatha’s feet.’

He bowed his head and went and entered the grove and having eaten the fruit, began to break down the trees. A great many warriors had been stationed there as watchmen; some he slew and others took fight and cried for help.

‘O Lord, an enormous monkey has come and laid waste the ashoka grove; he has eaten the fruit, uprooted the trees, and having crushed the watchmen, hurled them to the ground.’

On hearing this, Ravana sent a company of his champions, Hanuman roared aloud when he saw them and overthrew the whole demon host, but some, more dead then alive, escaped shrieking.

Ravana then sent his son, Prince Akshaya, who sailed forth with a vast number of his seasoned warriors. Seeing him approach. Hanuman grasped a tree and threatened him and having overthrown him, roared with a terrible yell.

Some he slew and some he crushed and some he seized and pounded into dust, but some who escaped cried, ‘O lord, the monkey is mighty invincible!’

When he heard of his son’s death, the king of Lanka flew into a rage. He sent out the valiant Meghanada, saying, ‘Kill him not my son, but bind him; let us see the monkey and find out where he has come from.’