The universe, Uma, says Shiva, springs into being and is again dissolved at the play of Rama’s eye-brows. When he is capable of making a blade of grass into a thunderbolt and again a thunderbolt into a blade of grass, how then can his envoy fall in his challenge?

Again the monkey (Angad) gave him all kinds of sound advice, but as his end had drawn near, he would not listen. So having crushed the enemy’s pride, the son of King Bali exalted his Lord to his very face and departed, saying,

‘It’s no use for me to sing my own praises until I give you a sound drubbing and slay you on the field.’ Ravana was sad when he heard that Angad had already slain his son before coming to the council-chamber.

Fear gripped the demons at the success of Angad’s challenge.

After crushing the enemy’s power, the mighty monkey, son of Bali, clasped Rama’s lotus feet in delight; the hair of his body bristled with emotion and tears of love filled his eyes.

Seeing that it was evening, the Ten-headed returned disconsolately to his palace, where Mandodari once more spoke of warning and said:

‘Reflect, my beloved lord, and abandon perversity; it does not behove you to fight with Raghunatha. Rama’s younger brother (Lakshmana) had traced a thin line, and even this you could not cross; such is your valour!