later on Indra clipped them of their wings by his thunderbolt and since then they became stationary. MainŒka, however, who was able to accelerate his speed with the help of the wind-god, rushed into the ocean and hid himself under its waters. The deity presiding over the ocean, who had been begotten by King Sagara, and was thus an ancestor of the Lord, took this opportunity to oblige Ýr¶ RŒma and directed MainŒka to come out of his hiding-place and give rest to His envoy in the mid-ocean so as to enable him to cross the ocean by easy stages. Out of gratitude to the ocean, who had afforded him shelter all the time, and in order to repay his obligation to the wind-god, MainŒka emerged from his asylum and served as a stepping-stone for HanumŒn to rest on and replenish his store of energy. HanumŒn, however, who was spurred on by his devotion to Ýr¶ RŒma and depended on His all-sufficient grace, needed no other support and took leave of the mountain by merely acknowledging his services. The incident further shows HanumŒn’s unremitting zeal in the service of his Lord. 748 * ÝR” RMACARITAMNASA* jasa jasa surasŒ badanu baRhŒvŒ, tŒsu dµuna kapi rµupa dekhŒvŒ. sata jojana tehiò Œnana k¶nhŒ, ati laghu rµupa pavanasuta l¶nhŒ.5. badana pai¢hi puni bŒhera ŒvŒ, mŒgŒ bidŒ tŒhi siru nŒvŒ. mohi suranha jehi lŒgi pa¢hŒvŒ, budhi bala maramu tora mai ò pŒvŒ.6. The gods saw the son of the wind-god sweeping along; and in order to test his extraordinary strength and intelligence they sent SurasŒ, a mother of serpents, who came near him and said: “The gods have provided me a meal today.” On hearing these words the son of the wind-god said in reply, “Let me return after accomplishing Ýr¶ RŒma’s errand and tell my lord the news of S¶tŒ. Then I will approach you and enter your mouth; I tell you the truth. Mother, only let me go now.” When, however, she would not let him go on any account, HanumŒn said, “Then why not devour me?” She distended her mouth to a distance of eight miles, while the chief of monkeys grew double the size of her mouth. She stretched her mouth to a circumference of a hundred and twenty-eight miles, and the son of the wind-god immediately took a form covering two hundred and fifty-six miles. Even as SurasŒ expanded her jaws the chief of the monkeys manifested a form twice as large as her mouth. When she further expanded her mouth eight hundred miles wide, the son of the wind-god assumed a very minute form, by which he entered her mouth and came out again and bowing his head to her begged leave to proceed. “I have gauged the extent of your wit and strength, the errand for which the gods had despatched me. (1—6)