"There was no respite then, no pause:
Fast gaped and closed his hell-like jaws:
Yet prisoned in that gloomy cave,
Some Vanars still their lives could save;
Some through his nostrils found a way,
Some through his ears resought the day." [*+]

[paragraph continues] Bali's son Angad tried to rally the Vanar host, but he was soon dashed senseless on the ground." Hanuman had already been severely wounded by the monster. And now he attacks Sugriva, who hurled a hill at him, but

"The giant's chest the stroke repelled." [*++]

[paragraph continues] This compliment the monster returns by throwing his spear, which Hanuman caught as it flew, and broke it across his knee. Then

"At Sugriva's head he sent
A peak from Lanka's mountain rent.
The rushing mass no might could stay:
Sugriva fell, and senseless lay.
The giant stooped his foe to seize,
And bore him thence, as bears the breeze
A cloud in autumn through the sky." [* section]

[paragraph continues] The giant enters Lanka with his captive, and is greatly lauded by the people; but his triumph was of short duration, for

"By slow degrees the Vanars' lord
Felt life, and sense, and strength restored.
He heard the giant's joyful boast:
He thought upon his Vanar host.
His teeth and feet he fiercely plied,
And bit and rent the giant's side,
Who, mad with pain and smeared with gore,
Hurled to the ground the load he bore.
Regardless of a storm of blows,
Swift to the sky the Vanar rose,
Then lightly, like a flying ball,
High overleapt the city wall." [**]

Lakshman tried to slay this monster; but it was left for Rama to finish the work, whose arrows cut off limb after limb, and at last severed head from body. After his death, two brothers, Nikumbha and Kumbha, came forth to do battle for their chief. Sugriva seized Kumbha and hurled him into the sea; on his reaching the shore he struck Sugriva such a blow on his chest that he broke his own wrist with the shock. Sugriva returned the blow by another beneath the neck, which proved fatal. His brother now attacked Sugriva;

"And red with fury flashed his eye.
He dashed with mighty sway and swing
His axe against the Vanar king;
But shattered on that living rock,
It split in fragments at the shock.
Sugriva, rising to the blow,
Raised his huge hand and smote his foe,
And in the dust the giant lay,
Gasping in blood his soul away." [*+]