The Ramayan by Valmiki

While Khara, urged by valiant rage, Drew near that little hermitage, Those wondrous signs in earth and sky Smote on each prince's watchful eye. When Rama saw those signs of woe Fraught with destruction to the foe, With bold impatience scarce repressed His brother chief he thus addressed: "These fearful signs, my brother bold, Which threaten all our foes, behold: All laden, as they strike the view, With ruin to the fiendish crew. The angry clouds are gathering fast, Their skirts with dusty gloom o'ercast, And harsh with loud-voiced thunder, rain Thick drops of blood upon the plain. See, burning for the coming fight, My shafts with wreaths of smoke are white, And my great bow embossed with gold Throbs eager for the master's hold. Each bird that through the forest flies Sends out its melancholy cries. All signs foretell the dangerous strife, The jeopardy of limb and life. Each sight, each sound gives warning clear That foemen meet and death is near. But courage, valiant brother! well The throbbings of mine arm foretell That ruin waits the hostile powers, And triumph in the fight is ours. I hail the welcome omen: thou Art bright of face and clear of brow. For Lakshman, when the eye can trace A cloud upon the warrior's face Stealing the cheerful light away, His life is doomed in battle fray. List, brother, to that awful cry: With shout and roar the fiends draw nigh. With thundering beat of many a drum The savage-hearted giants come. The wise who value safety know To meet, prepared, the coming blow: In paths of prudence trained aright They watch the stroke before it smite. Take thou thine arrows and thy bow, And with the Maithil lady go For shelter to the mountain cave Where thickest trees their branches wave. I will not have thee, Lakshman, say One word in answer, but obey. By all thy honour for these feet Of mine, dear brother, I entreat. Thy warlike arm, I know could, smite To death these rovers of the night; But I this day would fight alone Till all the fiends be overthrown." He spake: and Lakshman answered naught: His arrows and his bow he brought, And then with Sita following hied For shelter to the mountain side. As Lakshman and the lady through The forest to the cave withdrew, "Tis well," cried Rama. Then he braced His coat of mail around his waist. When, bright as blazing fire, upon His mighty limbs that armour shone, The hero stood like some great light Uprising in the dark of night. His dreadful shafts were by his side; His trusty bow he bent and plied, Prepared he stood: the bowstring rang, Filling the welkin with the clang.

The high-souled Gods together drew The wonder of the fight to view, The saints made free from spot and stain, And bright Gandharvas' heavenly train. Each glorious sage the assembly sought, Each saint divine of loftiest thought, And filled with zeal for Rama's sake. Thus they whose deeds were holy spake: "Now be it well with Brahmans, now Well with the worlds and every cow! Let Rama in the deadly fray The fiends who walk in darkness slay, As He who bears the discus slew The chieftains of the Asur crew."