As the vast army of monkeys advanced along the sacred Ganga, their leader strode at the forefront, his presence so formidable that even the mighty elephant chiefs were driven into alarm. He remembered the ancient rivalry between elephants and monkeys, and his every step echoed that enmity. This commander, a true guide for his troops, made his home in mountain caves, from which he would emerge, roaring with power. He could restrain wild elephants and, with ease, tear up enormous trees. The best among the monkeys soared through the sky, delighting in his own prowess, like Indra himself. Behind him followed a host—one thousand times a hundred thousand strong. Among these great-souled monkeys, all roaring and proud of their strength and valor, he stood as their leader. His name was Pramathi, an irresistible and tumultuous chieftain, whose presence was likened to a wind-driven cloud. All around, the army of swift monkeys surged, their excitement palpable. The earth seemed to glow red, stirred up by their movement, resembling dust raised by the wind. Where this thick dust swirled again and again, there appeared grim, black-faced monkeys of immense strength, their long tails swinging behind them. At the bridge, built by a hundred times a hundred thousand, stood the long-tailed leader named Gavaksha. Surrounding him, the monkeys roared, intent on crushing Lanka with their might. This was the land where trees always bore fruit and bees were ever-present. Nearby rose a mountain, around which the sun moved, its brilliance making deer and birds shine with its radiance. Upon its plateau, great sages never departed, and trees yielding every desire always bore fruit. On the beautiful Golden Mountain, where the most precious honeys could be found, Gavaksha delighted. Among the leaders of the monkeys was Kesari, lord of a troop dwelling among sixty thousand delightful Golden Mountains. Among these, as you are among the rākṣasas, stood the best of mountains. There, some monkeys were tawny, some white, some with coppery faces, and some honey-colored. These formidable monkeys lived on the farthest mountain, their sharp fangs and claws their weapons. Four-fanged like lions, as formidable as tigers, they were difficult to approach. All of them blazed like fire, resembling flaming serpents, their long, uplifted tails like intoxicated elephants. They were as massive as great mountains, their roars thundering like mighty clouds. Their round, tawny eyes and terrifying movements and voices made them awe-inspiring. They all stood, as if crushing, gazing at Lanka, their valiant lord among them. Wishing for victory, he always worshipped the sun and was renowned on earth by the name Śatabali. Śatabali alone hoped to crush Lanka with his own army, courageous, powerful, heroic, and steadfast in his valor. For the sake of pleasing Rāma, this monkey cared not even for his own life. Gaja, Gavākṣa, Gavaya, Nala, and Nīla were also mighty monkeys, each surrounded by ten crores of warriors. Likewise, other foremost monkeys dwelled on Mount Vindhya, their numbers and swift prowess so great they could not be easily counted. All these monkeys were of immense power, their bodies like great mountains, capable of shattering the earth and strewing it with broken peaks in a single moment. Now, hear the twenty-eighth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa. After Sāraṇa spoke, Śuka addressed Rāvaṇa, lord of the rākṣasas, describing the vast army before him. “Do you see those who stand there, like intoxicated elephants, like banyan trees by the Ganges, like sāla trees, or those of the Himalayas? These are difficult to overcome, powerful, able to assume any form at will. They resemble daityas and dānavas, and in battle, possess the valor of the gods. Of these, there are thousands of crores—nine, five, and seven; as well as thousands of pikes and hundreds of groups. These are Sugriva’s ministers, always residing in Kishkindha. They are monkeys born from gods and gandharvas, possessing the power to assume any form at will. Those two youths you see, shining like gods, are Mainda and Dvivida. In battle, none are equal to them. Both were permitted by Brahma and have partaken of ambrosia; it is believed these two could crush Lanka with their strength. The one you see standing, like a broken elephant, is the monkey who, when angered, could stir even the ocean by force. He will enter Lanka, O lord, for Vaidehi and for you; behold him—the monkey you saw before, now returned. He is the eldest son of Kesari, known as the son of the wind, famed as Hanuman, who crossed the ocean. Hanuman is the foremost among monkeys, able to assume any form, endowed with strength and power, his movement unstoppable, like the lord who always goes forth. Once, as a child, seeing the rising sun and feeling hungry, Hanuman descended a distance of three thousand yojanas. He resolved, ‘I will seize the sun; my hunger will not be appeased otherwise,’ and leapt forth, filled with pride in his strength. Even the most unassailable god, whom neither sages nor demons could approach, he failed to reach and fell upon the mountain at sunrise. When Hanuman fell, one of his jaws was slightly injured upon the rock; thus, he is called Hanuman, the one with a strong jaw. By the truth of my coming, this monkey is known to me; his strength, form, and power cannot be adequately described.