All 50 Uses of

cleave

in

The Ramayana

He cleft a mighty hill apart, And down to hell he hurled his dart.†
Book 1

cleft = a split or crack in something

"Editor's Notes"

Cleft is the past tense of cleave like left is past tense of leave.

Today, cleft is most seen in the form cleft palate or cleft lip to refer to medical conditions at birth.

Then Ráma asked the mighty seer: "What is the tumult that I hear Of waters cleft in mid career?"†
Book 1

Then Sumati, the younger, gave Birth to a gourd,(182) O hero brave, Whose rind, when burst and cleft in two, Gave sixty thousand babes to view.†
Book 1

Earth, cleft asunder, groaned in pain, As emulous they plied amain Sharp-pointed coulter, pick, and bar, Hard as the bolts of Indra are.†
Book 1

When thus the whole broad earth was cleft, And not a spot unsearched was left, Back to their home the princes sped, And thus unto their father said: "We searched the earth from side to side, While countless hosts of creatures died.†
Book 1

Then in the western region they With might unwearied cleft their way.†
Book 1

When but a blighted bud was left, Which Indra's hand in seven had cleft:(213) "No fault, O Lord of Gods, is thine; The blame herein is only mine.†
Book 1

The priest advancing slowly through The mighty crowd he cleft in two, Near to the monarch's palace drew.†
Book 2 *

And in the line from which we spring, When ordered by their sire the king, Through earth the sons of Sagar cleft, And countless things of life bereft.†
Book 2

On to their houses, high and vast, Where stores of precious wealth were massed, The melancholy Bráhmans passed, Their hearts with anguish cleft: Aloof from all, they came not near To stranger or to kinsman dear, Showing in faces blank and drear That not one joy was left.†
Book 2

See, near us on the ground are left Dry logs, by labouring woodmen cleft, And the tall trees, that blossom near Saint Bharadvája's home, appear.†
Book 2

Now here, now there, to right and left, A passage through the ground they cleft, And soon the rushing flood was led Abundant through the new-cut bed, Which by the running stream supplied With ocean's boundless waters vied.†
Book 2

The wandering beasts of prey shall feed On heart-cleft elephant and steed, And drag to mountain caves away The bodies that my arrows slay.†
Book 2

Before the shed great heaps were left Of gathered flowers and billets cleft, And on the trees hung grass and bark Ráma and Lakshma?'†
Book 2

Guiding one morn the plough, his hand Marked out, for rites the sacred land, When, as the ploughshare cleft the earth, Child of the king I leapt to birth.†
Book 2

From Ráma's bow two arrows flew And cleft that massive spear in two, Dire as the flaming levin sent From out the cloudy firmament.†
Book 3

See, here and there around us high Piled up in heaps cleft billets lie, And holy grass is gathered, bright As strips of shining lazulite.†
Book 3

s wrath rose high, And there before his brother's eye, He drew that sword which none could stay, And cleft her nose and ears away.†
Book 3

Their pennoned bows were cleft, nor mail Nor shield of hide could aught avail.†
Book 3

Fiends wounded, falling, fallen, slain, All in a moment, spread the plain, And thousands scarce alive were left Mangled, and gashed, and torn, and cleft.†
Book 3

But Ráma with a trenchant dart Cleft Dúsha?'†
Book 3

Hurled from his car, steeds, driver slain, The bow he trusted cleft in twain, He seized his mace, strong, heavy, dread, High as a mountain's towering head.†
Book 3

Of all defence and guard bereft, With sundered bows and harness cleft.†
Book 3

His archer skill the fiend displayed, And at the place where Ráma laid His hand, an arrow cleft in two The mighty bow the hero drew.†
Book 3

With four the dappled steeds he slew; One cleft the chariot yoke in two, One, in the heat of battle sped, Smote from the neck the driver's head.†
Book 3

The bow he trusted cleft in twain, His driver and his horses slain, Down sprang the giant, mace in hand, On foot against the foe to stand.†
Book 3

But Ráma, watching as it sped Dire as His noose who rules the dead, Cleft it with arrows as it came On rushing with a hiss and flame.†
Book 3

When Ráma, pride of Raghu's race, Virtue's dear son, had cleft the mace, Thus with superior smile the best Of chiefs the furious fiend addressed: "Thou, worst of giant blood, at length Hast shown the utmost of thy strength, And forced by greater might to bow, Thy vaunting threats are idle now.†
Book 3

Thou, rent by shafts, this day shalt die: Low on the ground thy corse shall lie, And bubbles from the cloven neck With froth and blood thy skin shall deck.†
Book 3

cloven = split (or divided in two)

So by that matchless arrow cleft, The deer's bright form Márícha left, Resumed his giant shape and size And closed in death his languid eyes.†
Book 3

cleft = a split or crack in something

"Editor's Notes"

Cleft is the past tense of cleave like left is past tense of leave.

Today, cleft is most seen in the form cleft palate or cleft lip to refer to medical conditions at birth.

But when the vulture saw him rise Triumphant with his trembling prize, Bearing the sword that still was left When other arms were lost or cleft, Once more, impatient of repose, Swift from the earth her champion rose, Hung in the way the fiend would take, And thus addressing Ráva?†
Book 3

When in the fight my power was spent My wearied wings he cleft and rent.†
Book 3

on the left The arm that held him prisoned cleft.†
Book 3

Then as the giant's blood flowed fast, On his cleft limbs his eye he cast, And called upon the princely pair Their names and lineage to declare.†
Book 3

Loosed from the matchless hero's hold, That arrow, decked with burning gold, Cleft the seven palms in line, and through The hill that rose behind them flew: Six subterranean realms it passed, And reached the lowest depth at last, Whence speeding back through earth and air It sought the quiver, and rested there.†
Book 4

(573) Upon the cloven trees amazed, The sovereign of the Vánars gazed†
Book 4

cloven = split (or divided in two)

What need of help has he who drew His bow, and one great arrow flew Through seven tall trees, a mountain rent, And cleft the earth with force unspent?†
Book 4

cleft = a split or crack in something

"Editor's Notes"

Cleft is the past tense of cleave like left is past tense of leave.

Today, cleft is most seen in the form cleft palate or cleft lip to refer to medical conditions at birth.

Swift to the south his course he bent, And cleft the yielding element.†
Book 4

where The rapid wings that cleft the air?†
Book 4

Fierce goblins, rovers of the night Who cleft the clouds with swiftest flight In countless hosts that chariot drew, With earrings clashing as they flew.†
Book 5

No, blinded Ráma knows me not: Ne'er has he seen mine arrows shot; Ne'er marked them speeding to their aim Like snakes with cloven tongues of flame.†
Book 6

cloven = split (or divided in two)

His giant foes round Ráma pressed And shot their shafts at head and breast; But, when the iron shower was spent, Four arrows from his bow he sent, And every missile, deftly sped; Cleft from the trunk a giant head.†
Book 6

cleft = a split or crack in something

"Editor's Notes"

Cleft is the past tense of cleave like left is past tense of leave.

Today, cleft is most seen in the form cleft palate or cleft lip to refer to medical conditions at birth.

Six times he shot: six heads were cleft; Six giants dead on earth were left.†
Book 6

Then as some monster of the sea Cleaves swift-advancing billows, he Charged with impetuous onset through The foe, and cleft the host in two.†
Book 6

Sugríva ran, the king to meet: A hill uprooted from its seat He hurled, with trees that graced the height Against the rover of the night: But cleft with shafts that checked its way Harmless upon the earth it lay.†
Book 6

flew, But Raghu's son with surest aim Cleft every arrow as it came.†
Book 6

s side had cleft, Untouched, the hero's body left, And flashing through the air afar Resumed its place in Ráva?'†
Book 6

Bright as the sun, with crescent head, From Ráma's bow an arrow sped, And from his forehead, proud no more, Cleft the bright coronet he wore.†
Book 6

Sumitrá's son, his foemen's dread, Shot a fleet shaft with crescent head, Which cleft that arrow pointed well, And harmless to the earth it fell.†
Book 6

Some through the side and heart he cleft, Some headless on the plain were left.†
Book 6

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Best Example Sentences
From Other Sources
Grouped by 2 Meanings

Definitions:

(1) (cleave as in: cleave through)
to split or cut through something

Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.

Note that you may see cleaved, cleft, clove, or cloven as the past tense of this sense of cleave.
(2) (cleave as in: cleave to)
to hold firmly to something -- such as an object, a person or idea

Ironically, this word can mean to split in two or to hold together.

Note that you may see cleaved, clove, or clave as the past tense of this sense of cleave.
(3) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
a proper noun or other word too rare to warrant focus

Page Numbers by Book Edition

cleave in The Ramayana

cleave

in

The Ramayana