If six men, armed with flails, were to beat out a sheaf of corn, it would be thoroughly threshed. Thus are putthujjanas threshed by objects, etc.; thoughts of a future birth thresh them even more thoroughly.
Once Vepacitti and the Asuras were defeated by Sakka and the Devas and Vepacitti was bound hand and foot. But when Vepacitti thought that the Devas were righteous, his bonds slackened. Subtle were the bonds of Vepacitti, but more subtle are those of Māra. He who possesses conceits of tanhā ditthi māna is Māra's bondsman. S.iv.201ff.