Valmiki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda in ProseSarga 90
Indrajit goes back to Lanka and brings another chariot with him. He attacks the monkeys severely. The monkeys seek refuge in Lakshmana. Indrajit and Lakshmana continue a fierce battle with their bow and arrows. Lakshmana destroys Indrajit’s chariot. Indrajit strikes three arrows in Lakshmana’s forehead and Lakshmana strikes five arrows on Indrajit’s face. When Indrajit strikes Vibhishana with arrows, Vibhishana kills Indrajit’s horses. Fitting a missile presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, Lakshmana addressed a prayer on Rama and discharged it towards Indrajit. Indrajit’s head gets chopped off and falls to the ground. Witnessing Indrajit’s death, all the monkey-chiefs, Vibhishana, Hanuma and Jambavan applaud Lakshmana.
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Indrajit, the demon, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, standing on the ground his horses having been killed; was very much enraged and blazed with spirit. Those two warriors, holding their bows, having an extreme intent to kill each other with their arrows, were like two excellent elephants going out in the forest for the purpose of conquering one over the other. Those demons and monkeys, rushing from all sides, destroying each other, did not desert their masters in battle.
Applauding and causing rejoice to all the demons and even feeling delighted himself , Indrajit then spoke the following words: “These quarters are wrapped on all sides with abundant darkness. O foremost of demons! It can not be identified at this time whether one belongs to one’s own army or an enemy. You courageously fight, so as to stupefy the monkeys. I, on my part, will return to the battle-field, ascending another chariot. You act in such a way so that these evil-minded monkeys do not carry on their fight (with me) while enter the city.”
Thus speaking, Indrajit the annihilator of enemies, having deceived the monkeys, entered the City of Lanka for the sake of getting anther chariot. Arranging for embellishment of a chariot, which was beautiful, decked with gold, furnished with darts, swords and arrows, yoked with excellent horses, directed by a charioteer who could understand those horses properly and could give credible instructions to them, that Indrajit, a conqueror in battle, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, then ascended it.
That valiant Indrajit, surrounded by troops of principal demons and incited by the force of destiny, sallied forth from the city. Moving out form the City with his swift horses, that Indrajit, the destroyer of valiant enemies, attacked Lakshmana and Vibhishana.
Seeing Indrajit seated in the chariot, Lakshmana, the mighty monkeys and Vibhishana the demon then were very much surprised on recalling the alacrity of the intelligent Indrajit. The enraged Indrajit also struck down hundreds and thousands of monkey-chiefs by using a multitude of arrows in the battle-field.
Stretching his bow to a circle, that enraged Indrajit the conqueror in battle, exhibiting supreme agility, began to kill the monkeys. Thus being killed by steel arrows, those monkeys of terrible prowess sought refuge in Lakshmana, as people would take refuge in Brahma the Lord of Creation.
Then, blazing with hostile anger, Lakshmana, showing his agility of hand, tore Indrajit’s bow. Hurriedly, he took another bow and made it ready. Lakshmana tore that bow too of Indrajit with three arrows.
Thereupon, Lakshmana struck that Indrajit, whose bow was torn, on his chest with five arrows which were deadly like a serpentine poison. Those arrows, released from that great bow, penetrating through Indrajit’s body, fell to the ground like huge red serpents.
Ejecting blood from his month, that Indrajit, who had his bow torn, took hold of his excellent bow with the bow-string firmly fastened and which was stronger than the earlier bow. Employing utmost agility, Indrajit, aiming at Lakshmana, streamed forth a shower of arrows, as Indra the lord of celestials streaming forth the rain.
Lakshmana the annihilator of enemies coolly warded off the shower of arrows released by Indrajit, though it was most difficult to resist. Lakshmana with great splendor, remaining unperplexed, then showed his prowess to Indrajit, which was marvelous indeed.
Getting extremely enraged, Lakshmana then pierced all those demons who stood in the battle-field with three arrows each, showing his speed in discharging missiles and also struck Indrajit with an array of arrows.
That Indrajit, who was struck by the enemy, who was mighty destroyer of enemies, released several arrows unhindered towards Lakshmana. Lakshmana, the destroyer of valiant adversaries, tore those arrows yet unarrived, with sharp arrows. The virtuous Lakshmana eliminated the head of the charioteer of Indrajit, the chariot-warrior, in the battle with an arrow called Bhalla which was looking curved at its nodes.
Those horses, bereft of a charioteer there, without getting perturbed, ran up in a circular fashion and continued to draw the chariot. The scene looked wonderful indeed. Getting the power of anger, Lakshmana of unyielding prowess, pierced the horses of Indrajit with arrows, so as to frighten them thereby.
Getting impatient with that act of Lakshmana in battle, Indrajit struck that enraged Lakshmana with ten arrows. Those arrows of Indrajit, equal to thunderbolts and deadly as serpentine poison, having reached Lakshmana’s armour with a golden hue, got destroyed.
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Understanding Lakshmana to have been protected by an impenetrable armour and showing his swiftness in discharging missiles, Indrajit the son of Ravana, who felt very much angered, pierced Lakshmana in the forehead with three arrows provided with good plumes.
With those three arrows planted in his forehead, Lakshmana who was fond of fighting, shone like a mountain with its three peaks, in the battle-field. Thus tormented in battle by Indrajit the demon, that Lakshmana then quickly stretching the bow, pierced him in return with five arrows, in battle, in Indrajit’s face holding beautiful ear-rings.
Lakshmana Indrajit, the heroes endowed with extraordinary might and armed with very strong bows and possessing terrible prowess, struck each other with distinctly pointed arrows.
Those two warriors, Lakshmana and Indrajit, with both their bodies stained in blood, shone in the battle-field at that time, like Kimshuka trees in blossom. Those two archers, with their minds directed towards victory, met each other and pierced their opponent in all limbs with dreadful arrows.
Then, Indrajit, filled with martial anger, struck Vibhishana in his auspicious face, with three arrows. Having struck Vibhishana, the leader of demons, with three arrows, Indrajit struck all those monkey chiefs with a single arrow each.
Very much enraged with him, that Vibhishana of great splendor killed the horses of that evil-minded Indrajit with his mace. Just leaping down from the chariot whose charioteer was destroyed earlier and whose horses were killed, that Indrajit of great splendor employed his javelin towards his maternal uncle.
Seeing that Javelin rushing towards Vibhishana, Lakshmana tore it into ten pieces with his sharp arrows and felled it on the floor. The strong bodied Vibhishana, in anger, dug five arrows, whose impact was a hard as that of a thunder-bolt, into the bosom of Indrajit, whose horses were already killed.
Having penetrated his body, those arrows which were provided with golden feathers, went straight into their target, got stained with blood and appeared like red large serpents. Enraged with his paternal uncle, that Indrajit, standing in the midst of demons, took hold of an excellent arrow earlier presented by Yama the lord of Death.
Seeing that great arrow seized by him, Lakshmana also, of great splendor and terrible prowess, took hold of another arrow. That arrow had been presented to him, in the course of a dream, by Kubera the god of riches, of immense glory himself, which was difficult to be conquered and much more difficult to be tolerated even for gods and demons including Indra the lord of celestials.
Stretched with strength by their arms, which resembled a pair of steel rods, emitted a piercing sound like that of a pair of curlew-cranes. The excellent arrows fitted and pulled out from their excellent bow by those heroes, blazed very much with splendour.
Those arrows, released from the bow, making the sky shine and hitting each other face to face, collided each other powerfully. The collision of those arrows of terrible form broke out a fierce fire comprising of smoke and sparkles. Hitting each other like two major planets, those two arrows in battle burst into a hundred pieces and fell on the ground.
On seeing their arrows warded off in the battle-front, those two warriors, Lakshmana and Indrajit then felt abashed and got provoked. Getting excited, Lakshmana took hold of a missile presided over by Varuna (the god of water). Skilled in warfare, the great Indrajit too discharged a missile presided over by Rudra (the god of destruction) in battle.
By that Rudra missile, that very wonderful Varuna-missile was struck. Then, that enraged Indrajit of great splendour and the conqueror of battle, looking like the destroyer of the world, employed a missile presided over by Agni the god of fire which was blazing. The valiant Lakshmana obstructed Agni-missile, by a missile presided over by the sun-god. Finding his missile repelled, Indrajit was filled with anger and took hold of a sharp arrow used by demons and capable of tearing down an enemy.
From that bow, blazing weapon similar to a hammer duly hidden, darts, fire arms, maces, swords and axes rushed forth. Seeing that terrible missile, which was very harsh, unrestrainable for all beings and which can tear all weapons in battle, the brilliant Lakshmana obstructed that missile by using Maheswara-missile.
There was a wonderful battle between both of them, causing hair to stand erect. The beings in the sky surrounded Lakshmana. Surrounded by many surprised beings in that terrible battle taking place between monkeys and demons, yielding terrific noise, the sky sparkled.
Placing Indra the lord of celestials as their head, the sages, manes, gods, Gandharvas the celestial musicians, eagles and serpents protected Lakshmana in the battle-field. Then, Lakshmana fitted another excellent arrow, which had a sensation of ignition and which can tear down Indrajit.
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The heroic Lakshmana fitted the arrow, having beautiful plumes, which consisted of rounded parts, well-jointed, skillfully fashioned, decked with gold, capable of destroying the body of the enemies, not difficult to keep off but difficult even to tolerate, a source of terror to the demons as deadly as the venom of poisonous snakes and duly honoured by the host of gods.
With the help of that arrow, the highly powerful and valiant Indra, the lord of celestials, who had green horses to his chariot, was able to conquer the demons in a combat which raged between celestials and demons. Fitting a missile presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, which had never been defeated in battle, to his excellent bow and drawing it, the glorious Lakshmana addressed the following prayer, which was intended to achieve his purpose: “O my dear arrow! If Rama the son of Dasaratha has set his mind on virtue, keeps up his promise and is second to none in his prowess, destroy this Indrajit.”
Thus saying and drawing up to the ear the arrow, which went straight, the heroic Lakshmana released it towards Indrajit. That large head of Indrajit, separated from his trunk and moistened with blood, was seen on the ground, shining like gold.
Having been killed, that Indrajit then forthwith fell to the ground, along with his armour and head-protector, with his bow shattered. As Indrajit was killed, all those monkeys together with Vibhishana roared in rejoice, as the celestials did, when Vritra the demon was killed.
Then, a shout of victory rose in the sky from the mouth of gods, great-souled sages, Gandharvas the celestial musicians and the celestial nymphs. Seeing him fallen, that great army of demons, being struck by monkeys shining with victory, sought the quarters.
Abandoning their weapons, while being struck by the monkeys, those demons went towards Lanka, running fast stupefied. All those frightened demons, abandoning their weapons sharp-edged spears, swords and axes ran away in hundreds to various directions.
Tormented by the monkeys, some were scared and entered Lanka. Some fell into the ocean. Some took refuge in the mountain. Seeing Indrajit killed and lying on the battle-field, not even one among the thousands of demons was to be seen.
As the sun-rays do not exist when the sun has sunk below the horizon, so those demons left to different directions when Indrajit had fallen. Thrown asunder and dead, that long-armed Indrajit looked like the sun whose rays have cooled down and like the fire which is extinguished.
When Indrajit was fallen, the world then had its oppressions pacified, now that its enemy had been destroyed and it experience a rejoice . While that demon of sinful deeds is having been killed, the illustrious Indra the ruler of gods along with all the great sages were rejoiced.
In the sky too was heard the sound of large drums played by celestials, the melody produced by dancing Apsaras the celestial nymphs and the songs of Gandharvas the celestial musicians. While that demon of cruel deeds was killed, a deluge of flowers rained along with showers of praises. It was a wonderful scene.
While that Indrajit, who was the terror of all the worlds, had fallen, the waters and the sky became clear. The celestials and demons were rejoiced and arrived on the scene. The gratified celestials, Gandharvas the celestial musicians and the demons said: “Let the Brahmanas move about cheerfully, now that their trouble has ceased.”
Seeing that foremost among demons, who was unrivalled in battle, having been killed, the rejoiced monkey-chiefs applauded Lakshmana. Vibhishana, Hanuma and Jambavan the chief of bears were pleased at Lakshmana for his victor and applauded him too.
The monkeys, who accomplished their aim, roaring, jumping with joy and emitting thundering sounds, stood encircling Lakshmana. Wagging their tails and lashing them, the monkeys then gave forth the slogan, “Victorious is Lakshmana!”
Embracing each other with rejoiced minds, the monkeys indulged in good conversations about Lakshmana and his manifold qualities. Hearing Indrajit having been killed and witnessing that arduous act of Lakshmana, their beloved friend in battle, and the celestials were gratified and experienced a great rejoice in their minds.
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Thus, this is the 90th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© January 2009, K. M. K. Murthy
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