Ravana, the lord of the rakshasas, was filled with rage. He instructed all the soldiers to quickly emerge. Urged by Ravana, those soldiers cheerfully attacked. They were like the force of the great ocean at a time when it is full. A terrible engagement took place between the rakshasas and the apes, like that between the gods and the asuras in ancient times. Proclaiming their own valour, those terrible ones117 used blazing clubs, spears, javelins and battleaxes to slay the apes. The forceful apes used gigantic trees, the peaks of mountains and nails and teeth to slay the rakshasas. Some terrible rakshasas were stationed on the ramparts and used spears and javelins to strike at the apes who were on the ground. The apes became angry and leapt on to the ramparts. The apes attacked the rakshasas and brought them down. As a result of that tumultuous engagement, mud was created from the flesh and the blood of the rakshasas and the apes. It was extraordinary.
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The great-souled apes fought with the rakshasas. Both sides were strong and enraged and it was extremely terrible. The rakshasas, terrible in their valour, desired Ravana’s victory. They were on horses with golden harnesses, with standards that were like the flames of the fire. They were on chariots that were like the sun, adorned in beautiful armour. The tigers among rakshasas emerged and roared in the ten directions. The large army of the apes, who could assume any form at will, also desired victory. They attacked the rakshasa soldiers. At that time, when they attacked each other, there were duels between the rakshasas and the apes.
The immensely energetic rakshasa, Indrajit, fought against Angada, Vali’s son, like Andhaka against Tryambaka.118 Sampati, always intolerant in a battle, fought against Prajangha. The ape Hanumat angrily attacked Jambumali. Extremely angry, Vibhishana, the rakshasa who was Ravana’s younger brother, clashed against Mitraghna,119 who possessed a fierce force in an encounter. Gaja fought against the extremely strong rakshasa, Tapana. The greatly energetic Nila fought against Nikumbha. Sugriva, Indra among apes, clashed against Praghasa. In the encounter, the handsome Lakshmana fought against Virupaksha. The invincible Agniketu, the rakshasa Rashmiketu, Suptaghna and Yajnakopa clashed against Rama. Vajramushti fought against Mainda and Ashaniprabha against Dvivida. The two foremost apes clashed with those two extremely terrible rakshasas. The brave and terrible rakshasa, Pratapana, could bear great burdens in battles. He fought against Nala, who had a fierce force in battle. The powerful Sushena was famous as Dharma’s120 son. That great ape fought against Vidyunmali. Other terrible apes fought against other rakshasas. Many duels took place and there were many kinds of fights. There was a great and tumultuous engagement and it made the body hair stand up. Desiring victory, the brave rakshasas and apes fought. Blood flowed from the bodies of the apes and the rakshasas and a river was created from this, with the bodies like dams and the hair like moss. Like Shatakratu with his vajra, Indrajit angrily struck Angada, who could shatter the soldiers of the enemy, with a club. In the battle, the handsome and forceful ape, Angada, shattered his gold-embellished chariot and killed his horses and charioteer. In the field of battle, Sampati was struck by Prajangha with three arrows, but used an ashvakarna tree to kill Prajangha. In the encounter, the enraged and immensely strong Jambumali was on his chariot and used a javelin to strike Hanumat between the breasts. Hanumat, the wind god’s son, climbed on to the chariot and used the palm of his hand to swiftly crush that rakshasa. The rakshasa Tapana was swift in the use of his hands and used sharp arrows to strike Gaja and mangle his limbs. However, Gaja used the summit of a mountain and his fists to slay him. Praghasa seemed to be devouring the soldiers. But Sugriva, the lord of apes, used a saptaparna tree to pierce and kill him. Lakshmana oppressed the rakshasa Virupaksha, who was terrible to behold, with a shower of arrows and then used a single arrow to kill him. The invincible Agniketu, the rakshasa Rashmiketu, Suptaghna121 and Yajnakopa pierced Rama with arrows. Enraged in the battle, Rama used four terrible arrows that were like the flames of a fire to severe their four heads. In the encounter, Mainda struck Vajramushti with his fist and killed him. Like a city turret that falls down, with his chariot and his horses, he fell down on the ground. While all the rakshasas looked on, Dvivida used the summit of a mountain, which was like the vajra to the touch, to strike Ashaniprabha. In the battle, Dvivida, Indra among apes, used a tree as a weapon and Ashaniprabha struck him with arrows that were like the vajra. With his body deeply pierced by the arrows, Dvivida became senseless with rage. Using a sala tree, he killed Ashaniprabha, together with his charioteer and his horses. Nila had the complexion of a mass of blue collyrium and in the battle, Nikumbha pierced him with sharp arrows that were like lightning in the clouds. Nikumbha, the roamer in the night, was swift in the use of his hands. In the encounter, he laughed and again struck Nila with one hundred arrows. In the battle, Nila was like Vishnu. In the encounter, he used the wheel of a chariot to sever the heads of Nikumbha and his charioteer. Vidyunmali was on his chariot. He used arrows that were ornamented with gold to strike Sushena. He then roared repeatedly. Sushena, supreme among apes, saw that he was on his chariot. He used the summit of a mountain to quickly bring down the chariot. Vidyunmali, the roamer in the night, was dexterous. He swiftly descended from the chariot and stood on the ground, with a club in his hand. At this, Sushena, bull among apes, was filled with rage. He seized an extremely large boulder and rushed towards the roamer in the night. Vidyunmali, the roamer in the night, saw that he was descending. He swiftly used the club to strike Sushena, supreme among apes, in the chest. Struck by that terrible club in the great battle, the supreme among apes, did the unthinkable. He struck him in the chest with the boulder and brought him down. Vidyunmali, the roamer in the night, was severely struck by the boulder. With his heart shattered, he lost his life and fell down on the ground. Thus, the brave apes fought against the brave roamers in the night. They crushed each other in the duels, like the daityas against the residents of heaven.
The place was littered with shattered and fragmented javelins, swords, clubs, spears, spikes and darts and chariots and warhorses. Crazy elephants, apes and rakshasas were killed. Wheels, axles, yokes and poles were shattered and fell down on the ground. There was a terrible fight and large numbers of jackals gathered. In different directions, there were headless torsos of apes and rakshasas. It was a tumultuous engagement, like a battle between the gods and the asuras. Crushed by the bulls among the apes, the bodies of the roamers in the night oozed out blood. However, they resorted to their spirits and fought again, desiring for the time when the sun would set.122
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While the apes and the rakshasas fought in this way, the sun set. Night, which would take away lives, arrived. They were bound in terrible enmity towards each other and fought, desiring victory. A nocturnal fight ensued between the apes and the rakshasas. ‘You are a rakshasa,’ said the apes. ‘You are an ape,’ said the rakshasas. In the battle that took place in that terrible night, they fought against each other and killed each other. ‘Kill.’ ‘Shatter.’ ‘Come here.’ ‘Why are you running away?’ These extremely tumultuous sounds were heard in the darkness. In the darkness, the dark rakshasas were clad in golden armour and could be seen, like blazing herbs in an Indra among mountains. That darkness was extremely difficult to cross and the rakshasas were senseless with anger. They descended on the apes with great force and devoured them. The terrible apes used their sharp teeth, leaping on to the horses with golden harnesses and standards that were like the flames of the fire and crushing them in their rage. They used elephants to climb on to other elephants. They brought down the standards and flags from their chariots. Senseless with anger, they shattered them with their teeth. Rama and Lakshmana used arrows that were like venomous serpents to kill the best among rakshasas, those who could be seen and those who could not be seen. The earth was enveloped in a dust that arose from the hooves of horses and the rims of chariots. As they fought, this blocked the ears and the eyes. A terrible encounter raged and it made the body hair stand up. The blood crea
ted a river of blood that was extremely swift in its flow. There was the sound of drums, smaller drums, tambourines, conch shells and flutes and it was wonderful. There was the sound of slain and injured rakshasas and that of apes being struck by weapons. It was extremely terrible. Because of the fighting, the earth was offered gifts of weapons instead of flowers. There was mud created by the blood. It was impossible to penetrate and impossible to discern. The terrible night brought destruction to the apes and the rakshasas. It was like the night of destruction that all creatures find extremely difficult to cross.
In the terrible darkness, the delighted rakshasas attacked Rama and showered down arrows on him. They descended angrily, roaring and creating a noise that resembled the rumble created by the seven oceans. In the twinkling of an eye, Rama used six arrows that were like the flames of a fire to strike six roamers in the night—the invincible Yajnashatru, Mahaparshva, Mahodara, Vajradamshtra and the gigantic Shuka and Sarana. They were struck in their inner organs by the torrent of Rama’s arrows. Saving their lives, they withdrew from the battle. The immensely strong one used arrows that were like the flames of the fire, with golden and colourful shafts, to make the directions and the sub-directions clear again. There were other brave rakshasas who were stationed in front of Rama. When they approached, like insects before a fire, they were also destroyed. Thousands of gold-shafted arrows descended and the night became colourful, like the autumn sky with fireflies.
There was the shouting of rakshasas and the roaring of apes. This made the terrible night become even more terrible. That loud sound spread in every direction and Mount Trikuta, filled with caverns, seemed to become distressed. There were golangulas large in size, with a radiance like that of the darkness. They crushed the roamers in the night with their arms and devoured them.
In the battle, Angada was stationed, ready to slay the enemy. He swiftly killed the charioteer and horses of Ravana’s son. A horrible and extremely terrible encounter ensued. With his horses and chariot slain by Angada, Indrajit abandoned his chariot. He used his great maya and vanished. Ravana’s wicked son vanished, but was harsh in fighting. Ravana’s brave son became senseless with rage and used the boon given to him by Brahma. Though he was invisible, he released sharp arrows that were as radiant as the vajra. Against Rama and Lakshmana, he used arrows that became terrible serpents. In the battle, he angrily used these to pierce the two Raghavas all over their bodies.
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Rama, the powerful prince, commanded ten extremely strong leaders of the apes to search for his123 trail. The scorcher of enemies instructed Sushena’s two sons, Nila, bull among apes, Angada, Vali’s son, the spirited Sharabha, Vinata, Jambavat, the immensely strong Sanuprastha, Rishabha and the bull Rishabhaskandha. Delighted, those terrible apes seized trees and all of them leapt up into the sky, searching the ten directions. However, Ravana’s son knew about weapons and was supreme in the use of weapons. Though they were swift, his arrows were swifter and he used those to restrain their speed. Those apes, terrible in their force, were deeply mangled by iron arrows. Because of the darkness, they could not see him, just as the sun is shrouded in clouds.
Ravana’s son, the one who was victorious in assemblies, pierced all the inner organs of Rama and Lakshmana with arrows. They were severely struck. The brave and angry Indrajit incessantly pierced the bodies of the two brother, Rama and Lakshmana, with arrows that were in the form of serpents. Copious quantities of blood flowed out from their wounds. Both of them assumed the appearance of flowering kimshukas.124 Ravana’s son was like a mass of collyrium mixed with oil and his eyes were red. Though he was invisible, he spoke to the two brothers. ‘When I render myself invisible and fight, not even Shakra, the lord of the gods, is capable of seeing and approaching me, not to speak of those like you. O descendants of the Raghu lineage! I have covered you in this net of arrows shafted with heron feathers. Overcome with rage, I will now convey you to Yama’s abode.’ He spoke in this way to the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, who knew about dharma. He pierced them with sharp arrows and roared in delight. He was dark, like a mass of black collyrium mixed with oil. In that great encounter, he stretched his large bow and repeatedly struck them with terrible arrows. He knew about inner organs and those sharp arrows struck deep into the inner organs of the brave Rama and Lakshmana. He roared repeatedly. In the field of battle, both of them were bound by nets of arrows. In the twinkling of an eye, they were not even capable of looking. They looked like the great Indra’s standard, when it is loosened from its ropes and is quivering. Afflicted by their inner organs being mangled, those two brave ones trembled. The lords of the earth cast aside their large bows and fell down on the ground. Exuding blood, those two brave ones lay down on beds meant for heroes. All their limbs were entwined by those arrows and they were severely afflicted. On their bodies, there was not even the space of a single finger that was not pierced, mangled and wounded by arrows, from the fingers to the feet. They were cruelly struck by the rakshasa who could assume any form at will. Fearful streams of blood started to flow, like water from springs. Pierced in his inner organs by the arrows, Rama fell down first. This was the result of Indrajit’s rage, who had vanquished Shakra earlier. He was pierced by narachas,125 half-narachas, bhallas,126 anjalikas,127 vatsadantas,128 simhadashtras129 and kshuras.130 He lay down on that bed meant for heroes, flinging away from his hand his stringed bow, which was bent in three places and was decorated with gold. Rama, bull among men, fell down at a distance that was the range of one arrow away from him. On seeing this, Lakshmana lost all hope of remaining alive. Those two brave ones were bound and lay down, having fallen down. With Vayu’s son at the forefront, the apes assembled and surrounded them. They were afflicted and suffered from great misery.
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The residents of the forest looked everywhere on earth and in the sky and saw the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, covered with arrows. The rakshasa had accomplished his task and withdrew, like the god with the rains.131 With Hanumat, Sugriva, Vibhishana, Nila, Dvivida, Mainda, Sushena, Sumukha and Angada quickly came to that spot and started to grieve for the two Raghavas. They were not moving and breathed faintly. They were covered in streams of blood. They were pierced with nets of arrows and were immobile. They were lying down on beds of arrows. They were sighing like snakes that couldn’t make any efforts, their valour exhausted. Blood flowed from their limbs and they looked like two golden standards. Those two brave ones were lying down on beds meant for heroes. They were lying down and not making any efforts. The leaders surrounded them, their eyes filled with tears. They saw that the two Raghavas had fallen down, enveloped in the nets of arrows. All the apes, with Vibhishana, were distressed. The apes searched in all the directions of the sky. But because he was enveloped in his maya, they could not see Ravana’s son in the battle. Vibhishana used his own maya to cut through the maya and looking around, saw his brother’s son stationed there. He132 was unmatched in his deeds and could not be countered in an encounter. Vibhishana saw the brave one, invisible because of the boon he had obtained.
Indrajit saw that the two were lying down because of the deed he had performed. Extremely delighted and happy, he told all the nairittas, ‘These two extremely strong ones are the slayers of Dushana and Khara. The two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, have been killed by my arrows. Even if all the large numbers of rishis, gods and asuras come together, they are incapable of freeing these two from the bonds of arrows. It was because of what they did that my father was afflicted by grief and was immersed in thoughts. He was incapable of laying his body down on a bed and the three yamas of the night passed.133 It is because of them that the city of Lanka is as turbulent as a river during the monsoon. I have taken the foundation of the calamity away and have destroyed it in every possible way. Like clouds during the autumn,134 all the valour of Rama, Lakshmana and all the residents of the forest will be fruitless.’ He said this to all the rakshasas who were by his side. Ravana’s son then struck all the leader
s of the herds. He afflicted them with torrents of arrows and terrified the apes. The mighty-armed one laughed and spoke these words. ‘O rakshasas! In front of the army, I have bound them down with terrible bonds of arrows. All of you look at those two brothers.’ The one who fought in mysterious ways said this to all the rakshasas. They were filled with great wonder and satisfied at his deed. Like clouds, all of them emitted a loud roar. They said, ‘Rama has been killed,’ and worshipped Ravana’s son. Seeing that those two, Rama and Lakshmana, were not moving and were lying down on the ground and not breathing, he also thought that they had been killed. Filled with delight, Indrajit, the conqueror of assemblies, entered the city of Lanka and caused happiness to all the nairittas.
The bodies of Rama and Lakshmana were pierced with arrows, in all the limbs and smaller limbs. On seeing this, Sugriva was filled with fear. Vibhishana spoke to the terrified Indra among apes, whose face was distressed and full of tears and whose eyes were also overflowing with tears. ‘O Sugriva! Enough of this scare. Control this flow of tears. This is usually what happens in battles. Victory is uncertain. O brave one! Even if there is a bit of good fortune left with us, the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, will fling aside this unconsciousness. O ape! I am without a protector. Therefore, steady yourself. For those who are devoted to truth and dharma, death cannot give rise to fear.’ Saying this, Vibhishana wet his hand with water and wiped Sugriva’s auspicious eyes. The intelligent one wiped the face of the king of the apes. Without any fear, he spoke these words. ‘The time has come. O Indra among kings of apes! This is not the time to indulge in lassitude. This is not the time to indulge in excessive affection. That can give rise to death. Therefore, cast aside this lassitude. It destroys all tasks. Think of the welfare of the soldiers who have had Rama at their forefront. As long as Rama suffers from the catastrophe of losing consciousness, they have to be protected. When the two Kakutsthas regain their senses, they will drive away our fear. This is nothing for Rama. Nor will Rama die. This will not diminish his prosperity. The lifespan, extremely difficult to obtain, has not deserted him. Therefore, comfort yourself and resort to your own strength, until I place all the soldiers back in their ranks. O bull among the apes! They are scared and have dilated their eyes in fear. The apes are speaking into each other’s ears. On seeing me run around, instilling happiness in the army, let the apes give up their terror, just as one casts aside a garland that has been enjoyed.’ Vibhishana, Indra among the rakshasas, reassured Sugriva. Thereafter, he comforted the soldiers of the apes, who were running away.
The Valmiki Ramayana Page 98