Hari Om.
Let us begin the forty sixth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
As the battle began between the determined vAnaras and the sophisticated demons, the first victory went to the vAnaras led by rAma. Against the normal conventions, the war didn’t stop by sunset since the nocturns continued their assault into the night and rAma’s army had to respond. Nevertheless, angada went after indrajit and destroyed his chariot. But that made the son of rAvaNa to disappear and use his magic to attack the enemy from the cover of invisibility. He deftly attacked the key warriors and drew the first blood for the demons as he pointed shot rAma and lakshmaNa on all their body without sparing an inch with venomous serpentine arrows and made them fall on the battle ground. The vAnaras and vibhIshaNa were devastated to behold the duo fallen thus and gathered around them. Onwards…
The vAnaras were following the trajectory of the arrows that were raining from the skies and kept looking at the sky and the earth repeatedly. As indrajit halted his assault of the rain of the arrows like the gods paused the rain, the vAnaras found rAma and lakshmaNa completely hit by arrows. sugrIva, vibhIshaNa, nIla, dvivida, mainda, sushENa, kumuda, angada and hanumAn reached there swiftly searching for the duo. They found the duo to be completely drenched in blood with wounds all over the body, immobilized and fallen on the ground. Their breath was very slow and heavy as they lied on the ground having fought valiantly. Beholding the duo thus, all the vAnaras along with vibhIshaNa were devastated. The vAnaras kept searching for rAvaNI (rAvaNa’s son, indrajit) all over the skies but couldn’t find him. However, blessed with a boon, vibhIshaNa could spot the trickster indrajit, his brother’s son, who laid the valiant duo down. He had performed a peerless deed with his splendour, fame and valour. The son of rAvaNa beheld the duo and in a self-congratulatory tone told the other demons –
“The mighty duo who are the murderers of dUshaNa and khara have been laid low by my arrows. There is no way they can be freed from the captivity of these arrows even of the entire gamut of Rshis, gods and demons come here. The root cause that haunted my father so much that he could hardly sleep at the night, and which had tormented lanka has been vanquished by me. The valour of rAma, lakshmaNa and all the vAnaras has been rendered impotent like the autumnal clouds”.
Boasting thus to the demons, indrajit assaulted the vAnaras from his shield of invisibility. He hit nIla with nine arrows, and mainda and dvivida with three huge arrows each. The mighty archer hit jAmabavAn on the chest with his arrow and aimed ten arrows at the swift hanumAn. He hit gavAksha and Sarabha with two arrows each. Then hitting angada with many arrows, the mighty rAvaNi roared loudly and boastfully asked the demons to watch the duo who have been seized by his arrows. The demons who were experts in devious fights were astonished at the exploits of rAvaNI and realizing that rAma and lakshmaNa have been felled, they felicitated him. The victor in wars, indrajit, assuming the duo to be dead, entered the city of lanka sending the demons into rapturous celebrations.
Watching rAma and lakshmaNa badly injured by the arrows all over the body, sugrIva was terrified and he shed tears of grief. Trying to comfort him, vibhIshaNa said –
अलं त्रासेन सुग्रीव बाष्पवेगो निगृह्यताम् ।
एवं प्रायाणि युद्धानि विजयो नास्ति नैष्ठिकः ॥
सशेषभाग्यताऽस्माकम् यदि वीर भविष्यति ।
मोहमेतौ प्रहास्येते महात्मानौ महाबलौ ॥
“O sugrIva, please control your tears and don’t be stressed. Victory is never guaranteed in wars. If there is any fortune remaining for us, mighty duo will soon regain consciousness and rise. Till such time please control yourself and also assure me. The ones who are wedded to truth and dharma have no fear of death”.
Comforting thus, vibhIshaNa wiped the tears of sugrIva with his wet hands. He brought some water and sanctified it with mantras and washed sugrIva’s eyes and face with that sanctified water. Having done so, vibhIshaNa spoke wise and assured words that were appropriate to that moment and said again to sugrIva –
न कालः कपिराजेन्द्र वैक्लव्यमनुवर्तितुम् ।
अतिस्नेहोऽप्यकालेऽस्मिन् मरणायोपकल्पते ॥
तस्मादुत्सृज्य वैक्लव्यम् सर्वकार्यविनाशनम् ।
हितं रामपुरोगाणाम् सैन्यानामनुचिन्त्यताम् ॥
“O king of the vAnaras, this is no time to drop into depression. To be very attached to rAma and lakshmaNa at this time might bring our end. Hence, get up and discard this frailty which will destroy our entire mission. Think of the welfare of the army that is leading rAma’s battle. Protect rAma until he regains his consciousness and once the duo are back, they will wipe out our fear.
अथवा रक्ष्यतां रामो यावत् सञ्ज्ञाविपर्ययः ।
लब्धसञ्ज्ञौ हि काकुत्स्थौ भयं नो व्यपनेष्यतः ॥
The liveliness that is still there in rAma is not to be found in those who are dead. Therefore assure yourself and the army and hold on while I go and rearrange the army. O sugrIva, see the vAnaras are whispering in each other’s ears with wide opened eyes. I shall go and reassure the fleeing vAnaras. May they discard their fear upon my reassurance”.
Thus, comforting sugrIva, the king of the demons vibhIshaNa comforted the fleeing vAnara forces that were scattered and reorganized them.
The trickster indrajit in the meanwhile, accompanied by his army entered the city of lanka and met his father. He paid his respects to him with folded hands and told him the good news about the fall of rAma and lakshmaNa. The demon king rAvaNa, at once stood up from his throne in great delight and upon hearing the news of the enemy’s fall, he embraced indrajit and blessed him in great fondness. Upon being asked, indrajit gave him all the details of how the duo have been laid down in the battle field by his arrows. The demon king recovered from the fear of rAma which was haunting him and in great delight, congratulated his son.
Here we conclude the forty sixth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 6.047. The demon king day-dreams
Previous: 6.045. Hiding behind magic, the coward attacks
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
