6.089. indrajit grounded in an engaging battle

Hari Om.

Let us begin the eighty ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

As lakshmaNa and indrajit faced off in a fierce encounter, everyone watched in awe. The two warriors were adept at war, expert archers, had a large variety of arrows at their disposal and engaged in a determined fashion. Both were keen to outdo the other. With his magical powers shorn off by the abrupt abortion of the sacrifice he was doing, indrajit was forced to fight lakshmaNa on a level playing field, or the closest it came to. While lakshmaNa was fighting perched on the shoulder of hanumAn, indrajit fought from his chariot that had all the amenities. The valour and lakshmaNa in countering indrajit was there for everyone to see. On one occasion, lakshmaNa shattered the armour of indrajit and hurt him badly. This was repaid by the son of rAvaNa in kind as he did the same. The encounter was brewing and for the first time, indrajit was under pressure and vibhIshaNa stepped in to hasten his end. Onwards…

As lakshmaNa and indrajit were absorbed in an engaging duel like elephants in a rut, vibhIshaNa stood there watching intently and was drawn to twang his own bow in the thick of the battle. He took stance and started unleashing thunderbolt-like arrows at the demon army. His associates also, enthused and encouraged by their master’s show of valour began hacking the demons with their weapons. The mighty and valorous brother of rAvaNa shone like an elephant in the middle of its young calves as they fought indrajit’s army. Then, intent on exhorting the vAnaras who were keen to battle the demons, the articulate vibhIshaNa who had a great sense of time addressed them and said –

“Only this demon is surviving and is the pinnacle of hope of the demons. Once this crook is finished, rAvaNa’s repertoire will be empty and he will run out of options, don’t let your guard down. The warrior prahasta has been slain and so have been the mighty demons nikumbha, kumbhakarNa, dhUmrAksha, jambumAlI, mahAmAlI, suptaghna, yajnakOpa, vajradamshTra, samhrAdI, vikaTa, tapana, praghAsa, praghasa, prajangha, jangha, agnikEtu, rashmikEtu, vidyujjihva, dvijihva, sUryaSatru, akampana, supArSwa, chakramAlI, kampana, dEvantaka, narAntaka and others. All these demon warriors were mighty and strong. Slaying all of them is equal to a feat like swimming across the ocean with your arms. Having accomplished that, slaying indrajit is like jumping across the puddle. Although it is inappropriate for me to be engaged in slaying someone who is like my son. However, by virtue of my affection for rAma, I am ready to vanquish this son of my brother. As I get ready to harm him, tears are clouding my vision and it has to be lakshmaNa, the mighty armed one who will subdue him. O vAnaras, come on, get together and slay all those servitors who are near indrajit and protecting him”.

As they were exhorted thus, by the demon vibhIshaNa, the vAnaras were charged up, their tails taut and upraised and raised war cries loudly like the peacock does when it beholds black clouds. They surrounded the demons who were guarding indrajit and hurled stones and hurt them with their sharp nails and teeth. A fierce battle broke out between the two parties whose din resembled that of the battle between gods and demons. The demons in the meanwhile surrounded jAmbavAn and began attacking him with a number of weapons. Seeing jAmbavAn being attacked thus, hanumAn was livid. He unmounted lakshmaNa and then uprooting a huge sAl tree went to the rescue of jAmbavAn and attacked the demons fiercely.

In the meanwhile, having given a good fight to his uncle vibhIshaNa, indrajit set his sight again on lakshmaNa, the vanquisher of foes. Then both lakshmaNa and indrajit engaged in an awe-inspiring battle where they inundated each other with showers of arrows. Their dexterity in handling of the bow and launching of the arrows was so great that one could hardly see when they took out the arrow from the quiver, when they mounted it on the bow, when they stretched the chord, when they released the arrow, when they tightened their fists, when they took aim or when the arrows breached the target!

न ह्यादानं न सन्धानम् धनुषो वा परिग्रहः ।

न विप्रमोक्षो बाणानाम् न विकर्षो न विग्रहः ।

न मुष्टिप्रतिसन्धानम् न लक्ष्यप्रतिपादनम् ।

अदृश्यत तयोस्तत्र युध्यतोः पाणिलाघवात् ॥

The skies were so filled with their arrows that, hardly any other object could be seen.

At times indrajit got lakshmaNa and equally lakshmaNa got indrajit and they created a tight hold over the other. The skies and all the directions were filled with their arrows and darkness descended everywhere just like it does when the sun is set. Rivers of blood flowed all over. The screeches of hawks could be heard everywhere. The wind stood still, fire couldn’t be lit. All the Rshis who were witnessing the battle prayed for the welfare of the world.

As the battle progressed, saumitri attacked and with four arrows hit the four gold decked black horses of indrajit and killed them. Then lakshmaNa took aim at the charioteer who was deftly manoeuvring the chariot and mounting a dazzling arrow on his robust bow, stretching the string all the way, released it. The arrow went with the force of a thunderbolt and severed the head of the charioteer which fell with a thud like a palm fruit falls from the tree.

Watching his charioteer being slain, indrajit took the reins into hand and managed to manoeuvre the chariot himself. Those who watched the battle marvelled at the ability of indrajit to control the chariot and shoot arrows at the same time.

[But saumitrI was too quick!] Although indrajit tried to manage both, while he paid attention to the horses, lakshmaNa shot at him and while he tried to focus on the bow, saumitri hit the horses exploiting the gaps in indrajit’s focus. This affected indrajit and he was downcast at the death of his charioteer and lost his gumption for the fight. The vAnara warriors celebrated the gloom of indrajit and felicitated lakshmaNa encouraging him even more. In the meanwhile, four warriors – pramAthi, Sarabha, rabhasa and gandhamAdana went near where indrajit’s chariot was and leaping on to the horses yoked to indrajit’s chariot killed them. Having slain the horses, they destroyed the chariot and swiftly returned to where lakshmaNa was.

indrajit was grounded, having lost his chariot, charioteer and horses. He unleashed a barrage of arrows aimed at lakshmaNa while being on the ground. Then that lakshmaNa of indra-like valour repelled indrajit’s attack with a barrage of unerring arrows.