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Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda in Prose Sarga 86

On the advice of Vibhishana, Lakshmana releases a multiple of arrows towards Indrajit. A fight ensues between bears monkeys and demons. Hearing the terrible noise of the battle, Indrajit discontinues his sacrificial rite and enters the battle-field. Hanuma with trees as weapons, plays havoc among the demons and challenges Indrajit to a duel. Lakshmana catches sight of Indrajit, coming in his chariot.

 

 

In that situation, Vibhishana then spoke the following words, which were hostile to the enemies and advantageous to Lakshmana. "Let this army of demons which is seen here, dark as a cloud, be quickly engaged in battle, by the monkeys using rocks as thier weapons. O Lakshmana! Make an effort to break this mighty army. When this army is destroyed, Indrajit also will become visible."

"You as such, rush forward quickly, gushing out arrows, equal to Indra's thunderbolt, on the enemies, so long as this sacrificial act of Indrajit is not actually carried through. O hero! Make a short work of Indrajit, the evil minded, who is interested in performing conjuring tricks, who is unjust, engaged in cruel acts and who brings fear to all the worlds."

Hearing the words of Vibhishana, Lakshmana, having auspicious marks, showered forth streams of arrows in the direction of Indrajit. Bears and monkeys, who fight was gigantic trees, rushed towards that army of demons, drawn up in battle-array.

The demons too, with an intent to kill the monkeys in battle, attacked them with sharp arrows, sowrds, spears and javelins. That tumultuous battle between the monkeys and the demons rendered Lanka noisy on all sides with its great uproar.

The sky was covered with weapons of various shapes, sharp arrows, trees and tossed mountain tops. Those demons of ugly faces and arms, hurling weapons on the monkeys, created a great fear. Even the monkeys too struck and killed all the demons in the battle, with various types of trees and mountain-peaks.

A great fear developed among the demons who were fighting with mighty leaders of bears and monkeys endowed with colossal bodies. Hearing that his own army being tormented by the enemies, was dejected; that unconquerable Indrajit left off, without performing the sacrificial rite.

That enraged Indrajit, coming out from the gloominess of the trees, ascended his firmly yoked chariot which had already been united. That awful Indrajit, armed with terrific bow and arrows, looking like a mass of black collyrium with his blood-red eyes, appeared like the destructive Death.

Just on seeing Indrajit being on a chariot, that army of demons with a terrific speed, turned back, wishing to fight with Lakshmana. At that time, Hanuma the destroyer of enemies looking like a mountain, uplifted an absolutely unpaalleled large tree. Consuming that army of demons, as a fire at the time of universal dissolution, the aforesaid monkey made that army unconscious on the battle field, with many trees.

Immediately on seeing Hanuma destroying thier army rapidly, thousands of demons hurled weapons on him. Approaching Hanuma looking like a mountain, the demons bearing pointed pikes struck him from all sides with pkes, those carrying swords in their hands with swords, those carring javelins in their hands with jalins, with iron rods with maces; those armed with sharp-edged spears with spears, as also with bright-looking spears, with hundreds of cylindrical wooden pieces studded with iron spikes, with steel hammers, ,with awful axes, with slings for the rwing stones, with their thunderbolt-like fists and slaps which fell like flashes of lighning. Then, the enraged Hanuma made a colossal destruction of those demons.

That Indrajit saw Hanuma, the foremost of monkeys, looking like a mountain, fearlessly killing his enemies. He spoke the following words tohis charioteer: "Take the chariot to the place where that monkey is standing. If we neglect him, he will surely destroy our demons."

Hearing the words of that Indrajit, the charioteer went, carrying that very unconquerable Indrajit sitting in the chariot, to the place where Hanuma was there. Coming close to Hanuma, that unconquerable Indrajit hurled swords, sharp-edged spears and axes on the head of Hanuma.

Receiving those terrible weapons, that Hanuma spoke, seized as he was, with great rage, the following words: "O evil-minded Indrajit! If you are valiant, fight with me. Coming nearer to Hanuma, you will not return alive. O foolish fellow! If you enter into a duel with me, fight with your arms. Withstand my force in the battle-field. Then you will be considered as the best among the demons."

Vibhishana told Lakshmana in the following words that while with bow upraised, Indrajit sought to kill Hanuma. "Having seated in a chariot, Indrajit, who conquered Indra, is seeking to kill Hanuma. O Lakshmana! Kill that Indrajit with your terrific arrows of incomparable workmanship, which ward off the enemies and putting an end to their lives."

Hearing the words of Vibhishana, who was fearful to his adversaries, the great-souled Lakshmana saw Indrajit, who closely resembled a mountain, seated in a chariot, of terrific strength and who was difficult to approach.

 

Thus, this is the 86th chapter in Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

 

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© November 2008, K. M. K. Murthy