December 20 - Sargas 44 and 45 of Yuddha Kanda.
A bloody battle is fought through the night between rakshasas who capitalize on their increased strength during night battles and the fiercely determined vanaras. It is gruesome with many casualties on both sides.
Indrajit is defeated by Angada. Indrajit resorts to his Mayavidya and becomes invisible and attacks Sri Rama and Lakshmana. In a major setback to the vanaras, Sri Rama and Lakshmana are badly wounded and bound up in a web of Nagapasha arrows. There is much despondency in Sugriva's army.
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युद्ध्यतामेव तेषां तु तदा वानरराक्षसाम् ।
रविरस्तं गतो रात्रिः प्रवृत्ता प्राणहारिणी ॥
"As the rakshasas and vanaras were fighting, the sun set. But the two sides did not stop, and a fierce battle continued into the night, causing much loss of life. The deadly enmity between vanaras and rakshasas was on full display, as they sought out each other, calling out to each enemy warrior and killing him or injuring him. Those who tried to escape were pursued and done to death. There was a huge noise of shouting as the warriors had to fight in the dark. The vanaras were crazy with rage and recklessly destroyed elephants, horses, and chariots, killing the rakshasas. The rakshasas were no less and made a meal of the vanaras whom they caught. The rakshasas were using their powers to become invisible sometimes. But many times their shining armours and weapons gave them away to the vanaras.
Valmiki says there was a veritable river of blood.
There were battle drums and bugles constantly sounding to add to the high noise level and commotion all around. The injured rakshasas and vanaras were screaming in great agony. The night was indeed Kalaratri - the night of death.
Many rakshasas attacked Sri Rama, all at once. They were letting out terrifying screams. Sri Rama incredibly shot so many arrows that whizzed like flaming torches and killed all of them. Then some mighty rakshasa warriors - Durdharsha, Vira, Yajnashatru, Mahaparshva, Mohodara, Mahakaya, Vajradamshtra, Shuka, and Sarana all attacked Sri Rama. But the flurry of Sri Rama's arrows hurt them in all their most vital organs so badly that they all fled at once.
दिशस्चकार विमलाः प्रदिशश्च माहारथः - Sri Rama cleansed the air as it were with his fearsome valour and rid the ten directions of all enemies with his flaming arrows. The rakshasas who came to attack him died like moths in a flame. Valmiki says Sri Rama's arrows were gold-tipped and shone in the moonlight like fireflies.
Valmiki pointedly narrates how the golangula vanaras were frightening as they went and crushed the rakshasas with their arms and ate them up.
Angada went after Indrajit. He destroyed Indrajit's chariot and horses and the charioteer. Indrajit decided to escape into invisibility.
As the gods and devarshis watched from the heavens and applauded Angada, Sri Rama and Lakshmana also showered praise on him. After all, all creation was aware of Indrajit's incomparable strengths. Angada's achievement was therefore even more praiseworthy.
Indrajit was now engulfed in rage. Empowered by Brahma's boons, he was full of tricks and deadly weapons. He resorted to fighting unseen. He suddenly attacked Sri Rama and Lakshamana with serpent arrows (सर्पबाणाः, नागमयैः शरैः). He kept on hurting them badly. Since he was invisible, they could not even defend themselves. Soon, Sri Rama and Lakshmana were rendered inactive in battle, each caught up in a web of serpent arrows. They were disoriented and badly bleeding.
This condition of Nagapasha was dangerous and deadly. Indrajit had resorted to this as his last resort.
Sri Rama was still speaking. He called out to Angada and Sushena's sons, all fierce warriors, to somehow locate Indrajit. Perhaps Sri Rama could have acted in response if they found out where Indrajit was. But their aerial leaps carrying huge boulders and trees, and looking for Indrajit, all were futile.
Indrajit now shot even more arrows and hurt Sri Rama and Lakshmana. Valmiki says there was not a spot on their bodies not pierced by the serpent arrows. The black complexioned Indrajit, with red-cornered eyes, still invisible, called out to them - "Look, fellows! When I am fighting thे battle after becoming invisible, even Indra cannot respond. What about you two mere mortals!? Bah!"
"I have bound you with arrows carrying crow feathers on their tails. Soon I will send you to Yama's world (= death)."
Indrajit uttered a loud guffaw as he showered even more deadly arrows on Sri Rama and Lakshmana. He targeted their vital organs. Sri Rama and Lakshamana were unable to see anything now. The two started swaying. Then one by one, they fell to the ground. They were in utter agony as the serpent arrows continued to torment them. They bled profusely.
Indrajit had used specially crafted arrows - Shighragami, Naracha, Ardhanaracha, Anjalika, Vatsadanta, Simhadamshtra, Kshura, and so on.
Sri Rama's golden bow slipped from his grasp. Sri Rama lay like a warrior on his deathbed. Looking on at him, Lakshmana lost heart.
रामं कमलपत्राक्षं शरण्यं रणतोषिणम् ।
शुशोच भ्रातरं दृष्ट्वा पतितं धरणीतले ॥
"Lakshmana was deeply saddened to behold his elder brother, Sri Rama, with lotus-petal-like eyes, the refuge of all, who exulted in battle, now fallen on the battlefield."
All the vanaras, with Hanuman in the lead, came and saw how Sri Rama and Lakshmana had fallen on the battlefield, bound up by the serpent arrows in a deadly bind and badly wounded. They were all deeply distressed.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
