December 21 - Sargas 46 and 47 of Yuddha Kanda.
The vanaras looked everywhere for Indrajit as Sri Rama had asked them and returned without success. They found both Sri Rama and Lakshmana flat on the ground. Vibhishana and Sugriva came to the spot and saw the condition of the two heroes. Hanuman and others joined. There was great despondency in everyone.
Sri Rama and Lakshmana were very hungry, very injured, and breathing like the hiss of snakes. They were pierced everywhere by Indrajit's arrows and had bled profusely.
The vanaras shed copious tears. They all looked up into the skies to see where Indrajit might be but there was no sign of him. But Vibhishana could use his own magical powers and spot Indrajit, quite near, directly in front of him.
Indrajit boasted to his rakshasa fellow-warriors. "Look at these brothers who killed Dushana and Khara! Now they have succumbed to my arrows! Even if all the rishis and gods come, they won't be able to release them from my nagapasha. On whose account my revered father was losing his sleep, and who brought distress to the whole of Lanka- I have subdued him. Rama, Lakshmana, and the vanaras have failed like wintry clouds that bring no rain."
Unable to stop there, Indrajit now started shooting arrows at the vanara commanders. Several arrows pierced Nila, Mainda, Dvivida, Jambavan, Hanuman, Sharabha, Gavaksha, Angada, and then Indrajit let out a huge roar. The rakshasas considered Sri Rama dead and celebrated Indrajit exuberantly. Indrajit triumphantly proceeded to Lanka.
Sugriva was lost in distress and fright. Vibhishana spoke:
अलं त्रासेन सुग्रीव बाष्पवेगो निगृह्यताम् - "Enough of wailing, Sugriva! Pull yourself together! This is a common feature of battles - nobody's victory is permanent. If our Fortune so wills, the brothers will regain their consciousness. We should console each other meanwhile, A virtuous hero is never afraid of death."
Vibhishana wiped Sugriva's tears, invoked a mantra with water in hand, and wiped his face clean with it.
"Sugriva, too much sentimentality in friendship is also inopportune now. Think of what we need to do to ensure Sri Rama's interests. We should protect Sri Rama and Lakshmana until they are revived. Look at Sri Rama's face. It is radiant, and belies any fears of his death. I shall meanwhile go and invigorate the vanaras to resume the battle. We should at once stop the mood of defeatism in the vanaras. I shall go and energetically motivate them."
As Vibhishana was restoring the spirit of vanaras, Indrajit returned to Lanka and met his father saying Sri Rama and Lakshmana lay dead. Ravana jumped up in delight and warmly embraced Indrajit. He asked for a full account of how Indrajit had accomplished the enemy's death. Ravana felt mighty relieved after a long time as he had been fearing the worst from his enemy, Sri Rama.
***
Hanuman and others stood guard over Sri Rama and Lakshmana and were fiercely vigilant, holding big trees as weapons. The vanaras were all jittery, reacting to any sounds that might be from further attacks by rakshasas.
Ravana sent for the rakshasis who were guarding Sita. He informed Trijata and others how Indrajit had killed Sri Rama and Lakshmana. They should go and give this news to Sita. "Take her in the Pushpaka Vimana and show her the brothers lying dead on the battlefield."
यदाश्रयादवष्टब्धा नेयं मामुपतिष्ठते ।
सोऽस्या भर्ता सह भ्रात्रा निहतो रणमूर्धनि ॥
"To whom this Sita was bound and held out hope for herself and refused me, let her now know that her husband has been killed in battle along with his brother."
निरपेक्षा विशालाक्षी मामुपस्थास्यते स्वयम्
"Seeing for herself her dead husband, the large-eyed beauty Sita will give up her affection for him and come to me voluntarily!"
The rakshasis said, "Amen" and went to Sita and took her in the Pushpaka Vimana.
Trijata and others accompanied Sita in her aerial survey from the Pushpaka Vimana. She was inconsolably grieving. They also gave her a brief tour of the splendid city of Lanka with its festoons and flags.
Ravana arranged for the whole of Lanka to be informed that Sri Rama and Lakshmana lay dead, to the accompaniment of celebratory drum beats. Sita herself could look over the battlefield and saw the vanaras surrounding Sri Rama and Lakshmana grieving. She got a good look at the brothers pierced with a thousand arrows. Their bows and arrows were cast away. They both looked like dolls made with arrows शरस्तम्बमयौ क्षितौ.
Sita could not bear to see the sight. She burst into loud wailing. She felt that the god-like, radiant, and greatly valorous brothers were now lying lifeless. Her grief punctuated her words that came out.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
