January 26 - Sargas 100 and 101 of Yuddha Kanda.
Ravana renders Lakshmana unconscious and nearly dead. Much to Sri Rama's relief, Hanuman again brings the Sanjivani with which Sushena revives Lakshmana.
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मयेन विहितं रौद्रमन्यदस्त्रं महाद्युतिः ।
उत्स्रष्टुं रावणो भीमं राघवाय प्रचक्रमे ॥
"Seeing his weapon rendered null and void by Sri Rama, Ravana was extremely provoked and decided to launch a terrible weapon fashioned by Mayasura for him and strike Sri Rama."
Ravana's launch of that weapon resulted in several terrific weapons emerging simultaneously from his bow. Sri Rama nullified all of them with the supreme Gandharvastra.
Ravana now launched Saurastra, which created circles of deadly weapons illumining the sky as they advanced. Sri Rama's arrows targeted them and destroyed them midair.
Ravana attacked and hurt Sri Rama in ten vital places at once. Unmindful of his own injuries, Sri Rama in turn attacked Ravana all over his body. Lakshmana now entered the fray. He methodically destroyed Ravana's flag (on which figured a human head as a sign of his conquest of all humans) as well as his charioteer. Five arrows from Lakshmana went and destroyed Ravana's huge bow that resembled an elephant trunk.
Vibhishana attacked the horses of Ravana's chariot and destroyed them with his mace.
Ravana leaped off his chariot, and attacked Vibhishana, burning with rage. He launched a terrific weapon Shakti that was bound to kill Vibhishana. Lakshmana interceded just in time and with three arrows destroyed that Shakti before it went and hit Vibhishana. This drew great applause from the vanaras.
Ravana was uncontrollable in his fury now. He picked up an expansive Shakti weapon that had been created by his ascetic penance power. Realizing that Vibhishana would need protection from that lustrous Shakti, Lakshmana shielded him just in time and attacked Ravana with such a rain of arrows that Ravana stopped.
Ravana now screamed at Lakshmana, "Now that you shielded the despicable Vibhishana from my Shakti, I am now going to launch a special weapon directly at you. It goes and cleaves the life out of my enemy. It shall tear you down and then return to me."
The Mahashakti weapon, created by Mayasura, was looking magnificent and sported eight big bells. When Ravana launched it, it lit up the sky and rushed towards Lakshmana. It made a terrific noise as it smashed into Lakshmana and felled him, just as Sri Rama uttered a fervent prayer to that Shakti to spare Lakshmana and extinguish itself.
The Shakti penetrated into Lakshmana. It was as if a deadly serpent had entered his being. Seeing Lakshmana fall down plunged Sri Rama into great grief.
Sri Rama took some time to recover his bearings. He decided that the time was opportune to act and not be lost in mourning. Sri Rama started fighting ferociously.
After some time, Sri Rama again looked at the fallen Lakshmana. That Shakti had pierced through him and into the earth. The vanaras were struggling to pull it out. Sri Rama went and applying all his might, pulled out the Shakti with a roar and broke it down with his hands. Throwing it down, Sri Rama now called out to Hanuman and Sugriva. Valmiki mentions how in the meanwhile Sri Rama had received many arrows from Ravana that had pierced his body. But he was unmindful. He said to them, "Oh vanaras, please stand guard around Lakshmana. I shall vent my rage pent up all these days and unleash my prowess on the enemy."
"Just as the Chataka bird awaits rain after the summer season, I have been biding my time. Now is the time to kill this evil Ravana. Hear my oath, oh vanaras! Soon the earth will be rid of either Ravana or Rama.
राज्यनाशं वने वासं दण्डके परिधावनम् ।
वैदेह्याश्च परामर्शो रक्षोभिश्च समागमम् ॥
प्राप्तं दुःखं महाघोरं क्लेशश्च निरयोपमः ।
अद्य सर्वमहं त्यक्ष्ये निहत्वा रावणं रणे ॥
"The loss of my kingdom, banishment into the forest, wandering there, the abduction of my wife Vaidehi Sita, encounters with so many rakshasas, endless misery, terrible grief over loss, and incomparable hardships - all these have I suffered thus far. Today I shall vent my rage by killing this evil Ravana in battle.
"The series of my actions including friendship with Sugriva, installing him on the Kishkindha throne, building the bridge over the ocean, all this is brought to fruition today in the form of this enemy Ravana in front of me. He does not deserve to live any longer."
अद्य पश्यन्तु रामस्य रामत्वं मम संयुगे ।
त्रयो लोकाः सगन्धर्वाः स देवाः सर्षिचारणाः ॥
"Let the Ramatva of Rama be now witnessed in this battle by the three worlds of celestials, gandharvas, siddhas, rishis, and charanas.
" My deeds of valour in this battle shall be spoken of as long as this earth lasts by all living beings."
शितैर्बाणैर्तप्तकाञ्चनभूषणैः - "Saying this, Sri Rama attacked and hurt Ravana with a deluge of extremely sharp, golden arrows. Ravana responded too. The fierce battle between them with a rain of arrows was lighting up the sky and raising a terrific noise that shook all creatures."
But soon, Ravana was unable to withstand Sri Rama's attack and beat a quick retreat from battle.
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Sri Rama now addressed Sushena. "It grieves me no end to see Lakshmana fallen in battle like this, struck by Ravana's Shakti. Lakshmana is dearer to me than my own life.
अयं तु समरश्लाघी भ्राता मे शुभलक्षणः ।
यदि पञ्चमापन्नः प्राणैर्मे किं सुखेन वा ॥
लज्जतीव हि मे वीर्यं भ्रष्यतीव कराद्धनुः ।
सायका व्यवसीदन्ति दृष्टिर्बाष्पवशं गता ॥
"If this great warrior and my dearest brother, full of auspicious qualities, Lakshmana, has lost his life to the five elements, neither my life nor any worldly pleasure has any significance. My valour will hide in shame and my bow will slip from my hand. My arrows will perish and my sight will be blinded by my tears.
"My body is withering as in a dream and seeing my brother's precarious condition, I feel like dying. "
Sri Rama was plunged into terrible distress seeing his alter ego Lakshmana fallen thus. He muttered how winning the war had lost meaning just like moonlight would make no sense to a blind man. He would follow Lakshmana to the next world. Alas, Lakshmana had been felled by the enemy who fought with illusionist tricks. One would readily find wives and friends and relatives everywhere but not a brother like Lakshmana.
How would Sri Rama now go and face Sumitra? Or Kaikeyi and Kausalya and Bharata?
Sri Rama's grief and sorrowful words increased in intensity as he recalled all that Lakshmana had meant to him. Now Sushena approached Sri Rama.
"Look, Sri Rama, Lakshmana is not dead. There is still lustre in his face, his body has not darkened, and signs of life-breath are still present. We can revive him."
Calling to Hanuman, Sushena requested him to again go to the Himalayas, and bring those four precious herbs he had been told about before by Jambavan. Losing no time, Hanuman flew to the Himalayas. Again unable to identify for himself the four medicinal life-giving herbs, he again decided to lift that mountain Mahodayagiri and bring it to Sushena.
सुषेणो वानरश्रेष्ठो जग्राहोत्पाट्य चौषधीः "Praising Hanuman, Sushena quickly retrieved those four herbs from the mountain. "
विस्मितास्तु बभूवुस्ते रणे वानरपुङ्गवाः ।
दृष्ट्वा तु हनुमत्कर्म सुरैरपि सुदुष्करम् ॥
"All the vanara chiefs were simply astonished by Hanuman's incredible feat of bringing the Sanjivani mountain, a deed impossible even for the gods."
After Sushena crushed the herbs and administered the potion to Lakshmana through the nasal route, Lakshmana was magically revived, healed of injuries, and free from the embedded arrows. Lakshmana stood up and went to Sri Rama who was unable to control his relief and joy as he embraced Lakshmana again and again, saying how Lakshmana's demise would have erased for him any hope or interest in life.
Lakshmana replied with much feeling, making it clear to all of us how wonderful was his own personality.
तां प्रतिज्ञां प्रतिज्ञाय पुरा सत्यपराक्रम ।
लघुः कश्चिद्विवासत्त्वो नैवं त्वं वक्तुमर्हसि ॥
वधेन रावणस्याद्य प्रतिज्ञाम् अनुपालय ॥
"Dear Sri Rama, having promised before that you shall kill Ravana and establish Vibhishana on the throne, how can you risk your famed adherence to truth and your upholding your word always!? You shall not speak these weak words. Incomparable men like you do not make promises lightly. They always carry out their commitments. You should never feel so distressed on my account that you will swerve from your promise. Today, please carry out your vow and kill Ravana."
Lakshmana concludes by telling Sri Rama that he is sure that Sri Rama will successfully achieve whatever he desires.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
