January 8 - Sarga 71 of Yuddha Kanda.
Atikaya arrives, a huge figure like Kumbhakarna and equipped with deadly weapons. He considers battling Lakshmana beneath himself, but soon sees Lakshmana as he really is, an incredible hero. Lakshmana kills Atikaya with Brahmastra.
***
Atikaya has not entered the battle so far. He sees his brothers and uncles slain in battle, and the way rakshasas are fleeing the battle. He decides to make his entry.
चुकोप च माहातेजा ब्रह्मदत्तवरो युधि अतिकायोऽद्रिसङ्काशो देवदानवदर्पहा
रथमास्थाय विस्फार्य तदा चापं किरिटी मृष्टकुण्डलः
"An enraged Atikaya, most radiant, as huge as a mountain, protected by boons from Brahma, destroyer of the pride of both gods and demons, entered the battle riding in his wonderful chariot, sporting a great crown and a pair of most lustrous gold shoulder ornaments, as well as splendid gold earrings, as he twanged his bow."
It seemed to the vanaras that Kumbhakarna had resurrected himself. They were scared stiff and sought refuge under Sri Rama.
Sri Rama consoled the vanaras and addressed Vibhishana.
***
को हरिलोचनः युक्ते हयसहस्रेण विशाले स्यन्दने स्थितः
य एष निशितैः शूलैः सुतीक्ष्णैः प्रासतोमरैः
अर्चि्ष्मद्भिर्वृतो भाति भूतैरिव महेश्वरः
कालजिह्वा विद्युद्भिरिव तोयदः
शतक्रतुधनुः प्रख्यं
धनुश्चास्य
विराजते!
"Pray tell me, Vibhishana, who is this being with frightful eyes like a lion's, riding a huge chariot drawn by a thousand horses, with so many weapons stacked around him like sharp spears, tomaras and lances, looking like the lord of all creation, surrounded by a halo like the sun, terrifying in his semblance to Death himself, immense like a raincloud streaked with lightning, and wielding a bow like Indra's own!?"
Sri Rama enumerates the weapons and describes the whole armamentarium that the rakshasa is arriving with.
काञ्चनाङ्गदनद्धाभ्यां भुजाभ्यामेष शोभते ।
शृङ्गाभ्यामिव तुङ्गाभ्यां हिमवान् पर्वतोपमः ॥
"Vibhishana! This warrior with his splendid gold shoulder ornaments shines like the Himalayan mountain flanked by two big sharp peaks bathed in golden sunlight!"
We must give it to Sri Rama for his powers of observation and poetic turn of phrase, and he is also displaying a great unflappability in any circumstance!
Vibhishana replies.
"Oh Lord! The great Ravana who has struck terror in the three worlds has begotten this prince Atikaya from his queen Dhanya Malini. He is a formidable warrior and is learned in scriptures, decorous in respecting elders, and adeptly wields a whole gamut of weapons. He is an expert in riding horses, elephants, in sword-fencing, archery, and is known for his regal skills of diplomacy, mastery of the rule of law, and for his military-strategic insights. Indeed, it is owing to his presence that Lanka lives without any fear. He has propitiated Brahma and won many weapons as boons. He cannot also be killed by gods or demons. He sports an impenetrable, splendid, armour given as a boon by Brahma. He has thrashed gods, demons and yakshas umpteen times. He has dented Indra's Vajra and Varuna's pasha weapons.
"Oh, Sri Rama, before Atikaya exterminates our army, he has to be killed."
***
As Atikaya roared and scared all, Dvivida, Mainda, Nila, Sharabha, and other great vanara chiefs descended on him in one go. But all their missiles were futile against Atikaya's arrows and soon they all bit the dust under his onslaught. Atikaya continued his reign of terror like a young and proud lion scatters deer in the forest.
Atikaya now approached Sri Rama and proclaimed, "Look, I am not interested in fighting trivial foes, I have not killed a single vanara thus far. The one who thinks he matches my prowess shall come forward."
This provoked Lakshmana and he stepped forward with a smile, along with his bow and quiver.
He twanged his bow such that it reverberated deafeningly in all directions and surprised Atikaya.
He spoke: बालस्त्वमसि सौमित्रे विक्रमेष्वविचक्षणः गच्छ किं कालसदृशं मां योधयितुमिच्छसि!
"Oh Saumitri, you are yet a tender stripling, unschooled in the art of war, and foolhardy in attempting to fight the Death-like force that I am. Go away."
Atikaya mentioned that even Himalayas would not withstand his attack. Neither would the skies nor earth. Lakshmana should not stir up the fire of dissolution. He should drop his bow and run, lest his bravado result in his immediate death at the hands of Atikaya. Atikaya now set a great arrow to his bow.
Lakshmana replied with great spirit: "Oh one of evil mind! True warriors don't boast. Let me see your prowess in facing me! I can see you have a whole array of weapons in your chariot. Face me with them! After you are done, with my arrows I shall let your life drop like the palm fruit that dries up and drops from its tree. How does it matter to you if your foe is a young man or a veteran warrior? Don't you know that Mahavishnu was but a young boy when he rose up and measured the whole world with his three strides!?"
Atikaya began his attack. The gods and sages quickly took their places to witness the battle. His sharp arrows were all nullified by a single crescent-tipped arrow from Lakshmana.
Atikaya shot more and more deadly arrows, all meeting with the same fate on encountering Lakshmana's replies.
Lakshmana now shot a fierce arrow that was ridged in places and shone like fire as it went directly and pierced Atikaya's forehead. Atikaya was badly hurt and pushed to the back of his chariot as he took time to rethink his game plan. He acknowledged, साधु बाणनिपातेन श्लाघनीयोऽसि मे रिपुः! "Indeed you are my worthy foe, considering the wonderful strike you have made with your arrow!"
Atikaya then released three, five, seven arrows at a time, all in rapid succession, sure that they would do the job. But he was disappointed as Lakshmana countered them easily.
Atikaya now aimed and managed to strike with his arrow Lakshmana's breast. Lakshmana pulled out that arrow and responded with Agneyastra. Atikaya could counter it with Suryastra. Atikaya now invoked Aishikastra, Lakshmana dealt with it with Aindrastra. Yamyastra also proved unequal to Lakshmana's arrows. Now Lakshmana started raining thousands of arrows on Atikaya, but his divine armour ensured that he was unscathed.
Atikaya now invoked a terrrible astra that struck Lakshmana and rendered him senseless for quite some time. But Lakshmana managed to get back on his feet and now destroyed in one go Atikaya's chariot and horses and everything. He went on hurting Atikaya but could not really penetrate his armour.
Then Lord Vayu came to Lakshmana and told him. "Know that Atikaya wears his special armour given as a boon by Brahma. You have to resort to Brahmastra itself to get any result."
Lakshmana bowed to Lord Vayu, now invoked the Brahmastra which he launched at Atikaya. Atikaya's efforts to counter the Brahmastra with all his weapons went in vain. As the astonished onlookers saw its universal destructive power, the Brahmastra went straight and decapitated Atikaya and his head rolled down, with his great crown and gold earrings.
The great warrior Atikaya was dead. All his ornaments, his weapons, everything was in disarray, a mute witness to his slaying by Lakshmana.
The rakshasas went to Lanka greatly distressed and feeling a sense of utter gloom now.
Lakshmana was the toast of the entire vanara army and was celebrated by Sri Rama.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
