January 9 - Sargas 72 and 73 of Yuddha Kanda.
Ravana is quite agitated and diffident now. He has lost his sons and brothers and great rakshasa warriors to the onslaught of the vanara army under Sri Rama and Lakshmana. His concerns are threefold- first, how to protect Lanka from being overrun by the vanaras, second, how to avoid defeat that will irreparably damage his reputation, and third and foremost, how not to lose Sita! Notice he has no fear of death. He also has only nominal grief over the loss of his sons.
Indrajit fills Ravana with great hope and confidence and marches to war. He uses Brahmastra to pretty much destroy the entire enemy including Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
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Ravana spoke. "Dhumraksha, Akampana, Prahasta, Kumbhakarna - these were unconquerable thus far, and they have all been killed by Rama's army. Other great warriors too have died. What I am unable to understand is how Rama and Lakshmana managed to extricate themselves from the nagapasha!!!!"
मोक्तुं तद्बन्धनं घोरं यक्षगन्धर्वपन्नगैः (सुरैः सर्वैरसुरैर्वा)
तन्न जाने प्रभावैर्वा मायया मोहनेन वा
शरबन्धाद्विमुक्तौ तौ भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
"I am totally at a loss to comprehend how the brothers Rama and Lakshmana managed to release themselves from that death-dealing nagapasha, which cannot be unravelled by either gods, demons, yakshas, gandharvas, or nagas! Did they have some hidden powers? Or resort to some magic/illusionism? Hypnotism? Phew!"
तं न पश्याम्यहं युद्धे योऽद्य रामं सलक्ष्मणं नाशयेत् सबलं वीरं ससुग्रीवं विभीषणम्
"I can't see anyone today capable of defeating and killing Rama along with Lakshmana, Sugriva, and Vibhishana in battle. "
तं मन्ये राघवं वीरं नारायणमनामयम् "I consider Rama to be the impeccable Narayana himself!"
"Look, all of you rakshasas! Take every measure to protect Lanka, and especially Ashoka Vana where Sita is in our captivity, such that the enemy does not breach our defences!" Ravana left for his inner palace in great anguish, chagrined and full of sighs over the death of Atikaya.
***
The next few sargas are about Indrajit.
दीनं शोकार्णवं परिपुप्लुवानम् रथर्षभो राक्षसराजसूनुस्तमिनद्रजिद् वाक्यमिदं बभाषे
"Indrajit, foremost among warriors riding on a chariot, the eldest and ablest son of the rakshasa king Ravana, now spoke to his father who was feeling down and out and drowning in the ocean of sorrow over those killed in battle."
"Supreme lord and father! You should grieve not when your son Indrajit is still around. See how Rama and Lakshmana will be killed in battle by me. Hear my oath इमां प्रतिज्ञां शृणु that Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva, Indra, Yama, Surya, Chandra, Agni, will all now witness mutely my prowess, like Vishnu's when he defeated Bali."
Indrajit got ready in a rush, along with the entire rakshasa army with all their deadly weapons and paraphernalia. It was in their great martial spirit. They were accompanied by the entire military band. The rakshasas presented a formidable challenge to any enemy in the three worlds. Ravana was again enthused and proclaimed, "Indeed, son, you are the greatest! How indeed will Rama survive your onslaught!? Bravo!"
Indrajit now performed the worship ceremonially of the god of fire, Agni, with mantras and rituals, offering all sacred materials and oblations. He sacrificed a goat. There arose auspicious signs of a propitiated deity conferring victory, erupting from the sacred fire. Agni himself appeared and accepted the offering in joy.
Indrajit now set Brahmastra to his bow, to the consternation and dismay of all in the three worlds. Indra hid himself in fear. The rakshasas attacked with great gusto the vanaras. Indrajit ordered them to kill and kill relentlessly.
Indrajit was not seen by the vanaras or rakshasas at first as he started shooting his various arrows that wreaked havoc. Then the vanara chiefs inferred where he was. Indrajit was killing several vanaras with each of his arrows. Regardless, the vanara chiefs, who had dedicated their life-breath to Sri Rama, attacked Indrajit with their missiles, unmindful of their wounds that were bleeding profusely.
Valmiki describes how Indrajit laid low Gandhamadana, Nala, Mainda, Gaja, Jambavan, Nila, Sugriva, Rishabha, Angada, and Divida, one by one. Indrajit was invisible but not his hail of arrows that found their mark constantly. Indrajit covered the entire atmosphere with his arrows, bursting with glee at his own prowess and success. The vanaras were succumbing to the attack, reeling down, holding each other in the throes of death. Hanuman, Sushena, Vegadarshi, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Vidyuddamshtra, Kesari, Suryanana, Jyorirmukha, Dadhimukha, Pavakaksha, Kumuda....one by one bit the dust. Indrajit did not spare Sri Rama and Lakshmana either.
Sri Rama now addressed Lakshmana.
असौ पुनर्लक्ष्मण राक्श्रसेन्द्रो ब्रह्मास्त्रमाश्रित्य सुरेन्द्रशत्रुः ।
निपातयित्वा हरिसैन्यमस्माञ्शितैः शरैरर्दयति प्रसक्तम् ॥
"Oh Lakshmana, witness how this enemy of Indra, the rakshasa prince, has resorted to Brahmastra itself and laid low all the vanara chiefs and attacked both of us, too!"
'There is no way anyone can attack this invisible enemy today, and he is also protected by Brahma's boons!"
मन्ये स्वयंभूर्भगवानचिन्त्यस्तस्यैतदस्त्रं प्रभवश्व योऽस्य ।
बाणावपातं त्वमिहाद्य धीमान् मया सहाव्यग्रमानाः सहस्व ॥
"Oh Lakshmana, Lord Brahma, self-born and beyond the scope of understanding, presides over this astra with which we have been now attacked. Be with me, let us lie low, and forbear this onslaught for now."
"This Indrajit has seen us both fallen. He has won the Lakshmi of victory and will now leave the battlefield exulting in his success."
Having dealt apparently the final blow to the enemy, Indrajit triumphantly marched into Lanka, to much celebration and praise by Ravana.
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
