³⁶¹ Aiya to-day in the text.
³⁶² Maharatham (ac) may also mean mighty car. By the way the samasa or junction called Tatpurusha is a frequent source of obscurity in Sanskrit, specially where the gender of the word without samāsa is the same with that of the thing signified by the samāsa, as in this case.—T.
SECTION LXLI.
Having his steeds slain, the night-ranger—Indrajit, standing on the ground, waxing fiercely angered, flamed up in energy. And armed with bows, they, desirous of slaying each other with shafts resembled an elephant and a bull in a forest, came out for securing victory in encounter. And slaughtering owe another, the Rākshasas and the wood-rangers, rushing this way and that, did not (for a moment) leave their lords. Then Rāvana’s son, gladdening all the Rākshasas, and himself feeling cheered, addressed them in words of praise, saying,—"All sides are entirely enveloped in this gloom,—so that, O foremost of Rākshasas, here we do not know who belongeth onto us and who not.—Do ye fight fearlessly for stupifying the monkeys; and I too, mounted on a car, shall come hither into the conflict. Do ye so act that the high-souled rangers of the woods may not attack me as I enter the city". Saying this, that slayer of foes—Rāvana’s son, deceiving the wood-rangers, entered the city of Lankā for providing himself with a (fresh) car. And embellishing a chariot, graceful and adorned with gold, furnished with prāças and swords and arrows, yoked with superb steeds, and driven by a charioteer, knowing horses and possessed of instructions (anent his art),—that victor in battle—the exceedingly energetic son of Rāvana—ascended it. And that hero, Mandodari’s son, urged on by the force of the Finisher, went out of the city, surrounded by the foremost Rākshasas; and drawn by fast-speeding steeds, he presented himself before Lakshmana along with Bibhishana. And seeing Rāvana’s son seated on the car, the son of Sumitrā and the exceedingly powerful monkeys and the Rākshasa—Bibhishana-—were highly amazed at the lighthandedness of that intelligent one. And Rāvana’s son, waxing furious, in that contest began to bring down monkeys by hundreds and by thousands. And that victor in battle—Rāvana’s son—fired with wrath, summoning all his celerity, slaughtered monkeys, drawing his bow into a circle. And slaughtered by nārāchas of terrific impetuosity, the monkeys saught the shelter of Sumitrā’s son, like creatures seeking the refuge of their Lord. Then the son of Raghu, flaming up in martial wrath, severed his³⁶³ bow, displaying his fleethandedness. Thereat, taking another bow, (Indrajit) hurriedly fastened the string to it. And this bow also did Lakshmana cut off by means of a brace of arrows. And when (Indrajit) had his bow severed, Sumitrā’s son pierced the son of Rāvana with five shafts resembling the venom of a poisonous serpent. And the shafts discharged from his³⁶⁴ mighty bow, piercing his³⁶⁵ person, dropped to the earth like unto powerful red serpents. And having his bow cut off, Rāvana’s son, vomitting blood by his mouth, took up a superior bow powerful to a degree and having a stout string. And then aiming at Lakshmana, he, summoning his utmost celerity, showered arrows, as showereth Purandara in the season of rains. Thereat Lakshmana, subduer of enemies, retaining his calmness, resisted that powerful arrowy shower shot by Indrajit. And then that exceedingly energetic one, Raghu’s son, possessing himself in calmness, displayed (his prowess) unto the son of Rāvana; and this was wonderful (to behold). And then displaying his lightness in the use of weapons, Lakshmana, growing furious, pierced the Rākshasas with three arrows each in that mighty encounter; and the lord of Rākshasas struck him with showers of shafts. And pierced sore by that powerful enemy—slayer of foes—he incessantly sent innumerable arrows after Lakshmana. And ere they reached their destination, that slayer of hostile heroes severed them with whetted arrows; and in the encounter that righteous one and foremost of car-warriors with a dart having bent joints, cut off the head of his charioteer mounted on the car. And deprived of their driver, there the steeds, retaining their calmness, began to go in rounds,—and this was wonderful Then Sumitrā’s son of steady prowess, fired with anger, in that contest, frightening all, pierced his horses with arrows. And not brooking that act (of his adversary), Rāvana’s son in the encounter pierced with ten shafts Sumitrā’s son capable of making people’s down stand on end. And his shafts resembling thunderbolts, and like unto all varieties of venom, touching (Lakshmana’s) mail having a golden splendour, were reduced to naught. Thereat considering Lakshmana as clad in an impenetrable armour, Rāvana’s son—Indrajit—growing furiously enraged, displaying his lighthandedness in arms, pierced Lakshmana in the temples with three well-knobbed shafts. And with those arrows lodged in his temples, Raghu’s son, delighting in battle, appeared beautiful in the field like a mountain furnished with three summits. Albeit thus smitten in the contest by the Raksha with shafts, Lakshmana swiftly smote him in turn with five arrows; and in the encounter Lakshmana drawing his bow, pierced with shafts Indrajit’s face graced with elegant ear-rings. And those heroes—Lakshmana and Indrajit—equipped with exceedingly powerful bows, and endowed with heroism and dreadful prowess, wounded each other with sharp arrows. And both Lakshmana and Indrajit, with their persons bathed in blood in that encounter, appeared like unto flowering Kinçukas. And approaching each other, those bowmen, each telling his heart on victory, wounded each other all over the body with terrific shafts. Then Rāvana’s son, carried away by martial rage, pierced Bibhishana in his handsome face With three arrows. And piercing the lord of Rākshasas, Bibhishana, he with three iron-headed arrows, pierced the monkey-leaders each with a shaft. Thereat, enraged at him more furiously than ever, the exceedingly energetic Bibhishana with his mace despatched the steeds of the wicked-minded son of Rāvana. Then jumping down from his chariot with its horses slain, (Indrajit), endowed with great energy, who had his charioteer pounded, discharged a dart at his uncle. And seeing it descend, the enhancer of Sumitrā’s joy severed the same with whetted arrows and brought it down in ten fragments to the ground. And Bibhishana of a tough bow, growing enraged, discharged at (Indrajit), who had his steeds slain, five speeding shafts having the touch of the thunder-bolt.—And those arrows furnished with gold at the feathered parts, riving his person, were bathed in blood, and resembled mighty red serpents. Thereat wroth with his uncle, Indrajit took op an excellent shaft—bestowed on him by Yama himself—endowed with terrific force,—the flower of shafts among all the Rakshas. And seeing that mighty shaft set by him (on the bow-string), the highly powerful Lakshmana, possessed of dreadful prowess, (in his turn) took up another arrow, bestowed by Kuvera himself of immeasurable soul in a dream,—unconquerable, and incapable of being borne even by the celestials and Asuras with Indra at their head. And on their best of bows being powerfully drawn with their arms resembling bludgeons, they set up cries like unto Kraunchas. And on those foremost of shafts set on those excellent bows of those heroes, being drawn, flamed up in exceeding splendour. And those flaming arrows, discharged from the bows, illumining the welkin, with vehemence struck at each other’s head. And a concussion took place of those arrows of terrific aspects; and a furious fire sprang up thereat, with embers shooting around. And dashing against each other like unto mighty planets, they, reduced to an hundred shivers in the encounter, saught the earth. Seeing their shafts baffled, Indrajit and Lakshmana, staying on the edge of the battle, were seized with shame and wrath. Thereat Sumitrā’s son, flying into a fury, took up a Vāruna weapon. And the conquerer of the great Indra intent on battle, in the encounter discharged a terrific Raudra weapon; and the exceedingly wonderful Vāruna weapon was baffled by him. Then, waxing wroth, that victor in battle—the wondrous energetic Indrajit—as if annihilating the world, discharged a flaming Agneya weapon. And the heroic Lakshmma resisted it with a Solar weapon. Seeing his weapon resisted, Rāvana’s son, transported with passion, took up an Asura arrow, capable of rending foes. And from that weapon issued daggers and clubs and darts and bhuçundis and maces and swords and axes.³⁶⁶ And in the conflict, seeing that dire and dreadful weapon, irrisistible to all creatures and capable of riving all arms, the effulgent Lakshmana baffled it with a Māheçwara³⁶⁷ weapon. And the encounter that took place between them was wonderful and capable of making people’s down stand on end. And beings stationed in the sky surrounded Lakshmana on all sides. And in that terrific encounter of the monkeys and the Rākshasas resounding with dreadful roars, the welkin was covered with innumerable beings seized with wonderment. And saints and Pitris and deities and Gandharbas and birds and serpents, placing Satakratu in their front, protected Lakshmana in the conflict. And then that hero, Rāghava’s younger brother, fixed (on his bow) another superior shaft, having the feel of fire itself, and capable of riving the son of Rāvana; furnished with fair feathers; tapering; having elegant joints; symmetrical; and plated with gold,—an arrow capable of finishing the body; irrisistible; dreadful; terrific unto Rākshasas; resembling the venom of poisonous serpents; and worshipped by the celestial hosts; by which the exceedingly energetic and wonderful Lord riding the horse³⁶⁸—Sakra—of old in the war between the celestials and the Asuras had defeated the Dānavas. And Sumitrā’s son, Lakshmana; graced with auspiciousness, drawing on his best of bows that foremost of shafts—the Aindra weapon—invincible in conflict, spoke these words, tending to bring about his success,³⁶⁹—"If Daçaratha’s son—Rāma—is righteous and truthful, and if in prowess he hath no rival, then slay this son of Rāvana". Saying this, the heroic Lakshmana in that conflict, drawing the straight-speeding arrow up to his ear,³⁷⁰ discharged it at Indrajit. And shooting the Aindra weapon, that destroyer of hostile heroes—Lakshmana—severing from its trunk the head of Indrajit with its corslet, graced with burning ear-rings, brought it down to the ground. And the mighty severed head of the Rākshasa’s son, resembling one made of gold, was seen covered with blood. And slain, Rāvana’s son dropped to the earth, with his armour and corslet on, and his bow fallen (from his grasp). And then all the monkeys with Bibhishana set up cheers, even as the immortals cheered at the destruction of Vritra. And in the sky there arose the victorious shouts of all beings and high souled saints, and also of Gandharbas and Apsarās. And knowing (Indrajit) fallen (in fight), the mighty army of Rākshasas; attacked by monkeys burning for victory, fled in the ten cardinal directions. And assailed by the monkeys, the Rākshasas, pursued (by their foes), with their senses lost, rushed towards Lankā, leaving their arms behind. And overwhelmed with fright, Rākshasas fled in an hundred directions, all renouncing their arms—bearded darts, and swords, and axes. And harassed by the monkeys, some hurriedly entered Lankā, and some plunged into the sea, and some saught shelter in the mountains. And seeing Indrajit slain and lying down on the field of battle, thousands of Rākshasas fled away. As when the Sun sets, his rays remain no longer, on that Rākshasa having fallen, the Rākshasas dispersed in the ten cardinal quarters, like unto the Sun when his rays have been rendered mild, or fire which hath been extinguished. And the mighty-armed (Indrajit) was utterly reft of life. And on the son of the Rākshasa-chief falling, the world, having its foe slain, with its huge affliction gone off, experienced the bright of joy. And on that unrighteous Rākshasa having been slain, the reverend Sakra together with the Maharshis was filled with delight. And sounds of kettle-drums were heard in the sky proceeding from the celestials. And blossoms were showered by dancing Apsarās and high-souled Gandharbas. And this was wonderful (to behold.) And on that Rākshasa of fell deeds having been slain, the dust was laid, the water became transparent, the sky looked bright, and the deities and Dānavas were filled with rejoicings. And on that Dread of all creatures having been slain, the gods, Gandharbas and Dānavas, assembled together in joy, said,—"Now let the Brahmanas who have their sins removed, with their anxiety gone off, range about". And then the monkey-leaders, seeing that foremost of Nairitas of unparalleled prowess slain in battle, began to gladly pay homage (unto Lakshmana). And Bibhishana and Hanumān and Jāmbavān—leader of bears—saluted and hymned Lakshmana on the score of his victory. And shouting and bounding and roaring, the monkeys at this hour of high joy stood surrounding Raghu’s son.³⁷¹ And flourishing their tails and striking the earth (with them), the monkeys shouted,—’Victory unto Lakshmana!’ And embracing each other, the monkeys with delighted spirits began to converse in various ways touching Rāghava’s welfare. And beholding that deed, difficult of being done, performed by their beloved friend—Lakshmana—and hearing their foe—Indrajit—slain (in battle), the celestials attained the summit of joy.
³⁶³ Indrajit’s.
³⁶⁴ Lakshmana’s.
³⁶⁵ Indrajit’s
³⁶⁶ This arrow resembled somewhat the bomb-shells in modern European warfare.—T.
³⁶⁷ i.e. belonging to Maheçwara or Siva.
³⁶⁸ The celestial steed, Uchchaiçravā, sprung from the ocean on the occasion of the churning of the deep.—T.