Sarga 80

Ravana, who was always victorious in warhearing that Maka raksha had been killed, became highly enraged and grinding his teeth in anger was engrossed in thinking. He commanded his son Indrajith to go to battle.

Ravana, who was always victorious in warhearing that Maka raksha had been killed, became highly enraged and grinding his teeth in anger was engrossed in thinking. He commanded his son Indrajith to go to battle.

"Oh, Valiant son! You destroy the two heroic brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, by being visible or invisible as you are always superior to them."

"You have won the battle with Indra of incomparable deeds. Why not kill men, onseeing them in combat?"

Hearing the words spoken by the Lord of Rakshasas, Indrajith respecting the command poured oblations in the fireas per tradition before proceeding.

Thereafter, as he went to the place of fire sacrifice, Rakshasa women brought red coloured head dresses to wear (for the priests).

Then, in that fire sacrifice, weapons as grass, wooden pieces as sticks for offering into fire, redcoloured clothes for the priests to wear, and so also iron containers as ladles to offer in fire were used.

Weapons were spread on all sides of the fire sacrifice like grass. A darkcoloured live goat's neck was consigned for offering into fire.

By that action of fire sacrifice, the mighty flames and the smoke that appeared from the mighty smokeless fire signifying victory appeared.

The flames of fire going round the fire by itself which closely resembled refined gold, received the offerings into fire.

Having offered fire that way, and gratified Devas, Danavas and Rakshasas, he (Indrajith) ascended the best of chariots and disappeared.

Drawn by horses, fitted with sharp mighty bows, the chariot was shining exquisitely and looked charming.

The chariot was glittering incarnated with gold covered with images offull moon, crescent moon inscriptions and decorated with images of antelopes.

Like flaming fire in appearance, the chariot was provided with rings of gold, the standard of the chariot was adorned with gems of Vydurya.

Protected by the weapon of Brahma, effulgent as the orbit of the Sun, the son of Ravana was endowed with mighty prowess and was difficult to gain over.

Indrajith who had acquired the power of being victorious in the wars departed, after uttering ritualistic verses which are known to Rakshasas only and making an offering into fire disappeared and bragged as follows.

"Having put an end to war, and the two princes who are in exile in the forest in vain, I will present the victory earned to my father now."

'Making the earth devoid of monkeys, killing Rama and Lakshmana, I will provide supreme joy to my father now', saying so he became invisible.

Directed by the ten headed Ravana, enemy of Indra, equipped with sharp bows Indrajith rushed furiously.

That great hero saw Rama and Lakshmana like three serpents in the midst of Vanaras raining network of arrows.

Recognising the two princes, stringing his bow, and fastening, affixing he showered a continuous flow of arrows like rain from rain clouds and covered them.

Riding in the aerial car, Indrajith remaining out of sight released pointed arrows from the sky and tormented Rama and Lakshmana standing in the battlefield.

Covered by the speed of the arrows released on them, both Rama and Lakshmana wielding their bows and arrows discharged wonderful arrows and exhibited their power.

Though the mighty Rama and Lakshmana were covering the sky with their arrows resembling the sun they could not touch Indrajith.

The glorious Indrajith obscured the sky by making it dark through smoke and fog and made the surrounding directions invisible.

While Indrajith was moving, neither the sounds produced by palms or of the wheels or the hoof s were heard and the form was also not visible.,

The mighty armed Indrajith showered rocks and hails of steel arrows in that pitch darkness like the darkness of clouds.

In that conflict, the enraged son of Ravana, pierced all over Rama's limbs, with arrows bestowed to him, which were as effulgent as the Sun.

The tigers among humans, Rama, and Lakshmana, like two mountains hit by steel arrows, released sharp pointedgold shafted steel arrows and tormented (Indrajith).

The arrows fixed with swords like wings, reaching Ravana's son in the sky pierced him and he fell down soaked in blood.

Brightened by the mass of arrows on their body, the best of men, Rama and Lakshmana began to tear the numerous arrows called Bhallas.

Both the sons of Dasharatha, directed their best weapons in the direction from where arrows were falling on two of them.

The son of Ravana who was a superior chariot warrior and swift in discharging arrows coursed through all directions and pierced arrows at Rama and Lakshmana from the aerial car.

Both the sons of Dasharatha looked like fully blossomed Kimsuka trees (blood flowing from the body) pierced by wellmade gold shafted arrows.

When the clouds are cast thickly, except the position of the Sun, nothing is visible. So also, with a swift movement of Indrajith, neither his form nor his bow and arrows were visible.

Then, monkeys struck and killed, lifelessin hundreds fell on the ground.

Then Lakshmana also, enraged, spoke to his brother, saying," I will kill all the Rakshasas using the weapon of Brahma."

To Lakshmana, gifted with auspicious signs, Rama said" for the sake of killing one Rakshasa, you are not to kill all the Rakshasas on the earth."

"You should not kill anyone who is not waging war, not fighting and hidden, one with folded palms surrendered, one who runs away from war and not alert in war"

"O mighty armed Lakshmana! I will make an effort to kill Indrajith by commanding weapons like venomous serpents endowed with high speed."

" A conjurer, mean, and invisible Indrajith with the chariot, if seen, in any way the Vanara troops will forcibly kill him with their strength."

"If he enters into earth, heaven or the underground world or the subterranean world or remains hidden, my weapon will consume him, and he will fall on earth."