Chapter 89 - Lakshmana and Indrajita continue to fight

Meanwhile the son of Dasaratha, slayer of his foes, arming himself with arrows, loosed them in fury on that Indra of Titans and at that twanging of his bow-string, the titan leader, his countenance ashen, fixed his gaze on Lakshmana.

Bibishana beholding the blenched features of the son of Ravana, said to Saumitri who was engaged in combat:—

“O Long-armed Warrior, I behold inauspicious signs round Ravana’s son, hasten therefore for he is assuredly nearing his end!”

Thereupon Saumitri, selecting some arrows resembling venomous snakes, let fly those barbed shafts like unto exceedingly poisonous serpents on Indrajita and he, struck by those missiles like unto thunderbolts hurled on him by Lakshmana, was dazed awhile, his senses stupefied. Thereafter, beholding the valiant son of Dasaratha standing in the field, he flung himself upon him, his eyes red with anger and, drawing near, he began to taunt him afresh, saying:—

“How is it that you have forgotten my prowess, when at the first encounter you and your brother were bound and laid low, you who dost now seek to enter into combat with me anew? In that great struggle under mine arrows resembling thunderbolts, both of you with your followers were first felled to the earth by me and then deprived of your senses.

“Meseems it has escaped your memory! Since you have dared to challenge me, it is clear you desirest to enter the abode of Yama 1 If, at the first assault you didst fail to recognize my superior strength, I shall soon demonstrate it to you; stay therefore and face me with resolution!”

Speaking thus, he pierced Lakshmana with seven arrows and Hanuman with ten powerful whetted shafts; thereafter with re-doubled fury, Indrajita pierced Bibishana with a hundred well-aimed darts. Seeing this, the younger brother of Rama, unmoved, began to laugh, saying:—

“This is nothing!” and that lion among men, Lakshmana, undaunted, taking up some dreadful darts, hurled them in anger on Ravani in the fight, saying:—

“Nay, it is not thus armed that warriors enter the fray, O Night Ranger! Your darts are trifling and without power, conducing to mine ease; it is undoubtedly not in this wise that brave men fight!”

With these words, he, from his bow, loosed a shower of arrows on his adversary. Shattered by Lakshmana’s shafts, the heavy golden armour of the titan fell to pieces on the floor of the chariot, like a mass of stars falling from the sky. His coat of mail riven, riddled with wounds inflicted by Narachas, the valiant Indrajita resembled the rising sun and, full of ire, the courageous son of Ravana of redoubtable valour, struck Lakshmana with a thousand shafts, cleaving his celestial armour. Then, exchanging blow for blow, they rushed on each other and breathing heavily, engaged in a terrible struggle and, in the twinkling of an eye, their limbs were lacerated by arrows and from every part of their bodies the blood flowed.

For a long time these two valiant warriors tore each other with their sharp weapons and, in their unbridled energy, the two skilled combatants sought to overcome each other. Both riddled with a mass of arrows, their armour and standards shattered, they caused the hot blood to flow, as waterfalls let loose their torrents, and they let a dreadful hail of missiles fly with a great clamour, like unto the dark destructive clouds of doom, loosing their floods from the sky.

For a long time they fought thus without turning back or experiencing any fatigue and those foremost of archers let fly their shafts again and again, and the multi-shaped darts crossed and re-crossed each other in the air. With agility, speed and grace, the struggle between man and titan continued with an appalling din and each, on his side, raised a tremendous clamour inspiring terror, like unto a fearful tempest and the sound of those two redoubtable warriors in desperate combat resembled two clouds clashing in the sky. With golden-footed Narachas, those two warriors, sought to overcome one another, inflicting wounds from which rivers of blood flowed and from their pierced bodies the golden-hafted arrows, covered with blood, fell to the earth in which they buried themselves. By thousands their whetted shafts converged in the sky, cleaving and riving each other, and both let fall a formidable mass of darts in the struggle, so that they appeared like heaps of Kusha Grass destined for two sacrificial fires. The bodies of those illustrious heroes, full of wounds, shone like a Kimshuka or a Shalmali Tree, leaf-less and in full flower in the forest; and the impact was appalling, as Indrajita and Lakshmana fought, each desirous of overcoming the other.

Lakshmana battled with Ravani and Ravani with Lakshmana, each striking the other without ceasing and the streams of arrows buried in their flesh gave those two powerful warriors the appearance of two hills covered with trees, and their limbs streaming with blood, riddled with arrows, shone like two fires.

Thus did they fight for a long time without turning back in combat or giving way to exhaustion. Nevertheless, in order to allow the invincible Lakshmana, ever in the forefront of the fight, to overcome the fatigue of combat, the magnanimous Bibishana threw himself into the fray remaining near him to lend him his support.