Chapter 91 - The Death of Indrajita

The mighty Ranger of the Night, Indrajita, his horses slain, stood in the field in a paroxysm of fury, flaming with valour, and in their desire to triumph, those two archers, armed with bows, hurled themselves against one another like two mighty elephants in the forest.

Rushing this way and that, titans and monkeys slew each other, not wishing to abandon their leaders. At that moment, the son of Ravana began to encourage the titans and praised and gladdened them by addressing them thus:—

“O Foremost of the Titans, a profound darkness reigns over all regions nor can we distinguish between ourselves and the enemy, therefore fight fearlessly in order to delude the monkeys and I too shall return to enter into combat in another chariot! O Brave Companions, do not suffer the monkeys to triumph whilst I am in the city!”

At these words, the son of Ravana, slayer of his foes, eluding the vigilance of the dwellers in the woods, re-entered the City of Lanka, inorder to provide himself with a fresh chariot; and he caused a car embellished with magnificent gilding, furnished with javelins, swords and arrows, harnessed to the most excellent of steeds and driven by a skilful and intelligent charioteer to be made ready, whereafter the illustrious Ravani, victor in combat, ascended it. Surrounded by the foremost of battalions, the valiant son of Mandodari, Indrajita, urged on by the force of destiny, left the city and, drawn by swift steeds, with exceeding courage he rushed on Lakshmana and Bibishana who accompanied him.

Beholding the crafty son of Ravana, mounted in a chariot, Saumitri, the intrepid monkeys and the Titan Bibishana were astonished; Indrajita, however, struck down the foremost of the monkeys with fury. Under the clouds of arrows falling in hundreds and thousands, Ravani, victorious in combat, stretching his bow to a circle, slew the monkeys in his wrath, displaying his extreme skill, and the monkeys, overwhelmed by the Narachas of dreadful impetus, took refuge with Saumitri, as all beings with Prajapati. Thereupon, inflamed with martial ardour, that descendant of Raghu severed the bow of Indrajita, thus demonstrating his fleetness of hand but he, seizing hold of another, hastened to string it, yet Laksnmana shattered it also with three arrows and, having broken his weapons thus, Saumitri pierced Ravani’s breast with five darts like unto venomous snakes. Then these shafts, leaving that great bow, having entered Indrajita’s body, fell to the earth like huge red serpents.

His weapon severed, vomiting blood, Ravani took hold of another powerful bow with its stout cord and, aiming at Lakshmana, with extreme speed caused a shower of missiles to fall upon him, like unto Purandara letting loose his floods. Yet, irresistible as that hail of arrows, poured down by Indrajita was, Lakshmana, the Conqueror of his Foes, standing immoveable, repelled them.

Thus did Ravani witness Lakshmana’s marvellous prowess, he who was the intrepid and valiant son of Raghu. Thereafter Lakshmana, in fury, pierced each of those titans with three shafts in the fight, manifesting the velocity of his arrows, and Indrajita, on his side, riddled him with a hail of shafts.

Then that Indra among the Titans, grievously wounded by his valiant adversary, the slayer of his foes, loosed a continuous shower of arrows on Lakshmana but, ere they reached him, they were severed by the sharp spear of that warrior, the destroyer of his enemies, and Lakshmana, with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off the head of Indrajita’s charioteer in his excellent car, while he was coursing here and there.

Deprived of their driver, the horses, without deviating from their course, continued to draw the chariot, advancing and describing circles in a marvellous manner. Thereupon Saumitri, of fixed courage, unable to control his anger, let fly his shafts against the titan’s steeds causing them to take fright.

Provoked by this action, the son of Ravana struck the terrible Saumitri with his ten arrows and those shafts, equal to lightning, that seemed composed of all the poisons, glanced off his golden armour.

Seeing that his coat of mail was impenetrable, the son of Ravana, Indrajita, in a transport of rage, manifesting his lightness of hand, struck Lakshmana in the forehead with three arrows of graceful joints, and that illustrious warrior, the joy of the House of Raghu, with three shafts embedded in his forehead, shone in the forefront of battle like unto a triple mountain. Albeit thus smitten by the titan’s arrows, Lakshmana, in his turn, instantly let fly five shafts which struck Indrajita, who was adorned with lovely earrings, full in the face.

Thereafter Lakshmana and Indrajita, warriors of exceeding prowess, armed with powerful and mighty bows, overwhelmed each other with sharp arrows. With their limbs streaming with blood, those two heroes, Lakshmana and Indrajita, at that instant shone on the field of battle like two Kimshuka Trees in flower and each hurling himself on the other desirous of victory, pierced his opponent’s limbs with formidable arrows. Filled with martial ardour, the son of Ravana smote Bibishana’s handsome countenance with three darts and, having pierced that Indra of the Titans with three iron-tipped shafts, he struck all the monkey leaders one after the other.

Highly provoked, the exceedingly energetic Bibishana felled the horses of the wicked Ravani with a mace, whereupon the mighty Indrajita, springing down from his car, his horses slain and his charioteer dead, hurled a javelin on his paternal uncle.

Beholding this, the enhancer of Sumitra’s delight, with his sharp arrow, severed it in ten pieces in its flight and it fell on the earth. Thereafter Bibishana, his mighty bow in his hand, let fly five Marganas, the impact of which being equal to lightning, and struck Indrajita, whose horses had been slain, in the breast. Having passed through his body, those golden-hafted arrows, that flew straight to their target, were stained with blood so that they resembled huge red serpents.

Then, highly incensed against his paternal uncle, Indrajita, standing in the midst of the titans, selected a marvellous arrow of great power that he had received from Yama and, seeing him place that formidable shaft on his bow, the valiant and intrepid Lakshmana took up one of immeasurable power which had been bestowed on him during sleep by the God Kuvera, and that weapon was irresistible, nor could the Gods nor the Asuras with their leaders stand before it.

And those excellent bows, resembling maces, when stretched by their arms, emitted a piercing sound like unto two ospreys and the two powerful arrows notched on those wonderful bent bows lit up the faces of the two heroes with a vivid glow. Those barbed shafts loosed from the bows illumined the heavens, striking against each other with a violent impact and the shock of those formidable weapons as they struck against each other caused them to burst into flame, emitting sparks and smoke. Like unto two great planets colliding together, they fell shattered in a hundred pieces on the battlefield.

Seeing those weapons severed and broken in the forefront of the battle, Lakshmana and Indrajita were seized with mortification and fury and, in his anger, Saumitri armed himself with Varuna’s shaft whilst Mahendra’s conqueror, fighting on foot, let fly Rudra’s weapon in the fight which shattered Varuna’s dart, despite its immense potency. Thereafter, in his ire, the illustrious Indrajita, victorious in combat, as if about to destroy the worlds, took up the flaming Agneya Weapon but the valiant Lakshmana diverted it with the Solar Dart and, seeing his shaft thus baffled, Ravani, maddened with anger, seized hold of the Asura Weapon that was sharp and fatal to its foe. Then from his bow sped shining Kutamudgaras, spears, Bushundis, maces, swords and axes and, beholding that dire and dreadful weapon, irresistible to all beings, the destroyer of every missile, the illustrious Lakshmana arrested it with the aid of the Maheshwara Weapon.

Thereupon a prodigious struggle arose between the rivals, causing the hair to stand on end and, from all sides, Beings, standing in the sky made a circle round Lakshmana and the heavens were filled with a host of Beings overcome with astonishment at the fearful tumult arising from that dread conflict between monkeys and titans. Rishis, Pitris, Gandharvas, Garudas and Uragas with Shatakratu at their head watched over Lakshmana during the fight and, in that instant, the younger brother of Raghava took up the foremost of shafts, the Avya Weapon of flaming impact, in order to transfix Ravana’s son, and also the well-plumed and gilded dart, skilfully fashioned, to which the Celestial Host paid homage and with which Shakra, that mighty Lord of great energy, who is drawn by bay horses, formerly overcame the Danavas in the war between Gods and Asuras. That weapon of Indra’s, undefeated in combat, foremost of shafts was placed by Saumitri on the most excellent of bows and the fortunate Lakshmana, in order to achieve his purpose, spoke to the presiding Deity of that weapon, thus:—

“If Rama, the son of Dasaratha, is truly virtuous and loyal and, in feats of heroism has no rival, then slay the son of Ravana!”

Thus speaking, that warrior, the slayer of his foes, stretched his bow up to his ear and let fly an arrow united to Indra’s weapon on Ravani in the fight, that was incapable of missing its target, and it severed the lovely head of Indrajita, graced with earrings and its casque, causing it to roll on the earth. Separated from the body, Indrajita’s huge head, streaming with blood, resembled a golden ball thrown on the ground; and the son of Ravana fell dead on the battlefield with his armour, his helmet and his broken bow.

Then all the monkeys with Bibishana, beholding the corpse, shouted in exultation, as the Gods rejoiced at the death of Vritra, and in the skies, the Bhutas, magnanimous Rishis, Gandharvas and Apsaras, on beholding the leaders of the great titan army scattering on all sides, harassed by the victorious monkeys, emitted shouts of triumph.

Hard pressed by the monkeys, the titans, flinging down their arms, hastily fled in disorder towards Lanka and, in the general stampede the titans, throwing away their weapons, lances, swords and axes, ran in all directions at once. Terror-stricken, harried by the monkeys, some re-entered Lanka, others threw themselves into the sea or took refuge on the mountain. Now that Indrajita lay dead on the battlefield, the titans fled away in their thousands. As the sun withdraws behind the Asta Mountain and its rays disappear, so did the titans vanish from the horizon when Indrajita had fallen. As the solar orb with its rays extinguished or a fire without heat, so did that long-armed warrior lie bereft of life and the world, freed from her sufferings and delivered from her enemy, rejoiced! And the blessed Shakra was exceedingly gratified at the death of that titan of evil deeds and the great Rishis also, whilst in the heavens, the Gods could be heard striking their gongs and the dancing Apsaras and the magnanimous Gandharvas caused a rain of flowers to fall that was marvellous to behold.

On the death of that titan of cruel exploits, peace reigned, the waters became limpid, the air pure and Devas and Danavas rejoiced at the fall of one who was a source of terror to all the worlds. Thereafter a shout of triumph arose from the Devas, Gandharvas and Danavas who said:—

“Now let the Brahmins go about their pursuits without anxiety, their sins removed!”

Then the monkey leaders, beholding that Bull among the Nairritas slain in battle, whose prowess was irresistible, paid homage to Lakshmana and Bibishana, Hanuman and Jambavan; and all the Plavamgamas, growling and leaping with chattering of jaws, surrounded that descendant of Raghu, lashing their tails and clapping their hands. ‘Victory to Prince Lakshmana!’ rose the cry and, embracing each other, the monkeys, their hearts filled with joy, hymned the praises of Lakshmana in every way.

Witnessing that difficult feat of Lakshmana’s, he who was the delight of his friends and seeing the corpse of Indra’s adversary, the Gods, highly gratified, experienced supreme delight.