Chapter C: Section CI

On that weapon of his having been baffled, Ravana--lord of the Rakshasas--was fired with double fury, and the highly effulgent Ravana from wrath set about discharging at Raghava a dreadful Raudra weapon, which had been conferred on him by Maya. And from his bow began to issue forth in large numbers darts and maces and clubs, flaming and having the might of thunder; and various kinds of sharp clubs and daggers and nooses and flaming thunderbolts began to descend like unto the winds at the universal tumbling. And thereupon the graceful and exceedingly effulgent Raghava--foremost of those accomplished in noble arms--resisted that weapon with a powerful Gandharva weapon. On that weapon being baffled by the high-souled Raghava, Ravana, with his eyes rendered coppery with passion, took up a Solar weapon. Thereupon from the bow of the wondrous vehement and intelligent Ten-necked one rushed out discuses flaming and mighty. And the firmament all round blazed up with those impendent (arms), as blaze up the cardinal quarters on the Sun and the Moon and the planets dropping down. Thereat Raghava in the van of that army by means of vollies of shafts cut off Ravana's wonderful weapons and discuses. And seeing that weapon destroyed, Ravana--lord of Rakshasas--with ten arrows pierced Rama all through his vitals. And pierced by Ravana with those ten shafts discharged from his mighty bow, the exceedingly powerful Raghava did not so much shake. Then Raghava--victor in fight--waxing wondrous wroth, with countless shafts pierced Ravana all over his person. In the meanwhile Raghava's younger brother, the mighty Lakshmana--destroyer of foes--growing enraged, took up seven arrows. And with those highly impetuous arrows that exceedingly effulgent one severed the human-headed standard of Ravana. And the mighty and graceful Lakshmana with a shaft cut off the head of the Nairita's charioteer, illumined with ear-rings. And then with five sharpened arrows Lakshmana severed the bow of the Rakshasa-chief, resembling the trunk of an elephant. And Bibhishana, bounding up, with his mace despatched Ravana's excellent steeds, resembling hills or dark-blue clouds. Thereat, leaping down from his mighty car, whose horses had been slain, Ravana was fired with high wrath against his brother. And the powerful lord of Rakshasas endowed with immense strength, hurled at Bibhishana a dart resembling the flaming thunder-bolt. And ere the dart had reached its destination, Lakshmana severed it with three shafts; and thereat in that mighty conflict there arose a mighty uproar from the monkeys. And the dart dight with networks of gold fell down in three fragments, as droppeth a mighty meteor from the firmament, flaming and shooting out scintillations. Then (Ravana) took up a huge dart, glowing in its own energy, celebrated as being irrisistible, and incapable of being borne by the Destroyer himself. On being whirled by the impious and strong Ravana, the dart possessed of exceeding energy, flamed up. In the meanwhile the heroic Lakshmana swiftly came to the side of Bibhishana,[389] whose life was placed in peril. And in order to save him, that hero--Lakshmana--drawing his bow, covered the dart-handed Ravana with showers of shafts. On being covered with arrows shot by that high souled one, Ravana, with his prowess baffled, made up his mind to let (his brother) go. And seeing his brother delivered by Lakshmana, Ravana, facing Lakshmana, spoke these words,--"O thou proud of thy prowess! as Bibhishana hath this wise been delivered by thee, passing by the Rakshasa, this dart, discharged from my bludgeon of an arm, will depart, depriving thee of thy life". Having said this, Ravana, waxing furiously enraged, discharged at Lakshmana that dart forged by Maya with his power of illusion, furnished with eight bells, having mighty sounds,--incapable of being resisted,--competent to finish foes; and flaming in energy,--and shouted simultaneously. And hurled with terrific force, the dart sending sounds resembling that of Vajra or the thunder-bolt, vehemently alighted at Lakshmana in that encounter. Thereat, as the dart descended, Raghava addressed[390] it, saying,--"Peace be to Lakshmana! Be thou frustrated; and let thy energy go out of thee". But the dart discharged in the encounter by the enraged Ravana, resembling a venomous serpent, dived into the dauntless and heroic Lakshmana; and (the dart) exceedingly splendid and blazing, possessed of dreadful impetuosity; and resembling the tongue of the king of serpents, smote Lakshmana in his mighty chest. And with his breast riven by the dart, driving deep through the force of Ravana, Lakshmana fell down to the earth. And Raghava, standing by, seeing Lakshmana in that plight, had his heart overspread with sorrow. But reflecting only for a while, he, with his eyes surcharged with tears, was filled with greater martial ardour, and resembled the fire risen at the universal dissolution. Then thinking,--'This is not the time to indulge in grief;' he, gazing at Lakshmana, entered into a terrific encounter, resolved upon slaying Ravana, laying under contribution his dearest energies. And Rama saw Lakshmana with his chest riven by the dart in the mighty conflict, lying drenched in blood, and resembling a hill with serpents present in it--And in spite of all their efforts, the foremost monkeys failed to extract the dart which had been hurled by the powerful Ravana.--And, further, they were (all the while) sore assailed with showers of shafts by the foremost Rakshasa of them all. The dart, having pierced Sumitra's son, had entered the earth. In the encounter the mighty Rama, grasping the dreadful dart with his hands, extracted the same and wrathfully snapped it.[391] As he (Rama) was engaged in pulling the dart out, the mighty Ravana kept pouring marrow-piercing shafts all over his person. Thinking nothing of those arrows, Rama, embracing Lakshmana, spoke unto Hanuman and the mighty monkey, Sugriva,--"Ye foremost of monkeys, do ye stay here, surrounding Lakshmana. The opportunity for putting forth my prowess which I had sought, is present. I shall slay this wicked-minded Ten-necked one, who is resolved to pursue the course of unrighteousness. Even as on the expiry of summer the Chataka is eager for the sight of clouds, I had long been eager to obtain a sight of (Ravana.) Ye monkeys, this, I swear unto you,--this very hour not long after ye will see this world without Ravana or Rama. To-day having slain Ravana in battle, I shall renounce all sorrow arising from the loss of my kingdom, from my sojourn in the woods, from my wandering in Dandaka, from the ravishment of Vaidehi, from encounter with the Rakshas,--all the terrible evils that I have suffered, and all the troubles resembling hell. He for whom I have brought over the monkey-forces, made Sugriva king, slaying Vali in battle, for whom I have crossed the ocean and constructed a bridge over the deep--the same hath been come at by me in conflict, and the same hath come within the range of my vision.--And having come within my ken, Ravana will not live, even as one coming within ken of a serpent of poisonous sight, doth not live; or even as a serpent doth not live, coming within ken of Vinata's[392] son. Do ye, ye irrepressible ones, ye foremost of monkeys, seated at the brow of the mountain, behold the battle between me and Ravana. To day let the three worlds with the Gandharvas, and the Siddhas, and the Chiranas, see that for which Rama is Rama. To-day I shall do a deed of which the worlds with the mobile and the immobile and the gods, shall speak as long as the Earth sustaineth (creatures.)" Having delivered himself thus, Rama, concentrating his attention, began to charge the Ten-necked one in encounter with whetted arrows decked with burnished gold. And in the same way Ravana showered on Rama great _narachas_ and clubs, even as clouds pour down showers. And there arose a tremendous uproar of mighty arrows discharged by Rama and Ravana, smiting one another. And the shafts shot by Rama and Ravana, severed and scattered, with flaming heads dropped to the Earth. And the mighty twangs of the bow-strings of both, terrifying all creatures, were wonderful to behold.[393] And then even as clouds disperse on being trampled by the Winds, Ravana, covered with showers of arrowy networks by that high souled one and reduced to sore straits by that one (Rama) of a glowing bow, fled away in fear.

[389] The commentator explains: "Himself coming before the dart,
Lakshmana saved Bibhishana".--T.

[390] _i.e._ as Ramanuya remarks, addressed the deity presiding over
it.--T.

[391] The commentator has a characteristic note. 'This dart, having
pierced the foe, used always to return to Ravana. But Rama, who
was the Lord himself, having spoken to it as he did, it could not
this time go back; and Rama snapped it, which none else could
do.'!--T.

[392] Garuda.

[393] _Adbhutadarcana--wonderful to behold_,--wonderful to witness is
the sense.--T.