Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 45
45. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa Fall to Indrajit's Arrows
[Though a search was ordered by Rāma, the invisible Indrajit could not be located. With tormenting arrows, Indrajit fells down Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.]
Those two famous princes who were strong ordered ten monkey chiefs to search for the whereabouts of Indrajit. 45.1
Rāma the tormentor of his enemies ordered both the sons of Suṣeṇa, Nila the chief of monkeys, Angada the son of Vali, the strong Śarabhā, Dvividhaḥ, Hanuman, the very strong Sanuprastha, Riṣabha and Riṣabha skandha to do the job. 45.2-45.3
All those monkeys were thrilled with enthusiasm and immediately flung into the air brandishing huge trunks of trees in order to explore all the ten directions. 45.4
Indrajit who was an expert on arrows, using the great arrows speedily, released very many great arrows, arrested their speedy search. 45.5
Those monkeys of great speed, whose bodies were cruelly pierced by those arrows, were unable to see Indrajit in the illusory darkness, similar to the sun being obscured when it is veiled in clouds. 45.6
Indrajit with his arrows split up all vital parts of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and which entered in to their body and thus he was victorious in battle. 45.7
The angry Indrajit densely sent and fixed serpentine arrows aimed at the body of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. 45.8
Great amount of blood flowed from the opening of wounds in their body and both of them shined like Kimśuka trees in flowering. 45.9
Indrajit with colour resembling collyrium, with inflamed eyes turned red due to anger, while remaining still invisible spoke to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. 45.10
"When I start fighting war becoming invisible even Indra the God of devas would not be able to see or approach me and how can you both?" 45.11
"Oh sons of the Raghu clan, having imprisoned you by the trick of arrows furnished with feathers of heron, since my soul is filled with wrath, I am going to send you to God of death." 45, 12
After saying like this to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa who were followers of Dharma, he pierced both of them with pointed sharp arrows and shouted with wild joy. 45.13
Indrajit who was of the colour of heaped collyrium stretched his big bow, again and again shot them with horrifying arrows in that great war. 45.14
He who was an expert in identifying vital parts send very sharp arrows at Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and hurt their vital parts. 45.15
In the battle ground those two completely tied by arrows, in a twinkling of an eye became incapable of even looking up. 45.16
Those two pierced by a great network of arrows, because they were pierced in their vital parts became exhausted and those two great archers who were lords of earth fell down on the earth, shaking violently like the flag staffs raised in honour of Indra, when the chord holding them is cut off. 45.17-45.18
Those two valorous ones were lying down on beds of heroes, completely bathed in blood and with all their limbs bristling with arrows and completely distressed. 45.19
There was not even finger breadth of their body from the tip of fingers to the end of feet which was not wounded and implanted with sharp arrows. 45.20
They being ferociously stuck down by a Rākṣasa who can change his form at his will had blood gushing out of their body, like water coming out of a spring. 45.21
With his vital parts being pierced by the sharp arrows the very angry Indrajit, who had defeated Indra, the lord of devas, Rāma fell down first. 45.22
Indrajit pierced Rāma by arrows with golden arrows which had sharp points, which had downward movement, which go fast like Narachas, Demi-narachas, Bhallas [with wide tips], Anjalis, Vatsa Dantas, Simha Dantas and those shafts like unto razors. 45.23
Throwing away his bow bent at three places, adorned with gold, with its string loosened away and detached from the hold of his fist, Rāma lied down on the battle-ground. 45.24
Seeing Rāma, the tiger among men having due to the arrows, Lakṣmaṇa became hopeless and lost will to live. 45.25
Seeing his elder brother Rāma, with his eyes resembling lotus-leaves, having fallen on the ground, wounded as he was by a network of arrows, Lakṣmaṇa felt sad. 45.26
Beholding that Rāma, the monkeys too were in great sorrow and wept bitterly, filling their eyes with tears, being affected as they were by sorrow. 45.27
Those monkeys with Hanuman in front gathered at that place and stood surrounding Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, who were bound by a network of arrows and lying down on the battle ground. All of them were disturbed and afflicted sorrow. 45.28
This is the end of Forty Fifth Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.