Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 73

73. Indrajit at Battle Field

[Seeing Rāvaṇa as despondent, Indrajit enters the battle field. He performs a sacrifice to Brahma and gets good omens. He hits and troubles all monkey leaders as well as Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa pretend that they have been knocked off. But they actually fall senseless and Indrajit goes back to Lanka.]

Then those surviving Rākṣasas hastily told Rāvaṇa that Devantaka, Triśirā and Athikaya, the greatest among the Rākṣasas have been killed. 73.1

Rāvaṇa the prosperous king of the Rākṣasas hearing about their deaths, with eyes full of tears thought about the horrifying destruction of his son and the killing of his brothers and intensely thought as to what should be done. 73.2

Seeing the king in a pitiable state, drowned in the ocean of sorrow, Indrajit the son of the king of Rākṣasas and a very good charioteer spoke to him as follows. 73.3

"Oh father you do not deserve to fall under this embarrassment, when me the Indrajit is alive for any one stuck by me, who is the enemy of Indra cannot remain alive." 73.4

"Today you would see Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa dead with all their body split by my arrows and undistinguished lying on the earth." 73.5

"listen to the oath of this enemy of Indra which is firm, based on his valour and divine blessings. Rāma along with Lakṣmaṇa with great many arrows struck on them would be defeated by me." 73.6

"Now itself, Indra, Yama, Vishnu, Rudra, Sādhyas, Fire God, Sun god and the moon can see my unlimited valour which is like that of Vishnu in the sacrificial ground of Bali, the king of Rākṣasas." 73.7

After saying this, enemy of heaven whose mind was under his control asked permission of the king and got in to his chariot which moved with the speed of the wind and drawn by many excellent donkeys. 73.8

The greatly lustrous, destroyer of enemies after he climbed on the chariot which was like the chariot of the Sun God went to the place where the war was in progress. 73.9

Many strong Rākṣasas with terrific power, with joy, holding excellent bows in their hands, carrying lances, sharp-edged spears, swords, axes and maces as also armed with Bhūśuṇḍī [probably a kind of fire arms], mallets, cudgels, Śataghni [cylindrical piece of wood studded with iron spikes] and iron rods, followed that great Indrajit. Some rode on the back of elephants, some ascended excellent horses, tigers, scorpions, cats, donkeys and camels. 73.10-73.13

That enemy of heaven along with blowing of conches and great sound from drums went to the battle field praised by the Rākṣasas. 73.14

That tormenter of the enemies with imperial umbrella as white as a conch and a moon shined like the full moon on the sky. 73.15

Then that valorous one, the foremost among those who wield the bow, wearing several golden ornaments was fanned by hand held fans with gold handles. 73.16

Seeing him departing surrounded by a huge army that glorious Rāvaṇa, the king of Rākṣasas spoke as follows. 73.17

"Oh son, no one can stand before your chariot and you have won over Lord Indra and so what to tell of a mere man and so go and kill that Rāghava." When the king of Rākṣasas spoke like this Indrajit accepted those great blessings. 73.18

With Indrajit whose splendour was equal to the Sun and with no warrior capable of facing him as a rival, the city of Lanka shined like the Sun. 73.19

That greatly lustrous destroyer of enemies after reaching the battle field, made several Rākṣasas stand around his chariot. 73.20

Then, that foremost of Rākṣasas, having a lustre equal to that of fire, with excellent sacrificial chants, performed a sacrifice, as per rules, making an oblation to the fire. 73.21

That valorous leader of Rākṣasas offered oblations to fire there, with garlands and pounded sandalwood, including clarified butter and parched grain. 73.22

That sacrificial rite was performed with weapons serving as Samiths, chips of Vibhishaka tree serving as fuel, then using red pieces of cloth and the sacrificial ladle made of iron. 73.23

Duly spreading fire with sacrificial sticks [in the form of other weapons] accompanied by lances there, Indrajit brought the neck of a live goat of dark hue. 73.24

From that sacrificial fire which was set ablaze in which that live offering was done, several signs appeared which indicated victory. 73.25

The fire which shined like molten gold rose up on its own and had flames rotating from left to eight and accepted that oblation. 73.26

Indrajit who was an expert in using sacred arrows invoked the arrow of Brahma and charged it on his bow, chariot and everything. 73.27

When that arrow was being invoked and the sacrificially propitiated, the atmosphere including the sun, the moon and the lunar mansions trembled. 73.28

Having satisfied the fire with oblations, Indrajit, who was shining like the fire, having a might similar to that of Indra, and possessing an unimaginable prowess, became himself invisible in the sky, with the bow, arrows, sword, chariot, horses, charioteer and all. 73.29

Then the Rākṣasa army with huge number of horses and chariots and shining with flags and banners set out with interest in fighting and roared. 73.30

They killed the monkeys in the battle field using many wonderful ornamented arrows which had great speed as well as lances and goads. 73.31

Seeing those Rākṣasas, the very angry Indrajit told them, "All of you fight with enthusiasm to kill all the monkeys." 73.32

Then all those Rākṣasas with a great roar, thirsting for victory, rained showers of arrows on those monkeys. 73.33

Indrajit also along with other Rākṣasas joined the battle and destroyed the monkeys with Nalika [broad] arrows, steel arrows, maces and clubs. 73.34

Those monkeys, who were holding trees and mountains, when they were hurt rained mountains and trees on Indrajit. 73.35

The greatly lustrous and strong Indrajit became angry and wounded the bodies of monkeys. 73.36

The very angry Indrajit made the Rākṣasas extremely happy by killing Monkeys by nines, fives and sevens with a single arrow. 73.37

Using the sun like arrows decked in gold, that valorous one who was invincible destroyed the monkeys in battle. 73.38

Being hit by the arrows, the limbs of monkeys were severed and they fell down with their desires crushed, like Rākṣasas fell in the battle with Devas. 73.39

Those great monkeys with great anger ran against Indrajit who was tormenting them like a sun with arrows similar to the rays of the Sun. 73.40

Then those monkeys with their limbs severed and losing consciousness became more perturbed by being dampened by blood and ran away. 73.41

Those monkeys with mountains as weapons roared in the battle without turning back sacrificed their lives with great courage for the sake of Rāma. 73.42

Continuing to stay in the battle-field those monkeys rained trees, rocks and mountain peaks on Indrajit. 73.43

Those stones and trees which were rained and which could take life were prevented by the greatly lustrous son of Rāvaṇa who was a great conqueror. 73.44

After that the Lord [Indrajit] shot his arrows, which were like fire and looking like serpents, on the army of monkeys. 73.45

Indrajit struck Gandhamādana with eighteen sharp arrows and Nila who was standing far away with nine arrows. 73.46

That great hero with seven arrows which can tear asunder the vital parts struck Mainda and with five arrows he struck Gaja in that battle. 73.47

He then struck Jambavan with ten arrows and Nila with thirty arrows. He also struck Sugrīva, Riṣabha, Angada and Dvividhaḥ with sharp and terrific arrows endowed with boons and made them breathless. 73.48

That angry one, then looking like the fire of death, tormented other monkey chiefs with many arrows. 73.49

He discharged well those arrows shining like sun and which had great speed he harassed the monkey army. 73.50

That very enthusiastic one with great pleasure saw the extensive army of monkeys being drenched in blood after tormenting them with great many arrows. 73.51

Again that greatly lustrous strong Indrajit the son of the king of Rākṣasas, generated a volley of arrows and destroyed the monkey army from all sides. 73.52-73.53

Leaving off his army from that great battle-field and becoming invisible, Indrajit advanced towards the monkeys and quickly rained terrific rain of arrows on those armies of monkeys just as the black cloud causes rain. 73.54

In that great battle the bodies of the mountain like monkeys just like magic were torn in to pieces and they roared in a pitiable voice and fell down on the earth, like the mountains struck by Indra's Vajra. 73.55

As the Rākṣasa Indrajit, the enemy of Indra remained concealed by his magical powers the monkeys in the war only saw arrows with pointed tips falling on their army. 73.56

That great Lord of the Rākṣasas covered all the directions with hundreds of arrows having sharp point and lustre of the sun and tore the bodies of the monkey chiefs. 73.57

He rained greatly, pikes, swords, axe which were shining like a flame of fire with sparks on the excellent army of monkeys. 73.58

Wounded by those arrows which were like flame of fire from Indrajit, the monkey chiefs resembled the Kimśuka trees with crimson flowers. 73.59

Those bull like monkeys with their body split by that Lord of Rākṣasas, went near each other roared and fell down on the ground. 73.60

Hit on their eyes by those arrows some monkeys looked up at the sky, joined with each other and fell down on the floor. 73.61

With lances, spikes and sharp arrows, charged with powerful chants, Indrajit the excellent Rākṣasa struck all those foremost of monkeys, namely Hanuman, Sugrīva, Angada, Gandhamādana, Jambavan, Suṣeṇa, Vegadarshina, Mainda, Dvividhaḥ, Nīla, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Keśarī, Hariloma, Vidyuddamshtra, Suryanana, Jyothimukha, a monkey called Dadhimukha, Pavakaksha, Nala as also a monkey named Kumuda. 73.62-73.65

Tearing the important monkey warriors by his mace and arrows, which were golden in colour, Indrajit rained large many arrows which were equal to the rays of the sun on Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. 73.66

Not bothering much about that rain of arrows and treating them as just rain, the greatly lustrous Rāma looked around and then spoke to Lakṣmaṇa as follows. 73.67

"Oh Lakṣmaṇa this enemy of the king of devas has been using great arrows and throwing down the army of monkeys and is also tormenting us without break by his sharp arrows." 73.68

"How can the very strong and well prepared Indrajit, who has got boons from Lord Brahma and who conceals his terrible form from us and who stands prepared to shower weapons be killed by us in the battle today?" 73.69

"I think that the God who was self-born who is beyond thought presides over this arrow and oh wise one, with an un-distracted mind you bear with me these hail of arrows." 73.70

"Let that lord of Rākṣasas who is better than all be covered by multitude of arrows and let the army of Sugrīva whose leaders have all fallen look drab." 73.71

"Finding both of us have fallen unconscious without displaying any joy or anger after having desisted from fighting, Indrajit will certainly return to Lanka, after having obtained laurels of battle in its beginning itself." 73.72

After that Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were struck by very many arrows of Indrajit and the lord of the Rākṣasas after hurting both of them, roared with joy in the middle of the battle. 73.73

Thus causing the army of monkeys along with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to become despondent in that battle, that Indrajit, getting praised by the Rākṣasas and quickly reached the city of Lanka which was being protected by Rāvaṇa's army. Then, Indrajit cheerfully informed all that had happened, to his father. 73.74-73.75

This is the end of Seventy Third Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.