Vibheeshana then led Lakshmana through the dense forest and showed him the spot under a big banyan tree where Indrajit did his Yajnya and said “It is here that Indrajit offers the sacrifice to all living things and thus becomes invisible to all. Then he will go to fight with his enemies. You should prevent him from reaching the spot under the big banyan tree”. So Lakshmana stood there with his bow. Indrajit who was well armed and wore armour came there in his chariot and faced Lakshmana who challenged him to a fight.
Then Indrajit saw
Vibheeshana and spoke to him angrily “You are my father’s own brother and how
did you decide to be a traitor and do me harm? You are bringing dishonour to
the family by your conduct. You chose to surrender to Rama but once he defeats
us all, he will kill you too”. Vibheeshana replied “You are haughty and the son
of the wicked Rakshasa king. Even though I was born into the Rakshasa family I follow
the path of Dharma like men. I tried to advise Ravana to go on the right path
but he banished me from Lanka. His coveting another man’s wife will surely
bring destruction to all. Your end is not far off and you will not be able
to reach the banyan tree to complete your ritual. You cannot live after
opposing the Kakutstha Kings. You cannot escape the arrows of Lakshmana”.
Indrajit was furious at the
words spoken by Vibheeshana and he prepared himself to face Lakshmana. He was
in his chariot wielding his mighty bow and he looked like the God of Death
Yama. He saw Lakshmana who was seated on the back of Hanuman who had assumed a
huge form and thus looked like the sun rising above a mountain. He told
Lakshmana that soon they all were going to taste his sharp arrows, which were
going to split them. He also reminded Lakshmana how he had bound them by
Brahmastra. Lakshmana angrily retorted “Perform your work and then talk. You
became invisible and then attacked us. Now fight face to face and see”.
A very fierce war began
between Indrajit and Lakshmana. Indrajit shot several arrows and wounded
Lakshmana and said that his arrows would soon take his life. Lakshmana replied
by sending five arrows of ‘Narasa’, which hit Indrajit’s chest. Both of them
were great warriors and experts in the use of various astras. They fought like
two lions.
Lakshmana hit Indrajit with
a powerful arrow and his face lost the usual glow. Vibheeshana noticed this and
told Lakshmana that he could see some bad signs on Indrajit’s face which
indicated that he was losing. So he asked Lakshmana to persevere and attack
Indrajit. Lakshmana did so and Indrajit lost his senses for a while. But soon
he picked himself up and came charging on Lakshmana asking him to recall how he
had been bound by Brahmastra in an earlier occasion. Then he shot arrows on
Lakshmana and Hanuman. Lakshmana retaliated with powerful arrows and smashed
Indrajit’s armour and wounded him. Indrajit who was equally a great warrior did
likewise to Lakshmana. Both of them were so much wounded that they bled profusely.
Valmiki describes the scene so beautifully. He says, “The two warriors with so
many arrows stuck to their bodies looked like two mountains upon which trees
had grown!
Vibheeshana also came with
his army and attacked and killed many rakshasas. He also encouraged the army to
destroy the rakshasa army and said that if they killed Indrajit then Ravana
alone would remain. He recalled all those who had been killed so far and said
that killing all of those was like crossing an ocean and what remained to be
done was just like jumping across a tank. Vibheeshana said, “As a father, I
cannot kill my son. But for Rama’s sake I would even do that too. But my eyes
are covered with tears so Lakshmana you kill Indrajit”.
The Vanara army attacked
with renewed energy and force. The rakshasas surrounded Jambavan and attacked
him. Hanuman saw this and he lifted a hill and killed hundreds of rakshasas.
The fight between Indrajit
and Lakshmana continued vigorously and they were shooting arrows at each other
so fast that one could neither see their hands taking the arrows nor releasing
them. Their action was so rapid. The whole place was filled with hundreds of
arrows shot by the two. Blood started flowing like a river and the wild animals
made a loud noise. The wind was still. The great rishis blessed peace for the
world.
Lakshmana wounded the four
horses of Indrajit’s chariot and also with an arrow called ‘Bhalla’ cut off the
head of the charioteer. But Indrajit cleverly managed all alone to the wonder
of all. He began to lose his enthusiasm. Then four Vanaras jumped onto the
horses and killed them but Indrajit continued fighting. Lakshmana continued to
fight vigorously but Indrajit deceived all and went away to Lanka to fetch
another chariot. He then returned riding another chariot drawn by well-trained
horses to the great surprise of the Vanara army including Lakshmana and
Vibheeshana.
Indrajit furiously attacked
the Vanara army and they all ran and surrendered to Lakshmana. Lakshmana then
cut off Indrajit’s bow but he took another one which also was cut off by
Lakshmana. Then Lakshmana shot five poisonous arrows, which pierced Indrajit’s
body and fell on the ground breaking his armour. Lakshmana killed the
charioteer but the clever horses managed well by themselves. Indrajit sent a
powerful arrow but it could not pierce Lakshmana’s armour. Indrajit was enraged
by this and shot three arrows at Lakshmana’s forehead. He then attacked also
Vibheeshana who killed his four horses with his maze. Indrajit abandoned his
chariot and threw a trident at Vibheeshana, which Lakshmana intercepted in
time. Vibheeshana then shot five very powerful arrows and pierced the body of
Indrajit.
Lakshmana and Indrajit
continued vigorously their fight and tried various astras and weapons on each
other. When Lakshmana sent his Varunastra on Indrajit he nullified it with his
Rudrastra and such things went on like this for various astras employed by
them. From the Ajnyeyastra sent by Indrajit came out several weapons such as Koota, Mudgara, Pukandi, Mazes, swords etc. It is amazing that these astras,
which were similar to modern missiles, could produce several weapons with
devastating effects. Lakshmana used Maheshvarastra against Aasurastra sent by
Indrajit, which nullified it. They fought and it was such a unique and
incomparable war. Indra and other Devas blessed Lakshmana. This is
understandable because Indrajit was a terror to them.
Lakshmana finally employed an Astra that glowed like fire and had been once used by Lord Indra. Five arrows carried this Astra. Lakshmana chanted some mantras and prayed “If Dasharatha’s son Rama were to be really a great person who always kept his word and never spoke anything other than the truth, then Oh! Astra you should kill Indrajit”. Then he shot this Astra and it cut off Indrajit’s head which fell down with its two ear ornaments shining bright. So at last the formidable enemy Indrajit was killed and Vibheeshana and other Vanaras were overjoyed, as the Devas were when Vritrasura was killed by Indra. The Rakshasa army ran in all directions in fear and panic. Some went up to the mountains and others to Lanka. Indrajit lay there all alone abandoned by all his army and looked like the Sun that had lost all its rays and like fire, which had been put out. His death brought great joy to all the world. The Apsara women danced in the sky and the Devas played the instrument ‘Dundubhi’. Indrajit was very powerful and he was a terror to all the rishis and Brahmins who were engaged in performing Yajnya and rituals. So understandably all were happy and relieved and were grateful to Lakshmana and praised him. Vibheeshana, Jambavan and Hanuman and the whole army praised Lakshmana and sang the glory of Rama.
They all then went to meet
Rama and Sugreeva. Lakshmana who was looking red with blood oozing from all
over his body approached Rama saluted him and told him about his victory over
Indrajit. Rama was very happy and said, “Lakshmana you have accomplished a great
task. With the death of Indrajit we have won everything”. He took Lakshmana on
his lap and hugged him and spoke soothing words to him. Rama was greatly pained
to see the wounds Lakshmana and he said that killing Indrajit was like the killing of Ravana and he had cut the right hand of Ravana as it were. Rama
continued “I am sure Ravana is sure to come to avenge the death of his son and
I would face him and kill him and also get back Sita easily”.
Then Rama called the Vanara
chief Susena and asked him to cure the wounds of Lakshmana and also the Vanaras
who had suffered wounds. Susena brought some medicinal plants and asked
Lakshmana to smell them. Soon he was cured and became well and had no more pains.
All the other Vanaras too were cured by Susena. It appears that there were
medicinal plants and leaves which had the power of healing wounds in such a
short time. Rama and Sugreeva and others were happy to see Lakshmana back in
his healthy form. Rama praised the heroic performance of Lakshmana. Happiness
reigned all over that place.
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