310. Rama woke up and grieves for his bro.

           In the battle field Sugreeva and other leaders like Angada, Hanuman, Jambavan etc. were standing around the inert bodies of Rama and his bro, watching them with deep concern and grief. Suddenly they noticed a very slight movement from the body of Rama. The mighty Rama by virtue of his hardihood and native strength recouped his senses. A few moments later he opened both his lovely eyes. Despite the myriad of arrows all over his body, he turned his body to look for his dear brother.

         He, Rama was shocked to see the bleeding unconscious, firmly thrown on the floor with his features changed brother. With intolerable grief Rama lamented "Of what use to me is the recovery of Seetha at the cost of my dear Lakshmana? May be it is possible to find some woman equal to Seetha in this world of mortals but it is impossible to find a brother like Lakshmana in ALL the worlds.

        "I, most willingly am prepared to give up my life if that is the condition for Lakshmana's return to the five elements. What shall I say to my mother, Kausalya or to Kaikeyi? How can I talk to my mother Sumitra looking eagerly for her dear son? How shall I console Sumitra, trembling and crying out like an osprey, bereft of her son, if I return to Ayodhya without Lakshmana?

          "What can I tell Shatrughna and the illustrious Bharata when I return without Lakshmana, who followed me to the forest? Alas! I will not be able to endure Sumitra's reproaches. I will leave my body here itself. I do not wish to continue living. Woe unto me to my wicked deed and to my lack of nobility. Through my fault, Lakshmana has fallen and lies on this bed of arrows. O, Lakshmana! You always used to console me whenever I was in a great sorrow. You, having lost your life now, are not able to allay my sufferings with your words.
      "You, who in today's battle, struck down innumerable rakshashas, are now fallen, pierced by darts. Lying on this bed of arrows, bathed in blood, you are piled up in a heap of arrows. You look like the sun setting behind the horizon. Your vital parts having been pierced with arrows, you are not able to speak now. Even though you are not speaking, your agony is disclosed by the redness of your eyes.

       "I do not remember to have heard any harsh or hateful words from you, even if you are deeply provoked. Lakshmana, you are able to loose five hundred arrows in one shot, surpassing Kartavirya himself in the science of archery. O Lakshmana, you were accustomed to a rich couch and  by your arrows you were capable of severing the weapons of the mighty Indra, the Lord of devas, is lying slain on the ground.

     "Those vain words uttered by me, will undoubtedly consume me since I have not made Vibhishana the king of rakshashas. O, Sugreeva! You ought to return at once from here since knowing that you are bereft of my support, Ravana will overcome you.

        "O, Sugreeva! Recross the sea with your army and with your followers, keeping Angada in front. I am fully satisfied by the great military exploit done by Jambavan, the king of Bears and the General of the vanaras, which was impossible for any other in battle. A great act was done by Angada, Mainda and Dvivida. A terrible combat was done by Kesari and Sampati in the battle-field. By Gavaya, Gavaksha, Sharabha, Gaja and other vanaras, who are willing to sacrifice their lives for me, the battle was carried on.

         "O, Sugreeva! It is not possible for mortals to avoid their destiny. O, Sugreeva! Fearing to fail in your duty, you have done all that which a friend and a comrade could do. O, foremost of vanaras! You have accomplished all this due to our friendship. I take leave of you all; go where it seems best to you!"

       All the tawny eyed vanaras, who heard Rama's lament thus, started to weep with tears flowing from their eyes. At this point of time, Vibhishana, having established some order in all the ranks, was approaching Rama with mace in his hand. Seeing him, who resembled a mass of collyrium, rushing towards them, all the vanaras of the lower rank, took him to be Indrajit, the son of Ravana, fled away in terror.

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309. Grief of Seetha and the consolation of Trijata.

           Seeing the inert bodies of her husband and the mighty Lakshmana, Seetha was very much shocked. She just could not believe that her dear hubby and his dear bro were dead. She started lamenting "The soothsayer, reading the marks and signs on my body, prophesied that I shall bear sons and WILL NOT be widowed. Now that Rama has been slain, their words have proved to be untrue. Since Rama is slain, all those astrologers, who predicted that I would participate as the consort of Rama in many great sacrifices that would be performed by him, are now proved to be utterers of falsehood. Now that Rama has been slain, all those sooth-sayers who predicted that I should be honoured by my husband as well as the wives of warriors and kings, are proved to be liars.
       "Now that Rama has been slain, all those astrologers who predicted that I would remain happy with my husband are proved to have spoken falsehood. I bear the marks of lotus on my soles by virtue of which high-born women are said to be consecrated on an imperial throne with their husbands and lords. I do not have any of the marks of ill-fortune which bespeak widowhood in women who are ill-starred. It seems that all the auspicious signs appear to be rendered void for me.

      "Those marks of the lotus said to be a good augury for women seem to be incorrect, now that Rama is slain. My hair is fine, black in colour and smooth. My eye-brows are disunited. My shanks are hair-less and well rounded. My teeth are contiguous, without any gaps between them. My temples, eyes, arms, feet, ankles and thighs are homologous and well-proportioned. My fingers have well-rounded with glossy nails with right length.

     "My breasts are close to each other, fully developed and have depressed nipples. My navel is deeply indented. My flanks and bosom are well-formed. My complexion has the sheen of a pearl. The hair on my skin are soft. It is said of me as endowed with auspicious signs, in that I touched the ground with my twelve limbs (viz. the ten toes and two soles).

       "Those who interpret the marks of youthful maidens spoke of me that my hands and feet are rosy, fully provided with marks each resembling a barley corn, devoid of space between my fingers and toes and that my smile is gentle. All that was told by brahmins well-versed in sooth-saying. They also predicted that I will be consecrated on the imperial throne along with my husband.

        "By means of magic arts, an invisible foe has slain Rama and Lakshmana, my protectors, who are equal to Indra in battle and I am now bereft of any support. Having reached the range of sight of Rama in a combat, no enemy could return alive. 

       "I do not repent so much for Rama and Lakshmana or for myself or even my mother but for my unfortunate mother-in-law, Kausalya. She, for her part, forever remains absorbed in the thought 'When shall I see Lakshmana and Seetha with Rama returned to Ayodhya having completed his vow of remaining in exile in the forest for fourteen years?'

      The kind kind-hearted rakshashsi Trijata  tried to console Seetha by "O, God-like lady! Do not despair. I am sure your husband, Rama is still alive. Let me tell you why I am so positive about it.

       "O, Seetha! This Pushpaka viman does not take any widow. Moreover, when the leader of an army is killed in the battle, his army looses courage and wanders aimlessly about on the battle field, like a ship which has broken its rudder in water. Now look at this vanara army which is neither confused nor perturbed and is guarding Rama and Lakshmana.

     "Be assured that Rama and Lakshmana are not dead.

     "Even suras and asuras along with Indra cannot vanquish these two heroes in battle. O Seetha! See this, a great marvel! See having fallen under those shafts and deprived of their senses, their beauty has not deserted them. Generally, the faces of those who lost their lives and whose vital power has vanished, will be appearing with an appalling alteration. O, Seetha! Banish your grief, pain and ignorance on account of Rama and Lakshmana. With the splendour seen in their faces, I am positive beyond any iota of doubt that Rama and Lakshmana ARE ALIVE."

      Hearing Trijata, Seetha, resembling a daughter of gods, with joined palms exclaimed, "May it be so."
           Then Seetha was dropped at the Ashoka vana. 

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308. Ravana made Seetha to see the bodies of Rama and Lakshmana.

               In the battle field the leading vanaras surrounded Rama to ensure that no rakshash would harm them. Hanuman, Angada, Nila, Sushena, Kumuda, Nala, Gaja, Gavaksha, Panasa, Sanuprastha and the mighty Jambavan with Sunda, Rambha, Shatabali and Prithu, armed with trees, reorganized their ranks, stood alert, surveyed the quarters of the sky up and down and on every side and, even if a grass stirred, they exclaimed "Look, it could be a rakshash!". And they were nervous, too.
          Ravana, after  dismissing his dear son Indrajit, started brooding and after a few moments he nodded all his heads in satisfaction and summoned the rakshashis guarding Seetha. Trijata (do you remember Trijata, the dream girl, I mean rakshashi? No? Then refresh your memory by reading again the "223. Trijata's dream.") accompanied by a few other rakshashis appeared before him. Seeing them, the happy Ravana with smiles on all his ten faces, told them "Hi! girls! Have you heard that just now my son Indrajit killed both that troublesome guys Rama and his bro Lakshmana. Tell Seetha that. And also take her in the Pushpaka viman  and show her the inert bodies of Rama and Lakshmana killed in the battle. She refused to be united with me on the ground that she, as the beloved wife of the mighty mighty Rama (Haa! Haa! - deriding laughter of that ten headed Rakshash) would not even think of anyone else. That mighty mighty Rama and his mighty mighty brother Lakshmana are no more. Tell her that now that I am the mighty mighty chap whom she now can marry merrily. Seeing the dead bodies of Rama and Lakshmana lying in the battle-field, finding no other haven and hoping for nothing else, the large-eyed Seetha will voluntarily seek refuge with me!"

         All the rakshashis nodded and went back to the Ashoka vana in the Pushpaka. They conveyed the sad news to Seetha. She was made to ascend the Pushpaka-plane.
         Ravana, thrilled with rapture, caused Lanka to be garlanded with flags and banners and arranged a proclamation to be made in Lanka announcing that Rama and Lakshmana had been slain by Indrajit in battle.

        Seetha saw all the vanara-troops who had been slain. Seetha saw the rakshashas who were delighted with happy faces and vanaras disturbed with grief, standing round the bodies of Rama and Lakshmana. Seetha beheld those two warriors Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on the ground on a bed of arrows, their limbs pierced with arrows, riddled with weapons, their armour shattered, their bows cast aside at a distance and their entire body transfixed by darts.

       On seeing those two brothers  lying stretched on a bed of arrows there in that wretched plight on a bed of reeds, Seetha wailed piteously, stricken as she was with a great agony. The dark-eyed Seetha the daughter of Janaka with her faultless limbs, beholding her lord and Lakshmana lying in the dust, burst into sobs. 

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307. Ravana congratulated his son.

             Then, along with Sugreeva, Vibhishana came to that spot of mourning where Nila, Dvivida, Mainda, Sushena, Kumuda, Angada and Hanuman were grieving for Rama and Lakshmana. Breathing but faintly, bathed in blood, riddled with innumerable arrows, motionless and lying inactive, they lay stretched on a bed of arrows, sighing like serpents, helpless, bereft of prowess, their limbs soaked with voluminous blood of their own, resembling two golden standards, and lying inert on heroes' couch, were surrounded by their vanara leaders, whose eyes were suffused with tears. Seeing the two Raghavas, pierced by a multitude of arrows, all the vanaras as well as Vibhishana became uneasy and anxious. The vanaras surveyed all the quarters in the sky, but could not locate Indrajit, who was very much before them but veiled by his magic powers in the fight.

        Vibhishana, who himself had some magic arts, was able to locate his nephew standing nearby, duly hidden by his occult power. In addition to the fact that he had no peer in a battle field and who had unique exploits, Indrajit had made himself invisible by virtue of the boon he had received in this respect. He was, however, spotted out by Vibhishana, who had some occult power, too.
           Indrajit gazed gloatingly at those two brothers lying inert on the battle ground. As there was no movement whatsoever from any of the two brothers, he concluded that they were dead. Unable to suppress his joy, he happily and gloatingly shouted at his cronies "The so-called exceedingly strong brothers Rama and Lakshmana, the killers of Khara and Dushana have been killed by my arrows. Even devas and asuras cannot make these two brothers to get out of the binding by my arrows. This nonsensical pest was was causing a lot of worry for my dad, who could not sleep for the past three nights and was not able even to touch his couch with his limbs, and remained absorbed in thought and stricken with grief. That apart this scourge made the entire city of Lanka remain agitated, like a river during the rains, has been destroyed by me. As clouds are useless in the autumn, so are all the exploits of Rama, Lakshmana and all the vanaras."

           Indrajit then wanted to have some bonus, too. He hit Nila with nine arrows, tormented Mainda and Dvivida with three superb arrows on each. He then smacked the chest-region of Jambavan with an arrow and released ten arrows towards Hanuman. He struck both Gavaksha and Sharabha with two arrows on each of them.

        Not satisfied with that, Indrajit continued by striking Gavaksha  and then Angada. His arrows pierced those jewels among the vanaras  with his arrows having all the attributes of flames of fire and began to shout in triumph.

      Tormenting them with a multitude of arrows and frightening the vanaras, Indrajit heartily laughed and cried "O, rakshashas! At the forefront of the army, behold those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana bound together by me by a terrible net work of my arrows."

       All those rakshashas, hearing the words of Indrajit, were overjoyed. All of them cheered Indrajit unanimously with a roar like thunder, crying "Rama is dead". Seeing the two brothers  Rama and Lakshmana lying motionless and seemingly breathless on the floor, Indrajit was sure that they were dead. Indrajit, full of joy and victorious, returned to his palace, spreading happiness to the rakshashas.
            Sugreeva, seeing Rama and Lakshmana riddled with arrows and pierced in every limb and bone of their bodies, and there was absolutely no movement from any part of their bodies, concluded that they were dead and ipso facto was embraced by a great fear and sorrow. Vibhishana then kindly  consoled the frightened and grieving Sugreeva with "Have no fear, O Sugreeva! Stay this rush of tears. Wars are like this. Victory is not guaranteed. O, warrior! I am sure that the exceedingly strong Rama and Lakshmana are only unconscious. I am sure that sooner than later they will get their consciousness. O, Sugreeva! Be courageous. For those who are devoted to truth and righteousness, there is no fear of death." Vibhishana then kindly and affectionately wiped the charming eyes of Sugreeva with his hand moistened with water.
     Then Vibhishana continued "O, Sugreeva! This is not the time for sentiments like despondency. At this hour, even too much attachment may lead to physical weakness, which in turn will lead to death. Therefore, shedding your despair, which ruins all actions, focus now on how best to serve the troops which have Rama as their most loved and revered head. And Rama and his brother be protected till they regain consciousness. After regaining consciousness, Rama and Lakshmana can indeed drive away the fear in both of us. Both Rama and Lakshmana are now only unconscious. I am sure about it. Therefore don't fret yourself and regain your prowess. I, on my part endeavour to restore confidence in the entire ranks. O, my dear friend, These Vanaras, with their eyes dilated due to fear, are signaling some words into each other's ear. Terrified as they seem to be, I will make them to cast off their fear, like one would discard a used garland."

         Having solaced Sugreeva, Vibhishana went to the disheartened vanara ranks.
         Indrajit, the great conjurer, surrounded by all his forces, re-entered the city of Lanka. Going straight to his dear dad, Indrajit told him that both Rama and Lakshmana had been slain.

           Hearing that happy news, Ravana forthwith sprang up on his feet in joy and embraced his son fondly. Indrajit then explained to his papa how he managed that feat.

        Hearing those pleasing words of Indrajit, Ravana with his heart filled with a gush of joy, relinquished his anguish, caused on account of Rama and applauded his son with pleasing words.

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306 Rama and Lakshmana were wounded.

               Rama  ordered the ten vanaras viz both the sons of Sushena, Nila, the chief of vanaras, Angada the son of Vali, the strong Sharabha, Dvivida, Hanuman, the very strong Sanuprastha, Rishabha and  Rishabha-skandha,  who fortunately were able to realize what they were seeing was not actual and came out of the trance, to search for the whereabouts of Indrajit. 

       All of them, thrilled with enthusiasm, flung into the air brandishing huge trunks of trees and started to explore the ten regions. Indrajit, who was skilled in the use of magic, arrested the impetuous outbreak of the vanaras by his magical arrows. Those vanaras, whose bodies were cruelly pierced by the shafts of those arrows, were unable to see Indrajit in the darkness.

         Indrajit, feeling victorious in the battle, transfixed Rama and Lakshmana by his magical powers making highly venomous serpents as his arrows that lacerated their flesh in a great measure. The bodies of both those warriors, Rama and Lakshmana were densely transfixed with serpentine arrows by the enraged Indrajit. Blood flowed from the wounds of both Rama and Lakshmana and both of them shone like Kimshuka trees in flowering.

         Indrajit, feeling predominant shouted at the two brothers "When I enter into combat, making myself invisible, even Indra will not able to see or approach me. Hi! guys! Having imprisoned you in this net work of arrows furnished with heron's feathers, I, yielding myself up to the violence of my wrath, am about to dispatch you to the region of Yama the Lord of Death." And simultaneously, Indrajit pierced them with more such arrows and shouted exultantly. Indrajit, who was as black as a heap of shattered collyrium, stretching his immense bow, discharged more dreadful serpents as arrows again.

                Indrajit, who was aware of their vital parts, set up a continual shouting, digging sharp arrows into the vital parts of Rama and Lakshmana. Those two princes, in the forefront of battle, bounded by that net work of arrows(actually serpents) in the twinkling of an eye, became incapable of even looking up.

          Pierced in their vital parts, exhausted, and covered all over with heads of arrows, those two mighty and courageous archers fell on to the earth, shaking violently like a pair of flag-staffs in honour of Indra.
                Rama and Lakshmana, lying on that heroes' bed of arrows, bathed in blood, all their limbs with bristling arrows and extremely injured and distressed. There was not a square centimeter space on their bodies from the tips of their fingers to the end of their feet that was not lacerated, implanted and pierced by those arrows. Struck down by that ferocious raksash, who was able to change his shape at will, the hot blood gushed forth from both Rama and Lashmana, as water from a spring. Rama fell first, his vital parts pierced by arrows of the wrathful Indrajit, who had formerly vanquished Indra.

        Indrajit continued his attack on Rama relentlessly. Dropping his bow, bent at three places, adorned with gold, with its string loosened away and detached from the hold of his fist, Rama lied down on the battle-ground.

       Seeing Rama fallen, Lakshmana became careless about his own life. Seeing his elder brother Rama, with his eyes resembling lotus-leaves, having fallen on the ground, wounded as he was by a net work of arrows, Lakshmana felt sad. And he, too fell down by an arrow of Indrajit.

        Beholding Rama lying on the ground, the vanaras were grieved and wept terribly. Hanuman and the other vanaras stood surrounding Rama and Lakshmana, who was bound by a net work of arrows and lying down on the battle ground. They were disturbed and afflicted with intolerable sorrow.

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305. Indrajit demonstrated his magical supremacy at night.

          Surya (i.e. the sun) obliged the rakshashas by sinking below the horizon (when it was due, of course). All the rakshashas in that battlefield jumped and cried with joy. Those who were wounded and retreated to safety and licking their wounds and praying for the early sunset, forgot their wounds and jumped into the battlefield with joy and vigour. Then, a nocturnal tussle ensued between the terrific vanaras and the terrible rakshashas.

       Many rakshashas and many vanaras were killed in that battle of the night.

         The relentless vanaras with a terrific rage leapt forward and tore asunder by their sharp teeth, the steeds with gold ornaments on their heads. The angry vanaras dragged the elephants and those mounted on them and the chariots with their banners and flag-staffs duly breaking them to pieces with their teeth and hands. Seeing such gory, grisly, gruesome, shocking, terrible, awful and appalling acts the rakshashas were frightened.

       Rama and Lakshmana killed many of the foremost of the rakshashas, visible as well as invisible, with their arrows. The dust rising from the hooves of horses and the wheels of the chariots blocked the ears and the eyes of the combatants.

       On the battle of that day and night,  rivers with blood started flowing from the battle field. The bodies of the killed vanaras and rakshashas, with their bodies appearing like mountains together with their spears, maces, axes. Part of those weapons were stuck and rendered impassable by the slime formed out of streams of blood, looked like a profusion of flowers on the earth.

        That dreadful,  distressing, appalling, tragic, horrible, formidable and  fearful  night became as calamitous to the vanaras as well as to the rakshashas. In that very terrible darkness, the rakshashas thrilled with rapture attacked Rama with showers of arrows. Yelling in fury, the sound of those rakshashas was like the noise of the oceans at the time of destruction of all the creatures.

       The undaunted Rama in the twinkling of an eye, with six sharp arrows resembling the tongues of flame, struck down six of those rakshashas. The unconquerable Yagnashatru, Mahaparashva, Mahodara, the giant bodied Vajradamshtra, both Shuka and Sarana having been hit by Rama's astras on their vital organs retreated from the battle and somehow survived for the rest of their lives.

          Rama sent quite a lot of the rakshashas to meet their maker. 

       The terrible night  became further terrible by the sound of the kettle-drums and by the roaring sounds of the rakshashas and the vanaras. Long-tailed and black faced vanaras with their gigantic bodies crushed the rakshashas with their arms and threw their inert bodies as a feast to the jackals, vultures etc. waiting for such grub in and around the battle field.

       Angada on his part struck Indrajit, his charioteer and the horses all at once. While that awful and very intense battle was going on, Indrajit a great trickster, leaving the chariot, with its horses and charioteer killed by Angada, vanished from that very spot itself. All the devas, both Rama and Lakshmana together with all sages witnessing the battle from the firmament above, were pleased with that act of Angada, the son of Vali. Since all the living beings knew the supernatural powers of Indrajit in battle, they were pleased on seeing that highly gifted rakshash being defeated by Angada. Seeing the enemy defeated, all vanaras along with Sugreeva and Vibhishana were delighted and praised Angada as a remarkable warrior. Indrajit, on the other hand, became intolerably angry, as he was defeated in the battle by an animal.

         After licking his wounds, Indrajit decided to avenge his defeat by taking recourse to an invisible form, which he was capable of by the grant of a boon to him by Brahma. Even in invisible form, he could not harm Rama or Lakshmana. Intrajit decided to resort to magic. Enveloped by illusion, he sought to confuse Rama and Lakshmana and invisible to all beings through his magic arts, Indrajit made everyone see that Rama and Lakshmana were bound with a net work of arrows.

       All the vanaras thought that they were seeing the two brothers being wounded by the serpentine arrows of that enraged rakshash. Not being able to hurt those two princes in his manifest form, Indrajit with his perverse mind, had recourse to magic in order to make them captive.

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304. Eminent Rakshashas chose their opponents.

           The very important, brave, valiant, fearless and gallant rakshashas like Intrajit noticed that the  vanaras fighting against their forces were highly wise and seemed to be quite a match, perhaps more than a match for their forces fighting against them. They thought that if they choose very important vanaras to fight with and vanquish or kill them, then Rama will have no option other than surrendering. And Seetha will, ipso facto, have to agree to the wishes of their king, Ravana. With that aim in their minds those rakshashas marched ahead on steeds with golden trappings or elephants resembling pointed flames, or in chariots flashing like the sun and themselves wearing beautiful and shining armours, creating reverberative sounds in all the ten regions. The great army of vanaras, also eager to triumph, marched opposite to those troops of rkshashas of terrible and terrorising  looks. Extraordinary  duels arose between those rakshashas and vanaras, who ran up towards each other.

         The rakshash Indrajit of immense energy selected Angada, the son of Vali. Their fight is said to resemble the one between Andhaka and Shiva, the Lord of destruction. The ever indomitable Sampati fought with Prajangha. Hanuman was selected by Jambumali. (It is not that Jambumali who was killed by Hanuman during his visit to Lanka in search of Setha. See 239. Hanuman sent Jambumali to meet his maker. Cats may have nine lives, but a rakshash had, has and will have one and only one life.) The rakshash with great fury, Vibhishana the younger brother of Ravana was selected by Shatrughna possessing fiery velocity in battle.

           Gaja of great strength was picked up by the rakshash Tapana and Nila by Nikumbha. Sugreeva the king of vanaras was selected by Praghasa and the glorious Lakshmana was selected by Virupaksha.
        No single rakshash was prepared to meet Rama. Therefore the four rakshashas viz. the invincible Agniketu, Rashmiketu, Mitraghnu and Yajnakopa jointly confronted  Rama.

     Vajramushti confronted  Mainda and Ashaniprabha with Dvivida. Pratapana, the valiant, terrific and invincible in battle selected Nala of intense speed in battle.

       That great vanara called Sushena, the strong son of Yama was selected by Vidyunmali.
      Some other dreadful vanaras, having sent many of their opponents to meet their maker, joined with their mates.
        A very great tumultuous battle continued there between the heroic rakshashas and vanaras, who were eager to triumph. Streams of blood flowed from the bodies of vanaras and rakshashas, with tufts of hair and inert bodies in the stream, like timber. The enraged Indrajit struck the valiant Angada with a mace, like Indra the Lord of devas with his thunder-bolt. But Angada took the hit nonchalantly and  struck the chariot of Indrajit, having a variegated body of gold, along with the horses and the charioteer.
       Sampati, though was struck and wounded by Prajangha with three arrows, killed Prajangha by an Ashvakarna tree.
       Jambumali, standing in his chariot, full of strength and fury banged on Hanuman's breast, with a javelin kept in his chariot. Hanuman, the intrepid son of Vayu, went straight to the chariot and overthrew it together with that rakshash with the palm of his hand. 
       That magnificent, fabulous, marvellous and the sensational Pratapana, running roaringly like a lion towards Nala was got both his eyes suddenly scratched out by the cunning, ingenious, adept, deft and nimble Nala,

          With his entire body covered by the  arrows of Praghasa the swift-handed rakshash, Sugreeva bleeding profusely all over his body, immediately killed Praghasa with a Saptaparna tree.
         Lakshmana  after tormenting Virupaksha with a shower of arrows, killed him finally.
       The so far invincible Agniketu, Rashmiketu, Mitrughna and Yajnakopa wounded Rama at very many places by arrows. Ignoring the wounds and the pain they caused, Rama on his part chopped the hands of those four rakshashas by four terrific arrows having fire-like points.
    Struck with a fist by Mainda, Vajramushti along with his chariot fell on the ground like a watch-tower on a city-wall.

      Nikumbha wounded Nila by his sharp arrows, like a cloud by the rays of the sun. Seeing the staggering Nila, Nikumbha the swift-handed rakshash further wounded Nila by a hundred arrows and laughed merrily. The hurt and furious Nila, ignoring his pain went straight to the chariot and pulled one of the wheels of it and chopped the head of the charioteer of Nikumbha by that wheel, like Vishnu.
        Dvivida struck Ashaniprabha with a rock. But Ashaniprabha wounded Dvivida, the vanara leader by his thunder bolt-like arrows. With his limbs struck by arrows, Dvivida, though wounded and pained struck back with a Sala tree,  Ashaniprabha, his chariot and the horses.
       Vidyunmali, seated in a chariot, struck Sushena repeatedly with arrows adorned with gold and making a roaring sound. Ignoring the wounds and the concomitant pain thereof, Sushena caused the chariot to fall down, by a huge  rock. Clambering  from the chariot, Vidyunmali, endowed with skill, stood on the ground with a mace in his hand. Then, Sushena, furious as he was, seized a very huge rock in his hands, ran towards that rakshash to hit him with that rock. Vidyunmali struck that approaching Sushena quickly with a mace on his chest. Taking that terrific blow with the mace on his chest without any flinch, Sushena dexterously and quickly threw that huge rock on the chest of the rakshash. That was the last straw for Vidyunmali the rakshash. His chest was crushed and he fell lifeless on the earth.
        The battle-field became frightening with extra-ordinary spears, arrows, maces, javelins, lances and some other weapons with three points, shattered chariots and military steeds, elephants in rut, carcasses of vanaras and rakshashas, wheels, axles and yokes broken and lying on the ground and frequented as it was by herds of jackals. The headless trunks of vanaras and rakshashas sprang up here and there in the midst of that tumultuous conflict, which according to the celestial spectators from the firmament, resembled the war between devas and asuras.
      The rakshashas who were wounded in the battle retreated to a safe location and were nursing their wounds and longed for the sun-set when they hope to retain their strength and will be more fit for combat.

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