331. Trishira and Devantaka sent to join his brother.

            Seeing Narantaka dying, Devantaka, Trishira and Mahodara, the son of Pulastya, wept. Controlling his sorrow, Mahodara, mounting a huge and fearsome elephant, rushed towards Angada to crush him to death.

         Devantaka, absolutely  stunned, appalled, astonished, startled, astounded and confounded, was completely at a loss as to what to do. He, however, controlled himself quickly and then taking a terrific iron rod, ran towards Angada with a determination  to kill him. Trishira, the other dear bro of the demised, mounting a chariot yoked with excellent horses, flounced towards Angada. Despite completely made weak and tired in his last encounter, Angada, seeing the three very powerful rakshashas, who were capable of smashing the pride of even devas, coming towards him intent to finish him, bracing himself for the encounter, uplifted a tree with its large boughs and waited.
         The valiant Angada hurled that large tree on Devantaka who was sighted first. Trishira chopped off that tree with arrows looking like serpents. Seeing that, valiant vanaras around Angada, their prince, quickly collecting huge trees and large rocks and hurled them on that rakshash. The accomplished Trishara chopped most of them off with his arrows. Mahodara broke the remaining trees with the tip of his club. Trishira then started attacking Angada  with his arrows.
        Driving his elephant to rush towards Angada, the angry Mahodara struck on his chest with javelins looking like thunderbolts. At the same time, Devantaka quickly approached Angada by running at a full sprint, struck him as hard as could muster with his club. Ignoring all the hits he had, Angada with great prowess and splendor, did not get alarmed as he was trained well to handle any situation. The very capable Angada, acting with a great swiftness, struck Devantaka's elephant with his palm.
       That blow of Angada caused the death of that elephant with his eyes falling out. Pulling out a tusk of that elephant, Angada hit Devantaka with it. That hit made Devantaka sway to and fro in disorder, like a tree being tossed up by the wind and emitting plenty of blood with the colour of a lacquer.
        Devantaka, recovering his breath with a great difficulty, struck back Angada violently, with an iron rod. That made Angada fall down on his knees. However, he recovered immediately and bounced back.
      Unfortunately for Angada, Trishira struck him with three terrific and straight-going arrows on his forehead before he could steady himself after bouncing back. Seeing Angada being pestered by three capable rakshashas, our dear hero, Hanuman and Neela rushed to his aid. Neela hurled a mountain-peak on Trishira. Trishira broke it by sharp arrows.
          Devantaka ran towards Hanuman with his iron rod. Hanuman struck on his head with his fist causing his head crushed and broken, with his teeth and eyes coming out and with his tongue hanging down. He fell down stone dead on the earth.
      Mahodara, as his contribution, rained arrows in quick succession on Neela, like rumbling cloud with a circle of lightning showers rain on a mountain. These arrows made the body of Neela blow up. Mahodara then made his limbs paralyzed.
    However, Neela recovered his consciousness, almost immediately, uplifted a mountain consisting of a number of trees and then threw it with great force on Mahodara. That mountain hit the head of Mahodara who was shattered by the impact of that mountain and fell down. He then was crushed by that large elephant on which he was riding. That was the end of that rakshash Mahodara.
        Seeing Mahodara, his young paternal uncle, killed, Trishira was sorry and also enraged. Increasing his war efforts, Trishira hit Hanuman with sharp arrows. In retaliation Hanuman hurled a mountain-peak on Trishira, who broke it into several pieces with his arrows. Hanuman then tried a volley of trees.
        Trishira chopped those trees, too with his arrows in the sky itself and roared aloud jubilantly. Hanuman then jumped up and tore asunder with his nails, Trishira's horse, as a lion would a large elephant. Trishira hurled a spear on Hanuman. Hanuman caught that and broke it. Trishira, drawing his sword like lightning, dug it into Hanuman's breast with all the force he could muster. Despite the fact the thrust of the sword was hurting him like deathblow,  Hanuman, the indestructible, resiled quickly and struck Trishira on his breast, with his palm. That made Trishira unconscious and he fell down on the earth. Hanuman quickly snatching the sword of Trishira, roared loudly frightening all the rakshashas there. Strangely that road made Trishira recover his consciousness  and he jumped up and struck Hanuman with his fist.
Hanuman seizing hold of Trishira by his middle head covered by his diadem, chopped off with that sword, all the three heads decorated with diadems and ear-rings.
        Those mountain-like heads of Trishira fell down on earth, as planets and stars drop from the track of the sun. Seeing the finish of Trishira, all the vanaras cried joyously. 
         Mahaparshva(called Matta by his friends and others), seeing Trishira, Mahodara and Devantaka killed, decided to  take revenge.
Getting hold of a large mace, Mahaparshva marched towards the vanaras. One of the strong vanaras, Rishabha came jumping and stood in front of that rakshash. Mahaparshva struck him on his breast with his mace. Exuding blood profusely Rishabha fell down unconscious. However, he regained his consciousness quickly and hit Mahaparshva hard. With his body drenched in blood, Mahaparshva fell unconscious on the ground. Thinking that Mahaparshva was dead, Rishabha roared loudly in joy. Mahaparshva remained still as though he was dead for a while. After a while when he felt that he was okay, springing suddenly he struck that Rishabha, the son of Varuna, hard. That made Rishabha fall unconscious. Rising after regaining consciousness in a very short time and taking hold of the same mace banged on Mahaparshva whose breast was broken started exuding copious blood, as a mountain exudes water full of minerals.
   Rishabha wanted to ensure that rakshasha was dead. Quickly taking the mace he struck that rakshash with it repeatedly. That action resulted in the demise of Mahaparshva.
      Seeing Mahaparshva was killed, that army of rakshashas, which was as extensive as an ocean, abandoning their weapons in the battle-field, fled for their lives, like a sea which has burst its shores.

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330. Next victim is Narantaka.

               Hearing the lamentation and seeing the pitiable reaction of Ravana on hearing the death of his dear brother Kumbhakarna, Trishira (one of the sons of Ravana) tried to comfort and solace him by "O! Dad! Kumbhakarna uncle died as a hero fighting valiantly. In the past you have taken setbacks in your stride. I agree that the sudden loss of uncle Kumbhakarna is very difficult to reconcile. However, heroes and valiant warriors like you do not lament as you are doing now. All the worlds know that you are capable of conquering all the three worlds, even without any assistance. It is unbecoming of you to lament and grieve like this. It is quite unfortunate that uncle Kumbhakarna is no longer with us. However, you have the javelin given by Brahma. And an inviolable armour, a bow and an arrow together with a chariot yoked to a thousand donkeys, emitting a sound surpassing the rumbling of a cloud are at your command.
        "Devas and danavas were conquered by you several times by you without the assistance of uncle Kumbhakarna. As such, you can punish Rama  with the weapons endowed with you.
      "But actually there is no need for you to face that fellow Rama. You stay back and rest and brood over the tragic demise of uncle Kumbhakarna. I will set out and eradicate those two humans and his army of monkeys in battle, as Garuda eradicates the serpents."
      The comforting, encouraging and palliative  words of Trishira cheered Ravana up and made him think that he was born anew, after being summoned by Death.
     The brothers of Trishira namely Devantaka, Narantaka and Atikaya shouted in unison that they, too will go with Trishira for the final battle.
    Ravana was aware that all of them wee capable of passing through the sky. All were skilled in magic. All had humbled the pride of gods. All were fierce in battle. All were endowed with great strength. All were widely renowned. All were such as had never been heard of having been conquered by devas or Gandharvas or Kinnaras or mahoragas (Giant serpents) at any time in a battle.
       All of them were valiant, well-versed in weaponry and skilled in war-fare. All were greatly knowledgeable and all had pocketed good many boons. Ravana, surrounded by those four very competent and capable sons felt energized.
     Embracing his sons, embellishing them with ornaments and blessing them profusely, Ravana sent them to battle. Ravana reinforced them by sending two more capable rakshashas Yuddhonmatta and Matta  (better known as Mahodara and Mahaparshva) to assist them.
    All those chaps with colossal bodies, left after giving due homage to Ravana. Smelling their bodies anointed with all types of herbs and perfumes, those six mighty and capable rakshashas started, eager and raring  to fight.
      Mahodara mounted an elephant called Sudarshana very much resembling Airavata. On the back of that elephant Mahodara was shining like the sun on the peak of Ashtachala mountain.
      Trishira (he was named so as he had three heads) ascended an exquisite chariot, yoked to excellent horses and filled with all types of armory. Wearing  three diadems, standing in the chariot wielding a bow, he was looking like the Mt. Himavat, the king of mountains with its three golden hills, and was shining like a cloud with glittering meteors, illuminations and a rain-bow.
      Atikaya mounted his chariot, having first-rate wheels and axles, well-yoked, having a good carriage and pole, filled with quivers and bows and flashing all kinds of missiles, swords and maces. He was radiant with his lovely diadem, and shining in brilliant gold and other ornaments, like Mount Meru. In that chariot, Atikaya that mighty prince, was shining like Indra surrounded by devas.
      Narantaka mounted a white gigantic horse, looking like the one used by Indra. Narantaka, holding a javelin, which was resplendent like a meteor, appeared shining, like God Guha (=Kartikeya).
      Devantaka, holding his special weapon as hard as iron and as effective as vajra was marching ahead looking like an incarnation of Vishnu holding Mandara-mountain in his arms.
       Those distinguished rakshashas set out to the battle field, like Suras leaving Amaravati. Mighty rakshasha soldiers, holding excellent weaponry, accompanied them, mounting on elephants, horses and chariots making sounds of rumbling clouds.
        Those mighty princes, very valiant and absolutely fearless, wearing diadems and possessed of prosperity, were shining like glowing planets in the sky. The row of auspicious attire worn by them was like an autumnal cloud or like a flock of cranes in the sky.
        Determined to vanquish their enemies, those valiant rakshashas pressed forward to the battle field with courageous resolve and eager to fight for victory. Those mighty sons of Ravana set out with an arrogant conception of war, went roaring to the battle field fully confident of their victory.
         The earth trembled by their battle-cries and clapping of arms. The sky appeared breached by the vociferous roars of the rakshashas. The mighty sons of Ravana, on reaching the battle field,  were delighted to see the army of vanaras holding rocks as their weapons as against their mighty arrows, maces, missiles etc.
    The reaction of the mighty vanaras, on seeing the army of rakshasas was a determination to crush them and they, too roared again and again with a pitch much higher than that of their enemies.
       The battle started. Some vanara leaders, with their raised mountains, roamed about like mountains with their peaks. Some others ready with trees and rocks as their weapons. The spectators from the firmament were anxiously expecting the battle to be very fierce and would be very interesting to watch.
         The determined vanaras  blocked the flood of arrows by a matchless rain of trees, rocks and mountains.
       The spectators from the firmament noticed that the casualty was even on both sides.
       The rakshashas pierced the vanaras with their arrows, spears, mallets, swords, javelins and lances. Vanaras were fighting with huge rocks, trees, their hands, nails on hands and feet and their teeth. 
       In a short time the battle-field became dampened with blood and covered by the mountains, huge rocks, trees, swords, maces, spears, arrows etc. used in the battle. Oh, yes! It was covered with dead, dying and wounded  bodies of rakshashas and vanaras, too.
When all their weapons were used, the rakshashas used the corpses irrespective of whether it was that of a rakshash or a vanara, as a weapon. Vanaras aped this tactics, naturally.
           The battle-field, filled with those mountains, broken trees and dead and wounded bodies of vanaras, rakshashas, the various weapons of the rakshashas, horses,  donkeys, elephants etc. became difficult to be traversed.
        Undaunted by the killing of their comrades the brave and valiant vanaras, with their thrilling martial arts full of pride, and with their various weapons like trees, rocks, teeth and nails and unrepressed team spirit, carried out the battle with determination. Seeing the vanaras gaining upper hand in the conflict and the falling down of the rakshashas in huge numbers, the maharishis and the devas viewing the battle from the firmament applauded and blessed the vanaras.
         Seeing the vanaras decidedly gaining upper hand, Narantaka, mounting on a horse that can move like wind, and taking a barbed javelin entered the jubilant army of the vanaras. The action of that valiant prince Narantaka resulted in a devastating  catastrophe for the vanaras.
      The spectators from the firmament saw the mighty Narantaka, seated on the back of his horse and hacking a path way for himself through the army of vanaras. His path-way was covered with a mire of flesh and blood, along with heaps of fallen-down dead-bodes of vanaras, looking like hills.
        Whenever any brave vanara try to show valour, Narantaka simply cleaved him. Even before any vanara attempted to uplift any tree or mountain or rock, the javelin of Narantaka struck him  down.
       That mighty Narantaka, roamed in all directions in the battle-field, holding up his shiny javelin, massacring vanaras in all directions like the wind ravaging the earth in a rainy season. Narantaka, a single rakshash, struck a very large number of vanaras with his javelin.
         Unable to withstand or resist the onslaught of Narantaka,  the vanaras rushed to their king Sugreeva for protection. Narantaka following those running away vanaras reached in the vicinity of Sugreeva.
         Seeing Narantaka, Sugreeva told Angada "Go and protect our vanaras from that rakshas."
      Angada nodded and bouncing, as the sun coming out of a cloud jumped down before Narantaka. He told Narantaka "Hey! Stupid Rakshash! Why are you attacking these common vanaras? Try your javelin towards my chest."
    Narantaka duly obliged. Oh! That rakshash was shocked to see that javelin broke against Angada's chest, which was as hard as a diamond and fell to the earth.
     With a proud smile Angada stretched out his palm and struck the head of the horse of that rakshash. That mountain-like horse, fell down with its head shattered, feet broken, eyes and pupils put out and tongue come out. 
       Narantaka  felt an enraged surprise. As a requiter, raising his fist, Narantaka struck Angada on his head. Angada's head started reeling and blood started oozing out of the cut created by the hit. He also felt a burning sensation causing him to swoon. However, he regaining consciousness quickly and was surprised to note the power and strength of that rakshash.
       Then Angada, gritting his teeth and clinching his fist and mustering all his remaining strength, hit the chest of Narantaka. The chest of that rakshash Narantaka deeply sunk back by that fist-blow, giving out flames and with his limbs smeared by blood, fell down as a mountain is broken up by the fall of a thunder-bolt, stone dead.
         Witnessing the killing of Narantaka by Angada in battle, the spectators in the firmament and the vanaras clapped and shouted with joy. 

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