317. Hanuman scored again with Akampana.

              Seeing the carnage created by the chiefs of vanaras in the battle, Akampana decided to stop it. He ordered his charioteer "Drive the chariot quickly to that place, where those vanaras are killing quite a lot of our chaps. I wanna wipe out all those animals without any trace.

       "Those enormous and massive vanaras of terrific ferocity, armed with trees and rocks, dare to affront me arrogantly. I will eradicate all those audacious monkeys, who are harassing all our guys."

           Akampana the most skillful of chariot-warriors, with a hail of darts, assailed the vanaras from a distance very effectively. With the result the vanaras were unable to maintain their tranquillity, ipso facto their formation, and loosing the inclination to fight the battle. Quite a many of them were crushed under the shafts of the arrows of Akampana. Seeing that slaughter almost all the vanara warriors ran away. Seeing those companions, getting under the sway of death pursued by Akampana's darts, the mighty Hanuman decided to stop that carnage by Akampana.

            Seeing Hanuman, their great leader, who had come to protect them, all the vanaras rallied and regrouped themselves boldly around him. Being under the protection of the great Hanuman, all the vanaras felt themselves becoming very powerful.

          Akampana assailed a hail of arrows on Hanuman, who took them nonchalantly like a rock and decided to slay Akampana without any delay. Looking around he noticed a mountain nearby. Lifting that mountain quickly, letting up a roar, threw it at Akampana. Akampana shattered it even before it started to gain momentum, by means of his great crescent-shaped arrows.
         Undaunted with his failure, Hanuman quickly went to an Ashwakarna tree as large as a mountain. Uprooting it quickly and taking a firm hold of that Ashvakarna tree with large branches, Hanuman with immense delight threw it towards that rakshash Akampana with a terrific force.

        Hanuman was disappointed to see that tree missed Akampana. At the same time he was happy to note that the tree struck down elephants with their riders on them and charioteers with their chariots and quite a number of infantry rakshashasas. This unnerved the infantry rakshashas who ran away from the battle ground to save their lives.

       The undaunted and valiant Akampana, seeing what was happening by the onslaught of Hanuman who was enraged and rushing on, sowing terror among his (i.e. Akampana's) soldiers, was greatly perturbed. With a view to stop that Hanuman from doing any more harm to his rakshashas, Akampana, with  fourteen sharp arrows tore the flesh of Hanuman. Riddled with sharp-pointed shafts, Hanuman appeared like a mountain with a number of plants on it.

        That large body of the mighty Hanuman of great strength was shining  like a fire without smoke and resembled a blooming Ashoka tree. Hanuman then decided to finish that rakshash without any further delay.

         Fortunately for him, Hanuman found nearby a large tree which looked very strong and sturdy. He quickly pulled out that tree and hit Akampana with a force. That was the last straw for Akampana who fell down and died. Seeing Akampana lying lifeless on the earth, all his warriors ran away.

         The triumphant vanaras shouted with their might and killed the rakshashas who were still alive there on the battle-field.

        Then, Rama himself, the exceedingly strong Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other vanaras and the mighty Vibhishana paid tributes to Hanuman for killing the very strong rakshash Akampana.

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316. The next victim was Akampana.

         The news about the sad demise of Vajradamshtra irritated Ravana. He thought "Perhaps I under estimated the capabilities of Rama and his vanaras. I should have sent some one much better than Vajradamshtra. Now there is no point to brood over the spilled milk! Now let me make amends for my mistake. Who to send now? ...... Yeah! I should have sent Akampana! I will send him now. I am sure that he will finish that Rama, Lakshmana and all the animals with them."
          Having decided to sent Akampana now he gave orders accordingly.

       The mighty Akampana then quickly mobilized his army comprising of rakshashas of terrifying appearance. He furnished them with every kind of weapon. Then, Akampana with the stature and colour of a cloud, whose voice resembled a thunder, ascended his great chariot, decorated with fine gold and set out, surrounded by those dreadful rakshashas.

          Akampana was shining like the sun, by his splendour. As he sped on his way, hastened and eager to enter the battle, the horses drawing his chariot were suddenly deprived of their energy. The left eye of Akampana, who delighted in warfare, began to twitch. His countenance grew pale and his voice trembled. In the beginning it was a good day, marked by fine weather. But suddenly and inexplicably it turned into a day of bad weather with a bitter wind beginning to blow. Birds and beasts uttered cruel and fearful cries.

            Despite all those unfavourable portents, that rakshash Akampana having the shoulders of a lion and the agility of a tiger, disregarding them, rushed towards the battle-field with utmost speed with his troops. It looked that those already displayed portents got angry at the complete indifference of Akampana, ipso facto they sent another which created an immense tumult that would seem to convulse the ocean. That clamor, the outcome of the last portent frightened all the rakshashas and vanaras, excepting of course, Akampana. A fiercely fierce battle ensued between the vanaras and the rakshashas, who were fully prepared to lay their lives for the sake of Rama and Ravana, respectively.

       The tremendous clamour created by the warriors of both sides, yelling in their rage making savage cries, were distinctly heard far and wide. A highly terrific dust, in a thick coppery colour, raised by the warriors on both sides enveloped all the ten quarters.

        The combatants, enveloped by that dust, which was whitish like a piece of silk shaken by the wind, could no longer distinguish each other on the battle-field. Neither standard, banner and shield, nor horse, weapon and chariot could be discerned in that pall of dust. A great tumultuous clamour of warriors, making challenging cries and rushing upon each other, was heard on the battle-field, but in that confusion, no form was visible.

         In the darkness, the greatly enraged vanaras killed vanaras and the rakshashas killed rakshashas in that battle on that day. 
           The battle-ground was covered with the mangled bodies of rakshashas and vanaras sprinkled with blood. This did not deter the rakshashas and the vanaras to continue their efforts to send their adversaries to join their comrades lying inert on the battle-ground. 

           Akampana, the general of the army of rakshashas was not at all amused by what was happening there. He cheered all his rakshashas  and encouraged them to kill their adversaries and not to get killed or wounded. The vanaras, however, leaping upon them and relieving their weapons, crushed the rakshashas with blows by large trees and stones.

       The vanara commanders Kumuda, Nala and Mainda, in an outburst of anger, displayed unsurpassed rashness. With their determination, courage and prowess,  they created a great carnage among the rakshashas.

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315. Angada killed Vajradamshtra.

           The mighty Vajradamstra, seeing the devastation of his army, was aghast with anger. He started to counter that by counterattacking by stretching his  terrific bow, comparable to that of Indra's  vajra,  assailed the vanaras with a flood of arrows. By his order, the foremost of the rakshash commanders under his control mounted on chariots, fought the battle with every kind of weapon. The vanaras, assembling on all sides, fought with rocks, trees, hands etc. Thus the battle turned very fierce, cruel, savage, brutal, aggressive, menacing, vicious, fiery and murderous.

           As no warrior on either side ever retreated in any battle, a tremendous struggle ensued. Some vanaras and rakshashas, with their shattered heads, bereft of arms and legs, lay on the earth bathed in blood with their bodies severely ruptured by weapons, became a prey to herons, vultures and crows or devoured by troops of jackals.

       Vanaras and rakshashas felled on the battlefield, as headless trunks creating terror to the fearful. The limbs of many were hacked to pieces. However, slowly and steadily the vanara army was gaining superiority. This was evident as under the eyes of Vajradamshtra, almost all his army of rakshashas were being killed or made ineffective (by way or loss of one or more limbs)  by the vanara-troops.

       Seeing this, that powerful Vajradamshtra, his eyes red with anger, bow in hand, penetrated into the army of vanaras, sowing panic among them. In this way Vajradamshtra, like the wings of an eagle that flew straight to their target, started killing or maiming a bunch of his opponents simultaneously at a time. This created terror among the vanaras and they sought refuge with Angada.

         Angada then went straight to Vajradamshtra. Both Vajradamshtra and Angada fought against each other like a lion and an elephant in rut. Thereafter, that Vajradamshtra knocked the mighty Angada at his vital organs with his arrows resembling hundred thousand flames of fire.

        With all his limbs drenched in blood, the mighty Angada having a terrific prowess threw a tree on Vajradamshtra. That unperplexed rakshash, seeing that tree coming towards him, cut it into innumerable pieces which fell in heaps on earth.
      Seeing this Angada taking a large rock and threw it on that rakshash. Vajradamshtra evaded that rock by leaping down from his chariot. Armed with his mace, he stood waiting unperplexed, on the battle-field. The rock thrown by Angada crushed the chariot with its wheels, shafts and horses. Thereafter, Angada seizing another large peak of a mountain adorned with trees, threw it on Vajradamshtra's head. This time the missile found the marked target, to wit Vajradamshtra. It made Vajradamshtra vomit blood and feel dizzy. Vajradamshtra, with determination,  clenching his mace convulsively and breathing heavily for a moment regained his consciousness. Vajradamshtra, with uncontrollable anger hit Angada full on the chest with his mace. Angada took it unflinchingly, with a sneer. The mace slipped from the hands of Vajradamshtra and rolled down. Vajradamshtra then started a pugilistic encounter. Exhausted by the blows, spitting blood, both the warriors looked like the planets Mars and Mercury.

           Angada, with a firm determination to end the fight, uprooted a tree full with many flowers and fruits and stood waiting. The rakshash, too, with the same intention, seized hold of a shield covered with the hide of a bull as well as a great beautiful sword decorated richly with a multitude of golden bells. Determined to be victorious, both the vanara and the rakshash, making roaring sounds, roamed about in different ways and collided with each other. With their gaping wounds, they shone like a pair of Kimshuka trees in blossom. 
           Each found the other quite a match for him. Both of them, therefore absolutely exhausted and sank their knees on the earth. Fortunately for him, Angada was the first to overcome his tiredness. With a great effort he sprang up like a serpent struck with a stick. As luck would have it he saw the well sharpened sword glistening nearby. Like lightning he grabbed it and assaulted Vajradamshtra on his giant head. Vajradamshtra, with his limbs drenched in blood and eyes rolling, fell down in two pieces. Seeing Vajradamshtra slain, his entire army fled. 

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314. Vajradamstra, the next scapegoat enters.

             The news about the death of Dhumraksha drove Ravana mad with anger and he began to hiss with all his mouths like a bunch of serpents. After a few moments of careful analysis in his mind, Ravana decided that the valiant Vajradamshtra would be the most appropriate commander to take retribution for the killing of Dhumraksha and others. He, accordingly called him and told him "O, the most intrepid and valiant warrior! Go ahead as the commander and slay Rama, Lakshmana, Sugreeva and all his vanaras." Saying "Yes, Sir" Vajradamshtra  left and organized very many divisions of the army. 

           Adorned with colourful bracelets and a diadem, Vajradamshtra set out immediately, wielding a bow and well-covered by an armour. That army-general circumambulated and ascended his chariot, duly decorated with flags. 
         All those rakshashas in their resplendent and coloured uniforms, full of strength and mounted on elephants furious with rut, resembled moving mountains. Those elephants mounted by warriors bearing lances and goads were skilled in war-fare. Some other elephants, mounted by valiant rakshashas, were quite mighty in strength. That whole army of rakshashas paraded, looking as brilliant as the clouds, with lightning and sound in the rainy season. They emerged from the southern gate where the General Angada was stationed.

         While those rakshashas were emerging from the gate, inauspicious portents appeared, as usual. From a cloudless yet burning sky, meteors fell. Fearful jackals, emitting their howls and belching forth flames and fire. The dreadful beasts foretold destruction of the rakshashas, who while entering the combat, stumbled miserably. Even after seeing these portents Vajradamshtra of exceeding prowess and sharpness, mustered courage and being fond of battle, set out for the combat with a brave face.

        The vanaras, burning for victory, seeing their enemies advancing, made tremendous shouts which echoed every quarter. Thereafter, a tumultuous battle ensued. It delivered many warriors of both sides with their necks severed, lying on the surface of the earth, their entire bodies bathed in blood.

          The unhurt warriors, with arms resembling steel, or with trees or large stones approached their adversaries, attacking with various kinds of weapons. An extremely horrible and terrible noise was heard there from trees, rocks and weapons. A terrific noise of the wheel-rims of chariots and the bow, along with the tumultuous sounds of conches, kettle-drums and tabours heard from there.

        Some rakshashas, leaving weapons, fought the battle with their arms. Many of the rakshashas were beaten and their bodies fragmented by the vanaras fighting with their teeth, nails, palms, feet, fists, trees and knees. Some rakshashas were crushed to powder with rocks. Tremendously frightening the vanaras in the battle by his arrows, Vajradamshtra moved himself in the battle-field like Yama moving at the time of dissolution of the worlds, wielding a noose in his hand.

           The strong rakshashas skilled in weaponry and wielding various kinds of weapons, in their increased anger killed many a vanara in that battle. The courageous Angada, killed all those rakshashas, like a world-destroying fire. The valiant Angada with his raging red eyes killed quite a lot of  rakshashas, like a lion killing small animals. 

          Many a rakshashas struck by Angada there, had their heads shattered and fell down like chopped off trees. The earth covered with chariots, conspicuous flags, horses, bodies of vanaras and rakshashas with streams of blood flowing there appeared fearful.            That battle-field, decorated with necklaces, bracelets worn on the upper arm, garments and umbrellas looked like an autumnal night. By the swiftness of Angada, that great army of rakshashas there trembled like a cloud by the swiftness of wind.

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313. Hanuman sent Dhumraksha to meet his Maker.

              Seeing Dhumraksha  all the vanaras who were eagerly waiting for retaliation, roared with joy. The vanaras started to fight with a vengeance in retribution of what was done by Intrajit. Many of the enraged vanaras were cut down on all sides by the rakshasas. The vanaras hit back ferociously and equalized the score. The vanaras fought with such a fierceness they had never fought before.

         Despite being torn asunder by the rakshashas with terrible maces, spears, hammers, frightful iron bars and variegated tridents, the mighty vanaras fearlessly and undauntedly executed their tasks with an excitement born of anger. Ignoring the fact that their bodies were split up by the tridents and their limbs broken by arrows, the furious vanaras took up trees and rocks there and fought with a determination, completely unmindful of the pain and agony caused by the wounds. Those terribly swift vanaras, roaring aloud harassed the rakshashas at all places, by calling out their names actual and nicknames. That awful battle with all kinds of rocks and trees furnished with many branches between the vanaras and the rakshashasas appeared mesmerizing.
      Some rakshashas were crushed by vanaras, who had overcome fear and some blood-loving rakshashas vomited copiously their own blood. Some rakshashas were slashed open at their sides. Some were formed into a heap by the trees. Some others were crushed by stones and yet some others torn to pieces by the vanaras by their teeth and nails. With their standards crushed and broken, their swords snapped and their chariots overturned, many rakshashasas became nervous.

           Crushed by the great rocks by the vanaras, the earth was scattered with corpses of great elephants resembling hills and horses with their riders. The vanaras rushed upon the rakshashas, flinging themselves upon them with great force horizontally and vertically and scratching their faces with their sharp nails. With their faces turned pale very much, due to apprehension, their hair torn out and maddened by the smell of blood, those rakshashas were felled on the ground by the vanaras.

         Some brave and  enraged rakshashas, ran up towards the vanaras and hit them with their strong and mighty palms several severe blows. Some of the stronger vanaras, receiving that sharp shock, with even a greater ferocity, crushed the rakshashas with blows of their fists, feet, teeth and trees. Seeing his army routed, Dhumraksha started to fight like a top hero he really was.

       Some vanaras pierced with spears lost rivers of blood while others struck down by blows of axe, fell down. Some were crushed by iron bars, others torn by harpoons, some others pierced by javelins, all exhausted and lost their lives. Slain in battle by infuriated rakshashas, some vanaras, drenched with blood, fell on the ground and some others disappeared without any trace.
           With pierced hearts, some vanaras were made to lie down on one side. Some were torn asunder by tridents that their intestines were hanging outside their bodies. That mighty battle assumed most awful proportions in that the vanaras and rakshashas were crammed with rocks, trees and multitude of weapons. With the bow-strings as the tuneful lute, the neighing of horses as a measure rhythm and the trumpeting of elephants as the vocal music, the whole battle resembled a symphony.

           Dhumraksha on his part, wielding his bow in his hand and laughing, made the vanaras to run away to all directions by a shower of his arrows. Seeing the army perturbed by Dhumraksha, Hanuman decided to stop him forever. Turning towards him, taking a gigantic rock in his hands Hanuman, with his eyes inflamed with anger, flung that rock on the chariot of Dhumraksha. Seeing the fast approaching rock, Dhumraksha grabbing his mace hurriedly, jumped out of the chariot. Seeing the shattering of his chariot with its wheels, its pole, its crest along with banner and bows, by that rock which then rolled down to the ground, Dhumraksha thanked his good luck. Hanuman did not stop with that. After breaking the chariot, he destroyed a good number of rakshashas with the trunks of trees furnished with their branches. With their heads crushed, the rakshashas left this world  leaving their bodied drenched with blood in this world. Some others were crunched by the trees and fell down on the earth. Our James Bond of Ramayanam, the relentless Hanuman, breaking off the peak of a mountain, ran towards Dhumraksha. The valiant Dhumraksha lifted his mace and making a roaring sound, ran towards Hanuman. Dhumraksha brought down that mace studded with countless spikes on the head of our dear hero Hanuman. That poor rakshash, Dhumraksha did not know about our dear hero who was in no way disturbed by that blow but struck Dhumraksha on the middle of his skull with his rocky peak. It was the last straw for Dhumraksha. Struck by the rocky peak, which shattered all his limbs, Dhumraksha fell down, stone dead on the ground like a mountain crumbling. Seeing Dhumraksha killed, all the surviving and mobile rakshashas were scared of death left the battle field in a hurry. On that day our hero Hanuman became Hero square for his comrades.

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312. Dhumraksha was sent to contain Rama.

               That uproar created by the vanaras, who were full of martial ardour, startled Ravana,  his counselors and other rakshashas around him. Hearing that mighty clamour, sounding smooth and deep, Ravana told, with a slightly quivering voice all those present around him "That uproar, resembling the rumbling of clouds, seems to have been created by that horde of rejoicing vanaras. It sounds their joy is great. Their roar seems to be agitating the briny ocean itself. Those two brothers Rama and Lakshmana were tied by sharp arrows. I, therefore wonder why this sound of exuberance of such a great magnitude. I am a bit apprehensive."

         After pondering for a few moments, Ravana told the rakshashas around him "You immediately find the reason for this general rejoicing over there among the vanaras."

           On going to the  ramparts they noticed that Sugreeva as well as Rama and Lakshmana were in the lead of the vanara army. All the rakshashas felt some nasty feeling in the tummies and wanted to hit the loo or whatever it was called then.  Controlling with great difficulty and with their hearts palpitating  with fear and faces turning pale, all those terrified rakshashas descended from the ramparts and ran to Ravana.

       In quivering voices they informed Ravana of the unpleasant info "The two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, whom Indrajit had bound with his benumbing shafts and whose arms he had pinioned, are free from the arrows which paralyzed them and now appear on the field of battle, as two strong elephants who have snapped their fetters."

          Ravana was puzzled to hear the news as he was told earlier by his dear son Intrajit that he had killed those two humans. All his ten  faces turned pale. He expressed his thoughts aloud "If those chaps, having been bound by Indrajit are freed, despite their injuries in battle by the formidable arrows which were infallible, resembling serpents, bright as the sun, I perceive my entire army in jeopardy. Those very arrows, bright as fire, which in battle have taken the life of my enemies, have now been rendered void indeed!"

              Thinking after a few moments, hissing like a snake, he addressed a rakshash yclept Dhumraksha who was also around him "You, with such a terrific prowess should be able to at least contain Rama and his animals, if not eliminate them. Go quickly with a considerable force of rakshashas and slay Rama, Lakshmana and his vanaras."

           Dhumraksha, having no choice other than to obey his king, quickly departed from the royal palace. Having crossed that gate, he shouted at the General of the forces "Mobilize the army immediately."

              Dhumraksha, having got the mobilized army following him, kept the army ready quickly, as per Ravana's command. Dhumraksha then with a mule-like clatter, set out in a celestial chariot to which mules adorned with gold and heads of deer and lions were hitched. That Dhumraksha of mighty prowess, surrounded by rakshashas, set forth amidst mocking laughter, through the western gate where the vanara army-chief Hanuman was stationed. As he mounted and advanced in an excellent chariot harnessed by mules, birds of ill-omen in the sky cautioned that advancing rakshash of very terrible and fearful appearance.

         A highly terrible vulture alighted on the top of his chariot, while some other vultures clustered on the point of his standard. The earth trembled. The wind with the noise resembling a thunder blew adversely. Every quarter, obscured by abundant darkness, did not dazzle. Seeing those terrible omens that appeared in all their horror to the rakshashas, Dhumraksha became perturbed. Terror seized all the rakshashas who were advancing in front of Dhumraksha.

       Dhumraksha, the highly terrible and strong rakshash, surrounded by a multitude of rakshashas, gaped at that army of a multitude of vanaras, resembling a flood, protected by  Rama.

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311. Enter Garuda, the Savior.

          Sugreeva on hearing the hustle of movements, inquired the reason for the same. Angada told him that the reason seemed to be that they had heard only just now that  Rama and Lakshmana were lying covered with  blood in a bed of arrows.

        Sugreeva  shaking his head told Angada "No. I feel that there is some other cause for their bewilderment. They seem to be scared. Your see, they are running away helter-skelter in all directions. They are not looking behind. They are jostling each other and leaping over those who have fallen."

      Sugreeva then noticed Vibhishana and correctly guessed the reason. He told Jambavan "It is Vibhishana who has come here. On seeing him, the vanaras thought him to be Indrajit and panicked. You reassemble them immediately, and inform them that it is Vibhishana who has come!"
         Jambavan the king of Bears promptly and efficiently executed the command of Sugreeva. Realizing the fact and ashamed for their hasty erroneous conclusion those vanaras retraced their steps, shaking off their fear.

        Sugreeva told Sushena, his father-in-law, who was on his side "Taking these two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana as well as  the troops of vanaras who are pretty strong, go to Kishkindha and stay put there till they recover their consciousness. As for me, I shall slay Ravana with his son and his relatives and bring back Seetha."
        Sushena replied Sugreeva "I have witnessed a great war between devas and asuras. Just like this Intrajit, the asuras becoming invisible overcame the devas despite their skill in wielding arms. To those devas who were wounded, unconscious and almost dead, Brihaspati treated them by the aid of certain herbs accompanied by his spells of sacred formulas. Let the vanaras Sampati, Panasa and others go  to the ocean of milk and bring those herbs.

     "These vanras are conversant with those efficacious mountainous divine herbs Sanjivakarani and Vishalya. In the bosom of the milky ocean, there are the mountains called Chandra and Drona, where the ambrosia was formerly churned. These two excellent herbs exist there. The devas placed those two mountain in the vast sea......"

           Before he could conclude what he wanted to say, they heard a loud buzzing noise accompanied by a great wind and massed clouds and lightning, whipping up the salty waves in the ocean, causing the mountains to tremble as from an earthquake. Large trees on the sand-banks had their branches broken and fell headlong into the briny waters of the ocean. All snakes became frightened. The snakes inhabiting there and all the marine animals plunged quickly into the briny ocean.

             While the vanaras were wondering the cause of these phenomena, a mighty eagle was seen by them. It was recognized by the older vanaras as Garuda, the son of Vinata. On beholding Garuda, the eagle, the serpents binding Rama and Lakshmana in the form of mighty arrows, fled away. Thereupon, Garuda the eagle, approached Rama and Lakshmana and offered them his good wishes, with his hands fondly caressing their faces that were radiant like the moon.

         That touch by Garuda the eagle, all the wounds on the bodies of Rama and his bro were immediately healed like magic. Their bodies soon became smooth and well-rounded. Their luster, valour, strength, endurance and resolution, their perspicacity, intelligence and memory were redoubled.

        Lifting them up both, the highly majestic Garuda embraced them. Rama asked him "Now, by your grace, we both have overcome a great disaster created by Indrajit. Now we have been made strong as before. Nay, we feel we have become more strong than before. By meeting you thus, my heart is swelled with happiness in the same manner when I was meeting Dasharatha, my father or Aja, my paternal grandfather. Who are you, the one endowed with beauty, having blissful garlands and anointment, wearing clean garments and adorned with divine ornaments?"

         The highly majestic and the mighty Garuda, the eagle, the King of Birds, with his eyes widened in gladness and with a pleased heart, replied Rama "O, Rama! I am your dearest friend Garuda , dear as your own breath moving outside. I came here to help you, both. The most valiant asuras or the exceedingly strong vanaras or the suras together with gandharvas, at the instance of Devendra, were unable to untie this awfully terrific entanglement of arrows created through his power of sorcery by Indrajit.
        "These arrows are actually serpents and the sons of Kadru. With their sharp fangs, abundantly filled with poison, transformed into arrows, by the dint of sorcery by Indrajit. You and your brother Lakshmana are blessed. Hearing about this incident, I started at once. You have been released from this quite terrific shackle of arrows. Both of you should maintain vigilance, all the time, in future.

        "All the rakshashas  are inherently  treacherous fighters in battle. For you, your warriors, pure-mindedness and straight forwardness are the strength. What Indrajit has done, exemplifies how the rakshashas are always crooked-minded. For this reason, you should not trust the rakshashas."

       Garuda then told "O, Rama, now I am pushing off. Don't waste your time trying to find out who I am and how I am one of your dear friends. Now concentrate on destroying Ravan and his cronies and rescuing Seetha. Then you will come know of why and how about me. Pip-pip, toodle-oo."

                  Garuda then took off and vanished like a super-supersonic aircraft. Seeing Rama and Lakshmana were completely and absolutely healed of their wounds, the chiefs of vanaras howled like roars of lions and lashed their tails.

         Thereupon, gongs were beaten, drums resounded, and conches blown amid jumping in joy of the vanaras as before. Some of the strong vanaras who used trees as maces in battle, were waving their arms and uprooting hundreds and thousands of various trees, stood there, ready for the battle. Uttering great noises, frightening the rakshashas and eager to fight, the vanaras reached the gates of Lanka.

       On reaching the gates, all the vanaras made such a highly terrible and tumultuous battle cry in the mid-night which sounded like the rolling thunder at the end of summer .

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