We had seen the initiation of war with Rakshasas in the last few chapters through Surpanakha. This is point from where everything escalates upwards and the valor of the young princess reaches the demon king in no time. In his pursuit to live through 14 years in exile, it is imperative that Rama safeguards himself in the thick forests. The demons wander the Dandaka forests and get to a face-off with Rama. Any ordinary mortal would have perished. But the incarnation of God himself stood ground to face the tough challenge. The Rakshasas possess a repertoire of magical, wicked powers which are overwhelming for any common man. Sri Rama overcomes the veil of illusion by demons and slays them with his powerful arsenal. The battle which began will continue till the nature of demons is subdued in the world and divinity is spread in full bloom. Let us look at the intermittent battles and happenings which take place hereafter as the duel progresses in ranks.
In chapter 22, Khara, the brother of Surpanakha starts out to wage war with Rama with fourteen thousand demons and with their unusual arsenal. This is the first major move of demons towards Rama that leads to the ultimate battle at the end of epic.
To Surpanakha who was mortified, Khara said, "Your humiliation makes me furious. Man and a mere mortal, Rama is no power to contend with. He shall perish this instant. Be assured that Rama and his brother will soon reach the land of Yama and you will drink their warm blood as I strike them down." Surpanakha forgetting her anger was pleased with her brother. Khara instructed Dooshana, the commander of his army to gather fourteen thousand warriors. They were to be the most fierce and ruthless who would revel in cruelty, exult in slaying and indulge in the carnage of war. These dark savage hordes were to torture, torment and tear at their enemy. "This army will be led by me, ready my chariot", said Khara. With a deafening roar, as weapons clanged, wheels rolled and hooves pounded, the army set forth. A chariot as lofty as mount Meru, with wheels of gold studded with gems carried Khara. He led the fourteen thousand men of war to kill Rama, the incarnation of Visnu. Impatient to confront his enemy he urged his charioteer to drive faster.
In chapter 23, when the Khara's demonic forces start out to wage a war with Rama, many bad omens are foreboded by vultures, animals, and even by nature to this large ensemble. Though in the know of the portent evil, Khara proceeds with his army vaingloriously messaging his army that he can overcome these auguries or even Indra, and Rama is nothing before him.
As soon as the army left Janasthana, a large gray cloud appeared in the skies and rained water that was red. On the royal highway the swift-footed horses stumbled and fell. An ominous black circle formed around the sun whose rim blazed like a flaming torch. A huge vulture settled on the golden standard as other birds of prey set up a cacophony of dreadful shrieks. Jackals facing the sun howled fearfully, boding ill. An ominous darkness enveloped the earth causing confusion. Twilight was earlier than usual and all of a sudden a total solar eclipse occurred. Stars came out during the day, water birds and the fish hid themselves, while lotuses withered. Fruit and flower fell from trees and though winds were still, swirling clouds of dust rose like magic. Frightening meteors came crashing down, as the earth with its mountains and forests was shaken. Khara roared from his chariot and his right shoulder twitched. His voice shook, his eyes were filled with tears and his head ached. But Khara in his ignorance did not turn back. He did not care for the many inauspicious signs that boded ill. Reckless and defiant, he said to his army, "I disregard these omens, as the powerful scorn the weak. My sharp arrows can dislodge the stars from the skies and provoked, I can even cause destruction to death. I will not turn back until Rama and Lakshmana, arrogant in their strength, fall prey to my arrows. You are all aware that my sovereignty has never been questioned and I have never been vanquished." The army of demons was delighted with the words of their boastful chief, even as the tentacles of death were reaching for them. The gods blessed Rama with victory as they watched in amusement the impending doom of the rakshasas. Twelve of the mightiest of rakshasas flanked Khara, while four others equally powerful walked with Dooshana.
In chapter 24, Rama perceives good omens of victory, but to safeguard Sita he sends her away with Lakshmana to take shelter in a mountain’s cave till the war is over. Then he adopts a furious nature to annihilate demons. Gods and divinities watch from heavens as to how a war can occur between one against fourteen thousand demons.
As Khara, the curse of Dandaka neared the hermitage at Panchavati, Rama and Lakshmana saw the same omens of ill that had appeared at Janasthana. "Look Lakshmana" said Rama, as he beheld the portents of disaster, "Nature displays signs that spell the destruction of the rakshasas and other beings. Formidable clouds veil the skies thundering and raining streams of blood. My arrows smolder and chafe for war and my golden hued bow longs for it. The bird cries tell that first fear and then death threaten us. War is imminent and inevitable. In that war we will emerge victorious and the enemy will be vanquished! I hear the drums of war. The fearful sound heralds the arrival of the merciless masses. A wise man anticipates dangers and tries to ward them off before they strike him. So arm yourself, hide Sita in a cave and guard her. I implore you not to question my command. I am aware that single handed you can wipe out entire armies, but I wish to kill these myself." Lakshmana silently picked up his bow and arrows and escorted Sita to safety.
Clad in an armor glowing like a blazing fire Rama lifted his bow and twanged at its string. The emanating sound reverberated signaling war. The celestials came in droves to witness the warring demons, face their divine enemy. The rishis and Brahmarshis blessed Rama with victory, as they waited with bated breath, wondering at the unequal show of numbers that were to battle. Rama took his stance on the field, ready to face the enemy. Rama, famed for his unequalled serenity of demeanor, was at that moment as fearful and forbidding as Rudra. His meteoric dazzle engulfed all beings in fear as they sensed his anger. Into these woods, charged the uncouth monsters of Khara's army. Boastful and blustering they created noises that reached a deafening crescendo while the denizens of the forest fled in every direction. Rama, whose skills on the battlefield were unrivalled, surveyed the supremely confident army that had come to see his end. His glance swept over the assembled masses and pulling out an arrow he aimed it to rout the entire rakshasa race. His wrath seemed to rival that of Lord Siva, at the time of slaying of Daksha.
In chapter 25, the ambidextrous archery of Rama is established here for the first time. So far, he has been using his archery sporadically, and here it is said to have a different dimension. The speed with which he draws arrows from quiver, the quickness with which he strings them, and the precision with which he shoots, is suggested here, though not explained. Though no apparent divinity is attached to this exercise, it suggests a divine expertise of a human. There are fourteen thousand demons against one Rama, and the Divine beings watch this from heavens as a sport, without according any miraculous powers to Rama, suggesting that a human has to face any number of problems, here fourteen thousand demons, for himself and no divine grace suddenly comes to his help. Rama gives the demons enough time and warning, but as the atrocity is escalating, he uses one gandharva missile and many other arrows, which will devastate the entire army of Dushana's brute force.
The army faced the lone warrior, Rama. Khara asked his charioteer to drive him up to his opponent and shot at him a thousand arrows. Khara in his arrogance was unaware that it was the beginning of his end. Riding elephants, horses and chariots, the demonic army rained deadly weapons on Rama. Like a mighty mountain that refuses to be battered by earthly missiles Rama withstood the onslaught. Though blood smeared, he continued to glow like the Sun veiled in a mist even as the celestials grew sad and anxious at the sight. For the rakshasas the initial pleasure of attacking Rama soon vanished as his incredible fury unleashed a terrible devastation. Volleys of arrows kept flying from his bow as each unerringly found and killed its target. Piercing them, the blood stained arrows flew through the air like flaming torches. Mighty weapons wielded at Rama disintegrated in mid-air, as horses, elephants, demons and chariots, were hacked and strewn around. The heads, shoulders and thighs of the enemy lay shattered and their mighty weapons were reduced to rubble. Confused and frightened, those that still survived ran to Khara for protection. Enraged at the massacre, Khara charged at Rama and his soldiers ran after him, with their make-do weapons that even included Sala and Palm trees. The battle was fearful, its violence bone chilling and Rama's barrage of arrows obstructed the very path of the Sun. Bodies bleeding, broken, dying or dead fell to the ground every moment in great piles. The blood bath left the living stunned and the dead as symbols of Rama's might. An enchanting sylvan retreat was transformed into a land of anguish and death.
In chapter 26, Rama eliminates fourteen thousand demons led by Dooshana. Firstly, the forerunning demons are killed, next Dooshana is routed, and then twelve other captains who on knowing Dooshana's downfall dashed towards Rama. Left behind are only two, Khara and Trisira, the chiefs of that demonic force in Janasthaana.
Khara watched his troops being trounced and the way Rama countered the trees and boulders hurled at him. Defying the most powerful weapons, Rama impaled the four horses yoked to the enemy chariot while one decapitated the charioteer. Every arrow found its victim. Witnessing the massacre Dooshana seized his cudgel with hoops of gold and barbs of iron and came menacingly towards Rama, who slashed his arms. The creatures of the earth lauded him even as the demon fell to the ground like a wounded elephant. Meanwhile, impelled by a common fate, the three generals of Khara, made one more bid on Rama's life. Quick as a host going to greet a guest, Rama struck and severed the head of general Mahakalpa. Pramathi, another general, fell to the fury of myriad arrows, while more pierced general Sutikshna's eyes. Rama's rage was boundless as he wiped out the rest of the army. Scattered like reeds on a sacrificial ground, bodies and weapons lay broken while their blood drenched the earth. Rama alone, a mortal and on foot, had slain fourteen thousand of the most demonic of rakshasas. Only Khara and Trisira lived to see the carnage. Incensed at the extermination of his clan, Khara once again charged at Rama.
In chapter 27, Trisira, the demon, supersedes Khara to fight Rama at his turn. He hits Rama with arrows for which Rama says that it is no more than the patting with flowers. Then a combat ensues and Rama becoming infuriated eliminates Trisira in the battle.
As Khara was hurtling towards Rama, Trisira stopped him and pleaded "Lord! Refrain from combat with Rama, I swear by my sword to sacrifice him to the god of Death. Should Rama be slain you can go home in triumph, if I am slain then you can enter the fray". Khara granted his plea. Trisira like a triple crested mountain raced towards Rama. A fierce battle ensued as they fought like an enraged lion and a rogue elephant. When Trisira's darts grazed Rama's forehead, he roared, "So this is your power, your arrows brush me like soft flower petals. Now receive mine!" He then sent a string of arrows at Trisira. A further four felled the four steeds and the charioteer succumbed to the next eight. A single arrow brought down the flag and standard, symbol of rakshasa might! When Rama shot at Trisira, his three heads rolled off his shoulders and he collapsed into a blood soaked heap. The army began fleeing like deer at the sight of a tiger. But Khara hauled back the deserters and went to challenge Rama, like Rahu going after the Moon.
In chapter 28, Khara the demon brother of Surpanakha confronts Rama when all of his valiant warriors are eliminated. He wages a fearful war showing all his expertise and he even brings down the amour of Rama with his arrows. The combat of Rama and Khara takes a longer time, as Khara is not easy-to-deal demon.
In horror and disbelief, Khara witnessed the death of Dooshana and Trisira. Shaken and rebellious he picked up his bow putting his skill against that of Rama's. The arrows flying around roofed the space above, blotting out the Sun and the world wondered at the sudden descent of night. Khara hoped to tire Rama, in order to defeat him with ease. But the foolish rakshasa hoped in vain for Rama ignored him like a lion ignoring a meek deer. Like a moth nearing the flame for its ruin Khara mustering all his strength managed to disarm Rama. The infuriated lord let six well-aimed arrows to hit Khara on his head, chest and arms. Deprived of his bow, his chariot and charioteer, Khara stood alone with mace in hand and waited.
This concludes chapters 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 of Aranya Kanda where we had seen the war raging between Khara, his fourteen thousand strong army and Rama alone. There are ominous signs for the Rakshasas, threatening their very presence in Janasthana but lost in their pride, none could stop Khara from waging the war. As seen, the entire army perished, their captains including Dooshana, Trisira and the strongest of the lot succumbed to Rama’s might. The time has come for Khara as well, whose excessive pride and ignorance of mighty enemy questioned their very existence. We can look at the next many chapters on how this took shape, killed Khara and brought the demon king Ravana into picture.
No comments:
Post a Comment