We had seen from the last post that the war has erupted between the troops led by Rama and Ravana. This war has been in the waiting for long and has taken shape at last after building up with a series of events spanning a vast period of time. Everyone played their part leading to this moment in the final Kanda. A villain commits numerous mistakes without any fear of retaliation; a hero emerges with all the good qualities and deeds, travels on a right path, crisscrosses with the bad and wages the final battle with the villain to call it an end to the story - this quintessential theme represents the essence of any story weaved in the past, present and the future. We have gone through the entire story and looking at the final battle now where the inevitable will take shape even if not now but later. The violent step for the annihilation of the wicked forces has begun despite numerous attempts to resolve the impasse peacefully. We are living in a world of trigger-happy people who pursue violent means or wars for every small reason or no reason at all. The vanara army led by Rama has waited patiently for people to change despite sitting on an explosive time bomb of a very important captive prisoner. The time ticks fast, they need to act fast and despite of it, all due steps to avert war have happened as we have seen indicating the war didn’t take shape in impatient haste. These past episodes including the last book are a treatise to know the importance of very strong reasons to get into bloodshed and for everyone to know that wars should be fought as last resort after every other evasive action to subvert has been pursued, invalidated completely leading to a violent eventual final step.
This bloodshed has begun now as vanaras and Rakshasas are fighting with all possible means to get upper hand in an engrossing duel. After visibly dominating during daytime, the vanaras have slightly fallen prey to the night ranging Rakshasas who are full of deceit and magical powers. It is with the help of this magic and some powerful missiles, Indrajit captures Rama, Lakshmana with the help of Nagastra and shoots a number of arrows at them, leaving them unconscious and bleeding. The vanaras surround in agony while the demons and their king rejoice listening to it. Sita was sent in to witness the unfortunate tiding where she laments and breaks into sobs. This is a dark phase for the valiant brothers as they are apparently declared dead by the enemy who struck them. But it is not so simple to bring down the mighty princess as we can see in the following chapters how they are rescued by Garuda and the war continued.
In chapter 48, Sita, on beholding Rama and Lakshmana, was absorbed in various thoughts like, "The sooth sayers had prophesied that I should never be widowed and would bear sons. How could their prediction become untrue?" However, Trijata reassures her, stating good reasons for Rama and Lakshman to be still alive and cheering her up, takes her back to Ashoka grove.
Sita certain that Rama and Lakshmana were dead cried, "those who prophecy that I would never be widowed were wrong. That Rama would perform rituals and Ashvamedha a lie. Even the prediction of my coronation along with that of my husband was wrong because Rama lives no more. Crossing the ocean they came here, only to be deceived and slain. I grieve not for myself, but for Kausalya who waits with eager eyes for her dearest born." Trijata, one among Sita's guards, said "You grieve in vain my lady. Rama and Lakshmana are alive. Death's decaying fingers have not touched their faces, for the breath of life still flows in them. Thus consoled, Sita was led back to Ashokavana.
In chapter 49, Returning to consciousness, Rama laments over the plight of Lakshmana, who was lying unconscious. The foremost of monkeys too were plunged in grief and despondency on seeing Rama lamenting as aforesaid. In the meantime, Vibhishana approaches Rama, and the monkeys flee away, mistaking him as Indrajit.
Even as the vanaras looked on, Rama struggled to come out of his swoon. Still bound by Indrajit's arrows, he looked at Lakshmana. The sight broke his heart and he lamented. "When I see my brother death and thrown to the ground, of what use is Sita to me and what use is even my own life? If I search the entire earth I may find another like Sita, but never will I find a brother like Lakshmana. How can I face Sumitra? Just as he had followed me into the dark of the jungles, I too shall follow him to the land of Yama or death."
To Sugriva, Rama said, "Go back to Kishkindha. Without me here, Ravana will torment you. Hanuman, Jambavan and all others fought so fiercely, but destiny is inexorable and unalterable. Try as he may, man can never defy god. You have done more than any friend can do. I now permit you to go back to Kishkindha." Every vanara who heard Rama grieved for him, but they also fled in every direction the moment they saw Vibhishana coming mistaking him for Indrajit.
In chapter 50, Observing Vibhishana to be the cause of panic created among the monkeys, Sugriva asks Jambavan to restore the confidence of monkeys. Jambavan then reassures the monkeys. Vibhishana also feels distressed on perceiving the bodies of Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on the ground. Sugreeva consoles and convinces Ravana that Rama and Lakshmana will regain consciousness. Meanwhile, Garuda the King of Birds, makes his appearance on the scene and liberates Rama and Lakshmana from their bondage.
Sugriva beheld the fleeing vanaras and said, "Wide eyed with fear, throwing down their arms and trampling over the dead and dying, they scattered in shameless terror. Perhaps they took Vibhishana for Indrajit." He was right and the vanaras were brought back. Vibhishana grieving and shattered at the sight of Rama and Lakshmana cried, "Mighty warriors, these heroes have fallen to indrajit's deceit. Bane of his mother's womb, he has brought shame upon her. My desires for the kingdom perish, while Ravana's desires flourish. Life will now be full of peril for me."
It was then that Susena, Sugriva's father-in-law, said, "I have seen the most fearful of wars between the suras and asuras, and the devas who had fallen to the arrows of the asuras were revived by Bruhaspathi with mantras and herbs like the mritasanjeevani. In the middle of Kshirasamudra are the mountains Drona and Chandra. On their ranges are found Sanjeevakarini and Visalyakarini. Do send Hanuman to bring them. Even as he spoke, a fierce wind rose chasing away clouds, tormenting the sea and shaking the earth.
Out of that ferocity rose Garuda, the eagle bird or king of winged creatures, blazing with the brilliance of a flaming fire. At that very moment the nagastras or the serpentine bonds which had bound the princes fell away. Garuda gently stroked their faces and Rama and Lakshmana regained every faculty with double vigor and vitality. Wounds healed and skin regained its glorious luster. As Garuda picked them up and hugged them, Rama asked, "Who are you, so stunningly divine that all those that behold you are filled with awe? Garuda, his eyes streaming with tears of joy, said, "I am your friend and very dear to you. You are my life, my very breath outside of me. Garuda is my name. The nagastras that had bound you are serpents born of Kadruva. They have the sharpest of fangs and the deadliest of poison. Neither mighty devas, danavas nor Indra could have freed you of them. Told of your plight, I hurried to your rescue. To heroes like you, purity of heart is your strength, just as deception is to treacherous rakshasas. Never trust them on the battlefield." Garuda paid homage to Rama, flew away, assuring him his victory, Sita's recovery and Ravana's death.
In chapter 51, Hearing the rejoicing cries of the monkeys, Ravana asks some demons to discover the cause of that rejoicing. The demons mount the rampart and discover that Rama and Lakshmana have been relieved of the shackle of arrows. They come to Ravana and inform that the two brothers Rama and Lakshmana are alive and appear like two strong elephants in the battlefield. Ravana then calls Dhumraksha, a demon and asks him to go with an army and kill Rama, Lakshmana and the monkeys Dhumraksha along with his army enters the western gate of Lanks where the army-chief Hanuman is stationed. While Dhumraksha advances in the battlefield, he observes several bad omens and feels disturbed.
Ravana who heard the din of the tree-bearing legions wondered, "What makes them so happy at a time when they should be mourning their princes?" Rakshasas quickly climbed up the ramparts to find out the reason and what they saw terrified them. Rama and Lakshmana were unbound, unhurt and happy. With pale faces and fluttering hearts they ran back to their king. Waves of anxiety and anguish washed over Ravana and he said, "Indrajit's arrows were an infallible gift to him from the gods. If my enemies have defied them, they are no longer of any use. That means the doom of the entire rakshasa race. Hissing like an angry serpent, he ordered the immediate annihilation of Rama.
And Dhumraksba, with a great clatter set out in a celestial car to which mules with golden harness and the heads of deer and lions were hitched ; and that valiant general surrounded by the demons set forth amidst mocking laughter through the western gate, where Hanuman was stationed. As he advanced in his excellent car harnessed to mules, whose voices he emulated, birds of ill-omen planed above him and on the top of his chariot a terrible vulture alighted while those devourers of corpses clustered on the point of his standard. Streaming with blood a huge decapitated and livid trunk fell to earth emitting inarticulate cries at Dhumraksha's approach and the sky rained down blood, the earth shook, the wind blew adversely with the roar of thunder and darkness obscured every quarter. Beholding those terrible portents that appeared in all their horror, boding ill-fortune to the Rakshasas, Dhumraksha was filled with alarm, and terror seized all the soldiers who accompanied him. At the moment when, full of fear, amidst his countless titans, eager to enter into combat, that valiant general set out, he beheld the vast army of the monkeys resembling a great flood, protected by the arms of the Raghavas.
In chapter 52, Dhumraksha along with army attacks the monkeys. A tumultuous battle ensued between the demons and the monkeys. The battle reached frightful proportions in that both the monkeys and demons were killed in large numbers. When Dhumraksha pounced on Hanuman, the latter shattered Dhumraksha's chariot to pieces. Lifting his mace, Dhumraksha fights with Hanuman, who in turn hits him on his head and kills him.
The restless vanaras roaring joyfully fell on their enemy. Rakshasas fought with their vicious weapons, while the vanaras tore them apart with their nails and teeth. Though they fought bravely, soon their bodies mutilated and dead piled up seeming to cover the entire earth. Meanwhile Dhumraksha, armed with his bow, in the forefront of battle, under a hail of missiles, dispersed the monkeys as in sport on every side, and Maruti, beholding the monkey army being exterminated and put to fight by that titan, hurled himself upon him in fury, a great rock in his hand. His eyes inflamed with anger, the equal of his sire in courage, he flung the rock on the chariot of his foe and seeing the stone fall, Dhumraksha, brandishing his mace, in his agitation leapt quickly from the car to the ground. Then that rock rolled on the earth, having shattered the chariot with its wheels, its pole, its shafts, banner and Dhumraksha's bow.
Thereafter Hanuman, born of wind god, leaving the car lying, slew the demons with the trunks of trees furnished with their branches, and their heads crushed, covered with blood, mangled by those trees, they fell to the earth. Having routed the army of the enemy, Hanuman, breaking out the peak of a mountain hurled himself on Dhumraksha, who, brandishing his mace, rushed on his adversary and he advanced with haste towards him shouting. Then Dhumraksha, in his rage, brought down that weapon studded with countless points on the head of the infuriated Hanuman and assailed by that violent and fearful stroke, the monkey, who was endowed with the strength of Maruta, was in no wise disturbed but struck the demon full on the skull with his rocky peak which shattered all his limbs, whereupon Dhumraksha suddenly fell to the earth like a mountain crumbling. Beholding him slain, the night-rangers who had survived the slaughter, terrified, re-entered Lanka, harassed by the Plavamgamas. The illustrious son of Maruta, however, having destroyed his enemies, causing rivers of blood to flow, weary of slaughter, received with delight the cordial felicitations of the monkey leaders.
This concludes chapters 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 of the Yuddha Kanda where we had seen Sita disturbed and heavily wailing at the unconscious state of the two Raghavas but soothed by her guard Trijata; Rama feeling the pain of Lakshmana lying unconscious; Garuda, the magnificent bird rescuing Rama and Lakshmana from the bonds of serpentine arrows and healing the wounds; the demons headed by Dhumraksha feeling the bad omens and Hanuman routing the demon army and decimating Dhumraksha. The episode of the Garuda, king of birds, rescuing Rama and Lakshmana is an example of the heavenly forces conspiring to assist the divine brothers on the right path with a pure heart. It is at this point the demons realized their weapons will not yield any results upon the two Raghavas. The bad omens also continued to be felt by the Rakshasas who cringe the turnaround after rejoicing at the exploits of Indrajit. Adding to this injury, Hanuman routs the entire demon army accompanying Dhumraksha and also kills him. This leaves Ravana in agony and we can see how his pain inflates after he sends his generals one after the other to their annihilation in subsequent chapters.
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