The battle between Indrajit and Rama’s army is ongoing. He is the one who is dangerous with many deceptive tricks and renders himself invisible, raining deadly missiles over the opponents. To remember, he is the one who caught Hanuman with Brahmastra, Rama and Lakshmana with Nagastra and fell unconscious the entire vanara army. He is the only one next to Ravana, with immense powers, who gained an upper hand over the skilled warriors from Rama’s side every time they faced off. With so much past success, Indrajit’s plot now is to create an illusory death of Sita and perform Nikumbila yagna which will make him completely invincible, an addition to many weapons in his repertoire. Had he completed the rituals, the boon given to him would render him victorious in any severity of battle. It is at this opportune moment, Vibhishana comes to the aid of Rama and gives the important account behind the sacred rites and the illusory death. He also urges Rama to prevent the yagna from completion and wage a battle to kill Indrajit before he reigned supreme. Rama asks Lakshmana to take an army and disrupt, kill Indrajit. Enthused with the command from Rama, Lakshmana,Hanuman and the vanara army quickly reaches the enemy location with the help of Vibhishana and how the duel with Indrajit plays out to a conclusion can be seen in the following chapters.
In chapter 87, Vibhishana takes Lakshmana to the place where Indrajit is performing the sacrificial rite. He advises Lakshmana to destroy Indrajit even before he finishes the sacrificial rite at a banyan tree. Indrajit sees Vibhishana there and starts saying harsh words to him that he has ditched him by bringing Lakshmana to that place. Vibhishana replies that because of Ravana's vices, he has left him and joined Rama's side. He further adds that Indrajit and his army will not survive under the range of Lakshmana's arrows.
Coming to the grove where Indrajit was immersed in worship, Vibhishana urged, this is Nikumbhila and this the Nyagrodha tree where Indrajit will offer sacrifices before becoming invisible to all creatures. Kill him before he reaches the tree. Displeased with Vibhishana and angry with Lakshmana, Indrajit said, "Vibhishana, you are a rakshasa born and brought up here. Regardless of being my father's brother, how can you be so treacherous to me who am like your son? Wicked and unrighteous, you are a disgrace to your race and an object of contempt to the virtuous. He, who renounces his own kind to follow outsiders, will ultimately perish in their hands. How can you who are my kin be so merciless and bring Lakshmana here? It is unfair." Vibhishana interrupted the tirade. "Wretch, you are being rude because I am your uncle. Though born of the ruthless race of rakshasas, I am noble and not demonic of nature. If not for that difference, would I have ever parted with my brother? Even association with such is a sin. He who thieves, tortures and covets other women should be quickly abandoned. His merciless massacre of sages, his great arrogance, anger, enmity and jealousy, now destroy his wealth and his life. Rakshasa, soon the demons of Lanka, your father and you, his evil son, will all perish. Going to the Nyagrodha is no longer possible and your insult of Rama and Lakshmana with Sita's death makes it impossible for you to even live."
In chapter 88, a fierce battle of archery starts between Indrajit and Lakshmana. Indrajit strikes Lakshmana with seven arrows, Hanuman with ten arrows and Vibhishana with a hundred arrows almost at the same time. In retaliation, Lakshmana strikes Indrajit with a multiple of arrows and Indrajit's armor breaks up into pieces. Indrajit, in response, strikes Lakshmana with a thousand arrows and breaks up Lakshmana's armor. A fierce fight ensues for a long time. Meanwhile, Vibhishana joins the battlefield, to relieve Lakshmana's fatigue.
Hearing Vibhishana's words, lndrajit, seething with anger, answered him with fresh invectives and advanced upon him in fury. Standing in his richly decorated chariot, that was yoked to black steeds, his weapons and sword upraised, bearing his mighty, pliant and terrible bow and his arrows that were fatal to the foe, he resembled the Destroyer, Death Himself.
Then Lakshmana in all bis splendor appeared before that mighty archer standing in his chariot, decked with ornaments, the slayer of his foes, the valiant son of Ravana, and, transported with fury, Indrajit addressed Lakshmana, who was seated on Hanuman's back and resembled the rising sun, and Bibishana also and the foremost of the monkeys, saying “a rain of arrows speeding from mine irresistible bow will fall upon you in the fight like unto a shower of rain from the sky. Soon the shafts loosed from my great bow will scatter your limbs as the wind a heap of cotton. Pierced by my sharp darts, spears, lances, daggers and other weapons, this day I shall send you all to the abode of Yama. When, roaring like a thundercloud, I scatter the waves of mine arrows with a steady hand in the fray, who can stand before me ?”
Thus addressed, Indrajit who is ever victorious in combat, stretched his dread bow and with a powerful arm let fly his whetted shafts on his adversary. Discharged by him, those swift arrows resembling venomous snakes, struck Lakshmana hissing like serpents, and the impetuous son of Ravana, lndrajit, with those arrows of extreme velocity, overwhelmed Lakshmana, who was endowed with auspicious marks, whereupon the fortunate Lakshmana, his limbs pierced by those darts, covered in blood, shone like a smokeless flame.
Lakshmana, with five Narachas loosed with great force from his bow, which he stretched up to his ear, struck the titan full in the breast and those feathered shafts of swift flight, resembling fiery serpents, shone in the breast of the Nairrita like the rays of the sun. Struck by those darts, the son of Ravana, enraged, in his turn, pierced Lakshmana with three well-aimed arrows. Thereupon an appalling and fearful exchange of blows ensued between those lions among men and titans, who sought to triumph over each other.
In chapter 89, Vibhishana enters the battlefield and destroys many demons. He speaks encouraging words to the chiefs of monkeys urging them to carry on the combat. The monkeys start a furious attack on the demons. Even Hanuman begins to destroy thousands of demons. Indrajit rushes towards Lakshmana and starts fighting with him.
For a long time, these two valiant warriors tore each other with their sharp weapons, and, in their unbridled energy, the two skilled combatants sought to overcome each other. Both riddled with a mass of arrows, their armor and standards shattered, they caused the hot blood to flow, as waterfalls let loose their torrents, and they let a dreadful hail of missiles fly with a great clamor, like unto the dark destructive clouds of doom, loosing their floods from the sky.
For a long time, they fought thus without turning back or experiencing any fatigue and those foremost of archers let fly their shafts again and again, and the multi-shaped darts crossed and re-crossed each other in the air. With agility, speed and grace, the struggle between man and titan continued with an appalling din and each, on his side, raised a tremendous clamor inspiring terror, like unto a fearful tempest and the sound of those two redoubtable warriors in desperate combat resembled two clouds clashing in the sky.
Lakshmana battled with Indrajit and Indrajit with Lakshmana, each striking the other without ceasing and the streams of arrows buried in their flesh gave those two powerful warriors the appearance of two hills covered with trees, and their limbs streaming with blood, riddled with arrows, shone like two fires. Thus did they fight for a long time without turning back in combat or giving way to exhaustion. Nevertheless, in order to allow the invincible Lakshmana, ever in the forefront of the fight, to overcome the fatigue of combat, the magnanimous Vibhishana threw himself into the fray to lend his support.
In chapter 90, Lakshmana kills Indrajit's charioteer. Four excellent monkey-chiefs kill Indrajit's horses and destroys his chariot. Indrajit loses his Charioteer, Chariot and horses to begin his end.
A formidable conflict ensued between monkeys and titans, like unto the fearful contest between the Gods and the Asuras fired with wrath, and Hanuman, enraged, broke off a mountain peak and having caused Lakshmana to dismount, slew the titans in their thousands. Meanwhile after a fearful combat with his maternal uncle Vibhishana, the valiant lndrajit, slayer of his foes, threw himself afresh on Lakshmana and a desperate duel arose between those two heroes amidst the general conflict.
Lakshmana with four arrows pierced the four black steeds caparisoned in gold of that Indra among the Titans, and, with the aid of a sharp, yellow, shining and terrible Bhalla, furnished with beautiful plumes, resembling Mahendra's thunderbolt, resounding like the clang of a gauntlet hurled with full force, that mighty aid of Raghu severed the head of the charioteer from his shoulder while he circled round.
Thereupon, his charioteer slain, Indrajit seized the reins himself, taking up his bow; and it was marvelous to behold him driving his chariot as he fought.
The monkey leaders began to acclaim Lakshmana in the height of joy. Thereafter those foremost of monkeys, endowed with extreme vigor and remarkable valor, with a rapid bound, threw themselves on the four magnificent horses of Indrajit. Under the weight of those monkeys who resembled mountains, the horses threw np torrents of blood and thereafter, crushed and mangled, fell lifeless on the earth. Having slain the titan's steeds and shattered his chariot, the monkeys, with a further bound, returned to Lakshmana's side.
In chapter 91, Fitting a missile presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, Lakshmana addressed a prayer on Rama and discharged it towards Indrajit. Indrajit's head gets chopped off and falls to the ground. Witnessing Indrajit's death, all the monkey-chiefs, Vibhishana, Hanuman and Jambavan applaud Lakshmana.
The mighty Ranger of the Night, Indrajit, his horses slain, stood in the field in a paroxysm of fury, flaming with valour, and in their desire to triumph, those two archers, armed with bows, hurled themselves against one another like two mighty elephants in the forest.
Rushing this way and that, titans and monkeys slew each other, not wishing to abandon their leaders. Beholding the crafty son of Ravana, mounted in another chariot, Lakshmana, the intrepid monkeys and Vibhishana were astonished; Indrajit, however, struck down the foremost of the monkeys with fury. Under the clouds of arrows falling in hundreds and thousands, Ravani, victorious in combat, stretching his bow to a circle, slew the monkeys in his wrath, displaying his extreme skill, and the monkeys, overwhelmed by the Narachas of dreadful impetus, took refuge with Saumitri, as all beings with Prajapati. Thereupon, inflamed with martial ardour, that descendant of Raghu severed the bow of Indrajit, thus demonstrating his fleetness of hand but he, seizing hold of another, hastened to string it, yet Lakhsmana shattered it also with three arrows and, having broken his weapons thus, Lakshmana pierced Ravani’s breast with five darts like unto venomous snakes. Then these shafts, leaving that great bow, having entered Indrajit’s body, fell to the earth like huge red serpents.
His weapon severed, vomiting blood, Ravani took hold of another powerful bow with its stout cord and, aiming at Lakshmana, with extreme speed caused a shower of missiles to fall upon him, like unto Purandara letting loose his floods. Yet, irresistible as that hail of arrows, poured down by Indrajit was, Lakshmana, the Conqueror of his Foes, standing immoveable, repelled them.
Thus did Indrajit witness Lakshmana’s marvellous prowess, he who was the intrepid and valiant son of Raghu. Thereafter Lakshmana, in fury, pierced each of those titans with three shafts in the fight, manifesting the velocity of his arrows, and Indrajit, on his side, riddled him with a hail of shafts.
Lakshmana, with a crescent-shaped arrow, cut off the head of Indrajita’s charioteer in his excellent car, while he was coursing here and there.
Thereafter Lakshmana and Indrajit, warriors of exceeding prowess, armed with powerful and mighty bows, overwhelmed each other with sharp arrows. With their limbs streaming with blood, those two heroes, Lakshmana and Indrajit, at that instant shone on the field of battle like two Kimshuka Trees in flower and each hurling himself on the other desirous of victory, pierced his opponent’s limbs with formidable arrows. Filled with martial ardour, the son of Ravana smote Bibishana’s handsome countenance with three darts and, having pierced that Indra of the Titans with three iron-tipped shafts, he struck all the monkey leaders one after the other.
Thereupon a prodigious struggle arose between the rivals, causing the hair to stand on end and, from all sides, Beings, standing in the sky made a circle round Lakshmana and the heavens were filled with a host of Beings overcome with astonishment at the fearful tumult arising from that dread conflict between monkeys and titans. Rishis, Pitris, Gandharvas, Garudas and Uragas with Shatakratu at their head watched over Lakshmana during the fight and, in that instant, the younger brother of Raghava took up the foremost of shafts, the Avya Weapon of flaming impact, in order to transfix Ravana’s son, and also the well-plumed and gilded dart, skilfully fashioned, to which the Celestial Host paid homage and with which Shakra, that mighty Lord of great energy, who is drawn by bay horses, formerly overcame the Danavas in the war between Gods and Asuras. That weapon of Indra’s, undefeated in combat, foremost of shafts was placed by Saumitri on the most excellent of bows and the fortunate Lakshmana, in order to achieve his purpose, spoke to the presiding Deity of that weapon, thus:—
“If Rama, the son of Dasaratha, is truly virtuous and loyal and, in feats of heroism has no rival, then slay the son of Ravana!”
Thus speaking, that warrior, the slayer of his foes, stretched his bow up to his ear and let fly an arrow united to Indra’s weapon on Ravani in the fight, that was incapable of missing its target, and it severed the lovely head of Indrajita, graced with earrings and its casque, causing it to roll on the earth. Separated from the body, Indrajita’s huge head, streaming with blood, resembled a golden ball thrown on the ground; and the son of Ravana fell dead on the battlefield with his armour, his helmet and his broken bow.
Then all the monkeys with Vibhishana, beholding the corpse, shouted in exultation, as the Gods rejoiced at the death of Vritra, and in the skies, the Bhutas, magnanimous Rishis, Gandharvas and Apsaras, on beholding the leaders of the great titan army scattering on all sides, harassed by the victorious monkeys, emitted shouts of triumph.
This concludes chapters 87, 88, 89, 90 and 91 of Yuddha Kanda where a ferocious war between Rakshasa army headed by Indrajit and Vanara troops headed by Lakshmana went on for a long time. Both the warriors are wounded, bled profusely and yet continued without any exhaustion to gain the upper hand in a crucial combat of the most important sub-ordinates to Rama and Ravana. The long drawn one to one combat continued before the telling signs of victory came in the form of killing Indrajit’s charioteer and horses. At last, Lakshmana uses a weapon of Indra, invokes a prayer unto the heroic qualities of Rama, releases the powerful arrow which has no match and kills Indrajit. The titan, who has seen no defeat has been slayed by Lakshmana in one of the important moments of the war, doubling down on getting the result of victory for the righteous and destruction for the vice. With this death, there will be appreciation from Rama, disbelief from Ravana. With most of all perished, the Rakshasa lord is the last one left to be conquered and we can see how this eventuality slowly progresses to take shape in the subsequent chapters.
