After Indrajit released his weapons and made crores of vanara army including Rama and Lakshmana unconscious, Hanuman went to Himalayas in search of 4 medicinal herbs which will bring back life. Unable to find them, he uproots an entire mountain with those herbs and flows back with it in one hand. With this effort, the entire army regains life and continues torturing and torching Lanka. In the elated war cry, Kumba, Nikumbha and Makaraksha who are all sent by Ravana successively along with huge army are all decimated. With this we can see most of the important leaders in the armory of Ravana, when he is waging wars, have all vanished. As seen till now, no one could trouble a bit other than Indrajit who captured Hanuman in the last Kanda; Rama, Lakshmana in the beginning of the war and made the entire army unconscious more recently. Everyone else has been taken out effortlessly by the vanara strongmen who clearly dominated the war with the help of the powerful Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman aided by celestial powers. The war which has been waged from all sides against Rakshasa kingdom has proven to be costly for them as expected. Now, it will be down to Indrajit, Ravana and a few others before complete annihilation is brought upon the enemy forces. We can see in the following chapters how Indrajit engages in battle and initial events before he finally confronts Lakshmana.
In chapter 80, Ravana instructs Indrajit to proceed to the battle field. Before proceeding to the battle, Indrajit performs ceremonial oblations into a sacred fire and obtains a capacity of going out of sight while fighting. He proceeds to the battlefield and releases a flood of arrows towards Rama and Lakshmana, while himself remaining invisible in the sky. With a network of arrows, Indrajit creates a darkness in the sky and showers a multitude of steel arrows towards Rama and Lakshmana. Sharp golden shaft arrows are then released by Rama and Lakshmana. Struck by the arrows discharged by Indrajit, monkeys in hundreds fall down dead. Then, Rama and Lakshmana reflect on the various ways and means to destroy Indrajit.
Once again Ravana heard of death and the futility of his mission against the enemy. He called for his son asking, "Indrajit, you who have warred with even Indra, can you not kill these mortals, Rama and Lakshmana?" With implicit obedience, Indrajit began every ritual performed before going to war. Protected by his magical powers and the Brahmastra, he rode out to slay the Ikshvaku princess and rid the world of vanaras to please his father.
Even as Indrajit began his incessant hail of arrows, he disappeared into the sky. No sound of wheels, hooves or the twang of his bow was heard. Suddenly, from the darkness induced by his magic, fell the most incredible arrows. When the few arrows that found Indrajit did not deliver death, but came down blood stained, Rama began thinking of ways of hurrying the end of his enemy.
In chapter 81, Placing an illusory live image of Sita in his chariot, Indrajit along with his army enters the battlefield. Hanuman with his army of monkeys march in front to face Indrajit in battle. While Hanuman and his army are watching, Indrajit pulls Sita by her hair and unsheathed his sword. Indrajit kills the illusory living image of Seetha, with his sharp sword.
Wary of Rama's intent, though Indrajit retired to Lanka, he came back immediately as memories of Kumbhakarna and other kin smote him. He craved to perform the Nikumbhila yagna to enhance his powers. To keep the vanaras quiet during that period, he decided to plunge them in grief by staging the deception of Sita's death.
With Sita's figure created by magic in his chariot, Indrajit rode right into the midst of the vanaras, appearing to hit her dusty woebegone form. Hanuman, his eyes streaming with tears thundered, "Vile wretch. Though born of the race of brahmarshis you, who belong to a demonic womb, are unaware of the consequences of your dastardly act. By insulting Sita, you court ruin. May you be incinerated. Anyone in the world will want to kill only their enemies, but the whole world desires to kill you who are an enemy of all. May you die and inhabit the world where lowly wretches who kill woman go.
Indrajit spewed his anger, "Vanara, she because of whom, you, Sugriva and Rama have come to Lanka will soon die. As for killing women in war, all that is detrimental to the enemy is fair and permissible." With that Indrajit slit the phantom body of Sita and rode with joy even as the vanaras fled in terror.
In chapter 82, Led by Hanuman, the monkeys fight with the demons in battle with trees and rocks. On seeing his army seriously hurt, Indrajit releases a number of arrows and kills some monkeys. Hanuman destroys some terrible demons with trees and rocks. Later, Hanuman along with his army returns to the presence of Rama. Indrajit pours oblations into the sacred fire at the sanctuary of Nikumbhila.
Hanuman who saw the disbanding vanaras, questioned their courage and loyalty, and led them back to fight the rakshasas. In the fierce war, when the exhausted enemy quietened down, Hanuman said, "We came here not to subdue the rakshasas, but rescue Sita. Since she for whom we fought, ready to even die, is no more, let us go back to Rama and see what he now wants us to do." When Indrajit saw them leave, he too hurried away to the altar of Nikumbhila to perform more rituals to ensure his victory.
In chapter 83, Hanuman, with his army, approaches Rama and informs him that Indrajit has killed Sita. Rama faints away, upon hearing that news. The monkeys sprinkle water on Rama, so that he regains consciousness. Then, Lakshmana embraces Rama and discusses with him the roles of vice and virtue in life. After consoling Rama, Lakshmana prepares for a fight with Indrajit.
Rama listening to the ominous thunder of war, sure that Hanuman was fighting an impossible battle, sent Jambhavan to his rescue. Even as the king of bears started, Hanuman came back to tearfully say that Sita was killed by Indrajit. The moment Rama heard this news, he fell to the earth as a tree axed.
Lakshamana cradling him in his arms poured out his anguish. "This dharma that you live by seems to neither save you from sorrow nor misfortune. It is false and it is useless. How can that which is not true save you, Rama? It is as fictitious as a rabbit's horn. If adharma brought evil in its wake, Ravana would now be in hell, and you would not be facing this disaster. The consequences of righteousness and unrighteousness seem to be reversed. This law of dharma is meaningless. It is weak and powerless, so one should disregard it. In my opinion you have destroyed dharma. You have severed its very roots by abandoning your kingdom. If dharma gives rise to adharma, it may perish.
Renouncing wealth, when one is accustomed to the advantages in which one is reared, is an error of judgment. It is setting out on the wrong path. He who has wealth has friends and relatives and is a man of importance. A wealthy man is brave, a wealthy man is powerful, and, above all, a wealthy man is a man of worth. Rama, I am only pointing out the disadvantages of giving up one's fortune and I see no reason for you to give up the crown of Kosala.
He who is rich finds virtue, pleasure and prosperity at his disposal. A poor man can only dream of it. Fortune can create joy, pleasure, pride, and control of the inner and outer self. Prosperity eludes the virtuous that walk the path of dharma and can be seen no more than stars in a cloudy sky. How can you do anything without wealth? By forsaking it, not only will one harm dharma, but may also be tarnished by the sin of adharma, stooping to anything for survival.
The best of the poor are called unfortunate and unlucky, while the rich are called the wise and the great no matter how evil they are. That is why I now tell you that by abandoning your kingdom, you have courted this calamity. Whatever made you do it? To the wealthy their path is ever free of hindrances, but to the poor it is full of obstacles. No amount of effort will get them what they seek and how can they ever help anyone or even themselves.
Today you lost Sita, whom who love more than your life, not because you live in the jungles as commanded by your father, but because you spurned your wealth. My anguish and rage at Sita's death made me say what I did. Do forgive me. Have you forgotten that you are the almighty and all-pervading self? Rise Rama, I shall now wipe out Lanka with its king and its beings."
In chapter 84, Vibhishana comes to Lakshmana and beholds Rama having fallen into a swoon and lying in the lap of Lakshmana. Lakshmana informs Vibhishana that on hearing the words of Hanuman saying that Sita was killed by Indrajit, Rama fell into a swoon. Telling Rama, the secret of conjuring trick practiced by Indrajit in killing an illusory image of Sita, Vibhishana assures him of Sita being still alive and urges him to send Lakshmana with an army to the sanctuary of Nikumbhila.
When Vibhishana was told the reason for Lakshmana's grief, Rama's utter dejection and the wailing of the vanaras, he said, "What Hanuman saw and believed is not true. Destroying Sita is as impossible as drying the ocean. I know Ravana and I know his evil mind. He will never kill Sita. Will he who disregarding my every plea refused to even part with her, allow her to be slain? This is Indrajit's plan to deceive, distract and plunge the vanaras in grief. With them in no mood for war, he wants to use that time to perform the Nikumbhila yagna to enhance his powers and help Ravana who has none left in Lanka to fight for him. Once that sacrifice is complete, none can face him, not even the combined forces of devas and danavas. Let Lakshmana speed through Lanka and kill the secret sacrifice on that very sacrificial ground.
In chapter 85, Vibhishana suggests Rama to send Lakshmana to kill Indrajit, even before Indrajit completes the sacrificial fire in the sanctuary of Nikumbhila. Rama then asks Lakshmana to proceed with the battle along with armies of Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan and Vibhishana. Lakshmana proceeds to Nikumbhila along with Hanuman, Vibhishana and Jambavan to kill Indrajit. Lakshmana accompanied by Vibhishana, Angada and Hanuman penetrates that heterogeneous army of the enemies at the sanctuary of Nikumbhila.
Vibhishana urged Lakshmana to go Nikumbhila quickly, "Gained by the power of his penances and blessed by Brahma, Indrajit has with him the deadliest of weapons and a chariot drawn by the horses that travel with the speed of mind. Brahma has also decreed that if ever Indrajit embarked upon the Nikumbhila yagna, but had to abandon it without completion, he would die. And death would come from him who interrupts that yagna." Then began the march of armies led by Lakshmana and Vibhishana.
In chapter 86, On the advice of Vibhishana, Lakshmana releases multiple arrows towards Indrajit. A fight ensues between bears monkeys and demons. Hearing the terrible noise of the battle, Indrajit discontinues his sacrificial rite and enters the battlefield. Hanuman with trees as weapons, plays havoc among the demons and challenges Indrajit to a duel. Lakshmana catches sight of Indrajit, coming in his chariot.
The armies met once again. Hanuman played havoc with the lives of terror struck rakshasas, while Indrajit rained arrows and swords. "Indrajit," roared Hanuman, "if you are brave and not a coward, come fight with me. Now that I have seen you, you shall no longer live." Vibhishana trying to save Hanuman asked Lakshmana to quickly slay the rakshasa. Satisfied that Indrajit was as good as dead by disrupting holy oblation, he led Lakshmana to the place of sacrifice.
This concludes chapters 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 of Yuddha Kanda where we had seen Indrajit entering the battlefield once again; creates an illusory image of Sita and slays her; Rama crest falls after listening to this news of Sita slayed by Indrajit; Lakshmana giving an impassioned appeal to Rama on hearing the news about Sita; Vibhishana giving the actual account of the Indrajit’s deception using an illusory Sita and his buying time to perform Nikumbhila yagna; Lakshmana asked to hurry up and disrupt the sacrificial rites, battle with Vibhishana. Indrajit is a skilled and clever archer who can deceive enemies with strange ways and methods. By employing the tactic to create an illusory death of Sita, he wants to keep the vanaras calm while he performs an important oblation to get immense powers which can render him invincible in the battlefield. This ploy was cleverly detected and countered by his own uncle, Vibhishana who comes to the aid of Rama at an important time when he faints on hearing about Sita. This once again proves that when dharma, righteousness is on your side, the world conspires to be on your side and make you win, without regard to any strong opponent. After the sacrificial yagna disrupted, we can look at how the mortal fight carries out to a conclusion between Indrajit and Lakshmana in subsequent chapters.
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