In the war between Demons and Gods, Indrajit Takes Indra Captive

We are seeing the many pursuits of Ravana in the last many chapters. As he is a habitual predator, prying upon beautiful women, he comes across the celestial Rambha and forces upon her. In response, her husband Nalakuvara makes sure he never touches any other woman against her wish and would break his head into seven pieces if this is violated. This curse haunts Ravana to his end and protects Sita. Meanwhile Ravana pursues his dream to claim upper hand over Gods and wages war against Indra and his forces. This causes fear among the Devas as the Asura forces overwhelm them with their powerful repertoire. Ravana himself creates panic among the Deva ranks headed by Indra who approaches Vishnu for rescue. Vishnu observes he cannot be defeated by demons or Gods but his downfall would be certain at a later point of time. He himself incarnates in human form to defeat the evil which has threatened the very existence of cosmic balance in universe. Emboldened by the many boons, Ravana engages in a fierce battle with Gods to defeat them. The war hangs in balance for some time as both sides emerge equal and we can see in the following chapters how Ravani or son of Ravana, Indrajit takes Indra captive. 

In chapter 29, Ravani takes Indra captive 

In the midst of a chaotic and intense battle between the rakshasas and the gods, a profound darkness enveloped the battlefield, blinding most of the warriors. Despite the confusion, three figures—Indra, Ravana, and Ravana's immensely powerful son—remained unaffected by the darkness. The battle reduced both armies to a mere tenth of their original strength, with the rest succumbing to death and reaching Yama’s abode. 

Filled with rage at the sight of the slain armies, Ravana instructed his son, who was on a chariot, to take him to the center of the enemy forces. Determined to annihilate the gods, Ravana vowed to destroy Indra, Varuna, Yama, and others, proclaiming his intent to rule the heavens. The charioteer, obeying Ravana’s command, drove the horses swiftly, bringing Ravana face-to-face with the gods. 

Shakra (Indra), the lord of the gods, assessed the situation and devised a strategy to capture Ravana alive. Recognizing Ravana's strength and the protection afforded by a divine boon, Indra believed that capturing him would weaken the rakshasas and secure the gods’ victory. As Indra moved to a different position, he engaged the rakshasa forces and inflicted heavy losses. However, Ravana, undeterred, launched a fierce counterattack, penetrating deep into the gods’ ranks. Indra responded by leading his forces into the southern flank of the battlefield, while Ravana attacked from the north, unleashing devastating arrows that overwhelmed the gods’ army. 

Amidst this chaos, Ravana's son, filled with rage, joined the battle. Utilizing powerful maya (illusory powers), he became invisible and attacked the gods with torrents of arrows. This gave him a significant advantage, as the gods struggled to identify their enemy. Capitalizing on this confusion, Ravana’s son confronted Indra directly. Despite Indra’s valiant defense and exceptional archery skills, Ravana’s son, Indrajit managed to overpower him with his maya. Eventually, he captured Indra and transported him to the rakshasa camp, leaving the gods in shock and despair. 

The gods, unable to see their captured leader due to the strength of Ravana’s son’s maya, were demoralized. Meanwhile, Ravana faced an onslaught from celestial warriors, including the Vasus, Adityas, and Maruts. Although his strength initially allowed him to hold his ground, the relentless attacks from divine weapons exhausted him, and he struggled to continue the fight. At this critical moment, Ravana’s son, still invisible, urged his father to withdraw from the battle. He reassured Ravana of their victory, pointing out that Indra, the leader of the gods, had been captured. With the enemy in disarray, Ravana could now assert dominance over the heavens without further combat. 

Taking his son’s advice, Ravana ended the battle. The gods’ forces, demoralized by Indra’s capture, retreated from the battlefield. Victorious and assured, Ravana returned to his residence. He praised his son for his immense valor, comparing it to that of the immortals, and expressed pride in his lineage. He commanded his son to secure Indra and bring him to the city, surrounded by rakshasa forces. 

Ravana then prepared to follow with his advisors, celebrating their triumph. With Indra captured and the gods defeated, Ravana and his forces returned to their city, brimming with confidence and satisfaction. The rakshasas were granted permission to disperse and rest, marking the end of their victorious campaign against the gods. 

This showcases Ravani’s exceptional prowess, and the destructive consequences of the battle between divine and demonic forces. 

In chapter 30, A curse is pronounced by sage Gautama on Shakra. 

Ravana’s son, immensely strong and valorous, triumphed over the great Indra in battle. Following this, Prajapati, leading the gods, went to Lanka to address Ravana. Positioned in the sky, Prajapati spoke to Ravana in a conciliatory tone, praising the exceptional bravery and generosity of Ravana’s son. He acknowledged that Indrajit’s valor rivaled, or even surpassed, that of Ravana himself. Prajapati reminded Ravana of his achievements, having subdued all three worlds through his might and fulfilled his ambitions. 

Prajapati Brahma bestowed upon Ravana’s son the name Indrajit, signifying his victory over Indra. He foretold that Indrajit would become famous for vanquishing formidable enemies and credited him with aiding Ravana in subjugating the gods. Prajapati urged Ravana to release Indra, the chastiser of Paka, and asked what the gods could offer in exchange for his freedom. 

Indrajit, confident and triumphant, declared his desire for immortality as a condition for releasing Indra. Prajapati, born from the lotus, explained that no being could be granted true immortality. Indrajit then proposed an alternative: he sought a boon ensuring that he could only be killed if he entered battle without completing his sacred rituals and fire oblations beforehand. Prajapati consented to this unique request, granting Indrajit his wish. Subsequently, Indra was freed, and he and the gods returned to heaven, albeit in a state of distress. 

Indra, the mighty lord of the gods, was visibly shaken by his defeat and humiliation. His garments and garlands were disheveled, and he sank into deep contemplation. Seeing his anguish, Prajapati addressed him, reminding him of an earlier transgression that had led to this calamity. 

Prajapati recounted the tale of Ahalya, a flawless woman created by combining the finest attributes of many beings. Her unparalleled beauty sparked envy and desire among the gods, including Indra. Though she was bestowed upon the sage Gautama as his wife, Indra, overcome by arrogance and desire, sought to possess her. One day, he entered Gautama’s hermitage and oppressed Ahalya, an act that enraged the sage. Gautama, a paragon of fortitude, discovered Indra’s misdeed and cursed him for this act. 

Gautama’s curse decreed that Indra would face humiliation and defeat, including being captured in battle by his enemies. The sage also cursed Ahalya, condemning her to lose her unparalleled beauty and remain disfigured near his hermitage. As a result of these events, beauty was no longer confined to a single individual but became a shared attribute among all beings. This marked a transformation in creation, driven by the fallout of Indra’s actions. 

Prajapati explained to Indra that his capture by Indrajit was a direct consequence of the curse, not a reflection of his inherent strength or courage. He advised Indra to purify himself through a Vaishnava sacrifice, which would restore his honor and allow him to regain control of heaven. Furthermore, Prajapati revealed that Indra’s son, who was thought to have perished in battle, had been saved and hidden by his grandfather within the great ocean. 

Heeding Prajapati’s counsel, Indra performed the Vaishnava sacrifice and returned to heaven with the gods, reclaiming their dominion. Despite the setback, this emphasized the extraordinary power and might of Indrajit, who defeated the ruler of the gods and cemented his place in legend. 

The tale serves as a testament to Indrajit’s valor and cunning, Ravana’s ambition, and the enduring consequences of adharma (unrighteous actions), even for the gods. 

In chapter 31, Ravana goes to the banks of the Narmada river. 

Astounded by the tale of Ravana’s exploits, Rama humbly sought further knowledge from the sage Agastya. He questioned how Ravana, the rakshasa lord, managed to dominate without facing opposition. Sage Agastya, smiling kindly, recounted the tale of Ravana’s adventures on Earth, specifically his encounter with the Haihaya king, Arjuna, near the river Narmada. 

Ravana, ever ambitious and eager to prove his might, roamed the Earth, seeking challenges. He arrived at Mahishmati, a city as resplendent as the heavens, where King Arjuna of the Haihayas ruled with power comparable to the supreme Vasuretas. On the day of Ravana’s arrival, King Arjuna had gone to the Narmada to indulge in leisure with his companions. Determined to confront the king, Ravana demanded his location from the citizens, who informed him that Arjuna was away. Disappointed but resolute, Ravana departed for the Vindhya Mountains, a majestic range teeming with life and beauty. 

The Vindhyas, with their thousand peaks and radiant caverns, captivated Ravana. Waterfalls laughed as they cascaded down the cliffs, and rivers sparkled like jewels amidst the greenery. Gods, danavas, gandharvas, and kinnaras frolicked with their consorts, while apsaras graced the mountains with their presence. Enchanted by the grandeur of the region, Ravana continued his journey to the sacred river Narmada, whose flowing waters sparkled like a celestial maiden adorned with ornaments. 

The Narmada, revered as one of the finest rivers, was alive with activity. Animals such as buffaloes, lions, and elephants quenched their thirst along its banks, while flocks of swans and cranes sang in harmony. The river’s beauty was likened to a woman adorned with ornaments—flowering trees served as her jewelry, foam as her garment, and blooming lotuses as her eyes. Ravana, descending from his celestial Pushpaka chariot, approached the river with awe. He bathed in its refreshing waters, describing it as akin to embracing a beloved. 

After his bath, Ravana settled by the riverbank, where he admired the scenery and praised the river’s serene beauty. Addressing his advisers—Maricha, Shuka, and Sarana—he remarked on the Narmada’s ability to dispel exhaustion and likened it to a frightened woman in its stillness. Commanding his entourage to cleanse themselves in the river, Ravana joked about the subdued behavior of natural forces in his presence, as though they feared his might. 

His advisers, along with other rakshasas, immersed themselves in the Narmada. Like great elephants bathing in the Ganga, their movements agitated the waters. They then emerged from the river and gathered a vast assortment of flowers to offer as homage. Ravana, adorned with the fragrant blooms, descended into the river once more and performed rituals of purification. He chanted hymns in devotion to Lord Shiva, whom he revered as the supreme being capable of removing afflictions and granting boons. 

With a golden linga carried by his followers, Ravana prepared an altar of sand on the riverbank and conducted elaborate worship. He adorned the linga with flowers and immortal scents, offering his prayers to Hara, the one who wears the moon as a crown. Enraptured by his devotion, Ravana extended his massive arms and danced in ecstasy, his steps echoing his profound reverence. 

This puts forth Ravana’s complex persona: a conqueror seeking to dominate the world, yet deeply devout in his worship of Lord Shiva. As we can see, fhrough his acts of piety and celebration, Ravana demonstrated not only his might but also his unwavering faith, blending his ambitions with spiritual devotion. 

This concludes chapters 29, 30 and 31 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen Ravani or the son of Ravana dominate the celestial forces with his magical powers and take Indra captive. The power of Ravani came to the fore with this episode which was put before Rama who is astonished at his own war exploits with the son of Ravana. Rama questions the sages about the amazing display from Indrajit and where he got his much-famed abilities. The sages construct the entire response which puts the adventures of Ravana first and then comes to Ravani who seem to eclipse his own father. Ravana’s son came to be known as Indrajit with his capture of Indra and ends the war victorious over Gods. Ravana then takes Indra to his kingdom, elated by the acts of his son. Indra on the other hand comes to know from Prajapati that this is due to the curse of Sage Gautama. Indra’s release was also reached after Ravani was given a boon of near invincibility. Rama questions the sages how Ravana dominated without facing opposition. Agastya recounts the tale of his encounter with king Arjuna near river Narmada. We can see how Arjuna captures Ravana and further tales of the past in subsequent chapters.

Nalakuvara's Curse and Ravana's Duel with Indra, Lord of Gods

We are looking at the Ravana’s many trespasses in the past many chapters. We learnt how he encountered Maha-purusha and how he was humbled by him, only to be saved by the Brahma’s boon. Ravana also confronts Mahajambunada, a divine being, and is easily defeated, foreshadowing his eventual downfall. Then we had seen Ravana trespassing dharma, blinded by his powers and pride, abducts many women from various realms, leaving devastation in his wake. Their lamentations and curses signal divine condemnation and momentarily weaken him while also laying path for his future deposition. Upon returning to Lanka, he faces his grieving sister, Shurpanakha, who accuses him of killing her husband during his violent campaigns. He consoles her with gifts and promises of protection by putting her with Khara in Dandaka forest. We had earlier seen how Surpankha faces beautiful Rama and Lakshmana and initiate rivalry with Ravana. Thus, all along we are connecting the dots and laying the ground full of pre-plots for the actual plot and rivalry with Rama and also the downfall of Ravana. Ravana’s life before he intrudes into the path of Rama is full of mis-adventures, wrong provocations and misdeeds. We are learning all of them as far as we can relate to the story already told in these chapters. We also learnt of Ravana preparing for conflict with Madhu, who abducted their relative Kumbhinasi. Persuaded by Kumbhinasi’s plea, Ravana forms an alliance with Madhu. Ravana’s further exploits can be seen in the following chapters. 

In chapter 26, Nalakuvara curses Ravana. 

As the sun descended, Ravana arrived at a scenic location and ordered his soldiers to set up camp. The sparkling moon rose, illuminating the area with its radiance, revealing the enchanting beauty of the place. The groves were filled with divine karnikara and dense kadamba trees, and ponds adorned with blooming lotuses reflected the serenity of the waters of the Mandakini River. The soothing chime of bells echoed, and the melodic songs of apsaras resonated from the abode of Dhanada. Showers of flowers, blown by a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of spring blooms, created an intoxicating atmosphere that heightened Ravana's senses and desires. 

As night progressed, Ravana, under the spell of the moonlit ambiance, was struck by the arrows of desire. His gaze fell upon Rambha, a celestial apsara of incomparable beauty. Adorned in divine flowers and dressed in a garment as blue as a rain-filled cloud, Rambha's radiant appearance captivated Ravana. Her face resembled the full moon, her eyebrows were as perfect as bows, and her limbs were as graceful as petals and elephant trunks. Enchanted, Ravana approached her, overwhelmed by passion. 

Driven by his desire, Ravana seized Rambha’s hand as she passed through the camp, addressing her with seductive words. He praised her beauty, comparing her to celestial treasures, and proclaimed that no one in the three worlds, not even Vishnu or Indra, was superior to him. Ravana insisted she should not belong to anyone else and urged her to stay with him, offering himself as her ultimate protector and lord. 

Trembling and distressed, Rambha folded her hands in reverence and attempted to reason with Ravana. She reminded him of the principles of dharma and informed him that she was already married, being the wife of Nalakuvara, Ravana’s nephew and the son of his brother Vaishravana (Kubera). Rambha entreated Ravana to protect her as a senior family member and to respect her status as his daughter-in-law. She appealed to his honor and begged him to let her go, stating that Nalakuvara awaited her eagerly. 

However, Ravana, blinded by desire, ignored her pleas and warnings. Consumed by anger and confusion, he forcibly violated her. Stripped of her ornaments and dignity, Rambha, devastated and trembling with shame, fled to Nalakuvara. She fell at his feet and, through tears, recounted the entire ordeal. Rambha described how Ravana had accosted her on her way, disregarded her words, and subjected her to an act of violence despite her protests and appeals to dharma. 

Hearing her account, Nalakuvara was enraged. His eyes turned fiery red, and his heart burned with righteous fury at Ravana's heinous act. Determined to uphold justice, Nalakuvara performed a ritual by taking water in his hands and invoking a terrible curse upon his uncle. He declared that from that day forward, Ravana would be unable to approach or violate any woman who did not consent to him. Should he ever attempt to force himself upon a woman against her will, his head would shatter into seven pieces. Nalakuvara’s curse was backed by divine authority, and its pronouncement was accompanied by celestial phenomena. The gods rejoiced at this act of justice, showering flowers from the heavens and beating drums in approval. Prajapati and other deities praised Nalakuvara’s resolve, recognizing the curse as a pivotal moment that would eventually contribute to the downfall of Ravana, the tormentor of the worlds. 

Ravana heard of the curse and was deeply affected. The mere thought of pursuing an unwilling woman filled him with fear, causing his arrogance to waver. Though he had acted out of lust and power, the curse served as a stark reminder of the consequences of his actions. The idea of violating another woman unwillingly no longer appealed to him, marking a significant, albeit partial, shift in his behavior. 

In chapter 27, the fight began between Gods and the Rakshasas. 

Ravana led his forces across Kailasa and into the celestial realm of Indra, the king of gods. His arrival was heralded by a cacophony of sound as his soldiers surrounded Indra’s world, causing a disturbance as loud as the ocean breaking apart. The sheer force of Ravana’s presence caused Indra’s throne to tremble, and the distressed king of gods urgently summoned the Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Vishvadevas, Sadhyas, and Maruts, urging them to prepare for battle against the powerful Rakshasa. 

Although the gods donned their armor and prepared for combat, Indra was overcome with fear due to Ravana’s strength and the boon that made him nearly invincible. He turned to Vishnu, pleading for his intervention. Indra implored Vishnu, praising him as the supreme refuge and eternal protector, to wield his divine weapons against the Rakshasa lord. Vishnu, however, explained that Ravana’s boon rendered him unassailable by gods or demons. While he could not confront Ravana immediately, Vishnu reassured Indra that the Rakshasa’s end was certain. He vowed to bring about Ravana’s demise at the appropriate time, fulfilling his divine promise to protect the cosmos. 

As dawn broke, Ravana’s forces launched their assault, initiating a terrible battle. The gods and Rakshasas clashed with roars and the relentless exchange of weapons. Ravana’s commanders, including Maricha, Prahasta, Mahaparshva, Mahodara, Akampana, and others, led the Rakshasa army. The powerful Sumali, Ravana’s senior advisor and a formidable warrior, took the lead, unleashing a devastating barrage of arrows, spears, and javelins upon the gods. 

The Rakshasa forces wreaked havoc, scattering the divine armies like a storm scattering clouds. Despite their valor, the gods struggled against the onslaught led by Sumali. The situation grew dire as Sumali, enraged and relentless, struck down many gods with sharp weapons. His wrath seemed unstoppable, and even the bravest among the divine forces found it difficult to withstand his assault. 

However, amidst the chaos, Savitra, the eighth of the Vasus, entered the battlefield. A paragon of courage and strength, Savitra rallied his forces and faced Sumali head-on. The encounter between the two was fierce and unyielding, with neither willing to retreat. Sumali and Savitra exchanged blows with an array of weapons, their battle a terrifying spectacle of strength and fury. 

Savitra’s divine prowess eventually turned the tide. With hundreds of arrows, he destroyed Sumali’s colossal serpent-drawn chariot, leaving the Rakshasa vulnerable. Seizing a blazing club imbued with the power of destruction, Savitra struck Sumali’s head with devastating force. The impact of the blow was likened to Indra’s vajra shattering a mountain. Sumali’s body was utterly destroyed, his remains reduced to ashes by the club’s immense power. 

The death of Sumali marked a turning point in the battle. The Rakshasas, witnessing the fall of their leader, were overwhelmed with terror. In a panic, they fled in all directions, their loud cries of despair echoing across the battlefield. The divine forces, buoyed by Savitra’s triumph, regained their composure and began to restore order to the celestial realm. 

The relentless ambition and power of Ravana, who dared to challenge the gods in their own domain came to the fore in this episode. Though Ravana’s boon made him a formidable adversary, the gods and Vishnu’s pledge ensured that his reign of terror would not last forever. The death of Sumali, a key Rakshasa warrior, served as a reminder of the inevitable downfall awaiting those who defied the divine order. 

In chapter 28, the duel between the sides of Indra and Ravana is detailed. 

After witnessing the death of Sumali, reduced to ashes by the Vasu Savitra, Ravana’s son Meghanada was enraged. He saw his Rakshasa forces scattered and fleeing under the onslaught of divine arrows. Resolute and furious, Meghanada rallied the Rakshasas, forcing them to regroup. Mounted on a fiery chariot capable of moving at will, he launched a ferocious attack, wielding numerous weapons with devastating precision. His presence caused panic among the gods, who fled in all directions, unable to face his power. 

Observing the chaos, Indra, the king of gods, sought to rally his forces. He reassured them, urging them to stand firm and return to the battlefield. Indra’s son, Jayanta, ascended his splendid chariot and advanced against Meghanada. The battle between Jayanta and the Rakshasa prince was fierce, a clash of equals. Both combatants exchanged showers of arrows, with Meghanada killing Jayanta’s charioteer and Jayanta retaliating by wounding Meghanada’s. The son of Ravana intensified his assault, employing an array of massive weapons—mountain peaks, spears, clubs, and swords—causing widespread destruction and plunging the battlefield into chaos. 

Darkness descended as Meghanada’s relentless attacks confused the gods. Unable to differentiate friend from foe, they faltered and fled, routed by the Rakshasa prince. Amidst the disarray, Puloma, Jayanta’s maternal grandfather and a Daitya of great strength, intervened. He seized Jayanta and carried him into the ocean, removing him from the battlefield. The gods, witnessing Jayanta’s capture, were demoralized, and their disarray emboldened Meghanada. Surrounded by his forces, he roared triumphantly and advanced on the remaining gods. 

Indra, furious at his son’s defeat, called for his divine chariot prepared by Matali. The chariot, dazzling and immense, moved with the speed of thought, heralded by thunder and lightning. As Indra entered the fray, the gods—Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, Sadhyas, and Maruts—joined him, armed with diverse celestial weapons. Their arrival shook the battlefield. A harsh wind began to blow, the sun dimmed, and meteors fell from the sky, heralding the conflict to come. 

Meanwhile, Ravana, enraged by the gods’ resurgence, mounted his divine chariot crafted by Vishvakarma. This chariot, yoked to enormous serpents whose fiery breath ignited the battlefield, was surrounded by brave Daityas and Rakshasas. Ravana restrained Meghanada, ordering him to sit as he prepared to confront Indra himself. 

The ensuing battle between Ravana’s forces and the gods was cataclysmic. Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s mighty brother, joined the fray, wielding a variety of weapons. Yet his blind rage led to indiscriminate attacks; he used his teeth, arms, and weapons to strike everything in his path. Despite the Rakshasas’ might, the gods, led by the Maruts and Adityas, counterattacked fiercely. Many Rakshasas were killed, their mounts—serpents, camels, donkeys, and monstrous beasts—lay dead or writhing. The battlefield turned into a macabre tableau, littered with corpses and flowing rivers of blood. 

Seeing his army in disarray, Ravana himself entered the fray, his anger burning like a raging fire. He waded through the battlefield, slaying gods and restoring order among his soldiers. Confronting Indra directly, Ravana engaged him in a titanic duel. Indra, wielding his great bow, loosed arrows as radiant as the sun upon Ravana, who responded with equal ferocity. Their combat darkened the battlefield, obscuring everything in a cloud of arrows and shadow. 

The battle between Ravana and Indra symbolized the height of the conflict between the Rakshasas and the gods. Though Ravana’s might was unparalleled, the divine forces, empowered by their resolve and celestial weapons, continued to resist. As darkness engulfed the battlefield, the outcome of the conflict hung in the balance, leaving both sides locked in a deadly and unresolved struggle. 

This concludes chapters 26, 27 and 28 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen a habituated Ravana forcing himself upon the celestial woman Rambha. She is someone with ethereal beauty which has initiated Ravana upon her. Nalakuvara, her husband came to know about this and performed rituals to make a curse on Ravana that if he imposes upon a woman against her wishes, his head would break into seven pieces. This became the sole reason for Ravana not touching Sita for very long time against her wishes. Her being a devoted wife, Sita wouldn’t budge and this became the reason to keep her in captivity and cajole to change her mind. We had also seen Ravana in duel with Indra, the Lord of Gods for higher claims and pursuits to defeat divine beings. A visibly anxious Indra came to Vishnu for a way out and Vishnu asserted that Ravana cannot be defeated by Gods or demons but his downfall is certain if not immediate. As a result, this most talked about battle between Gods, headed by Indra and Rakshasas, presided by Ravana rages on for now for supremacy. The war hung in balance and we can see the dominance of Ravana in subsequent chapters.