Monthly Archives: September 2014

The Ramayana (Rama and Ravana ) story in pictures – Yuddha Kand (10)

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The final battle of Lanka and end of Ravana

The end of Ravana is approaching fast. He has lost his brothers and son Indrajit  in the battle. As a true warrior, he turns up on the battle field. He starts to fight with monkeys with vigour and determination. Meanwhile Rama and Laxmana have gathered forces to subdue the final resistance from King of Lanka.

Ravana comes to battle field

Ravana comes to battle field

Rama and Ravana - The Ramayana

Rama and Ravana – The Ramayana

Commanders of Ravana killed

He approaches Rama. Meanwhile Sugriva kills Virupaksha, another trusted commander of demon king. Ravana instructs Mahodara to fight with Rama and army, but Sugriva kills him also. Angada soon ends the resistance of Mahaparsva, aided by Jambavant.

Rama Laxmana and Ravana

Rama Laxmana and Ravana

Ravana fights two brothers

Soon, King of Lanka attacks Rama and Laxmana and a great battle starts. Ravana uses his mystic missile, which was struck down by Rama. Soon Visbhishana also joins the two brothers. Laxmana was hurt by Ravana and becomes unconscious.

Hanuman bringing sanjeevani booti to revive Laxman

Hanuman bringing sanjeevani booti to revive Laxman

Laxmana unconsious

Rama gets worried of Laxmana’s condition. He asks Sushena to look at his brother. Sushena instructs Hanumana to bring the herbs. Hanumana brings the whole mountain when he could not locate the herbs. He was then treated by Sushena and regained consciousness.

Fight between Rama and Ravana

The battle between Rama and Demon king starts. Indra sends a chariot, an armour, some arrows and a powerful spear to help Rama. A tumultuous and thrilling battle ensues between two great warriors. A spear hurled by Ravana is thwarted by a powerful spear (sent by Indra) of Rama. Then, Rama strikes his opponent horses with arrows. He also pierces the chest region and the forehead of Ravana with his fierce arrows. The king of Lanka gets severely hurt.

Rama starts cutting his head

Slowly but surely, Ravana strength starts to diminish. When Rama begins to cut off demon’s head, another head starts to crop up in its place. The fierce encounter continues thus for seven days.

Matali provides the final piece of advice

Seeing this, Matali explains to Rama that end of Ravana has come. He says to Rama – “O lord! You can employ a mystic missile presided over by Brahma, the lord of creation. The time for his destruction has come now, as expressed by the celestials.” Then, the valiant Rama, who was reminded thus by Matali, took hold of a blazing arrow, which was given by Brahma and which in turn was given to him by the glorious sage, Agastya earlier in the battle-field and which looked like a hissing serpent. Having been made formerly for Indra, the lord of celestials by Brahma, the lord of creation of infinite strength, it was bestowed in the past on the ruler of gods, who was desirous of conquering the three worlds.

Rama releases the arrow and kills Ravana

That arrow, released with great speed and which was capable of destroying the body, tore off the heart of that evil-minded Ravana.

Rama using Prasavapana on Ravana

Rama using Prasavapana on Ravana

 

Vibheeshana laments the loss of his great brother

Ravana killed by Rama

Ravana killed by Rama

Vibheeshana laments a lot, after seeing his brother lying dead on the battle-field. Rama comforts him, saying that a warrior killed in battle, need not be mourned. Vibheeshana describes the personality of his slain brother and his qualities to Rama and seeks permission of Rama to perform funeral rites to Ravana. Rama directs Vibheeshana to perform the obsequies to Ravana, his deceased brother.

The Ramayana (Rama, Ravana and Indrajit) story in pictures – Yuddha Kand (9)

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The day of Indrajit and Laxmana

As the war progresses and Ravana keeps losing his warriors, the battle of Lanka seems to be heading towards its end. This article details about how Rama and Laxmana were helped by Vibheeshana in their quest of getting Sita back.

Ravana summons his mighty son Indrajit

Following the advice of Ravana, Indrajit joins the battle again. Indrajit was fighting behind the demons and was difficult to locate. Vibhishana advises to Hanumana to kill the demons so that Indrajit becomes visible.

Ravana dwells

Ravana dwells

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. Because if Indrajit had completed the ritual, he would become invincible.

Indrajit sees Vibhishana there and starts talking harsh words to him, saying 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.

Indrajit becomes angry

Hearing these words from Vibheeshana, Ravana’ s son becomes red from anger and starts challenging Laxmana. Soon, a fierce battle between these two great warriors start.

The battle begins

Laxmana stretching five steel arrows upto the ear, dug them into the demon’s chest with a great speed. The arrows, blazing like serpents and feathered with fine plumes, shone like sun-rays in that demon’s chest. Struck with arrows by Laxmana, that enraged demon pierced in return three arrows well-directed towards Laxmana.

Indrajit

Indrajit

The fight continues

That fight between Laxmana, the foremost among men and Indrajit, the formost among demons, who wished to conquer one over the other in battle, was most terrific and tumultuous. Both were endowed with strength. Both were distinguished for their prowess. Both were exceedingly difficult to conquer and peerless in strength and courage.

Vibheeshana helps Laxmana

A lot of time lapsed in the meanwhile past the two warriors. They neither turned their back from the battle nor experienced any fatigue. Then, to provide some rest to Laxmana, Vibheeshana took his position in the battle field.

Vibheeshana kills many demons. He encouraged monkeys and urged them to carry on the combat. The monkeys started a furious attack on the demons. Hanumana also begins to destroy thousands of demons.

Indrajit and Hanumana

Indrajit and Hanumana

He rushes towards Laxmana and starts fighting. Rama’s  younger brother kills his charioteer. Monkeys kill Indrajit’s horses and destroys his chariot.

Laxmana Kills Indrajit

The battle finally reaches its conclusion. After fighting for so many hours the end is nearer. After his chariot was destroyed, Indrajit brought new chariot. Riding atop this, he attacks the monkeys. Monkeys sought help from Laxmana. They again indulge in fierce battle and Laxmana again destroys his chariot.

Indrajit - the mighty son of Ravana on his chariot

Indrajit – the mighty son of Ravana on his chariot

Indrajit strikes three arrows in Lakshmana’s forehead and Lakshmana strikes five arrows on his face. When Indrajit strikes Vibhishana with arrows, Vibhishana kills his horses. Finally, using a missile presided over by Indra the lord of celestials, Laxmana addressed a prayer on Lord Rama and discharged it towards Indrajit.

Indrajit’s head gets chopped off and falls to the ground. Witnessing his death, all the monkey-chiefs, Vibheeshana, Hanuma and Jambavant applaud Laxmana.

Laxmana treated by Sushena

After killing of Indrajit, Laxmana was treated by Sushena. Rama becomes delighted by the news whereas Ravana gets saddened by hearing the loss of his great son.  Rama further intensifies the battle and kills many demons. In Lanka, female lament the loss of monkeys. Finally, Ravana comes out to fight Rama.

The Ramayana (Rama, Ravana and Hanumana) story in pictures – Yuddha Kand (8)

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 Yuddha Kand and Hanumana – Part 8

In the ensuing battle, Indrajit uses Brahamastra and renders Rama, Laxmana and numerous other warriors unconscious. Hanumana, the snakat mochan, brings the mountain of heavenly herbs to the battle ground and the brothers are revived.

Indrajit promises his father

Seeing Ravana in a dejected state, Indrajit assures his father that he will soon kill Rama and Laxmana and end all worries of Lanka. After saying these, Indrajit, with a clear objective, sought permission from Ravana. After this, he mounted his chariot with great speed. The great warrior Indrajit, the annihilator of enemies, having ascended a chariot looking like the chariot of the sun, rushed to the battle-front.

Ravana

Ravana

Indrajit performs a ritual

After reaching the battle field, Indrajit completed a sacrificial ritual. Then he becomes invisible in the sky. Then he throws multiple arrows towards monkeys and monkeys lose their consciousness. He kills monkeys with his mace and arrows. Those monkeys, wielding mountains as their weapons, roaring in the battle field, without turning back, abandoned their lives, showing their courage for the sake of Rama.Continuing to stay in the battle-field, those monkeys rained trees, mountain-peaks and rocks on Indrajit.

Indrajit Nikumbala Puja

Indrajit Nikumbala Puja

He attacks all great monkeys and cause injuries

Indrajit then struck Jambavant with ten arrows and Nila with thirty arrows. He also struck Sugreeva, Rishabha, Angada and Dvividawith sharp and terrific arrows endowed with boons and made them breathless. That enraged Indrajit, then looking like an excited fire that is to destroy the world, tormented other chiefs of monkeys too with many arrows. Indrajit the excellent demon struck all those foremost of monkeys, namely Hanuman, Sugreeva, Angada, Gandhamadana, Jambavan,  Sushena,  Vegadarshina,  Mainda,  Dvivida,  Nila,  Gavaksha,  Gavaya,  Kesari,  Hariloma, Vidyuddamshtra, Suryanana, Jyothimukha, a monkey called Dadhimukha, Pavakaksha, Nala as also a monkey named Kumuda.

Indrajit causing havoc at Rama's army due to a boon from Brahma

Indrajit causing havoc at Rama’s army due to a boon from Brahma

Indrajit was undefeatable that day from the power of Brahma’s boon

As Indrajit has performed the worship of Goddess Nikumbala, he could not be defeated that day. After completing the worship, a celestial chariot appears on the horizon, and while Indrajit is riding the chariot, he could not be defeated.

Rama again shows his leadership skills

As Indrajit was proving a handful and he was decimating Rama’s army. Rama thought of a way to neutralize him. Rama says to Laxman that they both can act as thought they fell unconscious, so that Indrajit can return to Lanka, boasting of his laurels of victory. In this way, further loss of lives of Vanaras can be saved. Rama showed is exemplary leadership qualities and accepted this situation by stepping back. So when, Indrajit struck with Brahmastra, Rama, Laxman and innumerable monekys fell unconscious.

Rama and Laxman

Rama and Laxman

Indrajit, getting eulogized by the demons, quickly reached the city of Lanka which was being protected by Ravana’s arms. Then, Indrajit cheerfully informed all that had happened, to his father.

Hanumana and Vibhishana start the revival process

Vibhishana and Hanuma saw Sugreeva, Angada, Nila, Sharabha, Gandhamadana, Gavaksha, Sushena, Vegadarshi, Mainda, Nala, Jyotimukha and a monkey called Dvivida, who were struck down on the battle-field. The found Jambavant in the battle field. Jambavant says that if Hanumana is alive, then whole army can be revived. Hearing this Vibhishana quickly went to Lord Hanuman and requested him for assistance.

Hanumana brings Sanjeevani

Hanumana brings Sanjeevani

Jambavant provides details to Hanumana

Jambavant advises Hanuman to bring the Sanjeevani. He provided the location as a herbal mountain, which exists between two peaks of Mount Rishabha and Mount Kailash. This herbal mountain contains a number of herbs. On the head, there are four blazing herbs. They are Mrita Sanjeevani (for restoring the dead to life), Vishalyakarani (for extracting weapons and healing all wounds inflicted by weapons), Suvarnakarani (restoring the body to its original complexion) and Sandhani, the great herb (for joining severed limbs or fractured bone). He then asks Hanumana to bring all these herbs.

Jambavant advises Hanuman - Ramayana

Jambavant advises Hanuman – Ramayana

Hanumana proceeds to bring herbs

On advise of Jambavanta, Hanumana quickly proceeded to bring the requisite herbs. There, another problem was posed. On the mountain, knowing that some foreign body has come, these heavenly herbs have made themselves invisible. Hanumana decided to take the whole mountain with him in order to revive Rama and Laxmana. Soon, with the power of herbs the two brothers and numerous other warriors of Sugriva’s army,  gained consciousness.

Hanuman brings mountain containing herbs

Hanuman brings mountain containing herbs

The battle resumed

Sugriva instructed monkeys to set Lanka on fire with their torches. Enraged by this, Ravana sent both Kumbha and Nimkumbha, the sons of Kumbhakarna, along with a multitude of demons. By the orders of Ravana, Yupaksha, Shonitaksha, Prajangha and Kampana along with the aforesaid sons of Kumbhakarna set out for the battle.

More demons were killed

Soon, a fierce battle started and more demons were killed. Angada kills Kampana and severely injures Shonitaksha, the demons in battle. Angada, along with Mainda and Dvivida the monkey-warriors encounter Shonitaksha, Yupaksha and Prajangha. Angada kills Prajangha. Shonitaksha dies in the hands of Dvivida and Youpaksha at the hands of Mainda. 

Kumbha and Nikumbha were also slain

When Kumbha throws down Angada in the battle-field, Rama sends some more monkey-chiefs headed by Jambavan. Sugriva, with his thunderbolt-like fist, strikes Kumbha with a heavy blow and kills him. Seeing Kumbha his brother killed in battle, the enraged Nikumbha with an iron club as his weapon roars and faces the battle. Hanuma directly attacks Nikumbha, by striking his fist forcibly on Nikumbha’s breast. Unmoved by that blow, Nikumbha lifts Hanuma, off the ground. Hanuma in retaliation frees himself and throws down Nikumbha on the ground. Hanuma descends on Nikumbha, pounds his chest with his fist, catches his head and tears it off. Thus, Nikumbha dies at the hands of Hanuma.

End of Maharaksha

Ravana orders Makaraksha to proceed to the battle-field with an army and to kill Rama, Laxmana and the monkeys. Makaraksha, surrounded by his army of demons, set out for the encounter. His army march forward in the battle-field, to reach Rama and Laxmana. He was interecepted by Rama on the battle field and later killed by the lord himself.

Ravana sends Indrajit again

Ravana once again, then turns to Indrajit for help and asks him to go to the battleground to fight with Rama and his army, Indrajit complies.

Ravana

Ravana