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

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)

 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,  HarilomaVidyuddamshtraSuryananaJyothimukha, a monkey called DadhimukhaPavakakshaNala 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

The Ramayana (Rama and Ravana) story in pictures – Yuddha Kand (4)

Yuddha Kand from Ramayana – Part 4 (contd.)

In this article, events of the  first day of battle are described. High point of this battle was Rama and Laxmana were taken unconscious because of the designs of Indrajit, the son of Ravana. They were saved by Garuda, and vanara’s rejoiced.

Rama sends Angad one last time

Lord Rama, as a last resort, sends Angada to Ravana. He tries his best to convince Ravana, but in vain. Ravana commands his attendants to seize Angada. Angada shakes out those attendants who tried to seize him. He then ascended the roof of Ravana’’s palace, tramples and crushes it down by his strength. After this, He finally returns to Lord Rama.

Angad at Lanka

Angad at Lanka

Vanaras take Lanka under siege

After this, on command of Lord Rama, vanaras take Lanka under seige. As per his advice, all commanders took the position assigned to them. Ravana was informed of this by demons. He assesses the situation and found that large number of monkeys have virtually taken over Lanka. They have started destroying the city of Lanka. Ravana issues command to start combat. Fights start – Demons with weapons and monkeys with trees, mountain tops, etc.

The battle begins

A number of  duels arose between Rama’s army and demons, who ran up towards each other. Indrajit, the son of Ravana, fought with Angada. Sampati, who regained his wings after letting the vanara’s aware of Sita’s place, was fighting with Prajangha. Hanuman, the son of Pavan with Jambumali. Vibheeshana fought with the demon Shatrughna,  and so on. Laxman encountered Virupaksha and Agniketu and others with Rama. Blood flowed from both sides. In hand-to-hand encounters, the strong monkeys destroyed the Ravana’s demons.

Vanaras and Demons at Lanka

Vanaras and Demons at Lanka

The battle intensifies and great demons were killed

During the battle, Sampati managed to kill PrajanghaSugriva, killed Praghasa after he was threatening to swallow the monkey-troops with a Saptaparna tree. Laxman killed Virupaksha with an arrow.  Rama was wounded by Agniketu, Rashmiketu, Mitrughna and Yajnakopa. Soon, Rama chopped the hands of those four demons in the battle by his four terrific arrows having fire-like points. From Rama’s army, Nila received some strong opposition from Nikumbha.

Vidyunmali, who was proving an outstanding warrior on that night, was finally killed by Sushena. The demons waited for the night.

The night which saw Rama and Laxmana captured

In night, battle commences again.The demons destroy some monkeys. The monkeys drag and kill elephants, chariots and their occupants. Rama and Laxman killed a number of demons. Angad made Indrajit ran away from battle field after striking him hard. Sugriva praises Angad. But Indrajit comes back to the battle field and uses magic and serpent arrows to secure Rama and Laxman. Gloom prevailed over Rama’s army as the great brother lay still on the ground.

Hanuman and Angada started grieving. Indrajit celebrated with demons. Indrajit also attacked other monkeys and monkeys started to run away from the battlefield.

Meghnaad used naga astra against Ram and Laxman

Meghnaad used naga astra against Ram and Laxman

Vibhishana consoles everyone

Indrajit  informs Ravana that both Rama and Lakshmana have been killed. Ravana applauds his son for his great achievement. Everyone in the Rama’s camp was grieving. Seeing the plight of Vanaras, alongwith Nila, Hanumana, Angada and Jambavant, Vibhishana consoles and assures them that Rama and Laxmana will be alright. In Ashoka Vatika, Sita also receives this news and sank into sorrow. However, She was consoled by Trijata that nothing would happen to Rama. Meanwhile, because of his strength, Rama regains consciousness and thought that Laxmana is not well.

Garuda freed Rama and Laxmana

Garuda the King of Birds, makes his appearance on the scene and liberates Rama and Lakshmana from their bondage. It happened that all the snakes which bound Rama and Laxmana, fled away on appearance of this great bird, who was the son of Vinata. Thereupon, Garuda the eagle, coming into contact with Rama and Lakshmana  offering them his good wishes, with his hands caressly touched their faces that were radiant like the moon. The wounds of Rama and Laxmana healed after they came in contact with Garuda.

Ram and Laxman in nagpaash - revived by Garuda

Ram and Laxman in nagpaash – revived by Garuda

Monkeys celebrate

Thereafter, gongs were beaten, drums resounded, and couches were blown amid jumping in joy of the monkeys as before. Some other strong monkeys who use trees as maces in battle, waving their arms and uprooting hundreds and thousands of various trees, stood there, ready for the battle. Uttering great noises, frightening the demons and desirous to fight, the monkeys reached the gates of Lanka.