The Rāmāyana, Volume 3. Yuddhakāndam

SECTION XLV.

Then, anxious to ascertain his¹⁴¹ course, the kings son possessed of prowess, and endowed with exceeding strength, Rāma, ordered ten of the monkey-leaders. And that repressor of foes ordered Vāli's son—Angada, the vigorous Sarabha, Dwivida, Hanumān, the mighty Sānuprastha, Rishabha and Rishabhaskandha. Thereat with alacrity those monkeys, weilding mighty trees, shot up into the sky, and began to scour the ten cardinal points. And Rāvana's son, skilled in arms, resisted the impetuous march of those vehement ones by means of a powerful weapon as well as arms more forceful (than the force of their rush). And the exceedingly vehement monkeys, cut and mangled with nārāchas, saw him in the dark like the sun enveloped in clouds. And that conquerer in battle, Rāvana's son, with shafts sorely pierced the persons of Rāma and Lakshmana. And both Rāma and Lakshmana had their bodies entirely covered by the angry Indrajit with shafts turned into serpents. And from their wounds blood began to gush out in streams; and they looked like flower-crowned Kinçukas. Then that one having red corners unto his eyes and resembling a mass of crushed collyrium, Rāvana's son, said unto the brothers, as he vanished,—"When I fight remaining invisible, even Sakra—the lord of the celestials—cannot see or approach me,—and who are ye? And I, with my soul surcharged with wrath, shall, assailing them with showers of weapons furnished with Kanka feathers, send Raghu's sons to the abode of Yama". Having spoken thus unto the brothers—Rāma and Lakshmana, cognizant of righteousness—(Indrajit)—pierced them with sharpened shafts, and shouted in joy. And stretching his large bow, that one sable like unto a mass of crushed collyrium again discharged terrific shafts in battle. And that one versed in the inner sense of things, with whetted arrows pierced the vitals of Rāma and Lakshmana and shouted momentarily. And fast bound by the shackles of shafts on the edge of battle, they¹⁴² could not attain respite for a moment. Then with their persons pierced with shafts and darts, and resembling the flags of the Great Indra let loose from the cords and trembling (in the air),—and with their bodies bristling with arrows,—those heroes and mighty bowmen—lords of the earth—tormented in consequence of their vitals having been pierced, dropped down to the earth. And those heroes, bathed in blood, and their persons covered with arrows,—pained and suffering terribly, lay down as became heroes. And there was not so much room unpierced in their persons as could be measured by a finger; and they were wounded with arrows up to the fore-parts of their hands.¹⁴³ And they being wounded by that fell one capable of assuming shapes at will, blood violently gushed out of their bodies like water from a spring. And Rāma fell first, pierced in the vitals with the shafts. And the same Indrajit who had formerly wrathfully routed Sakra.(now) pierced (Rāma) with nārāchas knotted with gold, and having polished heads; swift-speeding; and resembling dust carried about by the wind; and half-nārāchas; and darts resembling anjalis;¹⁴⁴ and vatsadantas;¹⁴⁵ and sinhadanshtras;¹⁴⁶ and razors; and, resigning his stringless bow decked in gold and curved in three places,—with its part for grasping shattered—he¹⁴⁷ lay down like a hero. And seeing Rāma—foremost of men—down within arrow-range, Lakshmana despaired of his life. And seeing his brother, Rāma, having eyes resembling lotus-petals and ever delighting in battle, himself the refuge of others,—lying down in the field; (Lakshmana) began to weep. And the monkeys also, seeing him, were plunged in sorrow; and they, their eyes flooded with tears, began to cry in grief of heart. And when they had been bound and had laid themselves down as become heroes, the monkeys stood around them,—and, conversing with one another, they, headed by the son of the Wind, were seized with extreme sorrow.