"Markandeya said, 'Beholding both the brothers Rama and Lakshmana
prostrate on the ground, the son of Ravana tied them in a net-work of
those arrows of his which he had obtained as boons. And tied by Indrajit
on the field of battle by means of that arrowy net, those heroic tigers
among men resembled a couple of hawks immured in a cage. And beholding
those heroes prostrate on the ground pierced with hundreds of arrows,
Sugriva with all the monkeys stood surrounding them on all sides. And
the king of the monkeys stood there, accompanied by Sushena and Mainda
and Dwivida, and Kumuda and Angada and Hanuman and Nila and Tara and
Nala. And Vibhishana, having achieved success in another part of the
field, soon arrived at that spot, and roused those heroes from
insensibility, awakening them by means of the weapon called
_Prajna_.[60] Then Sugriva soon extracted the arrows from their bodies.
And by means of that most efficacious medicine called the _Visalya_,[61]
applied with celestial _mantras_, those human heroes regained their
consciousness. And the arrow having been extracted from their bodies,
those mighty warriors in a moment rose from their recumbent posture,
their pains and fatigue thoroughly alleviated. And beholding Rama the
descendant of Ikshwaku's race, quite at his ease, Vibhishana, O son of
Pritha, joining his hands, told him these words, "O chastiser of foes,
at the command of the king of the Guhyakas, a Guhyaka hath come from the
White mountains, bringing with him his water![62] O great king, this
water is a present to thee from Kuvera, so that all creatures that are
invisible may, O chastiser of foes, become visible to thee! This water
laved over the eyes will make every invisible creature visible to thee,
as also to any other person to whom thou mayst give it!"--Saying--_So be
it_,--Rama took that sacred water, and sanctified his own eyes
therewith. And the high-minded Lakshmana also did the same. And Sugriva
and Jambuvan, and Hanuman and Angada, and Mainda and Dwivida, and Nila
and many other foremost of the monkeys, laved their eyes with that
water. And thereupon it exactly happened as Vibhishana had said, for, O
Yudhishthira, soon did the eyes of all these became capable of beholding
things that could not be seen by the unassisted eye!
[60] This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to
consciousness, as the Sam-mohana weapon could deprive one of
consciousness.
[61] Visalya a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts
and wounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A
medical friend of the writer tested the efficacy of the plant
known by that name and found it to be much superior to either
gallic acid or tannic acid in stopping blood.
[62] The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next
only to that of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas
who are the celestial choristers. The White mountain is another
name of Kailasa, the peak where Siva hath his abode.
"'Meanwhile, Indrajit, after the success he had won, went to his father.
And having informed him of the feats he had achieved, he speedily
returned to the field of battle and placed himself at the van of his
army. The son of Sumitra then, under Vibhishana's guidance, rushed
towards that wrathful son of Ravana coming back, from desire of battle,
to lead the attack. And Lakshmana, excited to fury and receiving a hint
from Vibhishana, and desiring to slay Indrajit who had not completed his
daily sacrifice, smote with his arrows that warrior burning to achieve
success. And desirous of vanquishing each other, the encounter that took
place between them was exceedingly wonderful like that (in days of yore)
between the Lord of celestials and Prahrada. And Indrajit pierced the
son of Sumitra with arrows penetrating into his very vitals. And the son
of Sumitra also pierced Ravana's son with arrows of fiery energy. And
pierced with Lakshmana's arrows, the son of Ravana became senseless with
wrath. And he shot at Lakshmana eight shafts fierce as venomous snakes.
Listen now, O Yudhishthira, as I tell thee how the heroic son of Sumitra
then took his adversary's life by means of three winged arrows possessed
of the energy and effulgence of fire! With one of these, he severed from
Indrajit's body that arm of his enemy which had grasped the bow. With
the second he caused that other arm which had held the arrows, to drop
down on the ground. With the third that was bright and possessed of the
keenest edge, he cut off his head decked with a beautiful nose and
bright with earrings. And shorn of arms and head, the trunk became
fearful to behold. And having slain the foe thus, that foremost of
mighty men then slew with his arrows the charioteer of his adversary.
And the horses then dragged away the empty chariot into the city. And
Ravana then beheld that car without his son on it. And hearing that his
son had been slain, Ravana suffered his heart to be overpowered with
grief. And under the influence of extreme grief and affliction, the king
of the Rakshasas suddenly cherished the desire of killing the princess
of Mithila. And seizing a sword, the wicked Rakshasa hastily ran towards
that lady staying within the _Asoka_ wood longing to behold her lord.
Then Avindhya beholding that sinful purpose of the wicked wretch,
appeased his fury. Listen, O Yudhishthira, to the reasons urged by
Avindhya! That wise Rakshasa said, "Placed as thou art on the blazing
throne of an empire, it behoveth thee not to slay a woman! Besides, this
woman is already slain, considering that she is a captive in thy power!
I think, she would not be slain if only her body were destroyed. Slay
thou her husband! He being slain, she will be slain too! Indeed, not
even he of an hundred sacrifices (Indra) is thy equal in prowess! The
gods with Indra at their head, had repeatedly been affrighted by thee in
battle!" With these and many other words of the same import, Avindhya
succeeded in appeasing Ravana. And the latter did, indeed, listen to his
counsellor's speech. And that wanderer of the night, then, resolved to
give battle himself, sheathed his sword, and issued orders for preparing
his chariot.'"