Then, anxious to ascertain his[141] course, the kings son possessed of
prowess, and endowed with exceeding strength, Rama, ordered ten of the
monkey-leaders. And that repressor of foes ordered Vali's son--Angada,
the vigorous Sarabha, Dwivida, Hanuman, the mighty Sanuprastha, 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 Ravana'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 _narachas_, saw him in the dark
like the sun enveloped in clouds. And that conquerer in battle, Ravana's
son, with shafts sorely pierced the persons of Rama and Lakshmana. And
both Rama 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
_Kincukas_. Then that one having red corners unto his eyes and
resembling a mass of crushed collyrium, Ravana'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--Rama 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 Rama and Lakshmana and
shouted momentarily. And fast bound by the shackles of shafts on the
edge of battle, they[142] 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 Rama fell first, pierced in the vitals with the shafts. And
the same Indrajit who had formerly wrathfully routed Sakra.(now) pierced
(Rama) with _narachas_ knotted with gold, and having polished heads;
swift-speeding; and resembling dust carried about by the wind; and
half-_narachas_; 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--he[147] lay down like a
hero. And seeing Rama--foremost of men--down within arrow-range,
Lakshmana despaired of his life. And seeing his brother, Rama, 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.
[141] Indrajit's.
[142] _i.e._ Rama and Lakshmana.
[143] This _sloka_ is rather obscure, and the Bengali translators have
conveniently passed it by!--T.
[144] The hands joined at the lower sides, with the palms hollowed.--T.
[145] Weapons resembling the teeth of a calf.
[146] Weapons resembling the lion's teeth
[147] Rama.