72. IS THIS NARAYANA HIMSELF?

RALLIED by Angada, the Vanaras
recovered courage, reformed in battle
order and prepared to receive
Kumbhakarna. They hurled rocks at him
and dealt heavy blows with trees plucked
by the roots. But he disregarded them all
and with a smile on his face went on
dispatching the Vanaras with a methodic
cruelty that was most terrifying. Some of
them retreated to the newly built dam,
while others tried to save themselves by
concealing on the shore of the sea and the
forests.


Once again Angada had to encourage
the Vanara chiefs and warriors and get
them to reform and attack Kumbhakarna.
Dwivida, Hanuman, Nila, Vrishabha,
Sarabha and other chiefs attacked
Kumbhakarna fiercely. But he disregarded
them all and continued his ruthless
slaughter of the Vanaras. Angada himself
received a blow, as a result of which he
fainted and fell on the earth. Sugriva was
struck down. Picking up the unconscious
Vanara King, Kumbhakarna carried him
with joy towards Lanka. The Rakshasa
army rejoiced greatly and raised a
triumphant uproar. Kumbhakarna wished
to make a present of the captive Vanara
King to his brother Ravana.


As Kumbhakarna went through the
royal highway carrying in triumph the
unconscious Vanara king, the Rakshasas
and their women-folk, standing on the
terraces, showered flowers and poured
sandal paste. This incidentally revived
Sugriva. He opened his eyes and
wondered where he was and what had
happened. He soon understood
everything.


He then began to bite with his teeth and
tear with his nails the ears and nose of the
Rakshasa who was carrying him. Worried
thus Kumbhakarna threw him down
intending to crush him with his feet. But
when he was once on the ground, Sugriva
jumped and flew off across the sky and
arrived at the place where Rama was.
Hanuman was sure that Sugriva would
somehow come back. Foreseeing this
escape of Sugriva, Hanuman had rallied
the Vanara ranks and prepared them again
for battle.


Grim and gruesome with torn nose and
ears, Kumbhakarna, like a great blood-red
evening cloud, and raging like Death at
the end of Time, returned to the battlefield
with a huge iron mace in his hand.
None could now stop Kumbhakarna.
He began to kill and devour the Vanaras.
The whole army began to disappear in this
way. They tried to deter him by climbing
on his mountain-like body and tearing at it
with nails and teeth but without effect for
he shook them off as if they were flies.
None of the Vanara chiefs could hold him.
Lakshmana tried with his arrows to
obstruct his progress but the Rakshasa
passed him by and rushed forward to face
Rama himself.


For a long time Rama kept aiming
powerful darts at the Rakshasa. The arrow
that pierced the seven sal trees and the
adamantine body of Vali was powerless
against Kumbhakarna.


Sending sharper and stronger arrows,
Rama wounded the arms and the feet of
the Rakshasa, but nothing short of death
would stop him. His legs were cut off, but
legless he moved about on his stumps and
went on with demoniac ferocity, fighting
his brother's battle.


At last, Rama cut off his head with an
arrow.


The severed head, carried by the force
of Rama's arrow, rose into the sky and red
with blood fell in Lanka like a hill with its
forests aflame. The news was carried to
Ravana.


"Your brother Kumbhakarna, terrible
like all-destroying Death at the end of
Time, has entered the heaven of
slaughtered heroes! He killed thousands of
Vanaras and for a long time kept the army
of Rama and Lakshmana in fear of
destruction. But at last he was, slain by
Rama himself, and deprived of arms and
legs his mutilated body lies like a mighty
tree disfigured by a forest fire. A part has
fallen into the sea. Another big part blocks
the entrance to the fortress. The severed
head, flying across the sky, has dropped in
the city and is lying there. Your beloved
brother is gone to Heaven!"


When the Rakshasas told this tale,
Ravana felt that his own life had left 
He swooned. After recovering
consciousness, he cried in grief and anger:


"Ah mighty warrior! How could you go to
Yama's world leaving me behind? My
right hand is cut off! How did Rama kill
you, you whom in the whole world no
enemy dared approach? I see the gods
rejoicing in their heavens at your fall. The
Vanara are dancing with delight. Of what
use is this kingdom to me? Why should I
cling to life when my dear brother has left
me? Yes, I have to torture and slay the
man who killed this dear brother of mine!"
Then with sudden and futile remorse he
wailed: "Alas! Why did I refuse to listen
to Vibhishana?"


Trisiras and his other sons tried to
console Ravana.


"What is the use of lamentation" they
argued. "You who have secured from
Brahma strength and armor, why should
you fear or lose yourself in grief?" And
Trisiras himself set out for the battlefield.
Many others eagerly followed him, riding
on elephants and chariots.


A great battle ensued. Narantaka,
riding on horseback spear in hand,
wrought havoc among the Vanaras and
was proceeding towards Sugriva. Angada
opposed him and killed him and his horse.
Likewise, Devantaka and Trisiras were
slain by Hanuman, and Mahodara by Nila.
Atikaya fell a prey to Lakshmana's
arrows. But before they died, these four
had fought like four Yamas and caused
enormous loss to the Vanara forces.
When Ravana heard that Atikaya was
dead, he was be wildered.


"This is incredible! These my warriors,
firm and mighty like mountains and
irresistible like the ocean, have been slain
one by one by these enemies. Those, who
till now have never known defeat, have
been defeated and lie dead in the
battlefield. There stand my foes who have
broken out of the serpent entanglements
with which my peerless son Indrajit had
bound them. I cannot explain the marvel
of this man Rama's strength. May it be
that he is Narayana himself?"


Thus bewildered, Ravana lost heart. He
wanted that the enemy forces should not
enter the fortress and in particular should
not enter the Asoka Vana. He supervised
the defences again and returned to the
palace, downcast and forlorn.


Next : 73. THE DEATH OF INDRAJIT

Continues..