Ramayana. Rama Wounded.
Now Vibhishana's four rakshasa followers had spied on Lanka, and knew the disposition of Ravana's forces; and Rama laid siege to the four gates of Lanka accordingly, establishing the monkey Nila at the eastern gate, guarded by the rakshasa general Prahasta; Angada at the western gate, guarded by Prince Indrajit; and himself attacked the north gate, guarded by Ravana. Then Rama sent Angada as an envoy to Ravana, challenging him to the fight; but Ravana, forgetting the respect due to an envoy, would have slain him; and Angada sprang away and broke the palace roof, and returned to Rama. Then the monkeys advanced in order and swarmed about the walls, flooding the moat and striking terror into the hearts of the rakshasas; scaling parties climbed the walls and battered down the gates with trees and stones, shouting "Victory for Rama and for Sugriva!" The rakshasas sallied forth in turn with horrid trumpetings and joined in battle with the monkeys, and all the air was filled with the noise of fighting, and terrible confusion arose of friend and foe and man and beast, and the earth was strewn with flesh and wet with gore. Thus an equal battle raged till evening; but the rakshasas waited for the night, and eagerly desired the setting of the sun, for night is the rakshasas' time of strongest might. So night fell, and the demons ranged, devouring monkeys by thousands. Then those of Rama's party rallied and for a time prevailed, and Indrajit was beaten back. But he, resorting to his magic, became invisible, and showered deadly wounding arrows upon Rama and Lakshman; fighting in crooked ways, he bound them fast so that they fell helpless to the ground, covered with a thousand wounds.
Sugriva, Hanuman, Vibhishana, and all the leaders of the monkeys stood round about those wounded heroes with tear-filled eys; but Indrajit, unseen of any save his uncle Vibhishana, rejoiced, and let fly many a shaft that wounded Hanuman and Nila and Jambavan. Then Indrajit returned to Lanka as a victor, and his father welcomed him; and for a while the fighting ceased.
Now Vibhishana rallied the frightened monkeys, and comforted Sugriva, saying: "This is no time for giving way to grief. Rama is not dying. Do thou gather the forces and inspire them with fresh hope." But the monkeys were panic-stricken, and if even a straw moved they deemed it to be a rakshasa. And Ravana meanwhile, taking Sita on his car, showed to her Rama and Lakshman lying on the field, senselss and pierced with many arrows, wounded and lying in the dust; and she deemed them to be dead, and wailed -- but Ravana brought her back to Lanka.
Meanwhile Rama came to himself, and seeing Lakshman seeming to be dead, he made great lamentation, and praising what the monkeys had done, though unsuccessful, he gave them leave to go whither they would across the bridge and seek their homes. And Vihishana, too, had no more taste for battle or desire for the throne of Lanka. But Sugriva comforted them and gave them fresh courage, and the monkey-chief Sushena told of a magic herb that grows by the Milky Ocean, and can restore the dead to life, "and let the Wind-god's son go thither for it," he said.
Now Vibhishana's four rakshasa followers had spied on Lanka, and knew the disposition of Ravana's forces; and Rama laid siege to the four gates of Lanka accordingly, establishing the monkey Nila at the eastern gate, guarded by the rakshasa general Prahasta; Angada at the western gate, guarded by Prince Indrajit; and himself attacked the north gate, guarded by Ravana. Then Rama sent Angada as an envoy to Ravana, challenging him to the fight; but Ravana, forgetting the respect due to an envoy, would have slain him; and Angada sprang away and broke the palace roof, and returned to Rama. Then the monkeys advanced in order and swarmed about the walls, flooding the moat and striking terror into the hearts of the rakshasas; scaling parties climbed the walls and battered down the gates with trees and stones, shouting "Victory for Rama and for Sugriva!" The rakshasas sallied forth in turn with horrid trumpetings and joined in battle with the monkeys, and all the air was filled with the noise of fighting, and terrible confusion arose of friend and foe and man and beast, and the earth was strewn with flesh and wet with gore. Thus an equal battle raged till evening; but the rakshasas waited for the night, and eagerly desired the setting of the sun, for night is the rakshasas' time of strongest might. So night fell, and the demons ranged, devouring monkeys by thousands. Then those of Rama's party rallied and for a time prevailed, and Indrajit was beaten back. But he, resorting to his magic, became invisible, and showered deadly wounding arrows upon Rama and Lakshman; fighting in crooked ways, he bound them fast so that they fell helpless to the ground, covered with a thousand wounds.
Sugriva, Hanuman, Vibhishana, and all the leaders of the monkeys stood round about those wounded heroes with tear-filled eys; but Indrajit, unseen of any save his uncle Vibhishana, rejoiced, and let fly many a shaft that wounded Hanuman and Nila and Jambavan. Then Indrajit returned to Lanka as a victor, and his father welcomed him; and for a while the fighting ceased.
Now Vibhishana rallied the frightened monkeys, and comforted Sugriva, saying: "This is no time for giving way to grief. Rama is not dying. Do thou gather the forces and inspire them with fresh hope." But the monkeys were panic-stricken, and if even a straw moved they deemed it to be a rakshasa. And Ravana meanwhile, taking Sita on his car, showed to her Rama and Lakshman lying on the field, senselss and pierced with many arrows, wounded and lying in the dust; and she deemed them to be dead, and wailed -- but Ravana brought her back to Lanka.
Meanwhile Rama came to himself, and seeing Lakshman seeming to be dead, he made great lamentation, and praising what the monkeys had done, though unsuccessful, he gave them leave to go whither they would across the bridge and seek their homes. And Vihishana, too, had no more taste for battle or desire for the throne of Lanka. But Sugriva comforted them and gave them fresh courage, and the monkey-chief Sushena told of a magic herb that grows by the Milky Ocean, and can restore the dead to life, "and let the Wind-god's son go thither for it," he said.
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Now Vibhishana's four rakshasa followers had spied on Lanka, and knew the disposition of Ravana's forces; and Rama laid siege to the four gates of Lanka accordingly, establishing the monkey Nila at the eastern gate, guarded by the rakshasa general Prahasta; Angada at the western gate, guarded by Prince Indrajit; and himself attacked the north gate, guarded by Ravana. Then Rama sent Angada as an envoy to Ravana, challenging him to the fight; but Ravana, forgetting the respect due to an envoy, would have slain him; and Angada sprang away and broke the palace roof, and returned to Rama. Then the monkeys advanced in order and swarmed about the walls, flooding the moat and striking terror into the hearts of the rakshasas; scaling parties climbed the walls and battered down the gates with trees and stones, shouting "Victory for Rama and for Sugriva!" The rakshasas sallied forth in turn with horrid trumpetings and joined in battle with the monkeys, and all the air was filled with the noise of fighting, and terrible confusion arose of friend and foe and man and beast, and the earth was strewn with flesh and wet with gore. Thus an equal battle raged till evening; but the rakshasas waited for the night, and eagerly desired the setting of the sun, for night is the rakshasas' time of strongest might. So night fell, and the demons ranged, devouring monkeys by thousands. Then those of Rama's party rallied and for a time prevailed, and Indrajit was beaten back. But he, resorting to his magic, became invisible, and showered deadly wounding arrows upon Rama and Lakshman; fighting in crooked ways, he bound them fast so that they fell helpless to the ground, covered with a thousand wounds.
Sugriva, Hanuman, Vibhishana, and all the leaders of the monkeys stood round about those wounded heroes with tear-filled eys; but Indrajit, unseen of any save his uncle Vibhishana, rejoiced, and let fly many a shaft that wounded Hanuman and Nila and Jambavan. Then Indrajit returned to Lanka as a victor, and his father welcomed him; and for a while the fighting ceased.
Now Vibhishana rallied the frightened monkeys, and comforted Sugriva, saying: "This is no time for giving way to grief. Rama is not dying. Do thou gather the forces and inspire them with fresh hope." But the monkeys were panic-stricken, and if even a straw moved they deemed it to be a rakshasa. And Ravana meanwhile, taking Sita on his car, showed to her Rama and Lakshman lying on the field, senselss and pierced with many arrows, wounded and lying in the dust; and she deemed them to be dead, and wailed -- but Ravana brought her back to Lanka.
Meanwhile Rama came to himself, and seeing Lakshman seeming to be dead, he made great lamentation, and praising what the monkeys had done, though unsuccessful, he gave them leave to go whither they would across the bridge and seek their homes. And Vihishana, too, had no more taste for battle or desire for the throne of Lanka. But Sugriva comforted them and gave them fresh courage, and the monkey-chief Sushena told of a magic herb that grows by the Milky Ocean, and can restore the dead to life, "and let the Wind-god's son go thither for it," he said.
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