Ramayana. Heavy Fighting.
Short was the peace ere Ravana sent out another leader of the rakshasas, the deadly Thunder-tooth; him Angada met as he drove the monkey host before him, piercing five and nine with every shaft, and engaged in deadly duel, till at last he severed the demon's neck and laid him low. Then Ravana sent out Akampana ("Unconquerable"), and he was slain by Hanuman, with all his host. Then Ravana was somewhat shaken and foreboded ill, but he sent for Prahasta ("Long-hand"), his foremost general; and he gathered another host, and sallied forth upon a splendid car by the eastern gate, accompanied by his counsellors, Man-slayer and Noisy-throat and Tall. That encounter was the death of many hundred rakshasas and monkeys, and the occasion of many a deed of heroism. Prahasta from his shining car sped thousands of monkey-slaying shafts, and a very river of blood flowed betwee the opposing hosts. Then Nila, Agni's son, brandishing an uptorn tree, rushed on Prahasta; but he wounded the monkey with showers of arows. At last his bow was shattered in the conflict, and the twain fought hand to hand, with tooth and nail. Then Prahasta struck Nila a deadly blow with his mace, and Nila flung a tall tree at Prahasta's breast; but he lightly avoided that and rushed on Nila. Then Nila flung a mighty crag at the rakshasa, shattering his head, so that he fell slain. The rakshasa host drew back; like water rushing through a broken dyke, they melted away and entered Lanka, stricken with grief and fear.
Ravana was inflamed with wrath to learn of Prahasta's death, and his heart sank, but he boasted that he would himself destroy Rama and Lakshman with a thousand shafts, and mounted his own shining car and led a rakshasa host against the monkeys; he seemed like the Destroyer himself, accompanied by ghosts and flesh-devouring monsters with burning eyes. Big-belly and Goblin and Man-destroyer and Three-heads, fighters with mountain-peaks and flaming maces, came with Ravana. But he, when they were face to face with the besiegers, dismissed the host to take their ease, and himself advanced to fight alone. Then first Sugriva hurled a mountain-top at him, but Ravana severed it with his golden shafts, so that it fell vainly to the earth, and he sped a deadly flaming shaft at the monkey-king that bore him to the ground groaning with pain. Then other monkey-chiefs together rushed at Ravana, but these in like fashion he destroyed, so that they cried to Rama for help. Lakshman prayed for that battle, and Rama granted him, and he took the field; but already Hanuman was pressing Ravana hard, so that he cried: "Well done, monkey; thou art a foe in whom I may rejoice." Therewith he struck the Wind-god's son a heavy blow so that he shuddered and fell back, and Ravana turned to fight with Nila. But the Fire-god's son, flaming with anger, sprang on to Ravana's car and darted like fire from point to point; and Ravana's heart sank, but he took a deadly shaft and aimed at Nila, and laid him low, at the very point of death. But then Lakshman took up the battle, and showers of arrows were loosed by either hero, so that both were sorely wounded; and a flaming dart struck Rama's brother down. Then Ravana seized him; but he that could raise Himalaya could not lift Lakshman from the ground, for he remembered that he was a very part of Vishnu himself, and he stayed immovable. Then Hanuman returned and struck the rakshasa king a staggering blow so that he fell back, senseless and bleeding, on the platform of his car; and Hanuman lifted Lakshman easily and bore him away to Rama. Nor was it long before both Ravana and Lakshman came to their senses; and Rama, mounted upon Hanuman's back, engaged in a dreadful battle with the king of Lanka. Rama destroyed his car, and wounded Ravana with bolts, and cut his crown atwain with a fiery disc, and struck him with an arrow, so that he grew weak and faint; then, sparing his life, he sent him back to Lanka, saying: "Thou hast accomplished deeds of heroism, and I see thee faint; do thou retire to Lanka now, for thou shalt feel my power in another battle." So the generous Rama spared his foe, and all the gods and quarters and the seas and creatures of earth rejoiced to see the rakshasa king cast down.
Short was the peace ere Ravana sent out another leader of the rakshasas, the deadly Thunder-tooth; him Angada met as he drove the monkey host before him, piercing five and nine with every shaft, and engaged in deadly duel, till at last he severed the demon's neck and laid him low. Then Ravana sent out Akampana ("Unconquerable"), and he was slain by Hanuman, with all his host. Then Ravana was somewhat shaken and foreboded ill, but he sent for Prahasta ("Long-hand"), his foremost general; and he gathered another host, and sallied forth upon a splendid car by the eastern gate, accompanied by his counsellors, Man-slayer and Noisy-throat and Tall. That encounter was the death of many hundred rakshasas and monkeys, and the occasion of many a deed of heroism. Prahasta from his shining car sped thousands of monkey-slaying shafts, and a very river of blood flowed betwee the opposing hosts. Then Nila, Agni's son, brandishing an uptorn tree, rushed on Prahasta; but he wounded the monkey with showers of arows. At last his bow was shattered in the conflict, and the twain fought hand to hand, with tooth and nail. Then Prahasta struck Nila a deadly blow with his mace, and Nila flung a tall tree at Prahasta's breast; but he lightly avoided that and rushed on Nila. Then Nila flung a mighty crag at the rakshasa, shattering his head, so that he fell slain. The rakshasa host drew back; like water rushing through a broken dyke, they melted away and entered Lanka, stricken with grief and fear.
Ravana was inflamed with wrath to learn of Prahasta's death, and his heart sank, but he boasted that he would himself destroy Rama and Lakshman with a thousand shafts, and mounted his own shining car and led a rakshasa host against the monkeys; he seemed like the Destroyer himself, accompanied by ghosts and flesh-devouring monsters with burning eyes. Big-belly and Goblin and Man-destroyer and Three-heads, fighters with mountain-peaks and flaming maces, came with Ravana. But he, when they were face to face with the besiegers, dismissed the host to take their ease, and himself advanced to fight alone. Then first Sugriva hurled a mountain-top at him, but Ravana severed it with his golden shafts, so that it fell vainly to the earth, and he sped a deadly flaming shaft at the monkey-king that bore him to the ground groaning with pain. Then other monkey-chiefs together rushed at Ravana, but these in like fashion he destroyed, so that they cried to Rama for help. Lakshman prayed for that battle, and Rama granted him, and he took the field; but already Hanuman was pressing Ravana hard, so that he cried: "Well done, monkey; thou art a foe in whom I may rejoice." Therewith he struck the Wind-god's son a heavy blow so that he shuddered and fell back, and Ravana turned to fight with Nila. But the Fire-god's son, flaming with anger, sprang on to Ravana's car and darted like fire from point to point; and Ravana's heart sank, but he took a deadly shaft and aimed at Nila, and laid him low, at the very point of death. But then Lakshman took up the battle, and showers of arrows were loosed by either hero, so that both were sorely wounded; and a flaming dart struck Rama's brother down. Then Ravana seized him; but he that could raise Himalaya could not lift Lakshman from the ground, for he remembered that he was a very part of Vishnu himself, and he stayed immovable. Then Hanuman returned and struck the rakshasa king a staggering blow so that he fell back, senseless and bleeding, on the platform of his car; and Hanuman lifted Lakshman easily and bore him away to Rama. Nor was it long before both Ravana and Lakshman came to their senses; and Rama, mounted upon Hanuman's back, engaged in a dreadful battle with the king of Lanka. Rama destroyed his car, and wounded Ravana with bolts, and cut his crown atwain with a fiery disc, and struck him with an arrow, so that he grew weak and faint; then, sparing his life, he sent him back to Lanka, saying: "Thou hast accomplished deeds of heroism, and I see thee faint; do thou retire to Lanka now, for thou shalt feel my power in another battle." So the generous Rama spared his foe, and all the gods and quarters and the seas and creatures of earth rejoiced to see the rakshasa king cast down.
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Short was the peace ere Ravana sent out another leader of the rakshasas, the deadly Thunder-tooth; him Angada met as he drove the monkey host before him, piercing five and nine with every shaft, and engaged in deadly duel, till at last he severed the demon's neck and laid him low. Then Ravana sent out Akampana ("Unconquerable"), and he was slain by Hanuman, with all his host. Then Ravana was somewhat shaken and foreboded ill, but he sent for Prahasta ("Long-hand"), his foremost general; and he gathered another host, and sallied forth upon a splendid car by the eastern gate, accompanied by his counsellors, Man-slayer and Noisy-throat and Tall. That encounter was the death of many hundred rakshasas and monkeys, and the occasion of many a deed of heroism. Prahasta from his shining car sped thousands of monkey-slaying shafts, and a very river of blood flowed betwee the opposing hosts. Then Nila, Agni's son, brandishing an uptorn tree, rushed on Prahasta; but he wounded the monkey with showers of arows. At last his bow was shattered in the conflict, and the twain fought hand to hand, with tooth and nail. Then Prahasta struck Nila a deadly blow with his mace, and Nila flung a tall tree at Prahasta's breast; but he lightly avoided that and rushed on Nila. Then Nila flung a mighty crag at the rakshasa, shattering his head, so that he fell slain. The rakshasa host drew back; like water rushing through a broken dyke, they melted away and entered Lanka, stricken with grief and fear.
Ravana was inflamed with wrath to learn of Prahasta's death, and his heart sank, but he boasted that he would himself destroy Rama and Lakshman with a thousand shafts, and mounted his own shining car and led a rakshasa host against the monkeys; he seemed like the Destroyer himself, accompanied by ghosts and flesh-devouring monsters with burning eyes. Big-belly and Goblin and Man-destroyer and Three-heads, fighters with mountain-peaks and flaming maces, came with Ravana. But he, when they were face to face with the besiegers, dismissed the host to take their ease, and himself advanced to fight alone. Then first Sugriva hurled a mountain-top at him, but Ravana severed it with his golden shafts, so that it fell vainly to the earth, and he sped a deadly flaming shaft at the monkey-king that bore him to the ground groaning with pain. Then other monkey-chiefs together rushed at Ravana, but these in like fashion he destroyed, so that they cried to Rama for help. Lakshman prayed for that battle, and Rama granted him, and he took the field; but already Hanuman was pressing Ravana hard, so that he cried: "Well done, monkey; thou art a foe in whom I may rejoice." Therewith he struck the Wind-god's son a heavy blow so that he shuddered and fell back, and Ravana turned to fight with Nila. But the Fire-god's son, flaming with anger, sprang on to Ravana's car and darted like fire from point to point; and Ravana's heart sank, but he took a deadly shaft and aimed at Nila, and laid him low, at the very point of death. But then Lakshman took up the battle, and showers of arrows were loosed by either hero, so that both were sorely wounded; and a flaming dart struck Rama's brother down. Then Ravana seized him; but he that could raise Himalaya could not lift Lakshman from the ground, for he remembered that he was a very part of Vishnu himself, and he stayed immovable. Then Hanuman returned and struck the rakshasa king a staggering blow so that he fell back, senseless and bleeding, on the platform of his car; and Hanuman lifted Lakshman easily and bore him away to Rama. Nor was it long before both Ravana and Lakshman came to their senses; and Rama, mounted upon Hanuman's back, engaged in a dreadful battle with the king of Lanka. Rama destroyed his car, and wounded Ravana with bolts, and cut his crown atwain with a fiery disc, and struck him with an arrow, so that he grew weak and faint; then, sparing his life, he sent him back to Lanka, saying: "Thou hast accomplished deeds of heroism, and I see thee faint; do thou retire to Lanka now, for thou shalt feel my power in another battle." So the generous Rama spared his foe, and all the gods and quarters and the seas and creatures of earth rejoiced to see the rakshasa king cast down.
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