SRI #RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY’S
SRI #RAMACHARITRYA #MANJARI
(ಶ್ರೀ #ರಾಘವೆಂದ್ರಸ್ವಾಮಿ
ವಿರಚಿತ “#ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಚಾರಿತ್ರ್ಯ ಮಂಜರಿ”)
Ravana ventures into the battlefield/ರಾವಣನು ಯುದ್ಧಭೂಮಿಗೆ ಬಂದುದು
The death of Makaraksha in the battlefield affected the mind of Ravana
very badly. Makaraksha was a son of demon Khara, who had been killed by
Srirama. Makaraksha was craving to avenge the killing of his father in
Janasthana. Moreover, Makaraksha had secured a boon of invincibility by Lord
Brahma through penance. But, Srirama destroyed the chariot of Makaraksha,
killed his charioteer and finally separated his face from the body with a sharp
arrow. Gods, goddesses and deities, Rishis rejoiced over the death of another
cruel tormentor at the hands of Srirama. They showered flowers on Srirama to
express their happiness.
Ravana was highly disturbed and enraged. He was perhaps realizing that
the battle was turning out to be beyond his capacity to sustain or survive. In
a fit of anger, Ravana decided to end the war on his own. He ordered his
personal security force, which had helped him win several wars against deities,
gods and goddesses, to accompany him to the war with Rama, now. Seeing the ten
faces, twenty eyes of Ravana rushing to the battlefield, along with the roaring
army, several Vanaras were frightened to such an extent that they started
hiding behind rocks, trees or running away from the war field. With his dark
complexion, ten heads adorned with colorful crowns, his eyes burning like fire
due to anger, Ravana looked very dangerous and diabolic. The army accompanying
Ravana was very large and all the soldiers were carrying deadly weapons.
Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Vrushabha, Gandhamadhana, Katthana and other
Vanara chiefs began slaying demon soldiers in clusters. Ravana hit all those
Vanara chiefs with lethal arrows and they fell on the ground, unconscious. Mainda,
Vivida and Jambavanta hit Ravana with huge mountains, though Ravana destroyed
all those mountains with sharp arrows. After destroying the mountains, Ravana
made those Vanara chiefs too lose their consciousness with sharp arrows. Angada
put up a brave fight against Ravana but met the same end as his fellow Vanaras.
Sugreeva, who tried his best to confront Ravana, also lost consciousness after
getting hit by an arrow shot by Ravana.
Enraged by the plight of the Vanara chiefs, Hanuman hit Ravana with his
fist but without exerting himself. His intention was not to kill Ravana but to
frighten the demon king. All the ten heads of Ravana bled and the demon king
lost consciousness for a while. Ravana praised Hanumantha for his valor, power
and strength and responded well by hitting Maruti with his fist. Hanumantha did
not want to continue the war with Ravana as it might assume alarming
proportions and might incidentally end in the death of Ravana. Haumantha wanted
Ravana to be killed by Rama and therefore pretended to have lost the
consciousness. With this, Ravana turned his attention towards Neela, the son of
Fire God. Neela lost his consciousness by the Ajneyastra shot by Ravana.
A fierce battle began now between Ravana and Lakshmana. Lakshmana
taunted Ravana by reminding him that he had “stolen” Seetha Devi like a coward,
in the absence of Rama. Ravana ignored the comments of Lakshmana and launched a
serious onslaught with numerous arrows on Lakshmana. Both were experts in
archery and therefore the battle went on for a long time. None appeared to win
it. Finally, Ravana decided to fire a special arrow that Lord Brahma had given
him with a boon that it would not fail against any enemy. Although the arrow
could not kill Lakshmana, it succeeded in making Lakshmana lose consciousness.
Ravana suddenly decided to capture Lakshmana in that unconscious state. He got
out of his chariot, reached the felled body of Lakshmana and tried to lift the
body with both hands. Lakshmana was an incarnation of Adishesha on whom Srirama
always rested. Srirama loves Lakshmana. Therefore Rama did not want Ravana to
insult or humiliate Lakshmana. When Ravana tried to lift the body of Lakshmana,
it had become so heavy that Ravana could not even shake the body of Lakshmana.
Ravana used ll his power to somehow take away the body of Lakshmana. But, he
could not even sake that body. Hanumantha, who was watching all these
developments, reached Ravana, hit him again with the fist on the head, took the
body of Lakshmana with both hands and took it to a safe and secure place.
Ravana once again lost consciousness after he was hit by Hanumantha. Hanumantha
took the body of Lakshmana to where Rama was sitting. Although Rama was sad
after seeing Lakshmana in that state, he removed the arrow that had been stuck
on the forehead of his brother and caressed the entire body, passionately.
Lakshmana immediately regained his consciousness and was relieved from the pain
and injuries.
Meanwhile, Ravana regained his consciousness and immediately rushed
towards Rama. Rama smiled and felt happy since Ravana was rushing towards him.
A serious battle unfolded between Rama and Ravana. The fight went on for quite
some time. Rama broke the bow of Ravana, destroyed his quiver, demolished the
chariot, removed the flag and smashed all the Astra, Shastras and arrows shot
by Ravana, whose strength and enthusiasm declined drastically. Rama observed
that Ravana was not in his elements and therefore told him: “Ravana, you have
been terribly pained by my arrows. You are not in a position to continue the
war. I do not want to fight against you in your present state. Return home,
take rest, enjoy whatever way you want to and try to satisfy all your desires.
Return to the war field whenever you are ready to die. I am sure, you will not
return home the next time you come here.”
Ravana was helpless. He could not gauge the speed with which Rama was
firing the arrows and the speed at which those arrows were reaching him. He
could not withstand the onslaught. He was broken hearted. Ravana was now a
bundle of worries. He slowly retreated and reached his royal apartment to ponder over what had transpired.
Rama looked at the vast number of Vanaras who had died, who were injured
and were suffering from inexplicable pain, with kindness and grace. As soon as
his kindly looks touched them, the Vanaras woke up as though they were in deep
slumber till then. They hailed Rama and saluted him.
Shloka number eight will begin from next episode.
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