Canto 48 - It takes Indrajit
Aggrieved as by Akshay’s death
Thought then Ravan of sending
Son his eldest who subdued
Indra himself in battle.
Addressed Ravan his eldest
Who could invoke that mantra
To make his arrowBrahmastra
And thus stun foes formidable.
With thy prowess at battle
Beat thou all in battlefield.
With thy mystic powers and all
None can harm thee in combat.
Is there any in all three worlds
Hath who not heard of thy fame.
In the art of waging war
Thou I know are my equal.
At the hands of this vanar
Dared who challenge Lanka’s might
Warriors in their thous did die
With the Generals at their head.
Wonder how did our Akshay
In spite of his combat skills
Come a cropper with vanar!
Wise it not to take him light
Saw who end of young Akshay
And such veterans from our ranks
Won’t thy sight in battlefield
Scare the mighty of all worlds.
Wiped as vanar our panzers
Akshay ’n the five Generals
Not to speak of seven Marshals
Makes it no sense to expose
More of our men to the same.
Using arms of thine varied
Use there none to waste thy time
Looks like none butBrahmastra
Could take care of this vanar.
For the dharma of the land
Won’t let rulers fight the foes
Having men to fill that role
Constrained am I to send thee.
Takes as one the battlefield
Killer instinct he should have.
Ravan’s son then Indrajit
Rose to greet his revered dad.
Praised by all there to one man
Felt then Ravan’s son enthused.
On his errand Indrajit
Seemed like tidal wave on move.
Got he onto his chariot
Drawn by roaring lions all four.
With no further loss of time
Reached straight Indrajit target.
From his aura knew vanar
It was none but Indrajit
And that he had fight on hand.
Posited himself Indrajit
To take the vanar in his stride.
With the dust the lions did kick
Filled was entire space in skies.
So to watch how Vayu’s son
Takes on one who subdued them
With their fingers crossed in awe
Watched all gods there from high skies.
Sight at that of Indrajit
Itched then vanar to engage
Him in single combat who
Done in Indra Lord of gods.
Tested Indrajit his bow
Sound it made like thunderbolt.
In time Hanuman found himself
Engaged at war of his life.
As a ploy to stall his foe
Fought him Hanuman from the skies.
To make Hanuman his target
Sent Ravan’s son such arrows
Wings which had to cruise in air.
Swift as Hanuman in escape
Arrows all those got past him.
Sparred with some more Indrajit
Managed Hanuman to thwart them.
As though to tease Indrajit
Neared as Hanuman ever so close
Shot then Ravan’s son arrows