Meghnad Covers All Directions With Weapons and Binds Rama in Serpents
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 73
Doha 73 · Movement 1 of 2
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Spears, tridents, swords, daggers, axes, maces, thunderbolt weapons, stones, and countless arrows descend from Meghnad's hidden chariot. Shafts cover all ten directions like a monsoon released beneath the Magha constellation. Cries of seize and strike sound everywhere, yet no one can see who strikes.
Vanaras rise carrying mountains and trees, find no target, and return in anguish. Passes, gorges, and caves close beneath cages of arrows. Hanuman, Angada, Nala, Nila, Lakshmana, Sugriva, and Vibhishana are all battered by the unseen assault.
At last Meghnad fights Raghupati, and the arrows he releases become serpents. Rama appears bound in their coils, though he is infinite, changeless, and forever free. Like an actor choosing a role, the sovereign Lord permits the serpent noose for the beauty of the battle. Gods see the appearance and tremble because lila can look completely like bondage without ever becoming it.
Serpents cover the form of Rama, but no coil reaches the freedom by which the Lord allows the scene to appear.
Read the passage from the Manas
सक्ति सूल तरवारि कृपाना। अस्त्र सस्त्र कुलिसायुध नाना।। डारह परसु परिघ पाषाना। लागेउ बृष्टि करै बहु बाना।। दस दिसि रहे बान नभ छाई। मानहुँ मघा मेघ झरि लाई।। धरु धरु मारु सुनिअ धुनि काना। जो मारइ तेहि कोउ न जाना।। गहि गिरि तरु अकास कपि धावहिं। देखहि तेहि न दुखित फिरि आवहिं।। अवघट घाट बाट गिरि कंदर। माया बल कीन्हेसि सर पंजर।। जाहिं कहाँ ब्याकुल भए बंदर। सुरपति बंदि परे जनु मंदर।। मारुतसुत अंगद नल नीला। कीन्हेसि बिकल सकल बलसीला।। पुनि लछिमन सुग्रीव बिभीषन। सरन्हि मारि कीन्हेसि जर्जर तन।। पुनि रघुपति सैं जूझे लागा। सर छाँड़इ होइ लागहिं नागा।। ब्याल पास बस भए खरारी। स्वबस अनंत एक अबिकारी।। नट इव कपट चरित कर नाना। सदा स्वतंत्र एक भगवाना।। रन सोभा लगि प्रभुहिं बँधायो। नागपास देवन्ह भय पायो।।
Shakti spears, tridents, swords, and curved daggers, divine weapons, missiles, and thunderbolt arms of every kind he hurled. Axes, maces, great boulders, and iron bars rained down, and he let loose a torrent of countless arrows. Arrows blanketed the sky in all ten directions, like the downpour of Magha's monsoon clouds unleashing their fury. 'Seize! Seize! Strike!' rang out on every side, yet none could tell who was striking whom in that darkness. The monkeys grasped mountains and trees and rushed skyward, but seeing nothing, they returned in sorrow. Difficult passes, gorges, mountain caves: by the power of his maya he wove a cage of arrows around them all. The monkeys were utterly bewildered, not knowing where to turn, like Indra's elephant Airavata trapped beneath Mount Mandara. Hanuman, Angada, Nala, and Nila: all these mighty warriors he rendered helpless. Then Lakshmana, Sugriva, and Vibhishana too were pierced by his shafts and their bodies left battered. Next he turned upon Raghupati Himself and began to fight; his arrows, once released, became living serpents. The destroyer of demons was bound by the serpent-nooses, yet He is eternally free, infinite, and changeless. Like a stage actor performing many roles of deception, the one Lord remains forever sovereign and independent. For the beauty and drama of battle, the Lord allowed Himself to be bound; seeing the serpent-noose, the gods trembled with fear.