The Sacrifice Breaks and Lakshmana's Arrow Ends Meghnad's Illusions
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 76
Doha 76 · Movement 1 of 2
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The vanaras find Meghnad seated before offerings of blood and buffalo flesh. They destroy the sacrifice, seize his hair, kick him, and force him to rise. He charges with a trident, driving them back toward Lakshmana.
Hanuman and Angada strike him down, while Lakshmana shatters the trident thrown at him into countless pieces. Meghnad survives their blows, charges again, then vanishes before an arrow swift as thunder. He fights through changing forms, appearing and disappearing until the vanaras fear an unconquerable foe.
Lakshmana, lord of serpents, resolves that the play has lasted long enough. He remembers the majesty of the Lord of Kosala, fits the final shaft, and releases it into Meghnad's chest. At the edge of death, the master of concealment abandons every deception. The broken sacrifice ends in the naked meeting of arrow, heart, and truth.
Lakshmana remembers Rama, and one arrow reaches the heart from which Meghnad's last disguise falls away.
Read the passage from the Manas
जाइ कपिन्ह सो देखा बैसा। आहुति देत रुधिर अरु भैंसा।। कीन्ह कपिन्ह सब जग्य बिधंसा। जब न उठइ तब करहिं प्रसंसा।। तदपि न उठइ धरेन्हि कच जाई। लातन्हि हति हति चले पराई।। लै त्रिसुल धावा कपि भागे। आए जहँ रामानुज आगे।। आवा परम क्रोध कर मारा। गर्ज घोर रव बारहिं बारा।। कोपि मरुतसुत अंगद धाए। हति त्रिसूल उर धरनि गिराए।। प्रभु कहँ छाँड़ेसि सूल प्रचंडा। सर हति कृत अनंत जुग खंडा।। उठि बहोरि मारुति जुबराजा। हतहिं कोपि तेहि घाउ न बाजा।। फिरे बीर रिपु मरइ न मारा। तब धावा करि घोर चिकारा।। आवत देखि क्रुद्ध जनु काला। लछिमन छाड़े बिसिख कराला।। देखेसि आवत पबि सम बाना। तुरत भयउ खल अंतरधाना।। बिबिध बेष धरि करइ लराई। कबहुँक प्रगट कबहुँ दुरि जाई।। देखि अजय रिपु डरपे कीसा। परम क्रुद्ध तब भयउ अहीसा।। लछिमन मन अस मंत्र दृढ़ावा। एहि पापिहि मैं बहुत खेलावा।। सुमिरि कोसलाधीस प्रतापा। सर संधान कीन्ह करि दापा।। छाड़ा बान माझ उर लागा। मरती बार कपटु सब त्यागा।।
The monkeys went and found him seated there, pouring oblations of blood and buffalo flesh. The monkeys destroyed the entire sacrifice, but when he still did not rise, they praised their own success. Still he would not get up, so they seized him by the hair and struck him with kicks and blows until he fled. Snatching up his trident, the demon charged forth; the monkeys fled and came before Rama's younger brother. He came in supreme fury to strike, roaring with a terrible voice again and again. Angered, Hanuman and Angada rushed forward and, striking his trident aside, hurled him to the ground. He flung his fierce trident at the Lord's brother, but Lakshmana's arrow shattered it into countless fragments. Rising again, Hanuman and the prince Angada struck him furiously, yet their blows left no wound upon him. The warriors drew back, for the enemy would not die despite their attacks. Then he charged once more with a dreadful war cry. Seeing him approach like wrathful Death incarnate, Lakshmana released a terrible arrow. Seeing the thunderbolt-swift shaft hurtling toward him, the wicked one instantly vanished from sight. Taking many different forms, he waged his battle, sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing. Seeing the invincible foe, the monkeys grew afraid, but the Lord of Serpents became supremely wrathful. Lakshmana resolved firmly in his heart: 'I have toyed with this sinner long enough.' Remembering the glory of the Lord of Kosala, he fitted an arrow to his bow with unshakable resolve. He released the shaft and it struck Meghnad in the center of his chest; at the moment of death, the demon abandoned all his deceptions.