Lakshmana Breaks Ravana's Weapons Until Brahma's Shakti Flies
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 83
Doha 83 · Movement 1 of 3
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Ravana turns from the fleeing army and calls Lakshmana to look at him. He has searched for the slayer of his son, he says, and now intends to kill him and cool the fire within his chest. The grief of Meghnad's death enters the duel as rage.
Fierce arrows fly from Ravana, but Lakshmana cuts each one into a hundred pieces. Weapons come by the crore and are sliced as small as sesame seeds. Lakshmana answers by breaking the chariot, killing the charioteer, and sending hundreds of shafts into the ten heads like serpents entering mountain peaks.
A hundred more arrows strike Ravana's chest, and he falls senseless upon the earth. The powerful king rises again from the swoon. Ordinary force has failed him, so he releases the terrible Shakti given by Brahma. It crosses the field as the last movement of a duel Ravana could not master through his own vast arsenal.
When countless weapons fail before Lakshmana, Ravana reaches for the fierce gift of Brahma.
Read the passage from the Manas
रे खल का मारसि कपि भालू। मोहि बिलोकु तोर मैं कालू।। खोजत रहेउँ तोहि सुतघाती। आजु निपाति जुड़ावउँ छाती।। अस कहि छाड़ेसि बान प्रचंडा। लछिमन किए सकल सत खंडा।। कोटिन्ह आयुध रावन डारे। तिल प्रवान करि काटि निवारे।। पुनि निज बानन्ह कीन्ह प्रहारा। स्यंदनु भंजि सारथी मारा।। सत सत सर मारे दस भाला। गिरि सृंगन्ह जनु प्रबिसहिं ब्याला।। पुनि सत सर मारा उर माहीं। परेउ धरनि तल सुधि कछु नाहीं।। उठा प्रबल पुनि मुरुछा जागी। छाड़िसि ब्रह्म दीन्हि जो साँगी।।
Ravana roared, 'O wicked one, why do you slay monkeys and bears? Look upon me. I am your Kala!' He continued, 'I have been searching for you, slayer of my son! Today I shall strike you down and cool my burning heart.' Saying this, he released fierce arrows, but Lakshmana cut every one into a hundred pieces. Ravana hurled weapons by the crore, but Lakshmana sliced them apart like sesame seeds and turned them aside. Then Lakshmana struck back with his own shafts, shattering Ravana's chariot and slaying his charioteer. He shot hundreds of arrows at each of Ravana's ten heads, like serpents piercing mountain peaks. Then a hundred more arrows struck Ravana full in the chest, and the demon king crashed to the ground, senseless. The mighty demon recovered from his swoon and arose. He released the fearsome Shakti that Brahma himself had given him.