about! Slaying my enemies with all their army
by means of thy keen-edged shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as thou
didst once before by vanquishing Vasava!' Thus addressed by him. Indrajit
said--So be it,--and encased in mail he quickly ascended his chariot, and
proceeded, O king, towards the field of battle. And then that bull
amongst Rakshasas loudly announcing his own name, challenged Lakshmana
endued with auspicious marks, to a single combat. And Lakshmana, thus
challenged, rushed towards that Rakshasa, with his bow and arrows, and
striking terror into his adversary's heart by means of the flapping of
his bow-string on the leathern case of his left hand. And the encounter
that took place between those warriors that defied each other's prowess
and each of whom was desirous of vanquishing the other, and both of whom
were conversant with celestial weapons, was terrible in the extreme. But
when the son of Ravana found that he could not by his arrows gain any
advantage over his adversary, that foremost of mighty warriors mustered
all his energy. And Indrajit then began to hurl at Lakshmana with great
force numberless javelins. The son of Sumitra, however, cut them into
fragments by means of his own keen-edged arrows. And those javelins, thus
cut into pieces by the keen-edged arrows of Lakshmana, dropped down upon
the ground. Then the handsome Angada, the son of Vali, taking up a large
tree, rushed impetuously at Indrajit and struck him with it on the head.
Undaunted at this, Indrajit of mighty energy sought to smite Angada with
a lance. Just at that juncture, however, Lakshmana cut into pieces the
lance taken up by Ravana's son. The son of Ravana then took up a mace and
struck on the left flank that foremost of monkeys, the heroic Angada who
was then staying close beside him. Angada, the powerful son of Vali,
little recking that stroke, hurled at Indrajit a mighty Sal stem. And
hurled in wrath by Angada for the destruction of Indrajit, that tree, O
son of Pritha, destroyed Indrajit's chariot along with his horses and
charioteer. And thereupon jumping from his horseless and driverless car,
the son of Ravana disappeared from sight, O king, by aid of his powers of
illusion. And beholding that Rakshasa, abundantly endued with powers of
illusion, disappear so suddenly, Rama proceeded towards that spot and
began to protect his troops with care. Indrajit, however, with arrows,
obtained as boons from the gods, began to pierce b