rth his prowess
of illusion. The Ten-faced, producing from his body numerous warriors
resembling, O Bharata, both Rama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two
brothers. And then those Rakshasas, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and
armed with bows and arrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power
of illusion put forth by the king of Rakshasas, that descendant of
Ikshwaku's race, the son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic
words, 'Slay those Rakshasas, those wretches with forms like thy own!'
And Rama, thereupon slew those and other Rakshasas of forms resembling
his own. And that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rama
on the field of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto which
were yoked horses of a tawny hue. And Matali said, 'O son of Kakutstha's
race, this excellent and victorious car, unto which have been yoked this
pair of tawny horses, belonging to the Lord of celestials! It is on this
excellent car, O tiger among men, that Indra hath slain in battle
hundreds of Daityas and Danavas! Therefore, O tiger among men, do thou,
riding on the car driven by me, quickly slay Ravana in battle! Do not
delay in achieving this!' Thus addressed by him, the descendant of
Raghu's race, however, doubted the truthful words of Matali, thinking
this is another illusion produced by the Rakshasas--Vibhishana then
addressed him saying, 'This, O tiger among men, is no illusion of the
wicked Ravana! Ascend thou this chariot quickly, for this, O thou of
great effulgence, belongeth to Indra!' The descendant of Kakutstha then
cheerfully said unto Vibhishana, 'So be it', and riding on that car,
rushed wrathfully upon Ravana. And when Ravana, too, rushed against his
antagonist, a loud wail of woe was set up by the creatures of the Earth,
while the celestials in heaven sent forth a leonine roar accompanied by
beating of large drums. The encounter then that took place between the
Ten-necked Rakshasa and that prince of Raghu's race, was fierce in the
extreme. Indeed, that combat between them hath no parallel elsewhere. And
Rakshasa hurled at Rama a terrible javelin looking like Indra's
thunderbolt and resembling a Brahmana's curse on the point of
utterance.[104] Rama, however, quickly cut into fragments that javelin by
means of his sharp arrows. And beholding that most difficult feat, Ravana
was struck with fear. But soon his wrath was excited and the Ten-necked
hero began to shower on Rama whetted arrows by thousa