Ramayana of valmiki and Kamban-yuddhakanda

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9. The battle begins

 

The vanaras

started to attack Lanka with the

war cry, jayathyathibalo raamo

lakshmanascha mahaabalaH ; raajaa jayathi sugreevaH raaghavena abhipaalithaH, Rama

the mighty is victorious, Lakshmana of great strength wins Sugriva protected by

Rama is victiorious.

 

The war that ensued between the rakshasas and

vanaras was compared to that of devas and asuras by Valmiki. The rakshasas who

are mightier in the night continued to fight even during the night. Angadha

destroyed the chariot and horses of Indrajith whom he intended to kill but

Indrajith became invisible through his maya and attacked Rama and Lakshmana

with serpent missiles. Both of them fell down unconscious Indrajith went to Ravana

and told him what he did and Ravana was overjoyed and embraced him. He ordered

that Seetha should be taken in the pushpaka vimana and be shown the state of Rama

and Lakshmana. Seetha was grief stricken thinking that they have died and Thrijata who was with her

consoled he saying that the pushpaka vimana would not have borne her if they

have dies i because it is auspicious and diivne. Seetha prayed that it should

be true.

 

Rama regained consciousness and saw Lakshmana and

lamented that when Lakshman had died,

what use could be Seetha to him and said

it might be possible to get a woman like

Seetha but it is impossible to find a brother like Lakshmana and decided that

he would follow him to the land of Yama, as Lakshmana followed him to the

forest and regretted that his promise to Vibheeshana to crown him in Lanka

would become futile.

 

Then there was a great wind that agitated the sea

and shook the mountains. The next moment the vanaras saw Garuda shining like a

fire. On his arrival all the serpents which were binding Rama and Lakshmana as

the result of nagapasa of Indrajith

released them and ran away. The wounds on the bodies of Rama and Lakshmana were

healed by the touch of Gaurda's wings. They shone with redoubled vigour and

valour. Raam embraced Garuda and said that his mind became as happy as

obtaining his father. Seeing his divine form and ornaments Rama asked his

identity and Garuda said,

 

aham

sakhaa the kaakuthsTha priyaH praaNaH bahiScharaH

 

garuthmaan

iha sampraaptho yuvayoH saahyakaaraNaath

 

" I am your friend , Rama, dear to you and like

your life breath that moves outside. I am Garuda and came here to help you."

 

Garuda took leave of Rama saying that Rama was

going to be victorious by killing Ravana and the rakshasas, barring children and

old people in Lanka. So saying Garuda went round Rama and flew away.

 

The vanaras raised a tumultuous cry of joy which

was heard by Ravana who wanted to find out the cause since he expected them to

be grief-stricken. Ravana was

disheartened that the nagapasa of Indrajit had proved to be ineffective and

send the rakshasa called Dhoomraaksha to fight and kill Rama.

 

In Kamban however Indrajith comes only later after

the death of Kumbakarna and the arrival of Garuda is described in the

subsequent chapter. Indhrajith sends nagapasa only towards Lakshmana who was fighting with him and Rama

comes to the scene only afterwards and chides Vibheeshana for not calling him when Indrajith was fighting with Lakshmana and laments

about Lakshmana when Gauruda arrives and wonders at the expression of

sorrow by Rama who is the Lord Himself and Kamban devotes 11 verses to the

exclamation of Garuda about the athireka maaya , meaning the one whose power is the maya seemed to be under its influence Himself.

 

Rama asks Garuda who he was and Garuda replies that there is an

ancient relationship between them and he will come again after the death of Ravana

and tell him about it. Seetha also was

not shown the unconscious Rama and Lakshmana

at this juncture but only later when Indrajith returned and sent

brahmasthra on Lakshmana and others. This is one of the deviations of Kamban form Valmiki.