Lanka Kaanda
181 - Destruction of Meghanada's sacrificial performance; his engagement on the battle-field and deliverance at the hands of Laksmana
Chaupais
Description
Arriving there, the monkeys found him squatting and offering oblations of blood and live buffaloes to the sacrificial fire. The monkeys wrecked the whole sacrifice; yet, when the demon refused to stir, they proceeded to applaud him (ironically). Even then he did not quit his place; the monkeys thereupon went and caught him by the hair and, striking him with the foot one after the other, ran away. He rushed forth, trident in hand, while the monkeys fled before him and came where Sri Rama's younger brother (Laksmana) stood at the head of his army. Driven by the wildest fury he came and shouted with a terrible roar again and again. The son of the wind-god and Angada darted forward in great indignation: but he struck them on the breast with his trident and felled them to the ground. He then hurled his fierce trident at the Lord (Laksmana): but Ananta intercepted it with his arrow and broke it in two. Meanwhile the son of the wind-god and Prince Angada had risen again and struck him furiously; but he received no injury. When the heroes turned round thinking that the enemy could not be killed in spite of the best efforts, he rushed forth with a terrible yell. When Laksmana saw him coming furiously like Death himself, he let fly fierce arrows. The wretch, however, vanished out of sight the moment he saw arrow terrible as thunderbolt darting towards him. He fought in various guises, now revealing himself and now disappearing. The monkeys were filled with dismay when they saw that the enemy could not be conquered. Laksmana (the lord of serpents) thereupon flew into a towering rage. He made a firm resolve in his mind to dispose of the demon; for he thought, "I have played with this wretch long enough." Recalling the might of Sri Rama (the Lord of Kosala), he defiantly fitted an arrow to his bow and shot it with such steady aim that it struck Meghanada full in the breast and the demon abandoned all false appearances at the moment of death.