|
Continued from yesterday's instalment
 Vibishana plays the role of an adviser to Rama right from the beginning of war, though it is only on the second day of the war that he assumes an important part. It was when Kumbakarna came to the battlefield. We have seen in detail the scenes of Vibishana meeting Kumbakarna and trying to convince him of the wisdom of joining Rama’s side, when we saw Kumbakarna. We will go into that portion of the scene, which remains to be seen in order to know the reasons that impelled Vibishana to join the side of Rama. As we have seen a portion of the dialogue between Vibishana and Kumbakarna, we will study this later at an appropriate time.
But before that we will see the role played by Vibishana in the killing of Indrajit, supposed to be the most valiant of all ogres and the war with whom was the longest of all wars in Ramayana. In fact it was he who brought Lakshmana closer to death, twice. Vibishana faced the most delicate and difficult of situations when Lakshmana fought Indrajit. As we discussed yesterday, it left him blanche and bare, grieving and guilty and unable to face Rama.
After the killing of Kumbakarna, Adhikaya the younger brother of Indrajit came for the battle and was slain by Lakshmana. When Indrajit learnt of the death of his brother, he was furious and came to the battlefield like a typhoon. He massacred countless monkeys and effortlessly overpowered the commanders-in-chief of the Vanara army.
Lakshmana witnessed the onslaught of Indrajit and spoke to Vibishana with unbearable agony.
‘pizhaithadu kolgai podha perum padaith thalaivar yaarum uzaithanar kurudhi vellaththu.’
Have we not swerved from our principle (of protecting the army from unnecessary destruction)? The chiefs of the army have virtually been drowned in a stream of blood.
‘ulandhadhum ulappitru andre.’ Our loss has been considerable.
‘azhaithe ivan thannai yaane aar uyir kolap padaadhe’ I should have called him (for a single combat) and killed him. ‘izhaithadhu pizhaye andro veedana?’ (By not doing so) have I not committed a great mistake, O
Vibishana?
‘Times without number did the celestials fight with Indrajit and they were all defeated by him. Therefore, there is not much that these soldiers and their chiefs can do against him. He can be contained only by a warrior of your calibre Lakshmana’ said Vibishana. It was therefore Vibishana who advised Lakshmana to undertake a war against Indrajit. He was confident that Lakshmana could win this terrible demon with some effort.
True to his judgement, Lakshmana did resist Indrajit rather stiffly and the latter had a real tough time against him. He broke the chariot of Indrajit into pieces and Indrajit switched over to another. Lakshmana broke that too. The poet remarks humorously
‘Eri Eri
izhindhadhu alal igal veru seydhilan’ Indrajit kept on climbing on to new chariots and once he got into them, his chariot would be broken again. He would change to another. He did nothing excepting switching over from chariot to chariot. There was practically no time left for him to fight back.
 The war soon picked up speed and Lakshmana wiped out the entire Rakshasa army very soon. Indrajit suddenly vanished from the spot and went behind the clouds, in preparation to shoot his cobra noose. In the meantime, Lakshmana was unaware of the illusory warfare of Indrajit and thought that he must have escaped from the battlefield, unable to resist him any further. He therefore called off his army and was preparing to leave the field for the day.
Indrajit played havoc at that time.
More follows…
Hari Krishnan
More
Articles
|
