|| Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram ||

Chapter -16 - Lanka Kandam

Rama’s description of Dharmaratha/chariot of Dharma,/Lakshmana’s battle with Ravana/Lakshman got struck with the Bhrama’s spear

A huge army of Vanaras and bears who has the stature of mountains proceeded towards the battlefield, they had fierce nails and teeth, seized huge mountains and trees as weapons. They cheered “Victory to Sri Ramachandra! Let the lion-like Rama conquer the untamed elephant Ravana.” Both the armies of demons and Vanaras sang in praise of their Lord, in the battlefield. Ravana arrived in a grand chariot, and Rama stood on the battlefield without any chariot, seeing Kosaladheesha without a chariot, protective shield on the body and feet, put Vibheeshana into heartache, he prostrated before Prabhu and spoke “Oh! Prabho, you have no chariot or nothing to protect your body or feet, how did you face this haughty demon?” Kripanidhi spoke “Oh! Sakha, listen to me carefully, it is not that chariot take a person to victory, 1) The valor and fortune are the two wheels of the chariot, 2) The truthfulness and virtues are the  Dwaja and Pathaka of the chariot, 3) The  strength, intelligence, good control over senses, and Parahitham/benevolence, are the four horses of the chariot 4) Kshama/endurance, Kripa/kindness, Samabhavana/oneness-in-all, is the rope attached to the horse and chariot. 5) The contemplation and meditation upon the Supreme Lord is the excellent charioteer 6) Virakthi and Happiness are the protective shield and sword. 7) Dhanam is the weapon Parashu, 8) Intellect is the spear, 9) Wisdom is Kodhandam,  10) Pure and unwavering mind are the nest of the arrows,  11) Shamam, Yamam, and Niyama are powerful arrows 12) The protective shields are the worship of twice-born and preceptor. Oh! Sakha, these are the highest principles of victory, there is no other way to achieve success in any field. The person who has the chariot symbolizes Dharma, will have victory always, and will not have enemies in their lives. Oh! Valorous Sakha, the person who has the Dharmaratha/chariot of Dharma, could win over the unconquerable enemy of worldly existence at ease.” Vibheeshana fallen at the feet of Prabhu, and shed tears and spoke “Oh! Prabho, Oh! Sri Ramachandra who is the symbol of kindness, compassion, wisdom, and bliss, you have utilized this critical moment to advise me.”

Dhashanan called the Vanaras and bears for the battle, Angadha and Hanuman and huge armies of demons fought against them. Lord Bhrama and all the deities arrived on their respective celestial vehicles on the sky, to witness the vicious battle. Lord Mahadeva speaks “Oh! Devi, I was one among them to watch the outstanding war techniques of Rama. Both sides of the armies fought each other enthusiastically, it was the grace of Rama Vanaras and bears defeated their enemies, in this way, Vanaras and bears won over their enemies produced loud voices and thrashed the demons on the ground,  sieved off the heads of the demons, rip opened their stomach plucked out hands and legs of the demons, caught hold of their legs and thrashed on the ground, some of them were buried in the battlefield, those extremely powerful Vanaras and bears resembled ‘Kala’ on the battlefield. Their bodies were soaked in blood, Vanaras furiously flee to different directions like Yamaraja, they have produced boisterous voice resembled thunder, they spanked the enemies with their fist, bit them, crushed them under their feet and bodies, rip opened their stomach and took out the intestine, and put around on their neck as garlands, resembled the numerous Lord Narasimha on the battlefield. The whole atmosphere has reverberated with loud cries and shrieks. They cheered “Victory to Rama who can transform the grass into Vajrayudha and vice versa.”

Dhashanan noticed his army of demons fleeing from the battlefield; he stood on the chariot and took hold of bow and arrows in twenty hands. Dhashanan furiously approached the Vanaras and bears who plucked rocks and trees and tossed against him, those huge rocks broken into small pieces touching the Vajra like the body of Ravana, he stood like the mountain and attacked all those Vanaras and bears, they yelled “Oh! Angadha, Oh! Hanuman, Oh! Raghunatha, protect us. Ravana will eat us like Kala”, thus the Vanaras and bears started to flee out of the war zone, he shot powerful arrows against ten directions simultaneously, they resembled the flying serpents. The shower of arrows blocked the way of Vanaras from all those ten directions. It created huge chaos among the Vanaras and bears, they cried out for help “Oh! Raghuveera, Oh! Karunasindho, Oh! Dheenajanarakshaka, kindly protect us.”

Lakshman could not control his rage, he took the bow and arrow, prostrated before Raghunatha, and proceeded to the war zone. Lakshman proclaimed “Oh! wicked Dhashana, leave those Vanaras and bear, look at me, I am your ‘Kala’” Ravana roared like lion and spoke “Oh! You are there, I was watching out for the murderer of my sons, I have to achieve peace with your death in my hands.” He shot several powerful arrows aiming at Lakshman, but those were crushed into several pieces with the arrows. Ravana used several Astra against Lakshman, but nothing could do any harm. Lakshman shot several arrows against the chariot and charioteer, and destroyed them, he showered arrows aiming his ten head resembled thousands of serpents with wings, it pierced his head like the arrows shot on the mountain, and other hundreds of arrows on his chest, and thus Dhashanan lost consciousness. Shortly, Dhashanan regained consciousness and heaved the powerful trident received as a boon from Bhrama against Lakshman, that powerful trident hit on the chest of Lakshman.  The valorous Anantha fell on the ground withering in extreme pain, Dhashanan made a futile effort to carry Lakshman, but it did not work. How is it possible to carry that Anantha who holds the Thribhuvana/ entire Universe and its living beings as the sand on his hood?