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OCTOBER, 1971
Hanumat thus encircled, they rushed to his help. Meanwhile Kumbhakarna entered the battle field and with his mighty onslaught he created a rein of terror. He hurled a magic missile which lulled the enemy to sleep. Sugriva countered it with its anti-missile. Thereafter other demon warriors took the field, Vajranas crossed the sword with Viradhita, Ghanavahana with Bhamandala and Indrajit with Sugriva. Sugriva and Bhamandala were tied by serpent missile and taken prisoners. Even Hanumat would have suffered a similar fate in the hands of Kumbhakarna but for the timely arrival of Angada who fell upon Kumbhakarna and forced him to release Hanumat. When the news of the capture of Bhamandala and Sugriva reached Rama, he immediately used garuḍa-vidya and effected their release. Thus ended the battle on the third day.
65
Laksmana fell senseless struck with sakti
On the fourth day the encounter started among the top warriors, Ravana meeting his own brother Vibhisana, now on Rama's side, Indrajit meeting Laksmana and Kumbhakarna Rama. If Ravana was a great warrior, Vibhisana was by no means inferior. At last Ravana, in a rage, hurled sakti at him. Laksmana sought to intervene in order to save Vibhisana but was himself hurt by it and fell senseless on the ground. This was extremely painful to Rama but there was no time to loose and it was necessary to engage Ravana in the encounter. So Rama fell upon the demon chief and worsted him six times. Ravana then fled inside Lanka.
At the fall of his brother Rama's grief knew no bound. He lamented bitterly in the battlefield. The whole camp was aggrieved. When the news reached Sita, she too lamented for the great misfortune.
Even Ravana did not have unqualified rejoicing. For, news reached him that Kumbhakarna was now in the enemy's hands. But he was determined to continue the war. On the other hand Rama took a vow to kill Ravana the next day no matter where he might hide for safety in the three worlds. Meanwhile Laksmana's body had to be protected, lest it should fall into the hands of the enemy. Sugriva rearranged the army for the next days encounter. He himself took his stand at the eastern entrance and Angada, Sasimukha and Nila were posted at the northern, western and southern entrances respectively.
The story of Visalya
While all these preparations were going on, there arrived king Praticandra of Devasangitapura. He passed on an information about
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