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Towards Ayodhya
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thought about the situation. They could not make out who the enemies were. They began to burn with anger. They sent their spies to gather information about the enemy armies. They invited the city heads and had discussions with them.
The spies came back and said, “Your Highness! Thousands of warriors have surrounded the city of Ayodhya and they are led by two young and radiant princes. One is called Lavan and the other is called Ankush. People call them by the pet names Lay and Kush. Apart from the vast armies, there are about ten thousand kings and emperors and they are ready to carry out the commands of the princes.”
Shri Ram and Lakshman were stunned to hear all this. They fell into deep thought. They wondered “Who are these two princes. Lav and Kush? We have not at all heard of them.” Lakshman thundered :
“We do not care to know who they are. Whoever they may be, they will be burnt to ashes like moths in the flames of Shri Ram's anger and heroism. Go and make the necessary preparations for a war. I will myself go to the war front. I will rout and destroy those two fellows" Lakshman gave this command to the Commander Kritantavadan but he did not try to know who those young heroes were. Shri Ram and Lakshman also did not know that Sita was in the camp.
Trumpets were blown in Ayodhya. War-drums were beaten. The sounds reverberated in the sky. At once, thousands of soldiers stood ready to fight. Sugriv and Vibhishan also were staying at Ayodhya at that time. They too accompanied Shri Ram and Lakshman to the war. The main gate of the city was opened. Shri Ram's vast army moved out like a mighty wave.
Within a few moments, the two armies stood facing each other. As soon as commands were issued, a terrible war broke out between the two armies. Sugriy, Vibhishan and the other Vidyadhars rose into the air and started fighting from the sky. Thousands of soldiers were killed. No one in the army of Lav and Kush knew the technique of fighting in the air. Therefore,
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