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346
JAIN RAMAYAN
I am also dead tired. O Lord! The enemy is but a young man. Yet he has been displaying abilities which can strike terror into the hearts of even the mightiest gods like Varun.”
“Kritantayadan! I wonder why my bow has been slipping from my hands. My hands have become paralysed. Ah! This bow of mine. This vajravart has known no defeat. Even this miraculous weapon Musal (Pestle) has proved inefficacious. It should have destroyed the enemy because it has such miraculous powers. In the same manner, this miraculous weapon Hul (Plough) which used to strike terror into the hearts of enemies is now devoid of all its miraculous powers. It is like an ordinary plough. I am unable to understand why such things are happening. These weapons of mine presided over by supernatural beings possessing extraordinary and miraculous powers have lost all their radiance and are powerless and inefficacious. I wonder, why. There must be some secret reason for all this." Shri Ram's face had become bleak and blighted. He was in great agitation.
Kritantavadan stood watching the heroism and abilities of Lav and Kush with stupefaction. Shri Ram glanced at Lav
n and again and fell into deep thought. After a long time he again said, “True Kritant! When I see this radiant youngster. somehow I cannot think of him as my enemy. For some reason unknown to me my heart feels drawn towards him. I feel like discarding all my weapons and embracing him. I do not know way such feelings keep arising in me. How tender his body is ! How fascinating his face is! How splendid his appearance ! How heroically has he been fighting !”
Lakshman was experiencing the same agitation as Shri Ram was experiencing. Even his miraculous weapons, the creations of Vasudev were devoid of all their powers. Lakshman stood stupefied watching Kush with dazed amazement. Just then, Kush sent a miraculous weapon against Lakshman. Hit by that weapon, Lakshman fell down in his chariot. Viradh was filled with fear. At once, Viradh drove the chariot back to Ayodhya.
Shri Ram did not notice this. He was absorbed in watching the heroic fight of Lay. When Lakshman's chariot reached the
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