Chereads / Sundara Kānda: Hanuman's Odyssey / Chapter 48 - It takes Indrajit

Chapter 48 - It takes Indrajit

Aggrieved as by Akshay's death

Thought then Ravan of sending

Son his eldest who subdued

Indra himself in battle.

Addressed Ravan his eldest

Who could invoke that mantra

To make his arrow Brahmastra

And thus stun foes formidable.

With thy prowess at battle

Beat thou all in battlefield.

With thy mystic powers and all

None can harm thee in combat.

Is there any in all three worlds

Hath who not heard of thy fame.

In the art of waging war

Thou I know are my equal.

At the hands of this vanar

Dared who challenge Lanka's might

Warriors in their thous did die

With the Generals at their head.

Wonder how did our Akshay

In spite of his combat skills

Come a cropper with vanar!

Wise it not to take him light

Saw who end of young Akshay

And such veterans from our ranks

Won't thy sight in battlefield

Scare the mighty of all worlds.

Wiped as vanar our panzers

Akshay 'n the five Generals

Not to speak of seven Marshals

Makes it no sense to expose

More of our men to the same.

Using arms of thine varied

Use there none to waste thy time

Looks like none but Brahmastra

Could take care of this vanar.

For the dharma of the land

Won't let rulers fight the foes

Having men to fill that role

Constrained am I to send thee.

Takes as one the battlefield

Killer instinct he should have.

Ravan's son then Indrajit

Rose to greet his revered dad.

Praised by all there to one man

Felt then Ravan's son enthused.

On his errand Indrajit

Seemed like tidal wave on move.

Got he onto his chariot

Drawn by roaring lions all four.

With no further loss of time

Reached straight Indrajit target.

From his aura knew vanar

It was none but Indrajit

And that he had fight on hand.

Posited himself Indrajit

To take the vanar in his stride.

With the dust the lions did kick

Filled was entire space in skies.

So to watch how Vayu's son

Takes on one who subdued them,

With their fingers crossed in awe

Watched all gods there from high skies.

Sight at that of Indrajit

Itched then vanar to engage

Him in single combat who

Done in Indra Lord of gods.

Tested Indrajit his bow

Sound it made like thunderbolt.

In time Hanuman found himself

Engaged at war of his life.

As a ploy to stall his foe

Fought him Hanuman from the skies.

To make Hanuman his target

Sent Ravan's son such arrows

Wings which had to cruise in air.

Swift as Hanuman in escape

Arrows all those got past him.

Sparred with some more Indrajit

Managed Hanuman to thwart them.

As though to tease Indrajit

Neared as Hanuman ever so close

Shot then Ravan's son arrows

With such aim to hit bull's-eye

But swift as Hanuman in mid-air

Kept he ever thus out of range.

Sight all this made exciting

For all those who came to watch them.

Hanuman then was all at sea

How to conquer Ravan's son,

Latter too seemed have no clue

How to tackle foe his strange.

Worried all looked Indrajit

For his failure to bring down

Foe of Lanka with his skills.

Realized Indrajit at length

Hard it was to slay Hanuman.

So he thought it fit to use

Brahmastra to stun Hanuman.

Invoked Indrajit Brahma

Powers he arrow of his sharp

To stun Hanuman out of wits.

With the power of Brahmastra

Lay then Hanuman unconscious.

Hanuman by the blessings of

Brahma his own grandfather

In time regained consciousness.

Having realized Ravan's son

Tied him with the Brahmastra

Recalled Hanuman boon he got

From Brahma to safeguard him.

How were Indrajit to know

Made me Brahma exempt from

Mantra invoked in his name?

Aware got he unshackled

From the grip of Brahmastra

Thought he fit to lay low then

Out of respect for the Lord

Brahma who gave birth to his

Father Vayu rules who skies.

Feared not Hanuman Indrajit

Blessed as he was by Brahma.

Taken he would be captive

All too well then Hanuman knew.

Feigned as Hanuman in coma

Sent men Ravan's son to him.

Chose as he to turn captive

Lost no time then Ravan's men

To tie his frame then tip to toe.

Wanting then to meet Ravan

Hanuman bore the insults all

Thrown at him by Lankans then.

Soon as Lankans tied vanar

With ropes made of strong coir

Eased out its force Brahmastra.

Realized Indrajit in time

Foolishness it was to use

Ropes to augment Brahmastra.

At loss was thus Indrajit

How to tackle Hanuman then

Got who freed from Brahmastra.

Pricked as Lankans all the way

Kept mum Hanuman in the hope

Led he would be to Ravan.

Let thus Hanuman to take him

Though he could have freed himself.

In time to the Lankan court

Brought was Hanuman tied in ropes.

Took a hard look Ravan then

At that vanar who looked strong.

In whispers then Ravan's court

Wondered at the developments.

Angered were all those nobles

Slew that he their kith and kin,

Soon as they saw Hanuman thus

Brayed all they for blood of his.

At the sight of Ravan's court

The like of which he never saw

Wondered Hanuman for his part.

Ravan as he saw Hanuman

Pushed 'n prodded by his guards

Seemed too nonplussed as it were.

Espied as he thus Ravan

Had who aura of but God

Stunned no end was Hanuman then.

Lost as Ravan his cool soon

Wanted he to go to roots,

Bid he thus his men enquire

How come Hanuman did trespass.

Council as then questioned him

Declared Hanuman that he came

Sent by vanar Lord Sugreev

On an errand of import.