| As Raavana
issued out of Lanka, the sun seemed obscured by an unpredicted eclipse, and foul birds and
beasts of the night roared at large with weird ill-omened cries; but disregarding it all,
Raavana drove out to battle accompanied by Viroopaaksha, Mahodara and Mahaapaarsva. The mighty Raakshasa warriors who followed Raavana were mown down by
a deadly flight of arrows and chunks of rocks and presently Raavana found himself facing
Lakshmana, who tried to oppose his further progress. Forcing his way past Lakshmana,
Raavana precipitated himself against Raama with all the pent-up fury of hatred and revenge
and strove to overwhelm him with a spate of arrows.
Raama easily baffled these arrows with his
own and struck Raavana repeatedly, without however being able to penetrate his armour.
Thus they fought, these supreme bowmen, each bent on slaying the other and using
increasingly potent missiles of secret power, while the gods in heaven looked on with
marvel and admiration. Neither hero had met such another opponent before and on both sides
admiration was mingled with wrath. |
