“This rock is too big,” one of the Vanara said. “There is no way it will fit in the flying machine. It will fall in the ocean during the flight. I am sure of it. This is a rare herb—if we lose it, we are finished.”
“I will make it work,” Hanuman said confidently. “I will hang from the side of the flying machine and support the portion of the rock that does not fit on my shoulders.”
“Jai Hanuman!” the Vanara shouted with relief and joy at his bravery.
“Another flying ape will win this war today,” said a veteran, reminiscing about King Vali’s famous leap—the one that had ended Ravan’s aggression in years gone by.
True to his word, Hanuman delivered the herbs in time and Lakshman was already showing signs of recovery.
Ram hugged Hanuman. “I have been blessed with three great brothers—one who was ready to give up his throne for me, a second who has followed me loyally no matter how far into the jungle I travel, and a third—you Hanuman—who has always stepped up whenever the need arose. You will live forever and your actions will guide humans for thousands of years to come.”
“The Rishis created this body of mine for moments such as these, I am just doing my duty. I am fortunate to be blessed by you.” The great warrior Ram could not stop his tears at the display of unparalleled devotion by Hanuman and Lakshman.
A Vanara observing the strong bond of brotherhood between the commanders said, “I feel so energized, even after long fights, due to the camaraderie of our leaders. I am ready to die for them.”
This coherence at the head of the huge army led the troops to a higher morale than they had felt the entire length of this brutal war.
A Vanara spy disguised as a demon came running into the encampment. He looked terrified. He was dripping sweat and shaking uncontrollably. He had wounds all over his body, bleeding profusely.
“A huge radiation device is being packed into a flying machine,” he said. “The enemy caught me watching, somehow I…Shree Ram, bless me…” He suddenly lost consciousness from the tremendous blood loss.
The medic shook his head and said, “I can’t save him, apologies. There just isn’t anything I can do. He’s lost too much blood.”
It was only a few moments before the poor soldier took his final breath. Ram approached the dead soldier and said, “With brave soldiers like you, my friend, our victory is assured. Rest in peace.” Ram placed a gentle hand on the body—noticing that it still felt warm—sat in a yogic posture, and closed his eyes.
“The enemy’s plan is clear. They want to drop a radiation device from a great height and poison the entire island. They want to kill us so badly that they don’t care if they also kill themselves in the process,” Sugriv said in exasperation.
“Consult with Ravan’s brother about the location of the enemy machine, and ready our flying machine. I need to destroy the enemy machine before it is launched,” Ram ordered.
Ravan’s brother was summoned. He was eager to share what he knew. “The machine is located in the north-west part of the hills, outside the city. The royal family, as well as all the people critical to the kingdom, will be safe in an underground location. They have set the Prachanda, the immense plan, in motion.”
Hanuman chuckled sardonically. “Great leadership! Let others die while you are safe with your own family. You must repent being in the open with us, rather than safely in an underground location at this moment!” He teased Ravan’s brother.
“After being with Ram, I have realized that I am beyond this physical form. That has changed my life forever. And that is priceless. I don’t care if I die. It is better to die in a battle, than be beheaded by my own brother.” He added in a lighter tone, “On the other hand, joining you has forced me to hang out with more apes than I ever wanted to.”
All laughed with a sense of gallows humor.
Lakshman was fully conscious now. After sharing that light moment, Lakshman said, “All right we have very little time. I am feeling significantly better. Brother Ram, I need to finish what I started. I need to kill Ravan’s son.”
Ram blessed him, “May you be successful.”
Lakshman said to the student pilot, “Bypass Lanka to avoid wasting time in confrontation with the main defense of the city. Head north-west, quickly.”
Indrajit was ready to take off when Lakshman’s machine appeared in the sky. “I thought I killed you,” he said with disgust. “My traitor uncle must have given you our location. No matter… I have no problem killing you again!”
The student pilot said, “Lakshman, this location is a small cave like structure carved into steep hills. There is barely enough space for one flying machine. There is no room to land. What should I do?”
Lakshman’s voice was steady. “Let me think. We need to get him before he takes off. His machine is faster than ours. We will not be able to catch him once he is in the air.”
The pilot agreed. “Yes, sir. Our machine is not in good shape, especially since transporting the rock earlier tonight. We did not have time to refuel either. My estimate is, he will take off in less than one ghati, about twenty-four minutes.”
“Okay, approach the cliff as slowly as you can. I will jump when you are close.”
“What? Why don’t you jump directly from here to your death? At least then I will not crash during your misadventure.”
“Do you have a better idea in that bright mind of yours? Don’t forget, I am ranked higher than you. Follow my orders.”
“All right, let me make a practice run first. He is shooting powerful arrows at us!” the pilot exclaimed as the flying machine approached the cliffside.
“No time for this. I am jumping, slow down,” Lakshman said. He left his bow behind, carried his sword in one hand, and jumped toward the cliff.
“How very stupid of you!” Indrajit yelled. He had used a very heavy bow to shoot at the flying machine. As a result, his reaction time was slightly slower. Before he could draw an arrow, Lakshman landed close enough to him to leap and stab him in the arm. Blood gushed from his arm—the brachial artery had been damaged. Indrajit dropped his bow, took out his dagger, and ran to take cover.
Lakshman chased him, took a mighty leap, leaned forward mid-air to cover more distance, and landed firmly on his feet. He kicked the dagger out of Indrajit’s hand, and with a clean cut from his double-edged sword, separated his head from the trunk. Blood spurted from the torso while it made some erratic, involuntary movements before falling on Lakshman, bathing him in blood.
The Rakshas soldiers who had come to their superior’s help, felt paralyzed by the ghastly sight of their headless leader. They stood, frozen in fear, and could not move their weapons.
Lakshman too trembled in shock after killing the great warrior and being drenched in his blood.
He gathered himself and declared sternly, “Take his body, put it in your machine, and get lost or I will kill you in much the same manner.”
After the soldiers left with their master’s body, Lakshman’s machine landed and carried him back to Ram’s camp.
At Ravan’s huge palace, decked in gold and expensive garments, laid the body of his son. He could not take his gaze off Indrajit’s severed head.
“Great King, what do we do next?” asked a minister meekly.
Ravan shook his head as those words brought him back to the present.
He screamed with fury, “I wish a coward like you were dead instead of my brave son! I want to burn the whole planet down!” He paused for a moment, eyes burning with anger. “But first, let me burn that woman, Sita, alive! She is the reason for all this!” He picked up his sword and prepared to leave the chamber.
Ravan’s wife was standing nearby, wailing for her son. She wiped her tears and said coldly, “Our son was killed fairly in a battle that you started. He fought bravely, and so did the enemy. I suggest you do the same and fight, instead of attacking a defenseless woman. I thought you were a warrior!”
“Shut your mouth! I am Ravan, the Great Kin
g! I don’t need your advice, woman.” He silently wondered what to do next as fury and sorrow clouded his mind. His wife’s words created further turmoil within him. At that moment of indecision, a soldier came running in. He was almost out of breath.
“Forgive me Great King, the Universe Missile! The Universe Missile! Enemy! Go Underground!”
Ravan slapped the soldier hard in his face to bring him to his senses. “Stop stammering, you useless creature. What are you trying to say? What about the Universe Missile?”
The soldier rubbed his cheek. He looked down to hide his watering eyes. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. “The enemy is ready to launch the Universe Missile. They have it ready over the hill!”
Ravan kicked, then pushed the messenger away and shouted, “I see. Now get lost before I chop off your head on this awful day.” Ravan addressed his minister, “So, this missile is a warning to us, not to use our Universe Missile, or the two sides will be annihilated.”
His minister cast his eyes to the floor and nodded in agreement. Ravan took a sharp breath and made up his mind in that moment.
“Get ready for a final assault,” he ordered his general. “I will lead the charge today and send those monkeys and disgusting humans to the bottom of the ocean. By the time today’s moonless night approaches, their lives will be submerged in darkness!”
Ravan’s wife stood stone faced and watched her husband. She wondered, Will I ever see him again? This war has taken everything from me. My entire family has been killed, our kingdom is ruined, and an entire generation of Rakshas has been slaughtered. Is this it? Is Ravan going to die today? Her heart skipped a beat and sweat trickled down her brow as she considered the consequences of Ravan’s terrible mistake.
She said to her maid, “This all feels like a drama enacted by the evil gods to destroy our way of life! This cannot really be happening! My world-conquering husband, god-defeating son, and colossal brother-in-law cannot fall like autumn leaves! I curse the gods for their evil tricks and for misleading my husband!” She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and began vomiting the anxiety from her body.
Chapter 14
The Final Assault
~~~~~~~~
Ancient India
~~~~~~~~
I am the force!
In the Vanara camp, Hanuman said to Ram, “Our strategy of preempting any misadventure from Ravan by displaying our readiness to use the Universe Missile worked. I think this will help protect Lady Sita’s life as well.”
The mention of Sita made Ram reflective for a moment. He tried not to think about his beloved Sita, and focused instead on the battle.
Ram addressed his troops, “From the war cries emanating from Lanka and the high morale of enemy soldiers, I am sure the great Ravan himself will lead the attack today. There is no need to be afraid. Ravan will be determined to avenge his brother and son’s death! My guess is that he will come straight for me. Be assured, we are ready for him!”
Sugriv stepped up and declared, “Yes, we are ready to unite Ravan with his brother and son… in hell!”
The apes roared back, “Jai Vanar-raj! Send Ravan to hell!”
As the new-moon day broke, a lone shining star could be seen in the sky as other stars and planets disappeared from view.
Hanuman said to his captain, “Wow! I can feel that this day is special. Something big will happen today that will change this planet forever.” Hanuman looked around from his vantage point. He observed, “It seems as if the stage is set for the biggest battle of our lives to unfold. The two armies are lined up in battle formations. For some reason, it reminds me of stage shows. How the stage gets bathed in light and eventually the audience disappears from view. It seems the stars and planets have disappeared like the audience and are eager to see the drama. The lone shining star is the compère host. He will disappear soon, too. The whole world and indeed the universe is playing spectator to this battle!”
Hanuman looked at Ram and thought, The Great Shree Ram! Steady gaze as ever as he gets ready to fight what could be his last battle! My heart fills with love and bliss every time I bear witness to this great man!
Hanuman glanced at the enemy side, “And there is Ravan! He has lost his entire family, including his son, in this war! Yet, no sign of sorrow! Only eagerness to get on with his Dharma, his duty to fight! His eyes have a veneer of arrogance, hiding a deep and wise soul. One who wields the musical instrument Veena with the same skill as his mighty mace and bow! It is a great privilege to witness this epic battle between two great warriors.”
Hanuman’s captain agreed, “You are right, Hanuman. It is not just another battle, but a turning point in history! It is my honor to fight under your command.” The Captain gently clinked his mace against Hanuman’s.
Many of the Vanara were seeing Ravan for the first time.
One said, “Look at his big handle-bar mustache, thick beard, and blood shot red eyes. He looks crazed.”
Another ape standing on the other side of the column of soldiers was not impressed. He had wounds all over his body from the hard battle he had fought thus far. “I see a demon who abducted a lady. That is all.”
His buddy said, “This is the demon who mistreated our commander’s wife, kill him! Kill him, like his brother and son, kill him!”
All the Vanara joined in, “Kill Ravan!”
Seeing the enemy face-to-face added to their determination to achieve further success in this war. The two armies prepared themselves for their final encounter.
Ram wore his armor, a helmet, simple cotton dhoti, and wielded a huge bow and quivers full of various kinds of arrows. He also carried a shiny sword and dagger.
Ram observed, Ravan is a great leader and a supreme warrior. Despite all the losses he has suffered, look at the confidence his men have in him! Their morale is so high today! But, I am confident we will win!
A nameless messenger approached. He wore a white dhoti and had a tuft of Shikha hair on top of his shaven head. A Yagyopaveet consecrated thread could be seen running across his left shoulder. It seemed he had his attention centered on something within as he went about his activities.
Hanuman stopped him.
The messenger recited a hymn. “Message from the ashram for Shree Ram.”
Hanuman allowed him to pass through.
The messenger dutifully approached Ram. “Identify yourself,” he ordered.
Ram recited the Aditya Hridaya stotra-hymn. After verification, the messenger handed over an arrow covered with a protective sheath. He informed Ram, “This is from Agastya Muni. This is not the first time you are using this arrow. You are the seventh avatar! You have used it six times before!”
Ram glanced at him knowingly. “I am aware of that. Gratitude.”
The student nodded his head. “Good. This arrow has been activated. It is a small radiation device made from impure fissile material. It generates a lot of heat, but very little radiation. As per the rules of warfare, such a device can be used directly on an individual enemy. May victory be yours! Jai Shree Ram! Oh, and one last thing,” the student said as he got ready to leave. “Don’t forget to use the chariot today.”
Ram nodded in agreement.
The final battle began with a clearly noticeable sense of vengeance. Ravan attacked the Vanara army with all his might in this final push. He was flanked by his generals. They killed thousands of Vanara and rained arrows, javelins, and missiles down upon the rival army.
Sugriv sent an order to Hanuman, “You get the generals on the right. I will take the left flank. Ram and Lakshman will be at the center and attack Ravan directly.”
“As you command, my king. Har Har Mahadev!”
As soon as Ravan saw Lakshman, his primal fatherly instinct at the thought of his beheaded son pushed him over the edge. Ravan let out a blood-cuddling scream, “You filthy son of a whore! I will smash you to pieces!”
Lakshman responded, “You are nothing but a cowardly demon! You dared touch my brother’s wi
fe. I only dreamed of spilling your brains on this cursed land since that depraved day. I promise, you will not return home today. You are going to die in this filth.”
Both warriors were overwhelmed with fury. Their weapons created a deafening roar as they collided with one another. The Vanara and Rakshas were being slaughtered mercilessly. Because of the immense hatred between the two leaders, the soldiers were even more savage with one another. One Rakshas danced on the body of a Vanara he had recently killed. His partner encouraged the overkill by exclaiming, “Gouge out his eyes!” He promptly tore out the eyes to further disfigure the body.
On the other side, a Vanara had pinned a Rakshas under a huge boulder and tore out his arms as he screamed in pain. The hatred between the troops was naked on display.
Ravan and Lakshman attacked one another, raining arrows in rapid succession.
Ravan’s charioteer advised, “Remember, Lakshman was hit on the right shoulder with a javelin. He is slower on that side. He is also on foot, so you have the advantage of height.”
Ravan took out a javelin drenched in deadly toxin. His driver maneuvered the chariot to Lakshman’s right, and when Ravan was close enough to strike, he threw the javelin with full force from atop his chariot. It stuck Lakshman exactly in the location of his previous wound. He screamed as the pain coursed through his body.
Sugriv noticed Ravan’s maneuver and rushed to cover Lakshman and bring him to safety.
“Attack Ravan!” Ram shouted as he saw his injured brother being taken away. Ram’s chariot immediately moved toward Ravan.
Ram addressed Ravan in a steady, but dominating voice, “Attacking somebody on foot from a chariot is cowardly! Have you not an ounce of bravery left in your entire body? I guess we can’t really expect much more from you, now can we?”
Tenth Avatar Page 18
