Indrajit Vadha (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa)

The slaying of Indrajit, also called Meghanāda, by Lakshmaṇa is one of the turning points of the war of Laṅkā in the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa. In this account, Vibhīshaṇa knew where Indrajit was weak. This let Lakshmaṇa break the abhichāra-homa (a fire ritual for hidden power) that would have made Indrajit unbeatable. Lakshmaṇa is also named in this text as Śesha in human form. He killed Indrajit with a divine arrow marked with the name of Rāma. The episode also holds the moving account of Sulochana, the faithful wife of Indrajit.

Indrajit’s power

Indrajit was born Meghanāda, “thunder-voiced”. He was the greatest warrior on the side of Rāvaṇa, held to be stronger even than his father. He had beaten Indra in battle and kept him prisoner. For this he earned the name Indrajit, “conqueror of Indra”.

He had the Brahmāstra and the serpent weapons. He had the power to become unseen, given by Brahmā. He was also very skilled in war by māyā (illusion). In earlier battles he had bound Rāma and Lakshmaṇa with serpent weapons. He had also used the Brahmāstra once more to put the whole vānara army out of action.

The abhichāra-homa

After the death of Kumbhakarṇa, Indrajit began a secret abhichāra-homa, a ritual for hidden power and victory. He did it in the Nikuṃbhilā grove, in a secret cave under a great banyan tree.

  • He wore red clothes and rubbed red sandal paste on his body. He used blood-coloured flowers and things.
  • He built nine protective walls around the place of the homa. They were made of fire, water, air, tigers, serpents, rākshasas, thorns and boulders.
  • He made a golden homa-kuṇḍa (fire pit) and hung a black serpent head-down over it.
  • He began the ritual with secret and very detailed offerings. These were forest produce, grain, bones, flesh, animal parts, parts of serpents and human heads. He chanted mantras with his eyes closed.

Vibhīshaṇa saw the smoke rising from the ritual and warned Rāma at once. He said, “If this homa is finished, not even the devas or asuras could beat Indrajit. We must stop it now.”

Lakshmaṇa breaks the homa

Vibhīshaṇa named Lakshmaṇa as the only one fit to stop the homa and kill Indrajit. He gave his reason. “Brahmā himself said that one who has gone without sleep and food for twelve years could kill Indrajit. Lakshmaṇa has not slept or eaten since he left Ayodhyā. Every moment he gives to the service of Rāma. He alone is fit.”

Rāma sent Lakshmaṇa with Vibhīshaṇa. Hanumān and the vānara leaders went with them. Lakshmaṇa climbed on the shoulders of Aṅgada. With chosen astras (divine weapons) he broke the nine protective walls one by one.

  • The thorns were burned by the Āgneya-astra.
  • The rākshasas were shot with arrows.
  • The serpents were destroyed by the Garuḍa-astra.
  • The tigers were stopped by the Parvata-astra.
  • The fire was put out by the Megha-astra.
  • Hanumān made the wind still.
  • Lakshmaṇa dried up the water with the Vāyavya-astra.

Hanumān pulled up the banyan tree that guarded the place. Lakshmaṇa broke the boulders at the mouth of the cave by stamping on them with his foot. Hanumān then burst into the cave and mocked Indrajit loudly. This forced Indrajit to leave the homa, because the ritual was broken for good by the interruption.

The battle and the death of Indrajit

Indrajit came out in fury, climbed into his chariot and fought Lakshmaṇa in deadly combat. They hurled terrible weapons at each other.

  • Lakshmaṇa destroyed the chariot, the horses, the bow and the armour of Indrajit with volleys of arrows.
  • Indrajit took a new bow.
  • Lakshmaṇa cut off the right arm of Indrajit together with its bow. The arm fell in the palace of Rāvaṇa.
  • Indrajit kept fighting and took a śūla (spear) in his left hand. Lakshmaṇa cut off that arm too, and it also went to the palace of Rāvaṇa.

Then Indrajit opened his mouth wide, trying to swallow Lakshmaṇa. Lakshmaṇa called on Rāma with full mind. He took a divine arrow marked with the name of Rāma and let it go. The arrow carried the whole power of the name of Rāma. It struck the head of Indrajit and cut it off completely. The head fell outside the walls of Laṅkā, with its bright kuṇḍalas (earrings) and its helmeted crown. At the same time the two arms fell inside Laṅkā.

The devas rejoice

The moment Indrajit fell, the devas rejoiced and rained flowers. Lakshmaṇa blew his conch in victory. The sound of the conch reached Sītā in the Aśoka-vana. Sītā sent Trijaṭā to find out why there was such joy. Trijaṭā came back and told Sītā that Indrajit had been killed. Sītā was glad.

Hanumān urged Lakshmaṇa to go back quickly and show the cut head of Indrajit to Rāma. The winning party returned to great joy in the camp of the vānaras. Rāma embraced Lakshmaṇa with deep content.

Sulochana

The right arm of Indrajit fell in the chamber of his palace. It then wrote the famous message in blood to his wife Sulochana. This led to the moving episode of Sulochana’s visit to Rāma and her agni-praveśa (entering the fire).

Sources

  • Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Sāra Khaṇḍa, Sarga 11