Lava Defeats the Army of Ayodhyā
This account is from the Janma Khaṇḍa of the Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa. It tells how Lava, a son of Rāma and Sītā who is being raised in Vālmīki’s āśrama, defeats the guards and then the great warriors of Ayodhyā during Rāma’s hundredth Aśvamedha yajña (horse sacrifice). It ends with a sign that shows everyone that Lava and his brother Kuśa are Rāma’s sons.
Lava and the palace garden
When Lava was five years old, he went to Ayodhyā’s royal garden to gather lotus flowers. The garden was guarded, but he went in anyway. The 114 guards tried to stop him, and Lava beat them all with ease. He went back to Vālmīki’s āśrama with the lotuses.
The Janma Khaṇḍa counts seven such visits. Each time the palace sent more guards. On the seventh visit a thousand guards were sent. Lava beat them all in the same way, walked into the garden, and gathered the lotus flowers he needed for Sītā’s pūjā. News of this wonderful child reached the court of Ayodhyā and caused great amazement. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 6)
The Aśvamedha horse is seized
Rāma was performing his hundredth Aśvamedha yajña. The sacred horse, let loose to wander freely with Śatrughna’s army following, came near Vālmīki’s āśrama. Lava saw the horse and seized it. When Śatrughna’s army came to take the horse back, Lava fought them. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
Lava defeats the champions
Lava used the Mohanāstra, the arrow that makes warriors unconscious, against each champion in turn.
- Śatrughna: Lava struck him down with the Vāyavyāstra.
- Sugrīva: the vānara king was made unconscious.
- Aṅgada: the prince of Kishkindhā fell before Lava.
- Nīla: the vānara general was defeated.
- Jāmbavān: the ancient bear warrior was made senseless.
- Nala: the vānara builder of the Setu was defeated.
- Sumantra: the royal minister and charioteer fell.
- Bharata: Rāma’s dear younger brother, though a great warrior, was overcome.
- Hanumān: the great devotee of Rāma was made unconscious by Lava’s Mohanāstra.
- Garuḍa: Vishṇu’s divine vehicle, who had come to the battlefield, was overcome for a time.
- Vibhīshaṇa: the rākshasa king of Laṅkā and Rāma’s ally was defeated.
- Sushena: the vānara physician was made unconscious.
The whole army of Ayodhyā lay senseless on the battlefield. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
Lakshmaṇa captures Lava
Lakshmaṇa then came forward as the greatest warrior still standing. After a fierce exchange, he used the Brahmāstra, the supreme weapon of Brahmā. With it he captured Lava, who lay still and bound.
Lakshmaṇa’s men then poured water over the captive Lava to revive the fallen heroes. But Vālmīki had given Lava a special blessing, and the water had the opposite effect. Lava did not grow weaker. He grew larger and stronger as the water was poured on him, like a fire fed with offerings. The warriors stood amazed. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
Kuśa arrives
News that Lava had been captured reached Vālmīki’s āśrama. Kuśa heard that his younger brother had been taken and set out for the battlefield at once. He arrived and saw Lava bound by Lakshmaṇa’s Brahmāstra. Kuśa used the Gāruḍāstra, the weapon of Garuḍa the divine eagle, and aimed it at Lakshmaṇa. The Gāruḍāstra cancelled the Brahmāstra that held Lava and set him free. Lakshmaṇa, overcome by the power of the Gāruḍāstra, was defeated. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
The duel of weapons between Kuśa and Rāma
With Lakshmaṇa defeated, Rāma himself came forward to face the two boys. Father and son then traded divine weapons. Each astra (divine weapon) was met with its exact counter.
| Rāma’s astra | Kuśa’s counter |
|---|---|
| Serpāstra (serpent weapon) | Biḍālāstra (wild-cat weapon) |
| Śunakāstra (dog weapon) | Mauśalāstra (club weapon) |
| Āgneyāstra (fire weapon) | Meghāstra (cloud and rain weapon) |
| Vāyavyāstra (wind weapon) | Parvatāstra (mountain weapon) |
| Vajrāstra (thunderbolt weapon) | Yāmyāstra (Yama’s weapon) |
| Brahmāstra (Brahmā’s supreme weapon) | Vaishṇavāstra (Vishṇu’s supreme weapon) |
Kuśa knew the right counter for every astra of Rāma. The exchange was equal, and neither could gain the upper hand. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
Arrows fall at head and feet
As the exchange went on, a sign appeared that showed the truth to everyone there. The arrows shot from Rāma’s bow did not strike Kuśa. They fell at Kuśa’s head, as if bowing to him in respect. At the same time, the arrows shot from Kuśa’s bow fell at Rāma’s feet, as if the weapons themselves knew Bhagavān Rāma and paid him homage.
The whole assembly saw this sign, and so did the devas watching from svarga (heaven). The arrows bowed like a son bowing at his father’s feet, and like a father touching his son’s head in blessing. It was clear that these were father and son. Rāma stood still, moved by the sign. He sent a minister to Vālmīki’s āśrama to tell him what had happened and to call him. (Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7)
Sources
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 6
- Ānanda Rāmāyaṇa, Janma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 7