The Snake's Embrace: Ram and Lakshman's Near-Defeat

Ram did not want Seeta to live the life of a prisoner in Lanka for much longer. He ordered his troops to attack Lanka immediately. Under the leadership of Ram, Lakshman, Sugreev, Jambavan, and Vibheeshan, the monkey army began to fight the demons. Ravan resisted the attack by sending forth a huge army of demons. But the demon soldiers were no match for the mighty monkeys. The monkeys defeated the demons using their nails and claws. Ram and Lakshman sent thousands of demons to hell with their sharp arrows.

This war between the monkeys and the demons resembled the mythological war between the gods and the demons. The demon soldiers attacked the monkeys with spears, maces, swords, and axes. But the committed monkey army resisted all the attacks and moved forward. Both sides attacked each other with deadly blows. The city of Lanka was soaked with blood.

Angad was ready to vanquish his enemies and destroy Indrajeet's horses and chariot. Indrajeet abandoned his chariot, and after making himself invisible, he showered the monkeys with arrows. Many monkeys were injured, but none could see the invisible Indrajeet. Arrows pierced the bodies of the monkey soldiers. Indrajeet then fired two snake arrows at Ram and Lakshman. These arrows bound Ram and Lakshman, causing them to fall unconscious to the ground. Tears streamed from the eyes of Vibheeshan, Sugreev, and the monkey soldiers as they surrounded Ram and Lakshman to protect them from further harm.

Meanwhile, Indrajeet and his army returned to Lanka's palace. Indrajeet bowed to his father, Ravan, and erroneously informed him that he had killed Ram and Lakshman. Overjoyed, Ravan rose from his throne and hugged his son.

Ravan then summoned Trijata and the other demonesses who were watching over Seeta. "Tell Seeta that Indrajeet has killed Ram and Lakshman in battle," Ravan ordered. "Take her to the battlefield and show her their dead bodies." Seeta, Trijata, and the other demonesses boarded the Pushpak Viman and traveled to the battlefield. There, they saw Ram and Lakshman lying unconscious on the ground. Seeta was overwhelmed with grief, and tears flowed from her eyes.

As the Puspak Viman traveled back to Lanka, Trijata tried to console Seeta, saying, "Don't cry, dear. I am sure your husband is still alive. Ram and Lakshman may be unconscious, not dead."

But then, a miraculous event occurred: The eagle Garud, Lord Vishnu's great and powerful vehicle, arrived at the battlefield to free Ram and Lakshman from the snake arrows. Radiant like the sun, Garud terrified the snakes. He approached the two brothers and touched them with his wings. Ram and Lakshman began to breathe again and sat up.