The First Battles Before Lanka

Angada's return ended the final offer of peace. At dawn, Lanka's gates opened and the two armies advanced. The vanaras carried trees, rocks, and pieces of mountain. The rakshasa forces came with bows, swords, maces, and spears. The war did not begin in one place. Duels broke out beneath the walls and at each of the city's four gates. Nila, Angada, Hanuman, Sugriva, and the other commanders kept their companies together while Ram and Lakshman watched the field with bows in hand.

Ravana's son Indrajit entered the battle. He first met Angada, then used his mastery of illusion to vanish from sight. His chariot could not be seen in the sky, but his arrows came from every direction. At last he released serpent-like shafts that coiled around Ram and Lakshman. The brothers fell, bound upon the ground. Grief and fear swept through the vanara army.

Ravana tried to use the sight to destroy Sita's hope. Trijata accompanied her and observed carefully. The army had not been completely destroyed, and the faces of Ram and Lakshman did not bear the stillness of death. She urged Sita to remain steady. On the battlefield, Vibhishana also rallied the frightened allies. Indrajit had relied upon concealment and a divine weapon, he explained; hope had not ended.

Then a fierce wind crossed the sky and Garuda arrived. At his approach, the serpent-arrows loosened and fled. His touch restored the brothers' strength. Ram asked who had helped them, but Garuda said only that an ancient friendship had brought him. Ram would understand fully when the time came.

The brothers' strength had returned, and the same war still lay ahead of them — but now they were ready to face it again, helped by a friendship older than either of them.