After settling the monkey troops in their camps while Lakshmana was consoling His brother, Vibhishana arrived surrounded by his four valorous attendants wielding various weapons. They looked like mounds of black eye makeup and like the leaders of elephant herds. When Vibhishana approached Lakshmana, he found Him panged by grief and the monkeys with their eyes brimming with tears. He also saw Rama, the delight of the Raghu Dynasty, unconscious and lying in the lap of Lakshmana. Vibhishana felt depressed due to mental anxiety when he saw Rama stricken with grief. He therefore said: “What is this?” Looking Vibhishana in the face, then in those of Sugreeva and the monkeys, Lakshmana softly spoke with tears in His eyes: “As soon as Rama heard from Hanuman that Sita had been killed by Indrajit, He fainted.” Restraining Lakshmana as He spoke, Vibhishana made the following statement to Rama, who was lying unconscious:
“I consider the sad news told by Hanuman to be as untrue as the drying up of the ocean. I know the wicked Ravana’s plan in regards to Sita. He would never kill Her. Even though I, his well-wisher, requested him many times to return Sita, he paid no attention. She cannot be seen by means of persuasion, gifts or the sowing of dissension, what to speak of war or any other means. After deceiving the monkeys, the Rakshasa Indrajit left. Know that it was only an illusory form of Sita.
“When Indrajit goes to the sanctuary of Nikumbila today, he will offer oblations into a sacred fire and thereby become very difficult to overcome in battle, even for the gods headed by Indra. Surely this was just a ploy to avoid any hindrance to his sacrifice by the valorous monkeys. Therefore let us go there with an army before he can complete the sacrifice. Give up this baseless sorrow that is afflicting you. Seeing you distressed, the whole army is stricken with grief. Brave as you are and confident at heart, stay here and send Lakshmana with us who are going with the army.
“With His sharp arrows, Lakshmana will force Indrajit to stop the sacrifice. Then it will be possible to kill him. These piercing arrows fitted with feathers and as swift as birds will drink Indrajit’s blood like birds of prey. Therefore, O might-armed one, send the good-looking Lakshmana to kill Indrajit, as Indra would use his thunderbolt. It is not at all advisable to waist any more time in slaying the enemy. Send Lakshmana to destroy the enemy, as Indra would send his thunderbolt to destroy the enemy of the gods. Upon completing that sacrifice, Indrajit will become invisible in battle to both gods and demons. When he concludes the sacrifice and wishes to fight, there will be great danger even for the gods.”
Thus completes 84th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
