The Snake's Embrace: Rama and Lakshmana's Near-Defeat

Rama did not want Sita to live the life of a prisoner in Lanka for much longer. He ordered his troops to attack Lanka immediately. Under the leadership of Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva, Jambavan, and Vibhishana, the monkey army began to fight the demons. Ravana 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. Rama and Lakshmana 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.

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

Meanwhile, Indrajit and his army returned to Lanka's palace. Indrajit bowed to his father, Ravana, and informed him that he had killed Rama and Lakshmana. Overjoyed, Ravana rose from his throne and hugged his son.

Ravana then summoned Trijata and the other demonesses who were watching over Sita. "Tell Sita that Indrajit has killed Rama and Lakshmana in battle," Ravana ordered. "Take her to the battlefield and show her their dead bodies." Sita, Trijata, and the other demonesses boarded the Pushpak Vimana and traveled to the battlefield. There, they saw Rama and Lakshmana lying unconscious on the ground. Sita was overwhelmed with grief, and tears flowed from her eyes.

As the Pushpak Vimana traveled back to Lanka, Trijata tried to console Sita, saying, "Don't cry, dear. I am sure your husband is still alive. Rama and Lakshmana may be unconscious, not dead."

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