And beholding Ravana advancing with his army disposed
in that array, Rama, following the mode recommended by Vrihaspati,
disposed his troops in counter array for opposing that wanderer of the
night. And coming up quickly, Ravana began to fight with Rama. And
Lakshmana singled out Indrajit, and Sugriva singled out Virupakshya, and
Nikharvata fought with Tara, and Nala with Tunda, and Patusa with
Panasa. And each warrior, advancing up to him whom he regarded as his
match, began to fight with him on that field of battle, relying on the
strength of his own arms, and that encounter, so frightful to timid
persons, soon became terrible and fierce like that between the gods and
the _Asuras_ in the days of old. And Ravana covered Rama with a shower
of darts and lances and swords, and Rama also afflicted Ravana with his
whetted arrows of iron furnished with the sharpest points, and in the
same way Lakshmana smote the contending Indrajit with arrows capable of
penetrating into the most vital parts and Indrajit also smote Sumitra's
son with an arrowy shower. And Vibhishana showered upon Prahasta and
Prahasta showered upon Vibhishana, without any regard for each other a
thick downpour of winged arrows furnished with the sharpest points. And
thus between those mighty warriors there came about an encounter of
celestial weapons of great force, at which the three worlds with their
mobile and immobile creatures were sorely distressed.
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