And the _Rakshasa_ hurled at Rama a terrible javelin looking like
Indra's thunderbolt and resembling a Brahmana's curse on the point of
utterance.[63] Rama, however, quickly cut into fragments that javelin by
means of his sharp arrows. And beholding that most difficult feat,
Ravana was struck with fear. But soon his wrath was excited and the
Ten-necked hero began to shower on Rama whetted arrows by thousands and
tens of thousands and countless weapons of various kinds, such as
rockets and javelins and maces and battle-axes and darts of various
kinds and Shataghnis and _whetted shafts_. And beholding that terrible
form of illusion displayed by the Ten-necked _Rakshasa_, the monkeys
fled in fear in all directions. Then the descendant of Kakutstha, taking
out of his quiver an excellent arrow furnished with handsome wings and
golden feathers and a bright and beautiful head, fixed it on the bow
with _Brahmasira_ mantra. And beholding that excellent arrow transformed
by Rama, with proper _mantras_ into a Brahma weapon, the celestials and
the Gandharvas with Indra at their head, began to rejoice. And the gods
and the _Danavas_ and the _Kinnaras_ were led by the display of that
_Brahma_ weapon to regard the life of their Rakshasa foe almost closed.
Then Rama shot that terrible weapon of unrivalled energy, destined to
compass Ravana's death, and resembling the curse of a Brahmana on the
point of utterance. And as soon, O Bharata, as that arrow was shot by
Rama from his bow drawn to a circle, the _Rakshasa_ king with his
chariot and charioteer and horses blazed up, surrounded on all sides by
a terrific fire.
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