Hearing Vibheeshana's words, Indrajith was deluded with fury, spoke harshly and advanced.

Lifting his long, strong huge, great terrific bow endowed with high speed and holding it drawing arrows seated in a chariot well decorated, drawn by black horses, Indrajith looked like God of Death.

Lifting his long, strong huge, great terrific bow endowed with high speed and holding it drawing arrows seated in a chariot well decorated, drawn by black horses, Indrajith looked like God of Death.

Wielding a bow, seated in a well decorated chariot, mighty destroyer of enemies (Indrajith) saw Raghava's brother.

Lakshmana was like the Sun on the eastern mountain mounted on the back of Hanuman, the tiger among Vanaras. He saw Vibheeshana and spoke.

"See my valour and prowess now. I will release shower of arrows from the sky like rain and it will be difficult for others to counter."

"Then my arrows delivered from the great bow will pierce the limbs and burn like a bundle of cotton by fire."

"Now I will send you to the abode of Yama with sharp arrows, tridents, pikes, spears and lances."

"Who can stand in front of me if I release rain of arrows with my swift hand in the battle roaring like a rain cloud?"

"Earlier in the war at night, by the thunderbolt like arrows released by me on the Earth, you and your accomplice were made unconscious and laid low."

"I am like a poisonous serpent, enraged. Is it that you have lost memory, or you stood here on the way to Yama's abode, I think."

On hearing Indrajith's words, Lakshmana spoke these words in anger with fearless countenance.

"Rakshasa! You have proclaimed that you will send me to Yama's abode and about the success in your undertakings even though it is not possible. He who is intelligent will succeed in his tasks (not in words alone).

"O evil minded one! Your claim, in words that you have the capacity to do which is difficult for others is meaningless. Though you lack the capacity to succeed you are only thinking that you have succeeded."

"Remaining invisible and moving in the battle then is the path of a thief which is not chosen by warriors."

"Rakshasa! I have reached your range of arrows and stand before you. Show that power now about which you boasted."

After Lakshmana had spoken that way, Indrajith, endowed with mighty prowess, and victorious in combat seized a terrific bow and released pointed arrows.

The shafts like deadly poisonous serpents reached Lakshmana at great speed hissing and fell on Lakshmana.

Ravana's son Indrajith, who was endowed with great speed in war, pierced Lakshmana with shafts released at a much higher velocity.

With shafts pierced all over, glorious Lakshmana was bathed in blood and shone like smokeless fire.

Indrajith observing his own action, approaching Lakshmana, emitted a loud cry and spoke these words.

"Saumithri, these sharp pointed arrows fixed to feathers, which can destroy life, released by me now will put an end to your life."

"Lakshmana! Today let the jackals, hawks and vultures descend on your bodystruck down by me and ceased of life fallen dead."

"Highly stupid Rama will see you, a devoted brother, a true kshatriya ever ignoble, killed by me today."

"Saumithri, he (Rama) will see you struck by me fallen on the ground, shield broken and fallen down, bow thrown down and trunk with severed head."

When Indrajith was speaking harshly, enraged Lakshmana replied in a meaningful way with reason.

"Evil minded Rakshasa! Give up that wasteful power of speech. You are cruel in action. What is the use of all this now? Show by good deeds and not by talk."

Rakshasa! What is the use of praising without performing action? Show by action and create trust that you can perform.

"Lowly Rakshasa! without any harsh words, indeed without boasting, commenting, interrupting I will assail you. You may see."

Having spoken like that, Lakshmana stretching his arrows till the ear fixed five sharp arrows of high speed on the chest of Rakshasa.

The arrows being tied to good feathers glowing like serpents shone on the chest of Rakshasa like the rays of Sun.

Struck by the arrows, Indrajith in return furiously released three well aimed arrows at Lakshmana.

In that combat both Lakshmana and Indrajith pounding to win against each other was frightening.

Both were richly endowed with prowess, both were courageous, exceedingly difficult to conquer and peerless in might.

In the combat both the heroes fought displaying their might, shone like two planets in the heaven and fought like Indra and Vrta and were difficult to overcome.

Then both the great warriors Lakshmana and Indrajith fought discharging many arrows, like lions among humans and Rakshasas respectively, looking out and seeking, dropping, and falling one over the other and stayed joyful. ।। इत्यार्षेवामलीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेअष्टाऽशीतितमस्सर्गः ।। This is the end of the eighty eighth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.

Then both the great warriors Lakshmana and Indrajith fought discharging many arrows, like lions among humans and Rakshasas respectively, looking out and seeking, dropping, and falling one over the other and stayed joyful. ।। इत्यार्षेवामलीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेअष्टाऽशीतितमस्सर्गः ।। This is the end of the eighty eighth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.