Sunday, 30 November 2014

Importance of MUHUURTHA or point of time

On conceding to the suggestion of Lakshmana that they should search for Seetha, they start searching the forest and at certain place the mountainous Jataayu,  whose wings are hacked and who is breathless and is in his last moments,  is seen.

Mistaking him to be a demon, Sri Rama wants to kill and speedily approaches Jataayu, but on listening Jataayu's words, Sri Rama recognises and laments for his wretched situation. 

Even though Sri Rama is comparatively a bold person he involuntarily fells down to ground, as his anguish for Seetha is doubled by this predicament of Jataayu, and he wept over Jataayu.  

While breathing his last Jataayu tells Sri Rama that Ravana went southward taking Seetha along with him. Jataayu also said the following:

येन याति मुहूर्तेन सीताम् आदाय रावणः |
विप्रनष्टम् धनम् क्षिप्रम् तत् स्वामि प्रतिपद्यते || 
विन्दो नाम मुहूर्तो असौ स च काकुत्स्थ न अबुधत् |


“In which MUHUURTHA (point of time) Ravana has gone taking away Seetha, that MUHUURTHA is named as Vinda...  If any riches are lost during that spell, the original possessor of those riches will repossess them very quickly..”

“Oh, Rama , Ravana is unmindful of that fact and stole Seetha only to loose her. On stealing your ladylove Janaki, , Ravana, will ruin himself, as with a fish which swallows a baited fishhook.”

"Impractical is your anguishing for the daughter of Janaka, as you will delight yourself with Vaidehi in no time, on killing that Ravana in the vanguard of a war..."

Thereafter Jatayu breathes his last.


Sage Valmiki conveys the importance of MUHUURTHA for taking up of any task.

Did Seetha accuse Lakshmana?

The  episode of adbuction of Sita by Ravana, as narrated in Ramayana,  is follows:

Sri Rama eliminates Maareecha. when he is escaping beyond reach in the form of Golden Deer. At the time of his death Maareecha shouts out for Seetha and Lakshmana mimicking Sri Rama’s voice, as demanded by Ravana. 
Seetha, on hearing the voice of Sri Rama, asks anxiously Lakshmana to go for helping Sri Rama but Lakshmana does not move as per the orders of Sri Rama. 
Seetha rebukes Lakshmana for he is still there, loitering away even after listening Sri Rama's cry for help. She goes to the extent of slandering him as having intents to woo her, at the cost of Sri Rama's life.
Lakshmana tries to pacify her but in vain, as she persists in her rash talk. Lakshmana leaves her alone and starts to reach Sri Rama, broken-heartedly.


Ravana approaches Vaidehi adopting an aspect of an ascetic(sanyaasi).  Ravana praises Seetha's beauty by extolling every limb of hers, though he enters like a Brahman sanyaasi.
He indulges in a most untoward laudation that is unbefitting for a saintly and elderly almsman. Unable to refute him, because he is in such a pious garb, she had to invite him as an untimely guest. When Seetha insisted to know about him, Ravana reveals his identity and asks her to become his wife.

Thereupon she goes into a frenzied state and brainstorms Ravana in all her curtness.  She even describes Sri Rama’s strength and valour and warns even if he abducts her then, he will be decimated by Sri Rama.


 
Ravana grabbed Seetha on lifting her up with his left hand at her nape, and with his right hand at her thighs and forcefully keeps her in his air-chariot. She bewails and bemoans for Sri Rama and Lakshmana and appeals to all nature to inform Sri Rama about this abduction. Finally, she sees Jatayu, the eagle, and asks him to narrate her abduction to Sri Rama.
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The question arises as to whether Seetha having known Lakshmana and his character for long period, can  accuse him in such a language?  

In  my view, she did not use such a language, which is not her character.

------
Let us examine the narrations in the subsequent Sargas, wherein Seeta was depicted differently.
1)   While she is being abducted, Seetha calls Sri Rama and Lakshmana for help.

हा लक्ष्मण महाबाहो गुरु चित्त प्रसादक |
ह्रियमाणाम् न जानीषे रक्षसा काम रूपिणा ||  
(Aranya Kanda 49 Sarga 24 Sloka)


"Haa, greatly dextrous Lakshmana... oh, rejoicer of your mentor... you are incognisant of me who am being abducted by this demon who is a dissembler."

Here Seeta was calling Lakshmana who left the hermitage latter than Sri Rama, and hence he must be within earshot, while Sri Rama went into deep of the forest long back.  However, there was no remorse in her words that due to her accusation Lakshmana went away.

2)   Sri Hanuman searches in the every nook and corner of Lanka and finally reaches and finds Seeta in Ashoka Garden.  He listens to her weeping, while sitting over SIMSUPA Tree.

नूनं स कालो मृगरूपधारी |
मामल्पभाग्यां लुलुभे तदानीम् |
यत्रार्यपुत्रं विससर्ज मूढा |
रामानुजं लक्ष्मणपूर्वजं च ||   
(Sundara Kanda 28 Sarga 10th Sloka)

"Certainly that Time-spirit, assuming the guise of a deer, allured me, a woman of poor fortune at that time and to whom I, a stupid woman, sent forth (far away) Lakshmana and the noble prince Rama, the elder brother of Lakshmana."

Even in Ashoka Garden, when nobody was apparently within earshot, she recollects what had happened when her abduction took place.  
She is accusing herself  as a stupid woman, who sent her husband and Lakshmana to fetch the Golder deer.  However, she is not accusing herself of using slandering language against Lakhmana.

3)   While talking to Sri Hanuman she describes the character of Lakshmana as follows:

सिम्ह स्कन्धो महाबाहुः मनस्वी प्रिय दर्शनः |
पितृवत् वर्तते रामे मातृवन् माम् समाचरन् ||  
(Sundara Kanda 38 Sarga 60th Sloka)


"Lakshmana, who has broad shoulders like that ofa lion, mighty-armed, steady-minded and having pleasant looks, behaves towards Rama as towards his father and looks to me as his own mother."

 She understood the behaviour of Lakshmana.  Lakshmana treated her as his mother.  Then how can she accuse him?  She never accused him.  It is an interpolation made at a later date.


4)   Sri Hanuman, after listening to Seeta's pitiful wailing, offers to take her then and there itself to Sri Rama, if she travels with him by sitting on his back.

 
अथवा मोचयिष्यामि ताम् अद्य एव हि राक्षसात् |
अस्मात् दुह्खात् उपारोह मम पृष्ठम् अनिन्दिते || 


"O Seetha with a charming face! Or rather, I shall relieve you from this grief now itself. O irreproachable lady! Ascend my back. I shall take you to Rama."

त्वम् हि पृष्ठ गताम् कृत्वा सम्तरिष्यामि सागरम् |
शक्तिः अस्ति हि मे वोढुम् लन्काम् अपि सरावणाम् ||   
 
(Sundara Kanda 37 Sarga 19 - 20 Slokas)

"I shall cause you sit on my back and cross the ocean. I have indeed capacity to carry even Lanka together with Ravana."

However, Seetha declines to go with him, as honouring the devotion to her husband, she cannot touch the body of any man other that of Sri Rama and requests Sri Hanuman to bring her husband to Lanka.

5)   After hearing the news of death of his son Indrajit, Ravana gets angry and starts for Ashoka Garden for killing Seeta.  On hearing that news Seeta laments as follows:

हनूमतो हि तद्वाक्यं न कृतं क्षुद्रया मया ||
यद्यहं तस्य पृष्ठेन तदायासमनिन्दिता |
नाद्यैवमनुशोचेयं भर्तुरंकगता सती ||   
(Yuddha Kanda 92 Sarga 55 - 56 Slokas)


"Those words of Hanuma were not acted upon by me, having a low mind. If I left on that day on his back, though not won back by my husband, I would not have grieved like this today, as I should be resting on the lap of my husband (in that case)."

Here, Seeta was repenting for not heeding to the advice of Sri Hanuman.  
Had she accused Lakshmana in the forest, as mentioned at point no.1 above,  she would have repented  later, but she did not do so.
It is an interpolation made at a later date.

6)       Finally, when Sri Hanuman describes briefly to Bharata as to what happened  in the 14 years of Sri Rama's sojourn in the Forest, he describes the episode of abduction of Seeta as follows:

अथ सौम्या दशग्रीवो मृगं याते तु राघवे |
लक्ष्मणे चापि निष्क्रान्ते प्रविवेशाश्रमं तदा || 

 

(Yuddha Kanda 126 Sarga   25 Sloka)

"O good sir! While Rama was chasing the deer and even when Lakshmana had gone out, Ravana forthwith entered their hermitage during that interval."

 Here, Sri Hanuman was saying that even when Lakshmana had gone out,  Ravana forthwith entered their hermitage during that interval.  

He was not saying that Lakshmana had gone out due to accusation of Sita.

Hence, the episode of Seeta accusing Lakshmana in Ramayana is a PRAKSHIPTA, an interpolated story inserted  at a later date.




Saturday, 29 November 2014

Lord Indra degraded - Part - I




Sri Rama, after killing demon Viradha ,enters the hermitage of Sage Sharabhanga. Sri Rama has seen Indra, the lord of three worlds, with a radiant body mounted on a great chariot that does not touch the earth and yoked with green horses, at the Sage Sharabhanga’s ashrama.


विभ्राजमानम् वपुषा सूर्य वैश्वानर प्रभम् |
रथ प्रवरम् आरूढम् आकाशे विबुध अनुगम् || 
असंस्पृशन्तम् वसुधाम् ददर्श विबुध ईश्वरम् |
संप्रभ आभरणम् देवम् विरजो अंबर धारिणम् ||
तत् विधैः एव बहुभिर् पूज्यमानम् महात्मभिः |


"Rama has seen Indra, the Lord of three worlds, with a radiant body that has the coupled radiance of Sun and Fire, mounted on a great chariot that does not touch the earth, wearing greatly brilliant ornaments and attired in spotless dress, while the other divinities are attending, and many more selfsame great-souls are worshipping him."

हरितैः वाजिभिर् युक्तम् अंतरिक्ष गतम् रथम् ||
ददर्श अदूरतः तस्य तरुण आदित्य संनिभम् |
पाण्डुर अभ्र घन प्रख्यम् चन्द्र मण्डल संनिभम् ||

"Rama saw at his very nearby a chariot yoked with green horses that traverses in firmament, which in its splendour is either like the noontime sun, or a cluster of silver clouds, or like the silvern sphere of the moon."

अपश्यत् विमलम् छत्रम् चित्र माल्य उपशोभितम् |
चामर व्यजने च अग्र्ये रुक्म दण्डे महाधने ||
गृहीते वर नारीभ्याम् धूयमाने च मूर्धनि |

"He saw the stainless parasol of Indra, marvellously garlanded and shining forth, and the exemplary and invaluable royal fanning instruments with golden handles, which two best female celestials are handling and fanning at Indra's head sides with them."


गन्धर्व अमर सिद्धाः च बहवः परम ऋषयः ||
अन्तरिक्ष गतम् देवम् गीर्भिर् अग्र्याभिर् ऐडियन् |
.
And the celestials like gandharva-s, amara-s, siddhaa-s and very many great sages as well are extolling Indra, who is abiding in firmament.

On seeing Indra speaking there to sage Sharabhanga, Rama spoke to Lakshmana.  


ये हयाः पुरु हूतस्य पुरा शक्रस्य नः श्रुताः |
अन्तरिक्ष गता दिव्याः ते इमे हरयो ध्रुवम् || 

"Of which horses we have earlier heard from our teachers telling that they belong to Indra (शक्रस्य), the Chief Invitee in Vedic rituals (पुरु हूतस्य), they are these divinely green horses that now abide in the firmament, and definitely these must be Indra's horses."


इमे च पुरुष व्याघ्र ये तिष्ठन्ति अभितः दिशम् |
शतम् शतम् कुण्डलिनो युवानः खड्ग पाणयः || 
 विस्तीर्ण विपुल उरस्काः परिघायत बाहवः |
शोणांशु वसनाः सर्वे व्याघ्र इव दुरासदाः ||
उरो देशेषु सर्वेषाम् हारा ज्वलन संनिभाः |
रूपम् बिभ्रति सौमित्रे पंच विंशति वार्षिकम् ||


"And oh, manly-tiger Lakshmana, those that are there in hundreds and hundreds around Indra, those youthful ones with their ear-ornaments and swords in hands, with wide and broad chests, with club shaped arms, and clad in glimmering red garments, all are like tigers, all are unapproachable, all of them are wearing ornamental chains on their chest-place that are akin to flaring fires, and in their appearance, Soumitri, they always bear a look of twenty-five-year-olds"

एतद्धि किल देवानाम् वयो भवति नित्यदा |
यथा इमे पुरुष व्याघ्रा दृश्यन्ते प्रिय दर्शनाः || (Aranya Kanda 5 Sarga 5 - 18 Slokas)


"The age factor of gods remains constant at the age that appears for these nice-looking Tigerly-men, so they say... for gods are immortals and they will be ever young.

 Sri Rama proceeded towards the hermitage of Sage Sharabhanga to know clearly about the resplendent one on that divine chariot. On seeing Sri Rama arriving there, Indra bade farewell to Sage Sharabhanga and travelled to heavens by the chariot.


In Ramayana, Lord Indra was eulogised only next to Lord Brahma, as much importance was not given either to Vishnu or Shiva. It is evident from the words used (पुरु हूतस्य  - Chief Invitee, [in rituals]) in the Slokas.  Śakra (शक्र) means The  mighty-one.  He was a boon giver and Lord of 3 worlds.

Friday, 28 November 2014

SHRADDHA karma - Offering to the departed souls what humans eat

After hearing the news of the death of his father, King Dasaratha, Sri Rama faints away.  After recollecting himself, he tells Lakshmana to prepare food for offering to the departed soul of King Dasaratha.
आनयेङ्गुदिपिण्याकं चीरमाहर चोत्तरम् |
जलक्रियार्थं तातस्य गमिष्यामि महात्मनः ||   (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  20 Sloka)
"Bring the crushed pulp of Ingudi Tree and bring a piece of bark for being wrapped about my loins and another for being used as my loins and another for being used as an upper garment, so that we may proceed to offer libations of water for our magnanimous father."
 ऐङ्गुदम् बदरीमिश्रम् पिण्याकम् दर्भसंस्तरे |
न्यस्य रामस्स दुःखार्तो रुदन्वचनमब्रवीत् ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  29 Sloka)
Rama placed the pulp of the Ingudi tree mixed with the pulp of plums on a mat of Kusa grass and overcome with sadness, weeping, spoke the following words:
इदम्भुङ्क्ष्व महाराज प्रीतो यदशना वयम् |
यदन्नः पुरुषो भवति तदन्ना स्तस्य देवताः ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  30 Sloka)
"O, Great King! Be pleased to partake of this, which we eat for, that which man eats, is also consumed by his gods."
-------------
Preceded by Dasaratha's wives and others, Sage Vasishta advances to the hermitage of Sri Rama. Kausalya, on the way, shows to her co-wives the balls of Ingudi fruit-pulp offered to the spirit of Dasaratha by Sri Rama on blades of Darbha grass along the bank of Mandakini River.   Kausalya remembers sruti’s saying:
 श्रुतिस्तु खल्वियं सत्य लौकिकी प्रतिभाति मा |
यदन्नः पुरुषो भवति तदन्नास्तस्य देवताः ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 104 Sarga  15 Sloka)

"It indeed occurs to me that the saying among men that the food eaten by man is also consumed by his Gods is true."
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It is clear that we can offer whatever we eat, to the departed souls, but may not resort to expending too much in the name of  SHRADDHA karma.
Now a days, due to ignorance of the majority of the people, they are expending too much of amount on SHRADDHA karma being done every year in the name of their departed parents/elders. 

The Brahmanas are also demanding too many things in the name of SHRADDHA karma, which is frightening common people.

We can follow the Sage Valmiki’s advice.  Sage Valmiki is giving a clear message to human beings in the AYODHYA KANDA of RAMAYANA.  Human beings may offer LIBATIONS with water and whatever they eat to the departed souls of their parents.  It is as simple as that.

Lakshmana’s sleep



As per notions, beliefs and stories prevalent about Lakshmana, he did not sleep for 14 years, serving Sri Rama.  It is also prevalent that Indrajit had a boon that a person, who will not sleep for 14 years, can only slay him. 
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According to Srimad Valmiki Ramayana neither Indrajit received such a boon nor did Lakshmana serve Sri Rama without sleeping.  
The following narrations in Slokas 1 to 3 of Sarga 56 of Ayodhya Kanda did confirm that Lakshmana slept during his stay in forest.
अथ रात्र्याम् व्यतीतायाम् अवसुप्तम् अनन्तरम् |
प्रबोधयाम् आस शनैः लक्ष्मणम् रघु नन्दनः ||

"Then, Sri Rama gently woke up Lakshmana, who was sleeping without break, even when the night was passing away."
सौमित्रे शृणु वन्यानाम् वल्गु व्याहरताम् स्वनम् |
सम्प्रतिष्ठामहे कालः प्रस्थानस्य परम् तप ||
 
"Oh, Lakshmana! Hear the sound of wild animals, resounding beautifully. It is time for our journey. Let us start."
स सुप्तः समये भ्रात्रा लक्ष्मणः प्रतिबोधितः |
जहौ निद्राम् च तन्द्रीम् च प्रसक्तम् च पथि श्रमम् ||
 
"Lakshmana, who was sleeping, being woken up by his brother at the right moment, had relinquished sleep, sloth and strain, which resulted on the way."
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There is a difference between being alert while in forest and not sleeping.  

Lakshmana was alert during his stay in forests.

Thursday, 27 November 2014

Is the present day Sri Lanka the Ravana's Lanka?

Many scholars and learned people thought and propagated the idea that present day Sri Lanka (island country), very close to India, was the Lanka, described in Srimad Ramayana, and ruled by Ravana.  Is it a correct hypothesis? 




According to Srimad Ramayana, in order to search for Seeta at Lanka in Southern direction, Sri Hanuma flew 100 Yojanas over the ocean.




अञ्जलिं प्राङ्मुखः कृत्वा पवनायात्मयोओनयो |
ततो हि ववृधे गन्तुं दक्षिणो दक्षिणां दिश्म् ||      (Sundara Kanda 1 Sarga  9 sloka)


Hanuma turned towards east, saluted his father, the Lord of Wind and increased his body to go towards southern direction.



योजनानां शतं श्रीमांस्तीर्त्वाप्युत्तमविक्रमः |
अनिःस्वसन् कपिस्तत्र न ग्लानिमधिगच्छति ||     (Sundara Kanda 2 Sarga  3 sloka)



The glorious Hanuma with the best courage, even though crossing a hundred yojanas, was without a sigh and did not obtain any tiredness.



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A Yojana (Sanskrit : योजन ) is a Vedic measure of distance that was used in ancient India. It is equivalent to about 13 km (8 mi) for terrestrial use and 6400 km for cosmological distances as per modern measures of distance, although the exact value is disputed among scholars (between 8 and 13 km (5 and 8 mi)).  Some even put it as 26 Kms, depending on various calculations.  We can adopt 13 Kms to be on safe side.

------------------

Sri Lanka is at a distance of 24 kilometers (approx.) from Rameshwaram.  And, it is in the South-East direction from India but not in the Southern Direction.

Now, let us carefully study which words exactly  the Sage Valmiki used in describing Sri Hanuma's journey over the ocean. 


The Sage Valmiki used the words दक्षिणां दिश्म् (Southern direction) and योजनानां शतं( a Hundred yojanas).  If we calculate the the distance Sri Hanuma covered in terms of Kilometres, it will work out to 1,300 Kms (13 Kms x 100 Yojanas).  And, Sri Hunuma travelled 1,300 Kms in the Southern direction but not in the South-East direction.



Hence, in my opinion, Sri Hanuma travelled to and searched in a different Lanka, but not in the present day Sri Lanka.  Either original Lanka might have been got drowned in the sea or it might have got drifted to some other place, as there is no other Island at that distance.

Perhaps, the present day Madagascar, which is very close to present day African Continent, might be the Ravana's Lanka.

Sri Hanuman, the follower of Dakshinachara!

Sage Valmiki in Ramayana, described the preparations of Sri Hanuma, when he decided to flew in Southern direction for searching Seeta in Lanka, as follows:.


अञ्जलिं प्राङ्मुखः कृत्वा पवनायात्मयोओनयो |
ततो हि ववृधे गन्तुं दक्षिणो दक्षिणां दिश्म् ||     
(Sundara Kanda 1 Sarga  9 sloka)

Hanuma turned towards east, saluted his father, the Lord of Wind and increased his body to go towards southern direction.

Sage Valmiki used the words दक्षिणो दक्षिणां दिश्म् in the sloka.  If the words दक्षिणां दिश्म् indicate Southern Direction, why did the sage used the word दक्षिणो (Dakshino) again?  Did he use without any purpose?

I have gone through many translations, but almost all the translators, except (Late) Sri Gunturu Seshendra Sarma, did not give explanation to the word दक्षिणो (Dakshino).  (Late) Sri Gunturu Seshendra Sarma in his literary work "SHODASI - Ramayana Rahasyalu (Telugu)" give the following explanation for the word  दक्षिणो (Dakshino).

The word  दक्षिणो (Dakshino) was used to indicate that Sri Hanuma is the follower of DAKSHINAACHARA, i.e., the VEDIC way life.  Sri Hanuma was described by the Sage Valmiki as expert in all Vedas.

This explanation gives rise to another question.  Did VAAMACHARA exist alongwith DAKSHINAACHARA in the age of RAMAYANA?

The answer, in my opinion, is YES!  The followers of VAAMACHARA are known to follow 5 MAKAARAs.Panchamakara, also known as the Five Ms, is a Tantric term referring to the five substances used in a Tantric puja or sadhana:
  • madya (wine)
  • māṃsa (meat)
  • matsya (fish)
  • mudrā (parched grain)
  • maithuna (sexual intercourse) should be learned from a sri guru
Apart from using PANCHAMAKARAs, the VAAMACHARIs sacrifice animals to attain Tantric Powers, which are different from that of Yogic Powers.  The Tantric Powers can attained within short time, but have certain deadly consequences.  If the TANTRIKs fail to complete the rituals in the prescribed manner, death is assured.

During RAMAYANA period we will come across Indrajit, the elder son of Ravana.  Indrajit used to follow VAAMACHARA, and the following quotations corroborate this.

------------

Seeing Ravana, his father looking lamented after hearing the death of Ravana's sons and brothers, Indrajit promises to destroy Rama and Lakshmana. He sets out, for the battle, accompanied by his army. After reaching the battle-field, Indrajit performed a sacrificial ritual there, duly making an oblation to the fire.

ततस्तु हुतभोक्तारं हुतभुक्सदृशप्रभः ||
जुहुवे राक्षसश्रेष्ठो मन्त्रवद्विधिवत्तदा |  (Yuddha Kanda 73 Sarga 22 sloka)

Then, that foremost of demons, having a radiance equal to that of fire, with excellent sacrificial incantations, performed a sacrifice, as per rules, making an oblation to the fire.

स तत्राग्निं समास्तीर्य शरपत्रैः सतोमरैः ||
छागस्य सर्वकृष्णस्य गलं जग्राह जीवतः |  (Yuddha Kanda 73 Sarga 24 sloka)

Duly spreading fire with reeds (in the form of other weapons) accompanied by lances there, Indrajit elapsed the neck of a live goat of dark hue (for offering it to the fire as an oblation).

सकृदेव समिद्धस्य विधूमस्य महार्चिषः ||
बभूवुस्तानि लिङ्गानि विजयं यान्यदर्शयन् |  (Yuddha Kanda 73 Sarga 25 sloka)

From the great fire of flames, set ablaze by that offering having been thrown into it acting at once without smoke, appeared such signs as had beckoned victory (of the past).

Thereafter, Indrajit became invisible to all and attacked Sri Rama, Lakshmana and all the Vanaras and created havoc.

His ghastly death is an indicator of consequences of following the VAAMACHARA.

Placing an illusory live image of Seetha in his chariot, Indrajit along with his army enters the battle-field. Hanuma with his army of monkeys march in front to face Indrajit in battle. While Hanuma and his army are watching, Indrajit pulls Seetha by her hair and unsheathed his sword. Indrajit kills the illusory living image of Seetha, with his sharp sword.

Hanuma, with his army, approaches Rama and informs him that Indrajit has killed Seetha. Rama faints away, upon hearing that news.  Telling Rama the secret of conjuring trick practiced by Indrajit in killing an illusory image of Seetha, Vibhishana assures him of Seetha being still alive and urges him to send Lakshmana with an army to the sanctuary of Nikumbhila.

तेन वीरेण तपसा वरदानात्स्वयंभुवः |
अस्त्रं ब्रह्मशिरः प्राप्तं कामगाश्च तुरंगमाः ||

"By his penance, Indrajit obtained a weapon called Brahmashira, by way of a gift from Brahma and also horses, which are coursing at his will."

स एष सह सैन्येन प्राप्तः किल निकुम्भिलाम् |
यद्युत्तिष्ठेत्कृतं कर्म हतान्सर्वांश्च विद्धि नः ||

"That Indrajit, as such along with his army, is reported to have reached Nikumbhila. If he comes forth after completing his sacrificial act, know that all of us as killed."

निकुम्भिलामसंप्राप्तमहुताग्निं च यो रिपुः |
त्वामातायिनं हन्यादिन्द्रशत्रो स ते वधः || 
 वरो दत्तो महाबाहो सर्वलोकेश्वरेण वै |
इत्येवं विहितो राजन्वधस्तस्यैष धीमतः ||   (Yuddha Kanda 85 Sarga 12 - 15 slokaS)

"A boon was given by Brahma to that intelligent demon as follows: "O Indrajit! That enemy of yours, who strikes while you are marching with your bow drawn, and while you have not arrived at Nikumbhila, or even while you have not offered oblations to the sacred fire, will prove to be the cause of your killing."

 In the end, when Lakshmana forced Indrajit to abandon the sacrificial act at Nikumbhila with discharge of his arrows before completion of the sacrifice, Indrajit was eliminated by Lakshmana.