Shri Rama is the embodiment of adherence to TRUTH and follower of his own DHARMA. It is very difficult to find negative shades in Shri Rama, even to his detractors.
Suppose for argument sake, there is a person like Shri Rama but with negative shades, who is
- obedient to his father as Shri Rama was towards his father Dasaratha.
- a great warrior as Shri Rama was
- expert in Vamachara or methods in obtaining superhuman power in shortest time
- unhesitating to eliminate Crores of enemies, even using deceit
- his enemies will find him very difficult to overcome
- fights till his death for the sake of his father, even the latter is on wrong path
then, what could be a name given to that person? - In my opinion it is Indrajit.
1) Indrajit - An obedient son
Indrajit was introduced in Ramayana in the Sundara Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana. He was the eldest son of Ravana.
a) At the behest of his father, he attacks Shri Hanuman in Sundara kanda without hesitation and binds the latter, but not before acknowledging the great prowess of Shri Hanuman.
हनुमतो वेद न राक्षसोऽन्त्रम् |
न मारुतिस्तस्य महात्मनोऽन्तरम् |
परस्परम् निर्विषहौ बभूवतुः |
समेत तौ देवसमानविक्रमौ || ५-४८-३३
Indrajit could not know the weakness of Hanuma, nor did Hanuma know the weakness of high-minded Indrajit. Those two warriors, who were equal in prowess to gods, coming into collision with each other, became unbearable to each other.
अवध्योऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा तमस्त्रेणास्त्रतत्त्ववित् |
निजग्राह महाबाहुर्मारुतात्मजमिन्द्रजित् || ५-४८-३७
Indrajit, who knows the true nature of missiles, feeling certain that he was incapable of being killed, bound that Hanuma, the son of wind-god, by that presided over by Brahma the creator.
b) Even when Vibhishana reprimands Ravana for his act of abducting Sita and advises Ravana to restore Sita to Ravana, Indrajit intervenes and calls Vibhishana weak and coward and supports his father Ravana.
सत्त्वेन वीर्येण पराक्रमेण
धैर्येण शौर्येण च तेजसा च |
एकः कुलेऽस्मिन् पुरुषो विमुक्तो |
विभीषणस्तातकनिष्ठ एषः || ६-१५-३
"In our race, this Vibhishana the youngest uncle is the only individual lacking in strength, heroism, prowess, courage, valor and vital powers"
किम् नाम तौ मानुषराजपुत्रा |
वस्माकमेकेन हि राक्षसेन |
सुप्राकृतेनापि निहन्तुमेतौ |
शक्यौ कुतो भीषयसे स्म भीरो || ६-१५-४
"What after all are those princes who are mere human beings? They can be killed even by one very ordinary demon among us. O, coward! Why are you frightening us? "
2) Indrajit - a great warrior
a) Ravana says Indrajit is equal to him.
ममानुरूपम् तपसो बलम् च ते |
पराक्रमश्चास्त्रबलम् च सम्युगे |
न त्वाम् समासाद्य रणावमर्दे |
मनः श्रमं गच्छति निश्चितार्थम् || ५-४८-६
"The strength of your penance as also your prowess and strength in battle resemble mine. Admitting you in the squeeze of battle, my mind does not get fatigues because of the re-assurance."
b) Indrajit using his powers becomes invisible to everyone and employs various divine weapons and binds Shri Rama and Lakshmana in a web of serpentine arrows.
निरन्तर शरीरौ तु भ्रातरौ राम लक्ष्मणौ |
क्रुद्धेन इन्द्रजोता वीरौ पन्नगैह् शरताम् गतैः || ६-४५-८
The bodies of both those warriors, Rama and Lakshmana were densely transfixed with serpentine arrows by the enraged Indrajit.
ततो विभिन्न सर्व अन्गौ शर शल्य आचिताव् उभौ |
ध्वजाव् इव महा इन्द्रस्य रज्जु मुक्तौ प्रकम्पितौ || ६-४५-१७
तौ सम्प्रचलितौ वीरौ मर्म भेदेन कर्शितौ |
निपेततुर् महा इष्वासौ जगत्याम् जगती पती || ६-४५-१८
Pierced in their vital parts, exhausted, and covered all over with heads of arrows, those two mighty and courageous archers fell to the earth, they who were the lords of the earth, shaking violently like a pair of flag-staffs in honour of Indra the Lord celestials and freed from their raised of chords.
3) Indrajit - An expert in Vamachara methods or methods in obtaining superhuman power in shortest time
a) In the 2nd round of war
ततस्तु हुतभोक्तारं हुतभुक्सदृशप्रभः || ६-७३- २१
जुहुवे राक्षसश्रेष्ठो मन्त्रवद्विधिवत्तदा |
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 || ६-७३-२४
छागस्य सर्वकृष्णस्य गलं जग्राह जीवतः |
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).
सोऽस्त्रमाहारयामास ब्राह्ममस्त्रविदां वरः || ६-७३-२७
धनुश्चात्मरथं चैव सर्वं तत्राभ्यमन्त्रयत् |
Indrajit, who was skilled in the use of mystic missiles, invoked the missile presided over by Brahma and charged it on his bow, chariot and all.
स पावकं पावकदीप्ततेजा |
हुत्वा महेन्द्रप्रतिमप्रभावः|
स चापबाणासिरथाश्वसूतः |
खेऽन्तर्दध आत्मानमचिन्त्यरूपः || ६-७३-२९
Having propitiated offering in fire, Indrajit, having a splendour shining like the fire, having a might similar to that of Indra, and possessing an unimaginable prowess, became himself invisible in the sky, with the bow, arrows, sword, chariot, horses, charioteer and all.
सप्तषष्टिर्हताः कोट्यो वानराणां तरस्विनाम् |
अह्नः पञ्चमशेषेण वल्लभेन स्वयम्भुवः || ६-७४-१२
Sixty seven crores of powerful monkeys were struck down by the cherished missile of Brahma, the self-born creator, in the fifth and last period of the day.
b) In the 3rd round of war
Indrajit plans to perform a ritual, in a sanctuary by name Nikumbhila. On returning after pouring oblations into the sacred fire, Indrajit will prove difficult to be overcome in battle, even by celestials including Indra.
In order to distract Shri Rama , Lakshmana and Vanaras, Indrajit beheads an Illusory Sita in front of Vanaras. The very purpose of undertaking the war by the vanaras is to restore Sita to Shri Rama. Vanaras under impression that real Sita was killed stop the war and report the same to Shri Rama, who fells down unconscious.
However, Vibhishana clarifies that the person, who makes Indrajit stop the ritual at Nikhumbhila half way through, will kill, as per the dictum of Brahma, Indrajit. Thus, Lakshmana makes Indrajit stop the ritual half way through.
4) Indrajit fights till his death for the sake of his father
In a terrific fight that ensued, Lakshmana and Indrajit, who were engaged in releasing several streams of arrows, fought like two lions. Lakshmana the foremost among humans and Indrajit the foremost among demons fought with rejoice.
That fierce battle went on for a longer period due to exchange of many ASTRAs presided by various deities like Varuna, Agni, Maheswara, etc. Finally fitting a missile presided over by Indra to his bow and drawing it, Lakshmana discharged it at Indrajit after making the following prayer:
धर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धश्च रामो दाशरथिर्यदि ||
पौरुषे चाप्रतिद्वन्द्वस्तदेनं जहि रावणिम् | (Yuddha Kanda - Sarga 90 - Sloka 71)
“O my dear arrow! If Rama the son of Dasaratha has set his mind on virtue (Dharma), keeps up his promise and is second to none in his prowess,destroy this Indrajit.”
That large head of Indrajit, separated from his trunk and moistened with blood, was seen on the ground, shining like gold.
We have to understand that neither the prowess nor the skill in divine weapons of Lakshmana kill the great warrior Indrajit.
After attempting various weapons, Lakshmana finally invoked the ascetic power of Shri Rama.
It was the ascetic power of Shri Rama consisting of virtue (Dharma - धर्मात्मा), keeps up his promise (सत्यसन्धश्च) and is second to none in his prowess (or) not to be vanquished- अप्रतिद्वन्द्व: पौरुषे) that eliminated the Indrajit.
Lakshmana was only instrumental.
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