numan, the son of Pavana, taking up a
mountain peak, rushed towards one of the brothers, and with that weapon
took the life of the Rakshasa Vajravega. And that mighty monkey, Nala,
also, with a large mass of rock, crushed Promathin, that other younger
brother of Dushana. The deadly struggle, however, between the soldiers
of Rama and Ravana, rushing against one another, instead of coming to an
end even after this, raged on as before. And hundreds of _Rakshasas_
were slain by the denizens of the forest, while many of the latter were
slain by the former. The loss, however, in killed, of the _Rakshasas_
was far greater than that of the monkeys.

SECTION CCLXXXVI

"Markandeya said, 'Learning that Kumbhakarna had with his followers,
fallen in battle as also that great warrior Prahasta, and Dhumraksha too
of mighty energy, Ravana then addressed his heroic son Indrajit saying,
"O slayer of foes, slay thou in battle Rama and Sugriva and Lakshmana.
My good son, it was by thee that this blazing fame of mine had been
acquired by vanquishing in battle that wielder of the thunderbolt, the
thousand-eyed Lord of Sachi! Having the power of appearing and vanishing
at thy will, slay thou, O smiter of foes, my enemies by means, O thou
foremost of all wielders of weapons, of thy celestial arrows received as
boons (from the gods)! Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva are incapable of
enduring the bare touch of thy weapons. What shall I say, therefore, of
their followers? That cessation of hostilities which could not be
brought about by either Prahasta or Kumbhakarna in battle, be it thine,
O mighty-armed one, to bring about! Slaying my enemies with all their
army by means of thy keen-edged shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as
thou didst once before by vanquishing Vasava!" Thus addressed by him,
Indrajit said--So be it,--and encased in mail he quickly ascended his
chariot, and proceeded, O king, towards the field of battle. And then
that bull amongst _Rakshasas_ loudly announcing his own name, challenged
Lakshmana endued with auspicious marks, to a single combat. And
Lakshmana, thus challenged, rushed towards that _Rakshasa_, with his bow
and arrows, and striking terror into his adversary's heart by means of
the flapping of his bow-string on the leathern case of his left hand.
And the encounter that took place between those warriors that defied
each other's prowess and each of whom was desirous of vanquishing the
other, and both of whom were