SECTION CCLXXXVIII

“Markandeya said, ’The Ten-necked (Ravana), excited to fury at the death of his beloved son, ascended his car decked with gold and gems.  And surrounded by terrible Rakshasas with various kinds of weapons in their hands, Ravana rushed towards Rama, fighting with numerous monkey-chiefs.  And beholding him rushing in wrath towards the monkey army, Mainda and Nila and Nala and Angada, and Hanuman and Jambuvan, surrounded him with all their troops.  And those foremost of monkeys and bears began to exterminate with trunks of trees, the soldiers of the Ten-necked (Ravana), in his very sight.  And beholding the enemy slaughtering his troops, the Rakshasa king, Ravana, possessed of great powers of illusion, began to put them forth.  And forth from his body began to spring hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas armed with arrows and lances and double-edged swords in hand.  Rama, however, with a celestial weapon slew all those Rakshasas.  The king of the Rakshasas then once more put forth his prowess of illusion.  The Ten-faced, producing from his body numerous warriors resembling, O Bharata, both Rama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two brothers.  And then those Rakshasas, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and armed with bows and arrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power of illusion put forth by the king of Rakshasas, that descendant of Ikshwaku’s race, the son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic words, “Slay those Rakshasas, those wretches with forms like thy own!” And Rama, thereupon slew those and other Rakshasas of forms resembling his own.  And that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rama on the field of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto which were yoked horses of a tawny hue.  And Matali said, “O son of Kakutstha’s race, this excellent and victorious car, unto which have been yoked this pair of tawny horses, belongs to the Lord of celestials!  It is on this excellent car, O tiger among men, that Indra hath slain in battle hundreds of Daityas and Danavas!  Therefore, O tiger among men, do thou, riding on the car driven by me, quickly slay Ravana in battle!  Do not delay in achieving this!” Thus addressed by him, the descendant of Raghu’s race, however, doubted the truthful words of Matali, thinking this is another illusion produced by the Rakshasas—­Vibhishana then addressed him saying, “This, O tiger among men, is no illusion of the wicked Ravana!  Ascend thou this chariot quickly, for this, O thou of great effulgence, belongeth to Indra!” The descendant of Kakutstha then cheerfully said unto Vibhishana, “So be it”, and riding on that car, rushed wrathfully upon Ravana.  And when Ravana, too, rushed against his antagonist, a loud wail of woe was set up by the creatures of the Earth, while the celestials in heaven sent forth a leonine roar accompanied