RamaYijaya* 61;

Ms county, Itfikumbala, to perform a penance with a view
to get from the deity of fire a divyv,raiha,* with horses and
weapons. He entered a solitary place and, posting de- -
mons to watch it, began to perform the penance. Indrajit
killed for the purpose many Brahmans^and cows and,
washing his body with their blood, seated himself upon
corpses and carcasses, made a havan] and offered the
deity of fire the h'eads of Brahmans and cows. The deity
having been pleased with him, half of the divyaratha came
- out of the ha van.

Maruti believed that the woman, whose head had been
cut off, was Sita and communicated the sad news to Ram#
and Lakshuman, which disheartened and disappointed aJJ.
Jn the meantime, Yibhishan came and informed Rama
and the monkeys that Sita was safe in the Asoka forest
and that tide Sita, whose head was cut off by Indrajit, was
created by him with his mantras. He also informed them
of the penance and said, " Half of the divyaratha has
come out of the fire; and if the whole chariot come out,
you will nofc be able to conquer Indrajit. I, .therefore,
advise you to go to Mkumbala as soon as possible and
destroy the ha van, so that the chariot may disappear and
not come to the hands of the demon-prince, I also tell; you
that as soon as you destroy the havan, Ite will be desper-
ate and fight with you ; but no one will be able io kill
him, unless he has observed fast for 12 years.'* listen-
ing to what Yibhishan had said Rama made a sign ta
Lakshuman, who had observed fast for 14 years, and
bade him go with Maruti, Sugriva, and the other monkeys
to Mkurnbala to destroy the ha van and kill Indrajit. Lak-
shuman accordingly went with them to Nikumbala and
destroyed the chariot and ha van. The noise of .the monkeys
aroused Indrajit who was in deep meditations; and find*?

* A beautiful, fine and charming diariot, '• ' f Oblation
by fire to a deity.

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