Lakshman Rao
Meghanada, with his prize captive Indra in tow, reached Lanka. Commanding his forces to return home and rest, he left for the palace. Ravana too, bolstered with arrogance, returned, proud of having brought the Lord of the Three Worlds as a near-prisoner of war. Meanwhile, the gods in heaven, distressed by this alarming turn of events, sought the intervention of Brahma, drawing his attention to Meghanada’s act. After thoughtful consideration, Brahma descended to Lanka, accompanied by the gods in a solemn and composed manner.
Upon arrival, Brahma saw Ravana, surrounded by his sons, brothers, counselors, and demon warriors. Ravana and his assembly bowed before the Creator. Brahma, addressing the mighty Ravana, spoke: “O great king, your son is a mirror of your greatness. I have witnessed your valiant fighting, both of you excelling beyond others. I am pleased with your son’s skills and his unmatched battle prowess. Henceforth, as he has conquered Indra, the Lord of the Three Worlds, let him be known as ‘Indrajeet’ — the conqueror of Indra. Under his stewardship, your line has achieved great honor, and he shall remain undefeated as long as he completes his daily war rituals.”
Brahma continued, “O Indrajeet, release the Lord of the Three Worlds, and tell me what you desire in return for my counsel.” Indrajeet, with reverence, responded, “O Creator, how can I refuse you? As you ask what I desire, I seek immortality.” Brahma replied, “Understand, O radiant hero, that every living being—whether on land, in water, among the trees, or the mountains—must face their end. Life and death are intertwined; such is the law of the universe, immutable and unchanging.”
Indrajeet, realizing the nature of Brahma’s words, then said, “O Lord, grant me this boon instead: that when I perform my rituals with the sacred fire, I am granted an invincible chariot and weapons that will not diminish, no matter how fiercely I use them. As long as I am on this chariot, I will remain undefeated. But if my ritual is left incomplete, let me fall to my challenger.” Brahma granted the boon, and Ravana, along with his sons, brothers, and counselors, bid farewell to Indra. Brahma and the gods then returned to Indraloka.
Indra, now stripped of his glow, sat in sorrow, his head bowed in humiliation, as if he had lost everything. Brahma, seeing his misery, addressed him: “O Indra, in the past, you committed a grave sin. After much contemplation, I created mankind in your likeness—form, complexion, and behavior without distinction. From the finest qualities of creation, I fashioned a woman, and she was named Ahalya. You, claiming her for yourself as the Lord of the Three Worlds, ignored my wishes. I entrusted her to the care of Sage Gautama, whose discipline and penance I honored by giving Ahalya to him in marriage.
“But under the sway of lust, you approached Gautama’s ashram, disguised as the sage himself, and deceived Ahalya. When Gautama learned of your treachery, he cursed you: that you would be defeated in war and taken captive, and that whoever sat upon your throne would be unstable. This is your punishment. However, to atone, you must conduct the Vaishnav yajna and free yourself from Gautama’s curse. Know this: your son, Jayantha, has been saved by his grandfather and hidden beneath the sea. He will join you upon your return.”
Having spoken thus, Brahma concluded. “Rama,” Agastya said, “I have recounted to you the strength and prowess of Indrajeet and Ravana. If they could defeat Indra himself, what chance do lesser kings stand against them?” Lakshmana and the Vanaras, hearing this tale, were left astonished. Vibhishana, recalling his own experiences, confirmed the sage’s words. With that, they all returned to their respective quarters, deep in thou
