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KUSHA FIGHTING WITH SHATRUGHNA

Kusha chased the army like a whirlwind. Nearing it, he shouted, "Stop! Stop!" The soldiers did not pay heed to his words and were marching on. Kusha became enraged. He shot an arrow. It flew with a hissing sound and pierced the back of a soldier who fell down. At once the whole army stopped and turned to Kusha. The soldiers got ready to fight with this new boy. But in no time Kusha rained his arrows on them. Many soldiers fell victims to his arrows and were aground. Shatrughna turned to him and said, "You are like the young of a deer and do you want to fight with tigers?" Kusha laughed and replied, "You are no tiger but a fox. When I was not there you have stolen my brother and are going away." With these words he shot four arrows, which killed the four horses of Shatrughna's chariot. Another arrow brought down the charioteer.

Shatrughna jumped down from his chariot and with great wrath shouted, "You wicked boy, I'll kill you now." But an arrow shot by Kusha pierced Shatrughna's chest. Loudly uttering "Rama! Rama!" he fell down on the ground with a thud.

KUSHA AND LUV WITH THE HORSE

Seeing Shatrughna collapsing on the ground, all the army-men trembled with fear. They dropped their weapons and stood quietly. A messenger on horseback was sent to Rama. Kusha went near Shatrughna's chariot. Just then Luv also regained consciousness.As soon as he saw Kusha, he shouted, "O, brother!" and jumped from the chariot. They embraced each other. Luv said, "Brother, my bow was broken in the fight. I will now pray to the Sun-God as taught by our preceptor Valmiki and obtain a new bow." Kusha said, "Yes, please do so." Luv closed his eyes and chanted the Surya-mantra, or the hymn to the Sun. Then the Sun favored him with a new bow. Both Luv and Kusha were overjoyed at this. The two again dragged the sacrificial horse and tied it to a tree.

The messenger from the war field went straight to Rama, who was sitting in the pavilion being consecrated to perform the Ashwamedha sacrifice. The soldier told him all that had happened. Rama at first would not believe that a mere boy had defeated Shatrughna. But the soldier swore by it. Then Rama became worried as to who that boy could be. He sent his brother Lakshmana with a new army to help Shatrughna. Seeing him, the soldiers on the war field were renewed with courage. The whole army together attacked the boys again. But it was unavailing. The arrows of the boys felled many of them.

LAKSHMANA FELLED BY KUSHA

Looking at the bad shape of his army, Lakshmana entered the fray. Kusha left his brother to fight the army and faced Lakshmana. A fierce fight ensued between them. Kusha shot the arrow of fire, but Lakshmana used the arrow of water and extinguished it. Kusha then sent a snake-arrow. Lakshmana destroyed it with an eagle-arrow.

Kusha was now very angry. He shot a very mighty arrow, the use of which Valmiki had taught him. The arrow went straight to Lakshmana and hit him. It hit him so powerfully that Lakshmana tottered and fell down on the ground. By then all the soldiers had also fled from the battlefield, unable to bear Luv's arrows.