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LUV ATTACKING THE ARMY

On the way it espied Valmiki's hermitage. Seeing the lush green grass there, the horse entered the hermitage. It was trampling upon the flowerbeds there and spoiling the garden. Kusha was not there. Luv happened to be playing there with other boys of the hermitage. He saw the horse. He went near it and saw the golden plaque on its forehead. When he read the inscription, he became very angry. He thought, "Is Rama, the son of Kausalya, the only hero? If I don't humble his pride, what is the use of my being the son of Sita?" With the towel, which was his upper garment, he tied that horse to a tree. He would not listen to the other boys who in fear asked him not to do so.

Meanwhile the soldiers accompanying the horse came there. They became angry that the horse had been tied up. "Who did this?" they asked the boys who were there. Trembling with fear, the boys said, "We didn't do that. It was he," pointing at Luv. The soldiers turned to Luv and shouted, "Untie it first." But Luv said, "Why should I untie the horse? I won't. And take care! If any of you tries to untie it, I'll cut off his hands." One of them, thinking that a young boy's words need only to be ignored, went to the horse to untie it. Luv promptly fixed an arrow in his bow and shot it the soldier's hand was cut.

The other soldiers were all very angry at what had happened to one of them. All of them surrounded the boy. But a swarm of flies does not shake a mountain. Luv stood firm and brought on a rain of arrows upon them. Many soldiers were injured and fell to the ground. They were stunned by his courage and heroism. By then the commander of the army, Shatrughna confronted Luv. He said, "Look, boy, who are you? And why have you tied the king's horse? Well, don't die of my hands. Leave the horse and run."

LUV BEING STRUCK BY THE ARROW OF SHATRUGHNA

The words did not frighten Luv. He chanted the Mahesha incantation taught by Valmiki and aimed an arrow. Shatrughna was enraged at the boy's impudence. He also took his bow into his hands. But Luv shot an arrow that broke his bow. Shatrughna was utterly surprised at the boy's bravery. He was also angry. He took another bow and shot a terrible arrow at Luv. Luv cut that arrow too. But only one half of the arrow fell down on the ground and the other sharp half-pierced Luv's chest. The boy fell down with a loud cry.

Shatrughna went near the boy prostrate on the ground. He greatly admired the boldness of the boy. He looked at him from near. Seeing the boy's handsome features, he felt drawn to him. He lifted up Luv and lay him down in his chariot. The soldiers freed the horse tied to the tree. All of them started towards Ayodhya, led by the horse.

The young sons of the rishis were all very afraid at what had happened to Luv. Weeping loudly they ran to the ashram and narrated to Sita all that had transpired. She started weeping tearfully, not knowing what would be her son's fate. And this had happened when Valmiki was not in the hermitage! She was in confusion as to what should be done now. When Luv tied the sacrificial horse to a tree, Kusha was not in the ashram. He had gone out to the forest to bring the holy twigs for worship. When he returned, he saw Sita was weeping. He asked her, "Mother, why are you weeping? What happened?" Amidst loud sobs Sita told him all that had happened. Kusha became red with anger. He burst out, "Mother, don't be afraid. Even if it is Yama the God of Death who has taken away my brother, I will break his bones. I do no care for these so-called kings. Give me my shields, bow and arrows." Sita at once put on him his nail-coat and fetched his bow and arrows. Kusha prostrated before his mother. "May you succeed," Sita blessed and bade him farewell.