Aksha Kumaraअक्ष कुमार

The Young Prince’s Aerial Battle

After five commanders and their followers have fallen, Ravana looks toward Aksha in the court. The prince takes the signal and rises to fight. His chariot is described as obtained through austerity, overlaid with gold and drawn by eight swift horses. It can move in the sky and carries bows, arrows, swords, spears and lances. He approaches Hanuman, who remains at the arched gateway.

Aksha opens with three arrows aimed at Hanuman’s head. Hanuman grows in size, then rises into the air as the prince continues shooting. Aksha pursues in the flying chariot, while Hanuman moves between the arrows. Hanuman recognizes the youth’s composure, endurance and increasing skill. He is initially reluctant to kill so accomplished a young opponent, but decides that allowing the attack to grow stronger would endanger him.

Hanuman strikes down the eight horses with blows of his palms and breaks the chariot, which falls from the sky. Aksha leaps clear carrying his weapons and continues moving through the air. Hanuman catches his feet, whirls him around and throws him violently onto the ground, killing him. He returns to the gateway. Ravana’s anger at his son’s death then leads him to send Indrajit, another son renowned for divine missiles.