War in Ancient India c10.23

c10.23

In the Rāmāyaṇa when Rāvaṇa was flying with Sītā in his aerial car to Laṅkā, Jaṭāyu, a giant bird, charged him and his car and this led to a duel between the bird and the Rākṣasa king. Golikere draws attention to a number of instances where fierce duels have been fought between man and bird of prey resulting in the damage of the aeroplane and its inmates, in some cases leading to a forced landing.¹⁰ Again, the Rākṣasa Droṇamukha offers his services to Rāvaṇa in his encounter with the vānara hosts to fight them either on the sea or in the sky or in subterranean regions.¹¹ After the great victory of Rāma over Laṅkā, Vibhīṣaṇa presented him with the Puṣpaka vimāna which was furnished with windows, apartments, and excellent seats. It was capable of accommodating all the vānaras besides Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa.¹² Rāma flew to his capital Ayodhyā pointing to Sītā from above the places of encampment, the town of Kiṣkindhā and others on the way. Again Vālmīki beautifully compares the city of Ayodhyā to an aerial car.¹³