Atikaya

 

Did Ravana have any other great warrior in his side except Kumbhkarna and Indrajit?

Did Ravana have any other great warrior in his side except Kumbhkarna and Indrajit?

Yes!

Atikaya was another mighty warrior in the side of Raavana.

Atikaya is the son of Raavana and Dhanyamali

Atikaya did penance and gained missiles from Lord Brahma.

"He, who purified his soul by meditating on the universal soul, worshipped Brahma the lord of creation, obtained missiles too and conquered the enemies.

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Moreover, Atikaya gained a boon from Lord Brahma that he cannot be killed by celestials and demons along with a divine armour and achariot.

"Brahma, the lord of creation, granted a boon, exempting him from death at the hands of celestials and demons as also this wonderful armour and thechariot shining like the sun."

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

HIS FEATS

Atikaya conquered the celestials and Ogres several times and destroyed Yakshas.

"He conquered the celestials and the ogres several times, destroyed Yakshas the supernatural beings and defended the demons."

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Atikaya paralysed the Vajra of Indra and struck down the noose of Varuna using his ordinary arrows.

"He is Atikaya, who paralyzed thethunderbolt of the intelligent Indra with his arrows. He struck down the noose ofVaruna, the seizer of transgressors. This wise Ravana's son, who is strong and the foremost of demons took off the pride of celestials and ogres."

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Atikaya repulsed a group attack done by Dvivida, Mainda, Nila, Kumuda and Sharabha and afflicted them with his sharp shafts. He frightened the monkeys with his prowess,

Taking trees and mountain peaks, Kumuda, Dvivida, Mainda, Nila and Sharabha marched forwards quickly to attack him at once. Atikaya of great splendour, the foremost among those skilled in weaponry, chopped off their trees and crags with his arrows decked with gold. That strong and skilled Atikaya with a terrific body, struck all those monkeys, facing in front of him in battle with arrows fully made of iron. Those overthrown monkeys, injured with their blown out bodies, by the shower of Atikaya's arrows in that great battle, were unable to retaliate on him. That demon, who was arrogant of his youth, frightened that army of monkey-warriors, as an enraged lion frightens a herd of deers.

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Atikaya also made Sri Lakshman fall unconscious for a moment.

Atikaya, that mighty demon, though deluged with a flood of arrows, was not agitated in battle because of the inviolability of his armour. Atikaya released an arrow having a serpent-like form on Lakshmana. Struck by that arrow on his vital parts, that Lakshmana, the tormentator of his enemies, felt unconscious just for a moment.

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Atikaya was a underrated warrior of Raavana’s army.

His impenetrable armour…

Sri Lakshman’s arrows was unable to afflict Atikaya due to his inviolable armour. This armour protected Atikaya from his sharp arrows.

Then, the furious Lakshmana showered forth hails of arrows on Atikaya, as a rainy cloud showers hails of down-pour.Reaching Atikaya, those arrows with the points of their shafts shattered on his armour, adorned with diamonds and instantly fell on the earth's surface.Seeing those arrows becoming unsuccessful, the highly famous Lakshmana the annihilator of enemy-warriors, showered forth arrows in thousands. Atikaya, that mighty demon, though deluged with a flood of arrows, was not agitated in battle because of the inviolability of his armour.

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

The wind-god told Lakshmana about Atikaya’s boon and inviolable armour. The wind-god advised to use Brahmastra against Atikaya because other missile cannot cause his death.

Free from flurry, that Lakshmana, the son of Sumitra, released those arrows, exactly aiming at that demon, for the purpose of killing him. Lakshmana, the best among men, was not able to afflict any injury to Atikaya in battle. Then, the wind-god came to him and spoke to him as follows: "He, endowed with a boon by Brahma the lord of creation, is cloaked by inviolable armour. Split him with a missile of Brahma. He cannot be killed by any other means. The mighty Atikaya, with that armour, cannot be destroyed by other missiles."

Valmiki Ramayana: Yuddha Kanda [Sarga] 71

Finally, Atikaya was killed by Sri Lakshmana using his divine brahmastra.