Indrajit (Meghanada): Ravana's Son in the Ramayana
Quick answer: Indrajit, also called Meghanada, is the eldest son of Ravana and the most dangerous warrior on the rakshasa side in Valmiki's Ramayana. A master of illusion who fought unseen from the sky, he bound Hanuman with the Brahmastra, twice brought down Rama and Lakshmana with his weapons, and
Quick answer: Indrajit, also called Meghanada, is the eldest son of Ravana and the most dangerous warrior on the rakshasa side in Valmiki's Ramayana. A master of illusion who fought unseen from the sky, he bound Hanuman with the Brahmastra, twice brought down Rama and Lakshmana with his weapons, and killed an illusory Sita to break the vanaras' spirit. Lakshmana, guided by Vibhishana, stopped him from finishing a sacrifice at Nikumbhila and killed him after a long duel.
His name means "conqueror of Indra". This page follows Valmiki's Ramayana, with kanda and sarga numbers from the edition on IIT Kanpur's site.
| Indrajit at a glance | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Meghanada ("thunder of the clouds"), Ravani ("son of Ravana") |
| Parents | Ravana and Mandodari |
| Known for | Illusion, fighting invisible from the sky, the Brahmastra |
| Battles | Sundara Kanda 48; Yuddha Kanda 44 to 46, 73, 80 to 91 |
| Killed by | Lakshmana (Yuddha Kanda, sarga 91) |
Hanuman bound
After Hanuman killed Ravana's generals and Prince Aksha in the Ashoka grove, Ravana sent Indrajit. Unable to defeat Hanuman otherwise, Indrajit bound him with the Brahmastra (Sundara Kanda, sarga 48). Hanuman, honouring Brahma's weapon and wanting to see Ravana, let himself be taken. The rakshasas then tied him with ropes as well, which released him from the weapon's hold.
Speaking for war
When Vibhishana urged Ravana to give Sita back, Indrajit mocked him as a coward, and Vibhishana answered that Indrajit was a child leading his father to ruin (Yuddha Kanda, sarga 15).
The serpent arrows
Fighting invisible, Indrajit bound Rama and Lakshmana with serpent arrows, and they fell (sargas 44 and 45). He told Ravana he had killed them (sarga 46), and Ravana had Sita shown the fallen brothers (sarga 47). Garuda came and the serpents fled; Rama and Lakshmana were whole again (sarga 50).
The Brahmastra
In a later battle Indrajit released the Brahmastra, felling Rama, Lakshmana and much of the army (sarga 73). Jambavan sent Hanuman to the Himalayas for healing herbs; Hanuman brought back the mountain itself, and the fallen recovered (sarga 74).
The illusory Sita
Returning to battle, Indrajit fought hidden again; Lakshmana wanted to use the Brahmastra against him, and Rama held him back (sarga 80). Indrajit then created an illusion of Sita and killed it in front of Hanuman (sarga 81). The news made Rama faint (sarga 83).
Nikumbhila and his death
Vibhishana saw through the illusion. Indrajit, he explained, had gone to perform a sacrifice at the shrine of Nikumbhila; if he finished it, he could not be killed, so he must be stopped before the end (sarga 84). Rama sent Lakshmana with Vibhishana, Hanuman and an army (sarga 85). They broke up the sacrifice; Indrajit came out to fight (sarga 86), and he and Vibhishana exchanged bitter words (sarga 87).
Lakshmana and Indrajit then fought one of the longest duels in the epic (sargas 88 to 90). Lakshmana killed Indrajit's charioteer and horses, and Indrajit fought on foot. At last, invoking Rama's truthfulness and righteousness, Lakshmana released the arrow of Indra and cut off Indrajit's head (sarga 91). Rama embraced Lakshmana, and Sushena healed his wounds (sarga 92). Ravana, mad with grief, set out to kill Sita and was stopped by his minister Suparshva (sarga 93).
Later additions
The Uttara Kanda, which many scholars regard as a later addition, tells how Meghanada captured Indra in battle and so earned the name Indrajit, and how Brahma gave him boons. Many later retellings add that he could be killed only by one who had not slept for fourteen years, which they connect with Lakshmana and Urmila; this is not in Valmiki.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Meghanada called Indrajit?
The name means "conqueror of Indra". The Uttara Kanda tells how he captured Indra in battle.
Who killed Indrajit?
Lakshmana, after Vibhishana led him to Nikumbhila (Yuddha Kanda, sargas 85 to 91).
What was the Nikumbhila sacrifice?
A rite that, if completed, would have made Indrajit unbeatable. Lakshmana's force interrupted it (sargas 84 to 86).
Did Indrajit kill Sita?
No. He killed an illusion of Sita to deceive the vanaras (sarga 81).
Who was Indrajit's mother?
Mandodari, Ravana's chief queen.
Related reading
Sources
- Valmiki Ramayana, Sanskrit text with English translation (Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati), IIT Kanpur: heritage.iitk.ac.in/VRAM. References are kanda and sarga in this edition.
Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.
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