The next day, the boys reached the battlefield again. They challenged the King of Kaushala to battle if he wished to take the horse, or to leave it and go away. Rama smiled and checked their challenge telling them they were too young to throw out such challenges. “Return the horse and go home, my boys. That will be the best course of action,” he advised. But Luv and Kush declared they were warriors and could not run away from a battlefield. With that they began the battle once again. Rama once again defended himself easily for a long time. Then the sheer stubbornness of the boys got him thoroughly irritated and he took a powerful arrow to shoot. Just then, Valmiki reached there and intervened. Recognising him, Rama got down from his chariot and bowed at his feet respectfully.
Valmiki Stops the Battle
