Vibhishana takes Lakshmana to the place where indrajit is performing the sacrificial rite. He advises Lakshmana to destroy Indrajit even before he finishes the sacrificial rite at a banyan tree. Indrajit sees Vibhishana there and starts talking harsh words to him, saying that he has ditched him by bringing Lakshmana to that place. Vibhishana replies that because of Ravana's vices, he has left him and joined Rama's side. He further adds that Indrajit and his army will not survive under the range of Lakshmana's arrows.
After speaking to him as aforesaid, Vibhishana taking Lakshmana, who held a bow in his hand, felt rejoiced and hastened away. Moving not very distant from there and entering an extensive thicket, Vibhishana showed to Lakshmana, the place where Indrajit was going to pour oblations into the sacred fire. The glorious Vibhishana showed a terribly looking banyan tree, appearing like a black cloud (and spoke as follows):
"After offering oblations to the spirits at this place, the mighty Indrajit proceeds to the battle afterwards. Thereupon, this demon becomes invisible to any one, kills some enemies in battle and binds some with his excellent arrows. Destroy that mighty Indrajit, along with his chariot, horses and charioteer, by releasing your blazing arrows, even while he has not reached the banyan tree."
That greatly brilliant Lakshmana, a delight of his fiends, saying 'So be it' took his stand there, twanging his bow at full length. That Indrajit, the son of Ravana, clad in armour, armed with a sword, and distinguished by his ensign, appeared in a fire- coloured chariot. That highly splendid Lakshmana spoke to that Indrajit, the scion of Sage Paulastya, who had never been conquered before (as follows): "I am inviting you for a fight. Give battle to me in a right manner."
Thus spoken by Lakshmana, Indrajit with a great brilliance and high mindedness, seeing Vibhishana there, spoke the following harsh words to him: "O demon! You are born and brought up here. You are a direct brother to my father and a paternal uncle to me. How can you be hostile to a son? O perverted fellow, an abuser of righteousness! Consanguinity is not a norm for you, or friendliness, or pride of birth, nor a brotherly feeling nor a right conduct. O evil-minded one! You are pitiable and deserve to be reproached by the virtuous, in that having abandoned your onw kind; you have entered into the service of our enemy."
"You are not recognizing the great difference because of your feeble mind. Where is living together with one's own kindred and where is taking refuge with low kind of enemies? Opponents may be virtuous. One's own kindred may not be virtuous. But, a relation, though bereft of merit is preferable. An enemy is, indeed, ever an enemy. He who, abandoning his own side, takes sides with adversary, is killed, after his own knsmen are destroyed just by those people of the other side."
"O Indrajit, the demon! The ruthlessness thus shown by you and the manliness exhibited by you (in bringing Lakshmana here) could be possible only by you, our own kindred."
Hearing the words of Indrajit, his brother's son, Vibhishana replied: "O demon! Why do you speak perversely, as though you are not aware of my nature? O Indrajit the wicked one! Atleast out of respect for the elders, abandon your harshness. Even if I am born in a demoniac race, which does cruel acts, my nature is goodness, which is prime virtue of human beings and it is not demoniacal. I neither delight in cruel acts, nor rejoice in unvirtuous acts. How can a brother be driven away by his brother, even if the former's nature is different?"
"Renouncing a man of sinful resolve hose conduct has deviated from righteousness, one attains happiness, as one shakes off a venomous serpent from his hand. The wise men say that an evil-natured fellow, who is intent on taking away other's property and lustfully touches another's wife, is worth shunning, as one abandons a house in flames. Three faults produce destruction. Taking away other's property, lustfully touching another's wife and excessive distrust with one's friends."
These faults which destroy one's life and lordship killing great sages terribly, waging war against all celestials, arrogance, becoming angry very easily, quarrelsomeness, ill-will have concealed the good qualities of my elder brother, as the clouds conceal the view of mountains. Because of these vices, Ravana, your father and my brother, has been abandoned by me. Neither will this City of Lanka will exist any longer nor you nor your father."
"O demon! You can talk to me as you like, since you are arrogant, foolish, and indisciplined and caught, as you are, in the noose of Death. O the worst of demons! You got this calamity here because you spoke harsh words to me today. You cannot reach the banyan-tree any longer. It is not possible for you to survive, on attacking Lakshmana. You fight with Lakshmana, the lord of men, in the battle-field. After being killed, you will do sacred work in the abode of Yama, the god of Death. Do spend away all your weapons and arrows, by showing your own augmented strength. Reaching the range of Lakshmana's arrows, you will not indeed return alive with your army today."