74. END OF RAVANA :

THERE was wailing in every house in

Lanka. In Ravana's breast grief, shame

and anger seethed like a raging sea. He

had so far sent his commanders and men

in detachments, and, brave as they were,

they had been destroyed in detail. This

had been the result of overweening

confidence in his invincibility and

contempt for the enemy, most of whom

fought with no better weapons than sticks

and stones. But repeated reverses had

brought him no wisdom.

He had not even disputed the passage

of the sea but allowed the enemy a

lodgment in his island. But negligent and

reckless as a general, he was brave and

finally resolving to fight himself and with

his sole strength to destroy the foe, he set

out. He had full faith in his prowess and in

the efficacy of the boons he had secured

and he went forth with confidence

mounted on his divine chariot that was

drawn by eight horses and filled with all

manner of weapons accompanied by a

division of Rakshasa chariot-warriors.

As Ravana issued out of Lanka, the sun

seemed obscured by an unpredicted

eclipse, and foul birds and beasts of the

night roared at large with weird illomened

cries; but disregarding it all,

Ravana drove out to battle accompanied

by Virupaksha, Mahodara and

Mahaparsva.

The mighty Rakshasa warriors who

followed Ravana were mowed down by a

deadly flight of arrows and chunks of

rocks and presently Ravana found himself

facing Lakshmana, who tried to oppose

his further progress. Forcing his way past

Lakshmana, Ravana precipitated himself

against Rama with all the pent-up fury of

hatred and revenge and strove to

overwhelm him with a spate of arrows.

Rama easily baffled these arrows with

his own and struck Ravana repeatedly,

without however being able to penetrate

his armor. Thus they fought, these

supreme bowmen, each bent on slaying

the other and using increasingly potent

missiles of secret power, while the gods in

heaven looked on with marvel and

admiration. Neither hero had met such an

opponent before and on both sides

admiration was mingled with wrath.

Rama pierced with his darts every limb

of Ravana. And yet he did not fall.

Then Lakshmana and Vibhishana

together attacked Ravana. Furious with

his brother and determined to kill him,

Ravana flung at him a powerful weapon.

But intercepted by a dart of Lakshmana it

broke into two and fell on the ground like

a burning brand. Once again, Ravana

aimed another mighty sakti against

Vibhishana. This too Lakshmana

intercepted. Then Ravana hurled a sakti at

Lakshmana crying: "Now you are dead!"

Under its impact Lakshmana fell down

unconscious on the ground.

Not observing this, Rama went on

keeping up his pressure against Ravana.

While the battle raged between the two,

the Vanara leaders took counsel and sent

Hanuman once again to the Hill of Herbs

to save the life of Lakshmana.

For the second time, Hanuman flew

northwards and, not wasting time

searching for the plants, returned with the

whole mountain. Lakshmana got well

again and resumed his part in the battle.

Meanwhile, Matali brought his master

Indra's chariot to the battlefield for the use

of Rama.

"Indra, king of gods, has sent this for

your use," said Matali. "Be pleased to

ascend this chariot and destroy Ravana,

the enemy of the gods!"

Rama bowed to the gods,

circumambulated the divine chariot and

ascended it. Then followed a wonderful

battle.

Sorely wounded, Ravana fell

unconscious and, noting this, his

charioteer quietly took him out of the

battlefield.

When, a little later, Ravana recovered

consciousness, he was highly wroth, with

his charioteer for taking him out of the

battlefield and insisted on being taken

back to face Rama. The grim battle began

again. Every astra was met by another. In

new and wonderful ways, the two chariots

moved and the two warriors fought for a

long time, while both armies watched the

spectacle with breathless admiration and

anxiety.

Matali, the charioteer, whispered into

Rama's ear: "The Rakshasa's end is

approaching. Delay no further. May I

remind you of Brahma-astra?"

Rama uttered the spell and sent the

Brahma-astra. Though the Rakshasa's ten

heads had often been cut off before, they

had grown again and baffled Rama. The

Brahma-astra, emitting flames, went

towards Ravana and pierced his chest,

where was enshrined the secret of his

invincibility, and shattered it.

Then the bow slipped from the

Rakshasa's hand and he fell down from

the chariot and lay stretched on the

battlefield.

The gods blew their trumpets. Rama

and his chariot were covered by a heap of

flowers showered from the heavens.

Lakshmana, Vibhishana, Jambavan and

other warriors surrounded Rama, lost in

joy and adoration.

When the first flush of triumph was

over and Vibhishana looked at his

brother's body, the natural call of blood

and memories of boyhood days when

Ravana and he had loved and played quite

overwhelmed him and he burst into

lamentations over his lost brother.

"O warrior!" he cried. "O brother of

heroic deeds! O scholar learned in all

Shastras! O valiant and famous King of

kings! Your great arms are, now

sprawling helpless on the ground! Selfwilled

and self-deceived, surrounded by

bad advisers, you would not heed my

warning! The worst I feared has happened

now! You reaped what you sowed and

you lie on the bare ground, O once mighty

ruler of the Rakshasas!"

To Vibhishana thus lamenting, Rama

spoke:

"Ravana fought like a true warrior and

fell fighting like a hero! Death has washed

his sins. It calls for no mourning. Ravana

has entered Heaven."

Rama cleared all confusion from

Vibhishana's mind and bade him do the

funeral rites for his departed brother.

Said Rama: "It is for you now, his

brother, to do the rites. Death ends all

enmity. I, his former foe, even I can

rightly perform his obsequies. Your

brother is my brother too, is he not?"

The women of Ravana's palace came to

the field to mourn. They led the Queen

Mandodari, who looked like the goddess

of grief incarnate. The crowned queen and

beloved wife of Ravana was in utter

desolation.

"Indra, King of gods, dared not face

your anger," she cried. "The Rishis and

the Gandharvas at the very sight of you

fled in fear in all directions. And now a

mere man, a wanderer in the forest, has

brought you down! I do not understand

how this could have happened. Truly, Fate

is all-powerful! But lord, my lord, I

warned you long ago. Did I not tell you

that this Rama is no mere human being,

but someone greater than Indra or Agni or

Yama, whom you could not vanquish?

This Rama is no other than Vishnu

Himself in human form, God without

beginning, middle or end. Even when we

heard that he stood on the ground riding

no car and slew your brother Khara in

Janasthana, did I not say this? When

Hanuman penetrated Lank the

impenetrable fortress, and laid it waste, I

knew the truth. I begged you not to incur

their enmity but you would not listen.

Why did you cast lustful eyes on chaste

Sita? This was the madness that drove you

to your death! Was it not a heinous sin to

carry her off when she was alone? Death

in the form of Sita drew you to your end!

Sita and Rama are now reunited and

happy after their brief separation. But me

and all our race you have thrust for very

into the depths of sorrow. Alas, my

husband, my lover. You lie dead. Yet how

beautiful you look with your body pierced

by Rama's darts, covered with blood and

dust of battle! What should I do now? I

had a lord who was the Lord of Lanka! I

had a son who had vanquished Indra.

They have left me and I am a mere

helpless widow without friends or home!"

Lamenting thus, Mandodari fell on 

Ravana's body and lay unconscious.

Next : 75. THE END

Continues...