When greatly oppressed by the furious Rama at that time, Ravana, who was proud of his military accomplishments, flew into a rage. Raising his bow, with eyes blazing due to anger, Ravana belabored Rama in that great conflict. Ravana showered Rama with thousands of arrows, as a cloud would fill a pond with torrential rains. Even though completely covered with arrows shot from Ravana’s bow on the battlefield, Rama, who was as steady as a mountain, did not waver. The courageous Rama intercepted those arrows with volleys of His own arrows and bore them as if they were rays of sunlight. The quick-handed night-stalker then dug thousands of arrows into Rama’s breast.
Drenched with blood on the field of battle, Rama looked like a big blossoming Kimshuka tree in the forest. Angered by the impact of the arrows, Rama, the descendent of Kakutstha, seized arrows that were as dazzling as the fire at the end of the world. Both Rama and Ravana could not see each other at that time because the battlefield was obscured with darkness by the arrows. Although beside Himself with anger, Rama laughed and spoke the following harsh words to Ravana:
“Because you abducted my wife from Janasthaana while she was unprotected, you are not brave, O vilest of rakshasas! Because you have kidnapped from me the unfortunate Sita while she was in the great forest, you think that you are a hero. You are a hero among unprotected women and you dare to touch others’ wives. Having performed a cowardly deed, you think that you are a hero. Having broken the bonds of morality, you are shameless. You are not fixed in good qualities. Out of pride you have grasped death itself and are thinking that you are a hero. You, a hero, the half-brother of Kuvera and endowed with strength, have performed a great, glorious and praiseworthy deed. Reap this very moment the great fruit of that blameworthy and pernicious deed perpetrated out of pride. Although you consider yourself a hero, you felt no shame when you carried away Sita like a thief. If you had forcibly touched Sita in My presence, you would have then met your brother Khara when struck by my arrows. By My good fortune you have come within the range of My vision, O dullard. Now I shall send you to the abode of the dead with sharp arrows. Let carnivorous creatures drag around in the dust of the battlefield your head adorned with earrings severed by my arrows. O Ravana, after you have been thrown on the ground, let vultures swoop down on your chest and drink the blood gushing from the wound made by my arrow. Let scavenger birds tear out your entrails today, when you are pierced and knocked down dead by my arrows.”
After saying this, Rama, the destroyer of enemies, covered Ravana, who was standing nearby, with a shower of arrows. Desiring the destruction of His enemies, Rama’s virility, strength and pleasure in battle, as well as the strength of His weapons, became doubled. All the mystic weapons manifested themselves before Rama, who was knowledgeable about their deployment. Out of excitement the ardent Rama’s hands became even more fleet. Recognizing these auspicious signs in Him, Rama, the exterminator of rakshasas, began striking Ravana with increased vehemence. While being hit by the volleys of stones from the monkeys and the showers of arrows from Rama, Ravana became bewildered at heart. At this time Ravana could no longer take up weapons, draw his bow, or oppose Rama’s prowess. While arrows and different weapons were being discharged by Rama for his death, the time for Ravana’s death seemed imminent. Seeing him in that condition, the charioteer slowly and calmly drove the chariot out of the battle area.
Thus completes 103rd Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
