Ramavijaya - 4

Immediately after, Rama called Nala and said to him, " To cross the sea, a setu must be built by you of stones and mountains, which will float on the water by your hands only. I, therefore, beg you to order all the monkeys, to procure stones and mountains and lay them by your hands in the water. Nala was puffed up with pride and said to himself that the setu could not be built without him. So saying Nala ordered the monkeys to get stones and mountains which the latter brought and gave in charge of the former. Nala built a portion of the setu, but the fishes in the sea ate it. He again built it but the fishes again ate it. He was at a loss to know what to do when Maruti said to him, " Pride goeth

before destruction. You thought that the bridge could not be built without you. What do you say now ? Leave off your pride and be humble. Now write the name of Rama on each stone and lay it in the water; and if you do this, you will be able to build the setu within a short time. Nala did it as directed by Maruti; and the setu was built one hundred yojans in length and breadth so far as Suvela without any difficulty. After the setu was completed, Rama crossed it with his army and came to Suvela, where he encamped his army, Rama set Shuka at liberty, who went to Ravana and informed him of what had happened to him and how they had built the setu. He requested the demon-king to submit to the prince and restore Sita to him. Ravana got very indignant and said You are alarmed, because they beat you. If you advise me that way again, I shall at once cut off your head." Soon after, Ravana sent two demons, Shuka and Surna, to Suvela to ascertain the position of the army of Rama. The two demons in the forms of monkeys mixed themselves with the monkeys belonging to the army of the prince Vibhishan informed Rama that the demons had come to Suvela in the forms of monkeys to ascertain the position of his army. Whereupon Rama ordered the monkeys to allow the demons to count their numbers. The two demons were accordingly taken round the whole army. They, having seen it, returned to Lanka and said to the demon-king, " Rama has got a large army of monkeys, and it will be very difficult for you to defeat it. We, therefore, implore you to submit to Rama and restore Sita to him." Ravana was enraged and threatened them that he would cut off their heads, if they advised him that way. He then, accompanied by the two demons, went to the top of his tower to see the army of Rama. Vibhishan came and informed the prince that the demon-king had gone to his tower to have a look at his army, and while he was there, Sugriva jumped from Suvela, which was at a distance of hundreds of miles from Lanka, and returned to his camp with the mug at of Ravan. The demon-king was alarmed, and immediately came downstairs.

A few days after, he said to his courtiers, "I have now no patience. I must marry Sita as soon as possible. If any of you make her love me and marry me, I shall be ever grateful to him." Whereupon his minister, Vidynjiva, who was well versed in magic, replied, u I shall create, by means of sorcery, a head similar to that of Rama and also a dhanushaban and show them to Sita, so that she may be convinced that her husband has been killed. If she is convinced of it, she will become hopeless and easily love you and marry you. "I am very much thankful to you for your excellent scheme," replied Ravana. " There is no doubt you

will succeed in it," Vidynjiva accordingly created the head of Rama and big dhanushaban. Ravana then came to the Asoka forest and said to Sita, I am very sorry to inform you that your darling husband is killed and  his brother, Lakshman, has fled to Ayodya, Maruti, Sugriva, Nala, Nila, Angada and all other warriors are also killed. You are alone here, what can you do now ? You are helpless. I, therefore, beseech you to marry me. You shall be my first wife and Mandodari will be your maid servant. Alas ! Sita, Rama is no more. Believe me. If you want any proof of what I say, here is the head of your Rama cut off by a demon, and here is his dhanushaban."

As soon as Sita beheld the head of Rama and his dhanushaban, she fainted. In her grief she said to Ravana. " I look upon you as my father and implore you to order a pile of wood to be arranged, so that I may set fire to it and burn myself in it. I do not wish to live any longer in this world." As soon as he heard these words, he returned to his court, leaving Sita alone there. In the mean-time, Sharma, wife of Vibhishan, came to the Asoka forest and informed her that Rama was doing well and that the head  which was shown to her, was created by the demons by means of sorcery to make her give up her hope of Rama and marry Ravana.

No sooner did Sharma inform Sita of this than the created head and dhanushaban which were left there, disappeared. Soon after, the demon-king said to his wife, " Mandodari, you are my faithful wife and love me much. I have a great passion for Sita ; and if you do not help me, I shall die. If you really love me, go to Sita in tho Asoka forest and

persuade her to marry me." Whereupon Mandodari went to Sita and, having communicated her husband’s wishes to her, returned home. She said to her husband, " Dearest, Sita is not a woman who will comply with your wishes. She is a paragon of virtue. She will sacrifice her life rather than yield to your passion. There is no use of your being after her. I, therefore, beseech you to restore her to Rama. Why do you covet another s wife ?" "My love," replied Ravana, " What you say is true, but I shall never submit to Rama and humiliate myself in the eyes of all nations. I shall fight with him and die but I shall never restore Sita to him." Having failed to persuade her husband, she returned to her palace. Ravana again went to the top of his tower with his courtiers and began to look at the army of Rama. Rama also went to the top of a hill with Sugriva and other monkeys and began to look at Ravan and his courtiers. Whilst Ravana was looking at the army of the prince, Sugriva jumped from the hill and knocked down the muguts put by him on his ten heads. The demon-king was surprised and combated with the monkey but the latter, having administered to him severe blows, returned to Rama with joy. Ravana was alarmed, and immediately came down with shame and confusion. After all preparations for the war were completed on both the sides, Vibhishan said to Rama, " Before an attack is made on Ravana, it is advisable to negotiate with him for peace. You should, therefore, send an ambassador to his court and request him to restore Sita to you." Rama accordingly sent Angada to the court of Ravana but nobody noticed him there. The monkey was, therefore, irritated and said to the demon-king, " Ravana, do you know who I am? "Who are you and what is your name," Ravana indignantly asked. " I am a servant of Rama," continued Angada and my name is Angada. I am son of Vali. I have come here to negotiate with you for peace."  I shall never make peace with Rama," replied Ravana, " I tell you once more to make peace with Rama," said Angada, " and restore Sita to him. If you refuse to listen to me, you will lose your life and every thing in Lanka.He is very powerful, and you can do nothing to him." "You are a shameless creature," Ravana indignantly replied, " You know very well that Rama has killed your father and instead of revenging yourself upon the enemy you have now come to help him. You are a donkey." " No doubt, Rama killed my father," said Angada, " but by his arrow he has gone to heaven where he now enjoy ever-lasting happiness. Ravana was furious, and ordered four demons to bind Angada. Whereupon the demons firmly held him by his arms, when the monkey struck the chest of Ravana with his tail and jumped from Lanka

with his muguts, chatra and mandap and returned to Buvela. The four demons, with whom, the monkey had jumped, hung upon his shoulders with their heads downwards and were killed by a fall on the ground.  The negotiations for peace having fallen through, Susen marched against Lanka with twenty kotis of monkey soldiers and fought with the troops of Ravana under the command of Dhamaraksha. Susen routed and defeated them all, and their commander was killed by Maruti with blows. The news of the defeat having spread throughout Lanka, the demon-king, boiled with rage, sent the demons, called Vazra Dausti and Sukpana, with a number of demon-soldiers, but they were also defeated with heavy loss. Ravana was alarmed and did not know what to do. But, in the mean-time, his son, Indrajit kept the field with the warriors, Janbumali and Vidyaman and let off arrows at the army of Rama which the latter cut off and killed the two warriors. Whereupon Indrajit immediately jumped with his chariot into the sky, where he hid himself in the clouds and let off serpent-weapons at the army of Rama, which produced innumerable serpents. These serpents stung Rama and Lakshman and all their soldiers; and consequently they all fell life less in the field, except Maruti and Vibhishan, who were immortal.

Indrajit, having thus defeated Rama, returned to Lanka with a great success. The demon-king was very glad at the success of his son and- said to his sister, Trijata, " Sister ? Look at the valor of our Indrajit.

How has he fought and how has he defeated the army of Rama ? You know, nobody on earth can conquer us. Now what I want you to do is that you should now go to Sita and inform her of all that had happened. Show her Rama, Lakshman and their soldiers lying lifeless in the field and tell her that she is now helpless and I am the only one who can support her. Tell her all this and persuade her to marry me. ! sister, I like her much."

Trijata accordingly showed to Sita, Rama, Lakshman and the monkey soldiers lying lifeless in the field and told her all that Ravana had said. Sita, having seen her beloved Rama and Lakshman, violently cried and

became hopeless. Maruti and Vibhishan consulted together as to what they should do to resuscitate the princes and their army, but before they arrived at a certain conclusion, the wind had come and whispered to Rama a garuda mantra which produced garudas or eagles. These garudas killed all the serpents and resuscitated Lakshman and their army.

The fighting was again renewed by the monkeys, when Pravasta, the minister of Ravana, bravely fought with them and killed many of them. Whereupon Nala threw at the minister one lac of mountains which the latter broke in no time and continued the fighting. But after a hot battle Pravasta was killed by Nala with a tree called Tada, a hundred yojans : in length. At this defeat, Ravana was greatly enraged and prepared himself to fight with the enemies, when his wife, Mandodari, said to him, " My dearest, you should now give up the idea of your fighting with Rama any longer. Why do you want another s wife ? My love, just restore her to her husband, so that every thing may end in peace and tranquility." " My darling," Ravana laughingly replied, " I am ready to do any thing for you but please do not tell me to restore Sita to Rama.I am prepared to fight with him and kill him with all his army." Ravana having refused to listen to her, she returned to her palace. Immediately after, the demon king left for the field with his sons, grand-sons, great grand sons and a large number of warriors and soldiers and commenced operations, when Sugriva threw a large mountain at him, which the latter broke with his arrows. Whereupon all the monkeys rushed upon him with mountains, large trees, rocks and other weapons but he also broke them with his arrows. Maruti then threw a very large rock at the demon-king which the latter broke with his arrows and gave blows to the former. Maruti fainted for some time and, having soon come to himself, returned the blows to him and knocked down his muguts and the chatras held over his ten heads. Ravana was not in the least alarmed and continued the fighting. Whereupon Nala produced by a mantra innumerable Nalas like himself and employed them to throw mountains,trees and rocks at the demon-king, when the latter let off a Bramhasra and made them all disappear in a second. Lakshman then let off a Bramhaskti at Ravana, which was cut off by the latter into two parts. One part of it fell on the ground and with another Lakshman was struck; and consequently he fainted. Maruti was greatly enraged and gave Ravana blows, which made him vomit blood and return to Lanka.

When the demon-king was thus defeated, he sent his demon-subjects to arouse his brother, Kumbhakarna, from his fast sleep. The demons went and shook him but he was not awakened. Whereupon they threw rocks and mountains at him, pierced him with sharp weapons, and scratched him with their nails, but nothing could arouse him from his sleep, He was snorting with a great noise and drew in and sent out with his inspiration and respiration the demons, bullocks, cows, elephants and other animals that had come before him. At last the demons brought two nymphs and made them sing before him. By their melodious voice he was aroused; and as he was hungry for six months, he at once devoured billions of bullocks, she-buffaloes, Brahmarishis, cows and even demons, and drank off gallons of liquor and ghee.

After his hunger was appeased, the demons informed him of what had happened to his brother, Ravana, his kingdom and subjects. Whereupon Kumbhakarna immediately stood on his legs and began to walk towards the palace of his brother. The monkeys, looking at the huge size of the demon, were greatly disheartened but Maruti went to him and lifted him up thrice in order that they might not be afraid of him. Kumbhakarna reached the palace of Ravana and stood before him, when

the latter said to him, " Brother ? I am now in difficulty. I have brought Sita, the wife of Rama, as I wish to marry her. In order to recover her from me Rama has come here with a great number of monkey-soldiers. They have killed good many demons and destroyed nearly the whole of Lanka. It is now your duty to help me. " It is not good that you have deprived the helpless woman, Sita, of her husband," replied Kumbhakarna. It is a great sin that one should covet anothers wife. You ought to have restored her to her husband. But as you have brought her here at the risk of your life, have you fulfilled your wishes ? If not, transform yourself into Rama and go to her. " That cannot be done," replied Ravana, " because if I become Rama, all his virtues will

reign in me and prevent me from doing any wicked act. Unless you kill Rama, I shall not be able to fulfill my wishes." " As you are my brother," said Kumbhakarna, " it is my duty to help you. Have courage. I shall devour all the monkeys in a moment and kill Rama and Lakshman."Taking his leave, Kumbhakarna attacked the army of Rama, when four monkeys, including Sharab and Govaksha flung mountains and

rocks at the demon which the latter broke with blows and threw them into the sky. Kumbhakarna devoured a great number of the monkeys but a few of them escaped through his ears and nostrils. Sugriva then threw a mountain at him which the latter broke with one blow and, having held him by his feet, turned him round like a reel. He was about to dash the monkey to pieces, when the latter escaped from his clutches and jumped into the sky. But he, having stretched out his hands in the sky, brought him down and put him into his arms. Sugriva was disgusted at the stink of his arms and, having cut off his nose and ears, once more escaped and jumped into the sky of which Kumbhakarna knew nothing. He was profusely bled and altogether disfigured. Having thought that he was successful in the war, he walked towards the palace of his brother, Ravana.