Part 36

Thereupon Matali, reminding him, spake unto Raghava--"Why dost thou, O hero, as if not knowing, fear him? Do thou, O lord, discharge at him the weapon obtained from the great Patriarch. The time for (his) destruction, as described by the celestials, hath arrived". Being reminded by those words of Matali, Rama took up the flaming shaft, breathing as if like a serpent. The great Rishi Agastya first conferred this upon him. This is a huge and dreadful shaft given by Brahma, and highly useful in battle. It was made by Brahma of undecaying prowess for Indra and conferred by him upon the Lord of celestials desirous of acquiring victory. In its wings there is wind, in its head there is fire and the Sun, in its body there is the sky and in its weight there are the (hill) Meru and Mandara. It is resplendent by its own lustre, well feathered and adorned with gold--made of the essence of all objects and bright as the rays of the Sun. It is like the fire of dissolution enveloped in smoke--like the flaming serpent, capable of piercing men, serpents and horses and was swift-coursing. (It can) rend the gateways, _Parighas_ and hills--is soaked in blood, dipped in marrow, and extremely dreadful. It is hard as the lightning--producing a dreadful sound, assailing various (divisions of the) army, creating terror unto all, dreadful and (as if) breathing like a serpent. It is terrible as the Death in the conflict and provides food always for the herons, vultures, cranes, jackals and the Rakshasas. It is the enhancer of the monkey-leaders' joy and the repressor of the Rakshasas and is feathered like unto a bird with many a picturesque wing. And the highly powerful Rama, consecrating in accordance with the _mantras_ laid down in the Vedas, that huge shaft--the foremost of all in the world, removing the fear of the Ikshwaku race, destroying the fame of the enemies and conducing to the joy of its own party, set it on his bow. And that excellent arrow being mounted on his bow by Raghava all the animals were stricken with fear and the earth shook. And (Rama) highly enraged, and greatly wary, suppressing (his breath) discharged that shaft at Ravana--piercing to the vitals. (That Brahma weapon) irrepressible as the thunder, dreadful as the Death and discharged by Rama, fell down on Ravana's breast. And that shaft, capable of bringing about death and gifted with velocity, when discharged, cleft the breast of the vicious-souled Ravana. And that body-ending arrow, bathed in blood, stealing away the life of Ravana, entered the earth. That shaft, slaying Ravana, soaked in blood and successful, again entered the quiver[461] humbly. And from his hand, who was deprived of his life, fell down instantly on earth his shafts and bow. And fell down on the earth from the chariot, the highly effulgent Ravana, gifted with dreadful velocity and shorn of his life. And beholding him thus fallen down, the remaining night-rangers, deprived of their lord and stricken with terror fled away to various quarters. And beholding the destruction of the Ten-necked (demon) and the victory of Raghava, the monkeys, fighting with trees, pursued them on all sides. And being assailed by the monkeys and having their countenances full of tears in consequence of their lord being slain they fled away to Lanka in fear. Thereupon the monkeys being greatly delighted roared out the victory of Rama. The celestial bugle was sounded in the sky and there blew the excellent air carrying the celestial fragrance. Flowers were showered upon Rama's car which was covered therewith. The celestials in the sky began to chaunt the glory of Rama and praise him. And Ravana, the dread of all people, being slain, the celestials with the _Charanas_ were greatly delighted. And slaying that foremost of the Rakshasas, Rama satisfied the desire of Sugriva, Angada and Bibhishana. Thereupon the celestials attained their peace, the quarters were delighted, the atmosphere was clear, calm air began to prevail all over the earth, and the Sun appeared in its full rays. Thereupon Sugriva, Bibhishana and Lakshmana, welcomed Rama, of unmitigated prowess, singing his glory. And there appeared beautiful at the battle-field Rama of firm promise, slaying his enemy and encircled by his army and friends, like unto the Lord of the celestials surrounded by the gods.

[461] In some texts there is _"napunarabishat" i.e._ did not enter the quiver.--T.

SECTION CXI.

Beholding his brother defeated, slain and lying down on the battle-field, Bibhishana, overpowered with the weight of his grief, began to lament--"O hero, well-known for thy prowess, wise and conversant with polity, thou wert used to excellent beds, why dost thou lie down on the earth, spreading (on the earth) thy long and actionless arms, always adorned with _Angadas_ and being shorn of thy helmet having the resplendance of the Sun? O hero, thou hast come by what I had anticipated and what did not please thee who wert possessed by delusions. Prahasta, Indrajit, Kumbhakarna, Atikaya, Atiratha, Narantaka, yourself and others--none of you paid heed, out of haughtines, to what I had said which hath now been brought about. Oh! the bridge of the pious hath been broken, the figure of the virtue hath been spoiled, the refuge of the strong and powerful hath disappeared and thou hast attained to the state of the heroes! The sun hath fallen down on the earth, the moon hath been shorn of its lustre, the fire hath been extinguished and virtue hath desisted from its action, this hero, the foremost of those using weapons, falling down on the earth. O thou the foremost of the Rakshasas lying down in the dust on the battle field like one asleep, whom else have these remaining (Rakshasas) deprived of their power and energy, got? The huge tree, of the lord of Rakshasas, having patience for its leaves, velocity for its flowers, the power of asceticism and heroism for its firm roots, hath been uprooted by the _Raghava_ wind. Mad-elephant-like Ravana, having prowess for its tusk, family rank for its back bone, anger for its legs, and delightedness for its trunk, hath been laid low on the ground by the lion of the Ikshwaku race. The powerful Rakshasa-fire, having prowess and energy for its rays, angry breath for its smoke, own strength for its power of burning, hath been extinguished in battle by _Rama-*like cloud. The Rakshasa bull ever defeating others and powerful as the wind, having Rakshasas for its tail, hump and horns, and fickleness for its ears and eyes, hath been slain to-day by *Rama_-tiger". Hearing these words, pregnant with sound reasonings from Bibhishana and beholding him overwhelmed with grief Rama said,--"(This lord of Rakshasas) of dreadful prowess hath not been slain in battle disabled. He is gifted with great prowess and energy and devoid of the fear of death.[462] The heroes abiding by the virtues of the Kshatriyas, who fall at the battle field for enhancing their glory, when dead, should not be mourned for. This is not the time to mourn for him although possessed by death, by whom gifted with intellect, Indra with the three worlds was terrified in conflict. Besides success in battle is not perpetual; either one slays his enemy or meets with his destruction at his hands in the conflict This procedure of the Kshatryas was laid down by the ancient preceptors that a Kshatrya, when slain in battle should not be mourned for. Beholding this to be certain and attaining calmness, do thou be freed from thy sorrow and think what should be done now. Thereupon Bibhishana stricken with grief addressed the powerful son of the king speaking thus with words tending to his brother's well-being. "Thou hast, like the ocean breaking down its banks, broken him down, who had not been ere this even defeated by Basava and the celestials. By him were conferred many a gift on those who wanted them, were enjoyed many a luxury, were maintained many a servant, distributed wealth unto friends and slain the enemies. He propitiated fire, performed great austerities, was conversant with the Vedas and the great performer of sacrifices. I desire to perform, by thy instructions, his becoming obsequies". Being thus addressed by Bibhishana with piteous accents, the high-souled son of the lord of men, gifted with great energy, ordered him to perform his obsequies and said. "With death our enmity hath terminated and our object hath been accomplished: he is as dear unto me as unto thee: perform (therefore) his funeral rites".

[462] _i.e._ he has accidentally met with death.

SECTION CXII.

Beholding Ravana slain by the high-souled Raghava Rakshasees, stricken with grief, issued out of the inner appartments. Stricken with grief and with dishevelled hairs they rolled in the dust albeit prevented again and again like unto cows separated from their calves. And coming out by the northern gate along with the Rakshasas, entering the dreadful arena of battle and searching their slain lord the she-demons cried piteously--"O lord, O husband, O our all" and moved along the battle field soaked in blood and filled with headless corpses. With eyes full of tears and overwhelmed with the grief of their husband they began to move about like she-elephants without the lord of their herd. Thereupon they beheld there on the earth the huge-bodied and the highly powerful and effulgent Ravana slain like red collyrium. And beholding their lord lying down on the battle-field they all fell on his body like creepers torn assunder. Some wept embracing him respectfully--some holding his feet and some placing themselves around his neck. And some taking up his hand rolled on the ground and some were beside themselves (with grief) beholding the slain (Ravana's) countenance. And some placing her head on his lap, and beholding his face, wept, bathing it with tears like a lotus enveloped with snow. Seeing their husband Ravana thus slain on the earth, they stricken with grief, bewailing again and again in sorrow, wept profusely. He by whom the king Vaisrabana was deprived of his flower car, who terrified the high-souled Gandharbas, ascetics and the celestials in battle field, who did not know of any fear from the Asuras, celestials and the Pannagas, hath now been overpowered by a man. He, whom the celestials, the Danavas and the Rakshas could not slay, hath been slain in conflict by a man walking on foot. He, who was incapable of being killed by the celestials, Yakshas and Asuras, hath met with death like one devoid of prowess at the hands of a mortal". Speaking in this wise, the she-demons, over-powered with sorrow, wept and bewailed again and again (saying),--"Not hearing (the counsels) of thy friends, always pointing out thy welfare, thou didst bring Sita for thy destruction as well as that of the Rakshasas. Although thy brother Bibhishana addressed thee with words pregnant with thy welfare--thou, for thy own destruction, out of thy misgivings, didst excite his anger and hast (now) seen (the result thereof). Hadst thou returned Sita the daughter of the king of Mithila to Rama, this mighty and dreadful disaster, destroying the very root, would not have befallen us. Rama's desire would have been encompassed--his friends would have been successful (through Bibhishana)--we would not been widowed and our enemies would not have got their desires fulfilled. By thee, Sita was kept by force in captivity in a ruthless manner, and the Rakshasas, ourselves and thyself--all three equally have been slain. O foremost of the Rakshasas, forsooth this is not thy own folly--it is Accident that uniteth all things and it is Accident again that bringeth about destruction. O thou of huge arms--the destruction of the monkeys and the Rakshasas as well as that of thyself hath been brought about by Accident. When the course of accident is about to bring about result--wealth, desire, prowess or command--nothing is capable of with-standing it". Thus wept piteously the wives of the lord of Rakshasas like unto so many she-elephants--rendered poorly, stricken with grief and with tears in their eyes.

SECTION CXIII.