375. Vibhishana brings Seetha to Rama.

              Hanuman, returning to where Rama was, told him that Seetha informed him that she was very much eager to see her husband, Rama, at the earliest.

       Rama was overwhelmed to hear that information. Then, drawing a deep and warm breath he told Vibhishana, who was standing nearby "Bring here Seetha, after she has bathed her head, has been anointed with charming cosmetics and adorned with beautiful jewels. Please bring her to me as early as you can.”

      Vibhishana, after collecting suitable dress, ornaments etc. and went to to Seetha accompanied by his own women for helping Seetha to take bath et al. On seeing Seetha he told "O Seetha! Anointed with charming cosmetics and adorned with beautiful jewels, get into the palanquin. Your husband is very eager to see you.”

       Seetha replied "O king of rakshashas! I wish to see my husband, at the earliest. I do not like to waste time in taking bath, dressing up et al."

        Vibhishana told her Rama desires to see her duly dressed and ornamented etc." 

      When Seetha was ready, she was taken into a shining palanquin, covered with an exceedingly valuable cloth and guarded by numerous rakshashas, was being tasken to the presence of Rama. Vibhishana went ahead of her to inform Rama the arrival of Seetha. 

        The thought that he would be seeing Seetha now made Rama feel a mixture of joy, indignation and a sense of misery. He then told Vibhishana to bring her to her presence as soon as she arrives.

       On learning that Seetha was coming in a palanquin to where Rama was stationed, very many rakshashas, bears and vanaras gathered to have a sight of that Seetha for whom the greatest war of that time was fought. Seeing that a large crowd was gathered around the palanquin where Seetha was sitting, Vibhishana ordered his police force to disperse the crowd there quickly. Police rakshashas wearing jackets and turbans and carrying staffs which made a jingling sound, started dispersing those crowd.

         Crowds of bears, vanaras and rakshashas, who were getting rough treatment from the police force, were making all sorts of noise, due to pain, while moving away from the palanquin on all sides. The intensity of the noise created by them was so great, resembling the roar of a sea, lashed by a storm.

        Learning the reason for that outcry,  Rama told Vibishana "Why are these people harassed by your chaps? Stop this exertion. They are my own people. An apartment or a police force is not a thing that protects a woman. Her character is her shield.

          "A woman becoming visible to public in times of a calamity, or in battles, or in Swayamvara or in marriage-functions is not condemned.

       "Seetha underwent quite a lot of stress and distress and was beset with a great difficulty. There is no fault in her appearance in public, particularly in my presence. Therefore let her come to me on foot, leaving the palanquin there. Let these vanaras and others may see Seetha in my presence."

       Vibhishana brought Seetha by foot to Rama, as ordered by him.      However, Lakshmana, Sugreeva and Hanuman  felt very much perturbed. From the pitiless facial features of Rama, showing indifference to his consort, they conjectured that Rama was, in someway, displeased with Seetha. Seetha, for her part, shrinking into her limbs with modesty, approached her husband, duly followed by Vibhishana.

      The pleasant-faced Seetha, who considered her husband as her highest deity, saw the charming face of her husband with surprise, rejoice and affection. Seeing the face of her beloved husband, which had not been seen for a long time and which was charming like the rising full moon, her mental fatigue was dispelled forthwith.

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374. Hanuman informed Seetha the victory of Rama.

           As directed by Rama, Hanuman, after getting the formal approval of the king Vibhishana, started happily to meet Seetha. During his journey to the Ashoka Vana, where Seetha was being held, all rakshashas and rakshashis seeing him were very polite, courteous and respectful and moved away to enable Hanuman to move fast without any hindrance. At the Ashoka vana, he found Seetha sitting in her usual place with her usual bearing viz. bereft of freshness, looking joylessly like a frightened cow and surrounded by rakshasies. Hanuman approached her and offering salutation to her, stood there silently.

       Seetha did not recognize the vanara in front of her for a few moments. When she recognized him, her beautiful but sad looking face bloomed like a beautiful flower. Seeing that Seetha recognized him, Hanuman told her “O Lady! Rama, Lakshmana and all others are well. We have won the battle and that rakshash Ravana has been killed by Rama in battle. Rama directed me to inform this to you. 

      “O the divine lady! Vibhishana the benign youngest brother of Ravana has been crowned as the king of Lanka. That means you are now as good as staying in your own house. King Vibhishana will be coming over here to see you and offer his respects to you."

           Seetha was absolutely exhilarated to hear the news. She was unable to say anything as she was tongue-tied with a thrill of delight.

          Seeing her reticent for quite some time, Hanuman asked her “Devi! May I know what you are thinking about? Why don’t you speak to me?”

      Seetha, coming back to reality from her reverie told Hanuman “The pleasant tidings about the victory of my husband made be totally spellbound, and as such I could not speak. O, Hanuman! I am terribly sorry I have nothing appropriate here to present you for the wonderful news you brought to me.

       “However, I could not think of anything on this earth that is worthy for you for you delightful message which has given me so much  happiness. Neither silver, nor gold nor diamonds nor the sovereignty of the three worlds, can be worthy of this message.”

         The words of Seetha made Hanuman highly exhilarated. He replied Seetha "O gentle lady! These words of yours, endowed with preciousness and affection, are better than any one or more presents like diamonds, gold etc. What I desire from you is your blessings and blessings alone.”

        Seetha nodding with a smile told Hanuman“I already knew you to be very good. Now I see that you are endowed with exceedingly good attributes, embellished with a grace of style and filled with an intelligence, consisting of eight excellences.*

* The eight excellences are: 1) Keenness to hear discourse on the Spirit 2) readiness to hear such discourses, 3) receptivity, 4) retentive power, 5) reasoning for and 6) against a proposition, 7) the faculty of comprehension and 8) realization of truth.

       “You are a praiseworthy and supremely virtuous son of Vayu. I find that you have all the qualities desired for a male viz. strength, valour, knowledge of scriptures, vigour, prowess, superlative skill in action, spirit, forbearance, firmness, stability and humility."

     Hanuman, because of his humility did not reply. After a moment he said “Devi, I wanna kill of all these notorious and vile rakshashies, by whom you have been continuously harassed earlier. These cruel rakshashis of terrific form and behavior, with still more cruel eyes, having ugly faces, were heard by me here speaking again and again harsh words to you, who are so devoted to your husband, at Ravana’s command, when you were suffering hardships in this Ashoka vana.

      “I wish to kill after torturing these cruel, extremely rough and deformed rakshashis, with distorted features and terrific hairs and eyes. Please permit me to do it as a present you desire to give me.”

     Seetha was shocked to hear those words from Hanuman and became speechless for a few moments. Then she told Hanuman “O! Hanuman! These rakshasshis were only obeying the orders of their master and king Ravana. I feel that the tortures I had from these poor creatures were a consequence of my bad fortune or on account of some misdeed committed by me in the past.

      “O Hanuman! It has been ordained that this type of situation is to be endured by me, due to the application of fate. Feeble as I am in these matters, I am forgiving the servants of Ravana here.

       “O Hanuman! As commanded by Ravana they threatened me. As he is dead now, they will not do the threatening. O Hanuman! I presume that you very well know the story of the bear, hunter and the tiger, where what the bear told the tiger the maxim that 'A superior person does not take into account the sins of those who have committed an offence. Virtuous persons consider good conduct as an ornament. Kindness is to be shown by a noble person even towards a sinner who deserves death, for, there is none who never commits a wrong. No evil is to be done, even to those cruel persons of sinful deeds, who take pleasure in harming the life of others and continue to perpetrate their sinful acts.' "

The Story of the hunter, tiger and the bear.

         Once upon a time a tiger was in pursuit of a hunter, in the forest where the tiger was residing. The hunter climbed up a tree. There was bear already perched on a bough of the tree. As the tiger was not able to climb the tree, from the foot of the tree, the tiger told the bear: "Look my dear bear, both of us are denizens of the forest. The hunter is our common enemy. Therefore, knock him down from the tree." The bear replied "The hunter having sought asylum at my abode, I am obliged to protect him. I am therefore not going to hurl him down. I would be deviating from my duty if I do so." Saying so, the bear coolly went into a snooze. The tiger then turned to the hunter and said, "Push the bear down. My tummy will be full after eating it. Then, I shall protect you." The hunter swallowed the words of the tiger and pushed the sleeping bear. The bear, however, clutched at another bough and escaped from falling down. The tiger now told the bear "You now see that the hunter is not a good chap and sought to hurl you down. He is bad a fellow who wronged you. Therefore push him down." The bear refused to hurl him down pronouncing the above referred maxim.

End Story.

           Hanuman was absolutely thrilled to hear the reply of Seetha. He told her “O divine lady! You are the most apt wife of Rama,  a paragon of virtue. Give me a message in return. Rama will be highly pleased to hear it."

          Seetha replied “O Hanuman! I long to see my husband as early as possible.”

         Hanuman assured her by saying that she would see him on that day itself. And he left to join Rama.

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373. Vibhishana succeeds to the throne of Lanka.

           The deities watching the epical duel between Rama and Ravana from the firmament felt highly elated to see the end. Everyone telling the other sitting adjacent to him "At last that menace Ravana has been crushed by Rama. Let us all bless him." They then disbursed chatting among themselves about the manner of destruction of Ravana, the prowess of Rama, the admirable combat of the vanaras, the counsel tendered by Sugreeva, the affection and valour of Lakshmana, the loyalty of Seetha to her husband and about the strength of Hanuman etc. just like we humans in our world Earth would be doing on disbursing a test cricket match or some other international sports event on conclusion.

           Rama thanked Matali and told him to take back the chariot lent by Indra. 

        Rama told Lakshmana arrange the enthronement of Vibhishana in the place of his bro Ravana.

        Nodding his agreement, Lakshmana  initiated the process by getting a golden pot. Lakshmana, then placing that pot in the hands of the vanara chief who was standing adjacent to him, instructed him to bring sea-water, which was promptly brought to him in a short while.

        Thereupon, Lakshmana told Vibhishana to sit on the throne, sprinkled him with sea-water from that pot in accordance with the rule prescribed in Vedic scriptures. All the rakshashas (who somehow escaped death) endorsed this by attending the ceremony with a happy countenance.

      Then Vibhishana was consecrated. All rakshashas and vanaras were very delighted to see Vibhishana in the throne of Lanka. Of course  Rama together with Lakshmana were greatly delighted, too. Vibhishana, having gained that great kingdom bestowed on him by Rama, was also greatly delighted.
          Then, Rama told Hanuman "My dear Hanu! With the permission of the king, Vibhishana, go to the Ashoka vana and inform Seetha all the happy news you very well know what."

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372. Vibhishana performed the obsequies to Ravana.

              All the consorts became very tired lamenting aloud. They were then weeping silently. Mandodari, the principal and most beloved wife and queen of Ravana,  staring at her husband in the silent atmosphere could not control her feelings. And she started lamenting  "O the great armed brother of Kubera! Even the mighty Indra would not not dare to come before you, when you were enraged.

        "O the lord of rakshashas! O king! How is it that you allowed yourself to be conquered in battle, by Rama, a mere human? How did a human, wandering in a forest, killed you, who had overcome the three worlds by dint of your prowess?

        "When you came to know that Khara was killed by Rama in Janasthana, you should have realized that Rama was really no mortal. We felt painful, the moment Hanuman penetrated, by dint of his prowess, deep into the City of Lanka, which was difficult to be entered even for gods. 

     “Alas! It is difficult to believe that you are dead when you were the death, even to the Death himself. How did you depart from this world, falling under the sway of Death? 

      “It was indeed a display of your cowardice that Rama’s consort was borne away by you, after luring away Rama from his hermitage. However, I do not recall your faint-heartedness at any time on the battle-field. 

            "You did not heed the sane and sensible advice of your friends. Nor did you like the advice of your brothers.

         "The counsel, which was endowed with reason, meaningful rule of conduct, wholesome, gentle and well-founded,  offered by Vibhishana,  was repudiated by you. The advice offered by Mareecha, Kumbhakarna, myself and my father were not heeded by you, who was arrogant of your prowess. What is followed is a bitter consequence of your perversity.

     "Why are you lying down, embracing the battle-ground, as one would embrace a loved one? Why do you not feel inclined to reply me, as though I were abhorrent to you? Woe be to me, that my heart is not bursting into pieces, tormented as I am with grief, seeing you like this.”

        Mandodari, affected by intolerable grief, fell down swooning on the chest of her dear hubby. All the vanaras seeing her in this condition felt that she was looking like a vivid flash of lightning across a rainy cloud, reddened by the flow of twilight.

     The other wives of Ravana gently took up Mandodari, who was bitterly weeping, tried to console her "Don't you know the uncertain state of the worlds, O queen, that the wealth of kings is unsteady, when there is a change in the tide of their fate?"

    Rama then told Vibhishana "Let the obsequies of your brother be performed and let these crews of women be consoled.”

      Vibhishana on second thoughts replied "I feel that am not obliged to perform the obsequies to him, who had abandoned the vow of virtue, was cruel, killed human beings, a cheat and who had longed for others' wives. This Ravana, who was interested in wishing evil to all, though venerable as a respectable elder, is not fit for that honor. He is my enemy, in the guise of a brother.

        "If I do not perform obsequies, O Rama, all the human beings on earth will speak about me as ruthless. But, on coming to know about his bad qualities all of them will speak of it as a good act.”

           Rama, though not entirely disagreeing with the view of Vibhishana,  replied "O king of rakshashas!  I feel that it is my duty to give you the appropriate advice. This rakshash may be full of unrighteousness and falsehood. But, he was brilliant, strong and a brave warrior in battles.

        "It is very well known to everyone that Ravana, who was mighty and endowed with strength and who was causing people to cry, was not defeated by anyone including Indra and other devas. Hostilities end with death. Our purpose has been accomplished. Let his funeral rites be performed. According to rule, Ravana is eligible to get the last rites on his dead body from you. You will also become fit for glory."

        Vibhishana accepted the advice of Rama and began to do obsequies to Ravana, his dead brother. Entering the City of Lanka, Vibhishana concluded all the rites of obsequies to Ravana.

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371. The mourning of the consorts of Ravana.

              Just like present day, very, very bad news spread like wildfire in those days, too. Within a few minutes the residents of all the palaces including the gynaecea of Ravana's sweet and not so-sweet hearts came to know of the killing of  Ravana by  Rama. All the sweethearts, present and past, of the late Ravana rushed out towards the battle field to see the body of Ravana. Even though impeded now and then by their maid servants, they were rolling in the dust of the streets, with their hair disheveled, to demonstrate they were suffering with utter grief like cows that had lost their calf.

             After searching here and there in the battle field, they found the gigantic body of their sweetheart Ravana, lying on the ground, like a heap of black collyrium. All of them fell on the body of Ravana. As they were soooo many, many of them could not get even an inch of the body of Ravana. One hundred of them were able to get a finger of a hand of Ravana, and very many had to be satisfied by holding a companion, who was lucky enough to get hold of some part of Ravana's body, including a finger.
           They started to lament like the following.

        "It is  unbelievable that that Ravana, by whom Indra was thrown into fear, Yama struck with terror, Kubera was deprived of Pushpaka, lies killed in the battle-field, that too by a mortal. Here lies Ravana, killed in battle, by a man who came walking from Ayodhya. The great Ravana, who was incapable of being killed by Suras, Yakshashas and Asuras is killed by a mortal human far inferior in strength.

        "It is very unfortunate that your own death is caused because Seetha was borne away by you.  Had you listened to the sane and sensible advice of Vibhishana, your beloved brother, you would not be lying inert and lifeless on the ground.

    "Had you restored Seetha to Rama, this appallingly terrific disaster, which has robbed us of every root, would not have befallen us.

       "Your immoral act of stealing Seetha and adamant in keeping her despite all sane advice to the contrary, has caused you your life......"

       In the above manner the consorts of Ravana, depressed as they were and afflicted with grief, with their eyes full of tears,  lamented like female ospreys.

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370. The lamentation of Vibhishana.

             Vibhishana, though left Ravana and joined his (i.e. Ravana's) enemy, was very much fond of his brother, Ravana. His inherent love and affection for his brother, Ravana, burst out seeing him lying down dead in the battle field. Vibhishana could not help lamenting "O my dear bro! I could not bear the sight of you lying killed on the ground, though you are highly worthy of turning towards lofty beds,  No one is more valiant, celebrated and prudent in polity than you. Your long arms decked with armlets, are now motionless and your diadems, brilliant as the sun, are knocked down. How nice it would have been had you not done the hideous act for which you are made to lie lifeless on the ground.

           "O my dear valiant brother! This would not have happened had you accepted my advice. Unfortunately you were overcome with sensuality and infatuation. Because of your arrogance,  as well as that of Prahasta, Indrajit, Kumbhakarna, Atiratha and Narantaka, you did not  agree to my sane and sensible counsel, the consequence of it has come now.

          "You, the foremost hero of all heroes, who wield weapons, has fallen on the ground. The established rule of well-conducted persons has gone. The incarnation of virtue has departed. The epitome of strength has gone. The refuge of eulogies has gone out of sight. The sun has fallen to the earth. The moon has merged in darkness. Fire has extinguished its flames and a strenuous effort has become inactive.
      "What is remaining in this world now, when Ravana the foremost of rakshashas, is at present lying in everlasting sleep in the dust? With firmness for its shoot, endurance for its excellent blossom, asceticism for its strength, and valour for its firm root, the large tree in the shape of Ravana has been crushed in the battle-field, by the tempest in the shape of Rama.
          "With sharpness for its tusks, the line of ancestors for its back-bone, anger for its lower parts and graciousness for its proboscis, the elephant in rut in the shape of Ravana is lying inert on the ground, its body having been overthrown by a lion in the shape of Rama. With prowess and power for its expanded flames, sighs for its smoke and his native strength for its glowing heat, the blazing fire in the shape of Ravana, the rakshash has been extinguished in the battle-field by the rainy cloud in the shape of Rama.
        "With the rakshashas for its tail, hump and horn and fickleness for its ears and eyes, the bull in the shape of Ravana the rakshash, the conqueror of its enemies, which vied with the wind in energy, is lying dead, struck down by a tiger in the shape of Rama, the ruler of the earth."
          Seeing Vibhishana in deep sorrow mourning the death of his dear brother, Rama pacified him by "My dear Vibhi! Ravana did not die in battle without making an effort. He has fallen in combat, even though he was endowed with terrible prowess and exhibited extraordinary enthusiasm of a very exalted type and remained confident throughout.
         "In the past, none has ever been exclusively victorious in a combat. A hero either had been killed by his adversaries or had killed the enemies, in battle. Such is the destiny proclaimed by the ancients, as highly esteemed for a warrior. A warrior killed in battle, is not to be mourned. Such is the ascertainment of the sacred scriptures.
        "Therefore, containing your grief, proceed with what honour is due to him."
       Vibhishana replied Rama "My dear brother had never been conquered before in battles, including deities lead by Indra. He had given lavish gifts to mendicants. He was a connoisseur of pleasures, which he enjoyed very much. The king's servants were fully maintained. Riches were made over to friends. Grudges against enemies were revenged. He maintained a perpetually sacred fire. He practiced great religious austerities. He completely mastered Vedas, the sacred scriptures. He was highly proficient even in the ritual acts. I desire to do, with you graciousness, that which is to be performed to him, who has departed to the other world."

             Rama, nodding in agreement, advised  Vibhishana to perform the funeral rites to his departed brother. 

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369. Ravana was killed by Rama.

             Matali was wondering why Rama was just dilly-dallying and not killing that rakshash. Matali did not expect that the battle between Rama and Ravana would be taking so long and without any break. After thinking for a while, he thought that Rama was tired, too and hence could not think clearly and was acting involuntarily. Matali, therefore, decided to refresh the memory of Rama and told him "Sir! Why are you still dragging on the battle with Ravana. Why don't you finish him? Have you forgotten that Brahmaastra would do the trick?"

        Rama, who was reminded thus by Matali, thanked him and took hold of the Brahmaastra  looking like hissing serpent. It was given to him by the sage, Agastya earlier in the battle-field. It was made specifically  for Indra, by Brahma. It was bestowed to those who were considered worthy of it. Sometimes some unworthy rakshashas got it. It was said to be more powerful than a nuclear device like a hydrogen bomb. As such it was being used very, very sparingly when any other weapon proved to be of no use.

        Rama thanked Matali again for the timely helpful suggestion. He, then made it as powerful as it was meant to be by following the procedure specified in scriptures. Rama then fixed that arrow and was preparing himself to hurl it toward that rakshash, Ravana. The mere indication that the all-powerful astra was about to be hurled towards the enemy, all beings were frightened and the earth trembled. When Rama hurled it toward that rakshash, it, ignoring all the weapons hurled by Ravana to stop it, promptly hit Ravana's chest. After taking the life of Ravana from his body, that astra, anointed with his blood, penetrated the earth.

          After duly satisfying itself that it had accomplished its mission, that arrow re-entered its bed (i.e. the quiver of Rama) silently and fell asleep.
         The lifeless body of Ravana fell down from the chariot on to the ground, like Vritra, when he was struck down by the vajra.

       It is needless to specifically state that the entire army of Ravana, seeing the dead body of their king, ran away. And that made all the vanaras very happy and feeling triumphant. 

         Then the cheerful outlet of the deities who were watching the duel reverberated in the sky. Very pleasant winds, carrying divine odour, emanated from there and embraced Rama and all others in his army. They showered lots of fascinating flowers on the chariot of Rama.

          All of them cried in joy "well done! Bravo!", combined with a panegyric in praise of Rama.

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