by Tulsidas
While his headless, armless torso danced upon the battlefield.
The trunk rushed furiously on, so that the earth sank beneath it—
Then the Lord struck it with an arrow and split it in two.
As he died, Ravan roared in a voice of thunder,
‘Where is Ram? I will challenge and kill him in battle!’
The earth swayed as Dashkandhar fell,
And the ocean, the rivers, the elephants of the quarters, and the mountains all trembled.
He fell to the ground, his two halves growing,
Crushing multitudes of bears and monkeys beneath them.
Depositing Ravan’s arms and heads in front of Mandodari,
His arrows returned to the Lord of the universe,
And dropped into his quiver.
Seeing this, the gods beat their drums.
Ravan’s energy entered the Lord’s mouth.
Seeing this, Shambhu and four-faced Brahma rejoiced.
The whole universe resounded with cries of triumph,
‘Victory to Raghubir, mighty of arm!’
Crowds of gods and munis rained down flowers,
‘Glory to the All-merciful! Glory to Mukund, the giver of liberation!’
‘Mukund, giver of liberation, source of all mercy and dispeller of opposites,
Bestower of joy upon those who take refuge in you,
Destroyer of the wicked, the prime cause of all causes,
Ever compassionate, all-pervasive—victory to you, O Lord.’
The gods, full of joy, rained down flowers,
And drums and kettle-drums sounded loudly.
Upon the battlefield, Ram’s limbs took on
The radiance of innumerable gods of Love.
Flowers of heart-enchanting beauty, caught
In the crown of matted hair upon his head, shine
Like lightning glittering upon the star-lit peak
Of a dark mountain.
He twirls his bow and arrows between his arms,
And drops of blood adorn his body
Like a flock of red Raimuni birds
Joyously perched upon a tamal tree.
With a shower of gracious glances,
The Lord reassured the gathered gods.
The bears and monkeys all rejoiced,
Crying ‘Glory to Mukund, the abode of bliss!’
(103)
The instant Mandodari saw her husband’s heads,
She fainted with grief and fell to the ground.
Weeping, the royal women ran and raised her up,
And carried her to where lay Ravan’s body.
Seeing their lord’s condition, they broke into loud lamentation.
Their hair fell loose, and they lost all control of their bodies.
Wildly, they beat their breasts,
And, weeping, recounted his glory.
‘Before your strength, my lord, the earth ever trembled,
And fire, moon and sun dimmed in splendour before you.
Neither Shesh nor the divine tortoise could bear your body’s weight—
That same body now lies on the ground covered in dust.
Varun, Kuber, Indra, the Wind,
Never had the courage to face you on the battlefield.
By the might of your arm, my lord, you conquered fate and death,
Yet today you lie there like one destitute.
Your great power is famed throughout the world,
And the might of your sons and kinsfolk defies description.
It is because you turned against Ram that you are in this state today,
That no one from your line remains to mourn you.
In your power was all of God’s creation,
And the terrified guardians of the quarters ever bowed their heads to you.
Now jackals devour your heads and arms,
A fate not undeserved for one hostile to Ram.
In death’s grip, my husband, you did not listen,
And took the master of all creation to be an ordinary man.
You took as an ordinary man Hari himself,
That fire to destroy the forest of demons.
He whom Shiv and Brahma and the other gods revere—
You worshipped him not, that compassionate Lord, my beloved.
From birth this body of yours has been bent on hurting others,
And been imbued with every sin.
Yet Ram has given you his own abode—
I bow to him, the immutable brahm.
Ah my lord, there is no one else
As compassionate as Raghunath,
The divine Lord who has bestowed upon you a state
Difficult even for holy men to attain.’
(104)
Gods, munis and Siddhas were all pleased
To hear Mandodari’s words.
Brahma, Mahesh, Narad, Sanak and his brothers,
And those great sages who knew and taught the highest truth,
Gazed upon Raghupati, filling their eyes with his form,
And thus immersed in love, grew full of joy.
Seeing all the royal women weep,
Vibhishan went up to them, his heart heavy with grief,
And lamented to see his brother’s condition.
The Lord commanded his younger brother,
And Lakshman did all he could to comfort him.
Then Vibhishan came back to the Lord.
The Lord looked at him with compassion and said,
‘Perform the funeral rites, abandoning all grief.’
Obeying the Lord’s command, Vibhishan performed Ravan’s last rites
As prescribed, and keeping in mind the place and time.
Mandodari and the others
Made the ritual offering of sesame seeds,
And returned to the palace,
Praising Ragupati’s virtues in their hearts.
(105)
Vibhishan returned and once more bowed his head.
Raghunath, ocean of mercy then summoned his brother, Lakshman,
And said, ‘All you righteous ones—you, and Sugriv, king of the monkeys,
And Angad, Nal, Nil, Jamvant and Maruti—xv
Go with Vibhishan
And consecrate him king.
In obedience to my father’s command, I will not enter the city,
But send instead the monkeys and my younger brother, who are the same as me.’
Upon hearing the Lord’s words, the monkeys set forth at once,
And, entering Lanka, made ready for Vibhishan’s coronation.
Seating him with reverence upon the throne,
They placed the tilak of kingship on his forehead and sang his glory,
And, folding their hands, bowed their heads to him.
Then, with Vibhishan, they all returned to the Lord.
Raghubir then called the monkeys together
And spoke sweet words that made them glad.
He made them glad with these words sweet as nectar,
‘By your might, the enemy has been killed,
And Vibhishan made king. Your fame
Will remain ever fresh in all the three spheres.
Those who, with perfect love,
Sing of your renown and mine,
Shall without effort cross the boundless ocean
Of the cycle of birth and rebirth.’
The assembled monkeys do not tire
Of listening to the Lord’s words.
Again and again they bow their heads,
And embrace his lotus feet.
(106)
Ram summoned Hanuman.
‘Go to Lanka,’ said the divine Lord,
‘Tell Janaki all that has happened,
And come back with news of her well-being.’
Hanumant then entered the city of Lanka.
Hearing of his coming, Rakshasa and Rakshasi all ran to welcome him.
They honoured him in every possible way,
And showed him where Janak’s daughter was.<
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The monkey made obeisance from a distance.
Janaki recognized Raghupati’s messenger, and said,
‘Tell me, son, is my lord, the abode of mercy,
Well, with his brother and the monkey host?’
‘The king of Koshal is well in every way.
He has vanquished the ten-headed one in battle,
And Vibhishan is undisputed king of Lanka.’
Hearing the monkey’s words, Sita’s heart filled with joy.
Her heart flooded with happiness, and, with her body trembling
And eyes full of tears, Ramaa asked again and again,
‘What shall I give you, monkey? There is nothing
In the three spheres to equal these words of yours!’
‘Mother, I have without a doubt obtained
The whole universe as my kingdom today,
When I beheld the noble Ram and his brother,
Triumphant in war over the enemy.’
‘May every virtue, Hanumant,
Dwell in your heart, my son.
And may Koshal’s lord with his brother, Anant,
Remain ever gracious to you.
(107)
But now, dear son, arrange it so
That I may with my own eyes see his dark and tender form.’
Then Hanuman returned to Ram,
And told him of Sita’s well-being.
On hearing news of Sita, the jewel of the solar dynasty,
Summoned Prince Angad and Vibhishan, and said,
‘Go with the Wind’s son,
And with every reverence, bring back Janak’s daughter.’
They went at once to where Sita was,
Humbly waited upon by the Rakshasa women.
Vibhishan quickly explained the circumstances,
And they helped her bathe and dress herself,
And adorned her with jewels of every description.
Then they made ready and brought a lovely palanquin,
Into which Vaidehi climbed with joy,
Thinking of Ram, her beloved, the abode of bliss.
On all four sides were guards with staffs in their hands.
They set forth, their hearts full of delight.
The bears and monkeys all ran to watch,
But the guards rushed angrily to keep them away.
Said Raghubir, ‘Listen to what I say—
Bring Sita on foot, my friend,
So that the monkeys may gaze upon her as their mother.’
Thus said the Lord Raghunath with a smile.
Hearing the Lord’s words, the bears and monkeys rejoiced,
And the gods rained flowers from the sky.
Ram had earlier placed Sita in fire,
And now he, who is witness to all secrets, sought to reveal her.
It was for that reason that the abode of compassion
Spoke some harsh words,
Upon hearing which the Rakshasa women
All began to grieve.
(108)
Sita, pure in thought, word and deed,
Deferred to the Lord’s words, and said,
‘Lakshman, be the officiating priest at this test of my virtue,
And quickly light the fire.’
Upon hearing Sita’s words steeped in her pain of separation,
And imbued with discernment, piety and wisdom,
Lakshman’s eyes filled with tears, and he stood with folded hands.
He could not speak a word to the Lord.
Then, seeing Ram’s expression, Lakshman ran
And fetched wood to light the fire.
Vaidehi rejoiced to see the blazing flames—
There was no fear in her heart.
‘If in my heart, in thought, word, or deed,
There has never been anyone other than Raghubir,
Then may Fire, which knows the ways of all,
Become as cool as sandal-paste for me.’
Into the flames as cool as sandal-paste
Entered Maithilixvi meditating on the Lord—
‘Glory to Koshal’s king, whose feet
Mahesh reveres and I cherish with purest devotion.’
Sita’s shadow image and the blemish of worldly disgrace
Were consumed by the fierce flames.
Gods, Siddhas and munis stood watching in the sky,
But no one understood this action of the Lord’s.
Then Fire, assuming bodily form took the hand
Of the true Shri, famed in the Vedas and the world,
And, leading her forth, gave her to Ram
In the same way that the Ocean of Milk had given Indira to Vishnu.
Her great beauty radiant,
The true Sita now stood shining on Ram’s left side,
Like a golden lily bud
Beside a fresh-blooming blue lotus.
The gods rejoiced and rained down flowers,
While drums beat in the sky.
Kinnaras sang and apsaras danced
Upon celestial chariots.
(109A)
Gazing upon the infinite beauty
Of Ram reunited with Janak’s daughter,
The bears and monkeys rejoiced,
Crying, ‘Glory to Raghupati, essence of joy!’
(109B)
Then, receiving Raghupati’s permission,
Matali bowed his head at his feet and left.
Then the gods, ever selfish, came
And spoke as though concerned with the welfare of the universe.
‘O friend of the lowly, compassionate Raghurai,
You have shown great mercy to the gods, divine Lord.
This lustful wretch, hostile to the whole world,
Ever walking the path of evil, has perished because of his own wickedness.
You are brahm, unchanging, indestructible,
Ever equable, inherently detached,
Indivisible, without attributes, uncreated, sinless, immutable,
Invincible, of unfailing power, full of compassion,
Who assumed the form of a fish, a tortoise, a boar,
Narhari, the dwarf and Parashuram.
Whenever, Lord, the gods have been in distress,
It is you who have put an end to their troubles by taking on these various forms.
This vile wretch, ever the enemy of the gods,
Immersed in lust and greed, arrogant and exceedingly wrathful,
This most contemptible wretch attained your supreme state—
This surprises and puzzles us.
We gods are supremely deserving,
But, immersed in our own self-interest, we forgot to worship you,
And so we are ever caught in the stream of birth and rebirth.
But now, Lord, we have come to you, so grant us refuge!’
Having thus beseeched the Lord,
The gods and Siddhas stood there with folded hands.
Then, his body trembling with devotion,
Vidhi broke into a song of praise.
(110)
Glory to Ram, ever the abode of bliss, the remover of all affliction,
Chief of the Raghus, with his bow and arrows!
Lord, you are the lion that tears into pieces the elephant that is this existence,
The ocean of all virtue, the all-wise, all-pervading master.
In your form is the incomparable beauty of countless Kamdevs,
Siddhas, munis and poets sing your virtues,
And unblemished is your fame. Like Garud,
You seized in wrath the great serpent that was Ravan.
You give joy to your devotees, destroy sorrow and fear,
And are ever without anger—Lord, you are pure intelligence.
Beneficent are your descents upon earth, and of unbounded virtue;
Aggregations of wisdom, they relieve the earth of its burdens.
Uncreated, all-pervading, ever one, without beginning,
I joyously bow to you, Ram, the most compassionate.
O ornament
of the Raghu clan, slayer of Dushan, and remover of all faults,
You made Vibhishan king of Lanka, lowly though he was.
Abode of virtue and wisdom, without pride, unborn,
I ever adore you, Ram, the omnipresent and immutable.
Terrible is the power and strength of your arms,
Which are adept in the destruction of the wicked.
Merciful and kind to the needy without cause,
I salute you, the abode of beauty, with Ramaa.
Deliverer from the cycle of rebirth, you are beyond cause and effect,
And destroy the terrible faults born of the mind.
You bear a heart-enchanting bow and arrows and quiver,
And have eyes as bright as the red lotus. In you resides bliss.
You are the most illustrious of kings, Shri’s handsome beloved,
And the destroyer of pride, lust and false attachment.
You are indivisible, free of all faults and cannot be known through the senses.
You are ever manifest in all forms, yet never were those forms,
Like the sun and sunlight, which are separate and not separate—
This is not an idle statement, for the Vedas have so declared.
Blessed are all these monkeys, all-pervading Lord,
Who gaze with reverence upon your countenance.
Cursed are our lives and our celestial bodies, Hari—
Without devotion to you, we wander lost in worldly concerns.
Now, O you who are merciful to the lowly, show me your compassion,
And take away that disposition of my mind that makes the world appear separate from you
Because of which I do what I should not,
And wander cheerfully, mistaking affliction for happiness.
Destroyer of the wicked, and lovely ornament of the earth,
Your lotus feet are adored by Shambhu and Uma.
King of kings, grant me the boon
Of loving devotion to your lotus feet, the source of everlasting well-being.’
Thus did four-faced Brahma beseech the Lord,
His body trembling with love.
His eyes, gazing upon the ocean of beauty,
Refused to be satisfied.
(111)
At that very moment, Dasharath arrived there,
And upon beholding his son, his eyes filled with tears.