Sri Rama slaying Ravana

(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 102 to 108)

Sri Rama fighting

• Meditation: I meditate on Sri Rama waging war against Ravana in Lanka.

• Indra sending his chariot to Sri Rama: Hearing the words of Lakshmana, Sri Rama started releasing powerful arrows on Ravana. Ravana from his chariot also started showering his arrows on Sri Rama. The celestials thought that the battle was not equal since Ravana is mounting on a chariot while Sri Rama is fighting from the ground. Indra then sent Matali with his chariot to Sri Rama which was yoked with green horses, and had excellent bows, arrows and other weapons in it. Sri Rama circumambulated the chariot and ascended it to fight with Ravana.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 102)

• Sri Rama injuring Ravana, charioteer carrying him away: A terrific battle ensued between them. Ravana started sending powerful arrows presided over by the demons. Sri Rama neutralizes those with arrows presided over by the gods. Ravana sent arrows presided by serpents which made poisonous serpents rush towards Sri Rama to kill him. Sri Rama sent arrows presided by Garuda which taking the form of eagles consumed the serpents. Ravana pierced Matali with many arrows. Ravana then broke the flag-staff of Sri Rama's chariot with his arrows, and then struck his horses. Seeing the afflictions of Sri Rama in the battle, the celestials, vanaras and Vibhisana felt dejected. The entire nature itself became as if afflicted by Ravana. This provoked the anger of Sri Rama. That anger trembled the earth and agitated the rivers and the oceans. The clouds thundered. Other fearful portents also appeared. Ravana also became afraid. Ravana then took up a very powerful spear and with his fury made the earth tremble. Then he hurled that spear on Sri Rama. The spear created splashes of lightning in the sky. Sri Rama released his arrows to subdue that spear, but the spear consumed those arrows during its flight. Sri Rama became enraged and hurled the spear of Indra which Matali brought in his chariot. That spear neutralized the spear of Ravana. Then Sri Rama pierced the horses of Ravana with his arrows and struck Ravana in his chest and forehead. Ravana became grievously injured by the arrows of Rama. Getting angry he discharged his arrows on Sri Rama which Sri Rama neutralized with his arrows. The terrific battle continued. Sri Rama disparaged Ravana for his cowardly act of abducting Devi Sita and said that today he will reap its results. His head will roll down and his body will become the prey for the birds and the beasts. With great rage Sri Rama then released powerful arrows on Ravana. At the same time the vanaras also started releasing rocks on Ravana. Ravana became confused and could not properly take up his weapons. He sunk down in his chariot getting injured. The charioteer carried away Ravana from the battlefield.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 102 to 103)

• Ravana scolding the charioteer: Ravana scolded the charioteer severely for retreating from the battlefield, thus degrading his fame who does not turn back without destroying the enemies. The charioteer satisfactorily explained the various reasons like removing the fatigue of the warrior as well as the horses. Ravana became pleased and gifted an ornament to the charioteer. Then he ordered him to drive back the chariot to the battlefield and place it in front of Rama.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 104)

• Sage Agastya telling the Aditya Hridayam stotra to Sri Rama: Seeing Sri Rama exhausted in the battlefield and Ravana appearing with renewed vigour (after removing his fatigue), sage Agastya appeared with the celestials and told Sri Rama to worship the Sun-god and chant the Aditya Hridayam stotra. Hearing that great stotra, the sorrow of Sri Rama (due to fatigue) vanished. He sipped the water three times and repeated the stotra by looking at the orb of the Sun. Sri Rama felt great joy and vigour. The Sun god told Sri Rama to hasten the elimination of Ravana.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 105)

• Battle ensuing between Rama and Ravana again: Seeing the chariot of Ravana arriving, Sri Rama told Matali to drive the chariot with a steady mind and swiftly towards Ravana. By passing the chariot of Ravana on the right, Matali shook the chariot of Ravana by raising dust with the wheels. Then a great battle ensued between Rama and Ravana. The celestials arrived to see that battle. Then portents appeared indicating the victory of Rama and defeat of Ravana. Rain poured blood on the chariot of Ravana. The wind blew forming circles around his chariot from left to right. A group of vultures flew in the same direction as his chariot. Dusk of red colour like Japa flowers casted over Lanka. Meteors fell by making great sound. The ground trembled. Jackals and vultures made inauspicious sound seeing the face of Ravana. The wind blew dust around his chariot making the vision difficult. Hundreds of Sarika birds fought among themselves and fell on his chariot. The horses of Ravana released spark of fire from their hips and water from their eyes simultaneously. At the same time, good omens appeared around Sri Rama indicating his victory. Sri Rama became delighted.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 106)

• Battle between Rama and Ravana continuing: Then a great battle ensued between Rama and Ravana. The vanaras and the demons stood motionless witnessing that battle. Rama and Ravana demonstrated the full range of their prowess. Ravana released some arrows to destroy the flag-staff of Sri Rama's chariot. But the arrows fell off without doing any damage. Sri Rama in retaliation released an arrow towards the flag-staff of Ravana's chariot. The arrow broke down the flag-staff and entered inside the earth. Ravana then targetted the horses of Sri Rama's chariot with his arrows. The divine horses remained steady and unperturbed. The enraged Ravana then hurled many arrows along with weapons like maces, clubs, spikes and axes. He also released many arrows powered by magic. Ravana also released arrows on the vanara army. Ravana was releasing his weapons desperately, as if he has given up his hope of survival. The great battle continued. Their chariots moved swiftly displaying their war movements. Both Rama and Ravana inflicted wound on each other. Sri Rama with four arrows drove back the four horses of Ravana. In retaliation Ravana struck Sri Rama with his arrows. Sri Rama remained unperturbed. Ravana then directed his arrows towards Matali. Matali also remained unperturbed. Ravana discharged a volley of various weapons. The entire earth trembled due to that battle along with the mountains and the forests. The celestials and the sages became filled with anxiety. The battle continued.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 107)

• Sri Rama cutting heads of Ravana which appear again: Sri Rama then severed the head of Ravana which fell on the ground. Another similar head appeared on Ravana. Sri Rama again chopped off that head, which appeared again. This continued for hundreds of times. Seeing that Ravana cannot be destroyed, Sri Rama became thoughtful. Sri Rama pondered as to why the arrows which killed Khara, Dushana, Kabandha, Viradha and Vali are proving ineffective against Ravana.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 107)

• Battle continuing for seven days without respite: The terrific battle between Rama and Ravana continued for seven days without respite either during the day or during the night.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 107)

• Sri Rama slaying Ravana: Then Matali told Sri Rama to release the arrow presided over by Lord Brahma. That arrow was created by Lord Brahma for the celestials to wage victory war. It included the powers of Air, Fire and Sun and was terrific. Sri Rama charged that arrow with mantras and fits it in his bow. The earth along with its beings, tremble. Sri Rama released that arrow towards Ravana. That arrow pierced the chest of Ravana and tore his heart. Then the arrow penetrated inside the earth, and re-entered the quiver of Sri Rama. The bow and arrow fell from the hands of Ravana, and Ravana fell down dead. The demons fled the battlefield. The vanaras started rejoicing and proclaiming their victory. The celestials played kettle-drums, showered flowers on Sri Rama and started eulogizing him. After the death of Ravana, nature became joyful. Sugreeva, Vibhisana, Angada and Lakshmana adored Sri Rama with due ceremony. Sri Rama shone like Indra among the celestials.
(Valmiki Ramayana - Yuddha Kanda - 108)

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