by Ruskin Bond
The Battle Begins
Rama was overjoyed when he heard that Sita was alive and well. King Sugriv was quite willing to give him a huge army, and the Vanars came forward in thousands, thrilled at the chance of attacking their old enemies, the demons. But when these mighty forces, led by Rama, Lakshman and Hanuman, reached the southern coast, they found that the ocean was still raging and it seemed impossible for the army to cross over to Lanka. Only Hanuman was capable of leaping over the waters.
‘A bridge must be built for our forces,’ said Rama. ‘Let the most powerful Vanars throw great rocks and tree trunks into the ocean and you will see that in this way a causeway will be made for our army.’
Thousands of great Vanars immediately set to work. They uprooted trees and tore great rocks from the cliffs. When they were thrown into the sea, a bridge began to form that reached as far as the shores of Lanka in five days’ time.
Then, during the night, Rama led the Vanar forces over the causeway and they landed in safety at Lanka, where they encamped some distance from the city.
Ravana had seen the approach of the enemy from a watch tower in his palace. When he saw the strength of the Vanar forces, he was filled with dismay. Rousing his men, he ordered them to make ready for battle without delay, and at daybreak, the demon king marched out of the city with thousands of fierce demon warriors.
Rama’s forces were armed with great stones and uprooted tree trunks, which they hurled with all their might at the enemy, but, although countless demons were killed in this way, it seemed as if their ranks were never thinned. The brave Vanars suffered much from the poisoned spears and arrows which the demons used. At the end of the first day’s fighting, Lakshman was badly wounded. But Hanuman was at hand to apply healing herbs to the Prince’s wounds, and Lakshman was soon able to take part in the battle again.
For many days and nights the fighting continued, and at first it seemed as if Ravana and his demons would triumph, but gradually, the tide of fortune began to turn in favour of Rama. One by one, Ravana’s most powerful warriors fell before the magic arrows of Rama. In desperation, the demon king decided to force Kumbhakarn, his giant brother, to enter the fray.
Ravana Defeated
Now Kumbhakarn was the strongest of all the demons, an enormous giant of a demon. Unfortunately, he had always been a great source of trouble to Ravana, because when he moved, his huge clumsy limbs were apt to damage buildings and gardens. His appetite was so enormous that it could never be satisfied. As a result, Ravana had forced the poor giant to pass his days in slumber, and only twice a year was he allowed to wake up and enjoy a few hours’ freedom.
It was not the right season for Kumbhakarn to be awakened, but Ravana gave orders that the giant be roused instantly and told of the desperate plight of the demon armies.
Waking Kumbhakarn, however, was a hard task, for though the demons clapped their hands and shouted, he did not move; nor did his peaceful snoring cease when trumpets were sounded in his ears. Elephants and camels were then brought into the giant’s massive apartment and made to trumpet and bellow, but still Kumbhakarn carried on sleeping. It was not until the animals were driven over his great body that he stirred and asked in a drowsy voice, ‘Why am I being wakened before the appointed time?’
The demons hastily explained why they had been forced to rouse him, and the giant muttered, ‘Ravana has been foolish to anger Rama and these Vanars. Still, to please my brother, I will march against them.’
So, after he had refreshed himself with great quantities of food and wine, Kumbhakarn stumbled out to battle.
The appearance of this terrible giant caused quite a panic amongst the Vanars, thousands of whom were killed as he went crashing through their ranks. But Rama advanced fearlessly with the magic bow which the old sage Agastya had given him. And, to the joy of his followers, he sent an arrow right through the heart of Kumbhakarn.
The giant fell to earth, crushing countless demons beneath his dead body. But now Rama’s greatest trial was to come.
Ravana hastily armed himself with all the deadly weapons at his command and rushed upon the prince with howls of rage and defiance. Rama managed to withstand the poisoned darts and spears of his enemy, but it seemed as if his own magic weapons had lost their power. He aimed arrow after arrow at Ravana, yet the demon king remained unharmed.
But at last, just as his strength was beginning to fail him, victory came to Rama.
One arrow, swifter and more powerful than the others, found its way to Ravana’s heart. The demon king fell from his chariot and lay dead on the battlefield.
With the death of their king, the hostility of the demons vanished. Laying down their arms, they surrendered to the Vanars. Meanwhile, the prince had entered the city in search of his wife.
Sita was alone in her pavilion, for her terrified guards had long since fled the city. When she heard the sound of footsteps, she looked up in fear lest Ravana had returned, but catching sight of Rama, she rushed forward and fell into his arms with tears of joy.
At first, Rama and Sita could hardly believe that their long separation was at an end, but the happy thought came to the prince that his beloved wife had been found at the very moment when his sentence of banishment was over.
When good Hanuman heard this, he rushed off to Ayodhya to inform Prince Bharat that Rama and Sita were about to return to the kingdom. And the defeated demons brought out a wonderful chariot which they presented to the prince and princess.
Then Rama and Sita stepped into the flower-covered car drawn by swans, and took leave of Lanka forever. The swans flew through the air with the flower-chariot, and brought them swiftly to Ayodhya, where they found the people rejoicing at their return.
Prince Bharat was delighted to hand over the rule of the kingdom to his brother, and the coronation of Rama and Sita took place at last. There was no jealous soul to spoil the ceremony this time, for Manthara was dead, and Queen Kaikeyi, sorry for what she had done, had asked for and received Rama’s forgiveness.
Lakshman received many honours, and good Hanuman returned to his mountain home with gifts for himself and King Sugriv. But what Hanuman valued far more than gold and jewels was the love and gratitude which Rama and Sita and their people would always feel towards him.
Classic Ruskin Bond
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