The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  From the summit, they saw the city, as if it was suspended in the air. It was auspicious, with the best of gates and adorned with supreme ramparts. The leaders among the apes saw that Lanka was full of rakshasas. The best among apes saw the dark roamers in the night also stationed there, adding to the collection of ramparts, since they seemed to form another rampart. The apes saw that all the rakshasas desired to fight and while Rama looked on, they emitted a loud roar. The evening was red and the sun set. There was the radiance of the full moon and night arrived. Rama, the lord of the army of the apes, was welcomed and honoured by Vibhishana, together with Lakshmana, the leader of the herds106 and the herds. They happily resided on the slopes of Suvela.

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  The bulls among the apes spent the night on Suvela. The brave ones saw Lanka, with its forests and groves. These were flat, peaceful and beautiful, extremely large in size. Witnessing the beauty, they were filled with wonder. It was full of champakas, ashokas, punnagas, salas and talas. It was shrouded with tamala groves and dense with nagakeshara trees.107 There were flowering hintalas,108 arjunas, neepas and saptaparnas. There were tilakas, karnikaras and patalas109 in every direction. It was beautiful, with creepers, with flowers at the tips, enveloping the many kinds of divine trees, making Lanka resemble Indra’s Amaravati. There were wonderful blossoms and red and delicate leaves. There were blue grasslands and colourful groves and forests. The lovely trees were bedecked with fragrant flowers and fruits, just as men wear ornaments. Like Chaitratha and like Nandana, it was pleasing to the mind. The forests were beautiful in all the seasons and were radiant with bees. Gallinules and lapwings called, peacocks danced. Cuckoos could be heard in the waterfalls in the forests. The birds were always excited and bees buzzed around. There were clumps that were full of birds like cuckoos. Large bees sang and smaller bees swarmed. There was the chirping of wagtails and the calling of cranes.

  Delighted and happy, the brave apes, who could assume any form at will, entered those forests and groves.110 The extremely energetic apes entered there and an extremely pleasant and fragrant breeze began to blow, mixed with the fragrance of flowers. Some other brave apes, leaders of their herds, took Sugriva’s permission and emerging from their herds, advanced towards Lanka, which was adorned with flags. As those supreme among those who roar roared in loud voices, the birds were scared and animals and birds terrified. Lanka trembled. They crushed the ground with their feet and created a great force. A dust was created by their feet and suddenly rose up. Frightened by that sound, bears, lions, boars, buffaloes, elephants and deer fled in the ten directions. The single tall peak of Trikuta rose up and touched the sky. It was enveloped with flowers everywhere and seemed to be made out of gold. It sparkled and was beautiful to see, extending for one hundred yojanas. It was lovely, handsome and gigantic and even the birds found it difficult to approach. It was impossible to climb, even in one’s thoughts, not to speak of people who sought to ascend. Protected by Ravana, Lanka nestled on that peak. The city had towering gates that were like white clouds. These were made out of gold and there were beautiful silver ramparts. Lanka was supremely adorned with palaces and storeyed mansions. Nestled in between,111 it was like the sky, Vishnu’s region, at the end of the summer. There was a palace ornamented with one thousand pillars there. It resembled the peak of Kailasa and could be seen, as if it was an etching in the sky. This sanctuary of the Indra among the rakshasas was a supreme ornament for the city. One hundred rakshasas always protected all of it. With the apes, Rama, Lakshmana’s prosperous elder brother, saw the prosperous city, which had accomplished its objective of being wealthy. It was full of jewels and possessed diverse arrangements. It was decorated with garlands of palaces. There were large machines and huge doors in the city. With his great force, Rama saw it.

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  Having seen various signs, Lakshmana’s elder brother addressed Lakshmana, who possessed all the auspicious signs, in these words. ‘O Lakshmana! Let us gather cool water and groves full of fruits. Let us divide this army into vyuhas and wait. We can see that a terrible fear has presented itself and that it will cause a destruction of creatures. There will be death for the best of bears, apes and rakshasas. A harsh wind is blowing and the earth is trembling. The summits of mountains are quivering and falling down on the ground. Like harsh and cruel predatory beasts, the clouds are rumbling in harsh tones. They are showering down cruel drops of water mixed with blood. The evening is extremely terrible and resembles red sandalwood. A blazing ball of fire is falling down from the sun. Birds and animals are miserable. In their distress, they are facing the sun and calling in terrible tones. This is ominous and generates great fear. Though its radiance cannot be seen in the night, the moon is scorching us. Its beams are black and red, just as it is at the time of the destruction of the world. O Lakshmana! Behold. A blue mark can be seen in the sun’s disc. It is small, harsh and ominous and the extremities are extremely red. The nakshatras can no longer be seen to be circling as they used to. O Lakshmana! Behold. All this seems to be telling us that the end of the yuga and the world has arrived. Crows, hawks and vultures are circling below. Jackals are also howling in loud and inauspicious voices. This invincible city is protected by Ravana. Surrounded by the apes on all sides, let us swiftly attack with force.’ Lakshmana’s brave elder brother spoke to Lakshmana in this way. The immensely strong one quickly descended from the summit of the mountain.

  Raghava, with dharma in his soul, descended from the mountain. He looked at his own army, which was extremely difficult for the enemy to assail. Raghava knew about the right time. With Sugriva, since the time was right, he urged the great army of the king of the apes. Surrounded by the large army and leading from the front, with a bow in his hand, the mighty-armed one advanced towards the city of Lanka. Vibhishana, Sugriva, Hanumat, Jambavat, the king of the bears, Nala, Nila and Lakshmana followed him. The extremely large army of bears and residents of the forest was at the rear. As they followed Raghava, they covered the entire ground on earth. The apes, the restrainers of the enemy, were like excellent elephants. They seized hundreds of peaks from the mountains and gigantic trees. After an extremely long period of time, the two brothers who were scorchers of enemies, Rama and Lakshmana, approached Ravana’s city of Lanka. It had garlands of flags, with beautiful gardens. It was decorated with groves. There was a wonderful rampart that was very difficult to breach. There were tall gates and turrets. It was extremely difficult for even the gods to attack. Commanded and urged by Rama’s words, the residents of the forest attacked it.

  Lanka’s northern gate was as tall as a mountain peak. Ravana and his younger brother, the archer, laid siege to it and stationed themselves there. Rama, Dasharatha’s son, with the brave Lakshmana as his companion, stationed himself there, at the city of Lanka, protected by Ravana. Ravana himself was stationed at the northern gate. Protected by him, no one other than Rama was capable of attacking that gate. Ravana was stationed there, like Varuna is in the terrible ocean. In every direction, it was protected by terrible rakshasas wielding weapons, like the danavas in patala. Inferior ones would have been scared away. He112 saw many kinds of warriors spread around and masses of weapons and armour.

  Nila, the commander of the army reached the eastern gate and with Mainda and the valiant Dvivida, remained there. With Rishabha, Gavaksha, Gaja and Gavaya, the extremely strong Angada assumed control over the southern gate. Hanumat, the strong ape, protected the western gate. He was with Pramathi, Praghasa and other brave ones. Sugriva was himself stationed in the centre of the army. He sighed like Suparna and was with all the best among the apes. Thirty-six crores of famous leaders of the apes were where the ape Sugriva was, crushing the enemy present there. On Rama’s command, Lakshmana, with Vibhishana, placed one crore of apes at every gate. Towards Rama’s rear and not far from him, were Sugriva and Jambavat, in the centre of the army and with many soldiers following. Those tigers among apes possessed teeth like those of tigers. Seizing trees and pe
aks of mountains, they were happy, waiting to fight. All of them stretched and lashed their tails. All of them used teeth and nails as weapons. All of them quivered in their colourful limbs. All of them had grim visages. Some possessed the strength of ten elephants, others that of one hundred. Some possessed valour that was equal to that of one thousand elephants. There were those with the strength of a multitude of elephants, others with ten times that. There were others whose strength could not be measured. All the leaders among the apes were there. Their gathering together was wonderful and extraordinary. The soldiers of the apes were like a swarm of locusts. They seemed to cover the sky and envelop the earth. There were apes who had reached and settled down in front of Lanka. There were one hundred thousand separate divisions of bears and residents of the forest. Some reached Lanka’s gates. Others spread around, to fight on every side. In every direction, the apes covered all the mountains. One crore of them advanced towards the city. The forces of the apes wielded trees in their hands. Even the wind found it extremely difficult to penetrate Lanka and they surrounded it from every side. Suddenly besieged in this way, the rakshasas were surprised. The apes resembled clouds and were like Shakra in their valour. As the waves of soldiers advanced, a tumultuous sound arose. It was like the sound of the water when the ocean is agitated. As a consequence of that great sound, Lanka, with all its ramparts, gates, mountains, forests and groves, started to tremble. The army was protected by Rama, Lakshmana and Sugriva. It was more invincible than all the gods and the asuras put together.

  Having himself arranged the soldiers in this way, with a view to slaying the rakshasas, he repeatedly consulted with his ministers and decided what should be done. He knew about the truth and was eager to undertake what should be done next. With Vibhishana’s sanction, he remembered the dharma of kings. He summoned Angada, Vali’s son, and spoke to him. ‘O amiable one! O ape! Go to Dashagriva and convey my words to him. Without any fear or distress, enter the city of Lanka. Go to the one who has lost his prosperity and wealth. Bereft of his senses, he is about to die. “O one who roams around in the night! O rakshasa! Because of your delusion and insolence, you have committed crimes against rishis, gods, gandharvas, apsaras, serpents, yakshas and kings. The insolence you derived from a boon granted by Svayambhu, the one who uses the rod of chastisement, will certainly be dispelled today. I am afflicted because you abducted my wife. I am stationed at the gates of Lanka, wielding the rod of chastisement. O rakshasa! Slain by me, you will obtain the destinations meant for gods, maharshis and all the royal sages and go there. O worst among rakshasas! In abducting Sita, you used your strength and maya. Exhibit those now and surpass me. I will use my sharp arrows to destroy all rakshasas on earth, unless you seek refuge with me and return Maithilee. Vibhishana, with dharma in his soul and supreme among rakshasas, has come here. Without any thorns, the handsome one will certainly obtain the prosperity of Lanka. Resorting to adharma, you do not have the capacity to enjoy the kingdom even for an instant. You have not cleansed your soul and have foolish and wicked aides. O rakshasa! Resort to your fortitude and valour and fight. In the battle, I will pacify and purify you with my arrows. Even if you assume the form of a bird and course through the three worlds with the speed of thought, when you come within the range of my vision, you will not be able to retain your life. I am speaking these beneficial words to you. Prepare for your funeral rites. Make the proper arrangements in Lanka. Your life depends on me.”’

  Rama was unblemished in his deeds. Having been thus addressed by him, Tara’s son took to the sky, like the lord of oblations.113 In a short instant, the handsome one descended within Ravana’s residence. He saw Ravana seated there with his advisers, without any anxiety. The bull among apes descended close to him. Angada, with golden bracelets, looked like the fire. In the hearing of the advisers, he made himself known and reported all of Rama’s words, without adding or taking anything away. ‘I am the messenger of Rama, the Indra of Kosala who is unblemished in his deeds. I am Angada, Vali’s son. You may have heard of me. Raghava Rama is the extender of Kousalya’s delight. He tells you, “O worst of beings! O cruel one! Come and fight against me. With your advisers, sons, kin and relatives, I will kill you. After I have killed you, there will no longer be any fear in the three worlds. Today, I will uproot the enemy and the thorn of the gods, the danavas, the yakshas, the gandharvas, the rakshasas and the rishis. Once you are killed, Vibhishana will obtain the prosperity, unless you bow down before me and respectfully return Vaidehi.”’

  The bull among apes addressed him in these harsh words. Hearing them, the lord of large numbers of those who roam around in the night was filled with intolerance. His eyes turned copper-red with rage and he commanded his aides, ‘Seize this one, inferior in intelligence. Dishonour him and kill him.’ He114 blazed in his energy, like the fire. Hearing Ravana’s words, four terrible roamers in the night seized him. Knowing his own nature, Tara’s son allowed himself to be captured. The brave one wished to exhibit his strength to the large numbers of yatudhanas. Like a bird, Angada seized the ones who clung on to his arms and leapt on to the palace that resembled a mountain. While the Indra among rakshasas looked on, all those rakshasas were whirled around by the force of the leap and fell down on the ground. The top of the palace was as tall as the peak of a mountain. While Dashagriva looked on, he attacked it. Having destroyed the top of the palace, he announced his own name. He uttered a loud roar and leapt into the sky.

  When the palace was destroyed, Ravana was filled with great rage. Able to see his own destruction, he sighed deeply.

  Rama was surrounded by many delighted apes. Desiring to slay the enemy, he advanced to fight. The ape Sushena was very brave and was like the summit of a mountain. He was there, surrounded by many apes who could assume any form at will. On Sugriva’s instructions, this invincible ape progressively marched around all the gates, like the moon amidst the nakshatras.

  There were hundreds of akshouhinis115 of the residents of the forest. Having crossed the ocean, they were camped in Lanka. On seeing them, some rakshasas marvelled. Others were terrified. There were others who were delighted at the prospect of a battle and leapt up. The apes covered the entire area between the ramparts and the moat. The apes were like a second rampart. On seeing this, the rakshasas were distressed. At this great and terrible occurrence, there was an uproar in the capital of the rakshasas. The rakshasas seized large weapons and advanced, like winds that blow at the end of a yuga.

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  After this, the rakshasas went to Ravana’s residence and reported that Rama, with the apes, had laid siege to the city. On hearing that the city had been besieged, the roamer in the night was filled with anger. He doubled the arrangements and ascended to the top of the palace. He saw that in every direction, Lanka, with its mountains, forests and groves, had been surrounded by innumerable bands of apes who wished to fight. He saw that because of the apes, the entire earth was brown. He began to think, ‘How can they be destroyed?’ Having thought for a long period of time, Ravana resorted to his fortitude. With dilated eyes, he looked at Raghava and the leaders among the apes.

  While the Indra among rakshasas looked on, wishing to bring pleasure to Raghava, the different parts of the army began to climb into Lanka. Their faces were coppery. Their complexions were golden. For Rama’s sake, they were ready to give up their lives. With salas, talas and boulders as weapons, they attacked Lanka. The apes used trees, the peaks of mountains and fists as their weapons. Using these, they broke down the tops of the palaces and the turrets. The moats were filled with clear water. The apes filled these up with earth, the tops of mountains, grass and wood. Other leaders of herds climbed into Lanka with herds of thousand, herds of crores and herds of hundreds of crores. The apes shattered the golden gates. They destroyed the arches that possessed the hue of the summit of Kailasa. The apes leapt up, leapt down and roared. With complexions like those of gigantic elephants, they attacked Lanka. The apes could assume any form at will and attack
ed Lanka’s ramparts. They shouted, ‘Victory to the extremely strong Rama and the immensely strong Lakshmana. Victory to King Sugriva, protected by Raghava.’ They shouted and roared in this way. The leaders of the apes—Virabahu, Subahu and Nala—the residents of the forest, stationed themselves at the ramparts and crushed them. Looking for an opportunity, they stationed their formations there.

  Kumuda was at the eastern gate, surrounded by ten crore of strong apes who desired victory. The brave ape, Shatabali, attacked the southern gate, surrounded by twenty crore of strong ones. The ape Sushena, Tara’s father, was at the western gate. He was surrounded by sixty crore of strong ones. With Soumitri, Rama attacked the northern gate and barricaded it. He was with the strong Sugriva, the lord of the apes. Surrounded by one crore of immensely brave ones, the gigantic Golangula and Gavaksha, terrible to behold were by Rama’s side. Dhumra, the destroyer of enemies, was surrounded by one crore of immensely brave and extremely forceful bears and was by Rama’s side. The immensely brave Vibhishana was armoured and had a mace in his hand. He was surrounded by his advisers and was also where the immensely strong one116 was. Gaja, Gavaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha and Gandhamadana rushed around on all sides, protecting the army of the apes.