The joyous shouts of Rama's army was enough to convince
Ravana of his son Meghnad's death. Breaking down in his huge chamber,
Ravan felt defeat was already his, yet he had to fight on. Lonely,
he prepared for the bloody battle ahead. Ravana mounted his chariot and
went charging to the battlefield.
At once Ravana fired his fearful arrows at Laxmana, and made him
unconscious. Finally, he stood face to face with Rama. While both were
equal in strength and bravery, one was virtuous, the other evil. The gods
anxiously watched to see the outcome of this legendary fight.
Ravana looked fearsome with his ten heads and twenty arms. Rama shot
one arrow after another to cut off his heads, but after every shot they
would grow back again. He was awestruck. He then shot another series of
arrows at Ravana, but he laughed seeing them.
Rama grew anxious. The gods who were watching from above asked Indra to
help. Indra sent his celestial chariot driven by Matali to help Rama. As
the chariot descended on earth, Rama quickly climbed it and started
firing weapons.
Matali then asked Rama to use the brahmashastra. Rama took up the
weapon, chanted Parvati's name and aimed it at Ravana's heart. The potent
weapon pierced his body and Ravana fell dead.
Loud cheers echoed through Lanka. Flowers were showered from the
heavens above. The gods announced the end of Ravana. Vibhisana refused to
do the last rites, but Rama explained that he was after all a brother and
had died like a warrior too. So Ravana deserved a proper funeral. |