"Give over thy vaunts--I hold thy cruelty a crime, not virtue."
The combat between the two Ramas is suspended by the arrival of Janaka
and Satananda, and Rama's being summoned to attend the Kanchana Mochana,
the loosening of Sita's golden bracelet.
Parasurama awaits Ramachandra's return. He is accosted in succession by
Vasishtha, Viswamitra, Satananda, Janaka and Dasaratha, who first
endeavour to soothe and then to terrify him; but he outbullies them all:
at last Ramachandra returns from the string-removing ceremony and is
heard calling on Parasurama, and the combat ensues. Ramachandra comes
out victorious.
The two kings Janaka and Dasaratha congratulate each other on the
victory of Ramachandra. Parasurama is now as humble as he was before
arrogant: he calls upon the earth to hide his shame. Whilst Rama regrets
Bhargava's departure, Surpanakha, disguised as Manthara, the favourite
of Kaikeyi, Dasaratha's second wife, arrives with a letter to Rama,
requesting him to use his influence with his father to secure Kaikeyi
the two boons which Dasaratha was pledged to grant her; specifying one
to be her son Bharata's inauguration, and the other, assent to Rama's
voluntary exile. In the meantime, Dasaratha, who has determined to raise
Rama to the participation of regal dignity, communicates his intention
to his son. Rama replies by informing him of Kaikeyi's message, and is
earnest with his father to accede to her request.
Bharata and his maternal uncle Yuddhajit arrive, and ask Dasaratha to
crown Rama and all are full of wonder and concern: however, as there is
no help for it, Dasaratha consents and orders preparations for the
ceremony.
Lakshmana and Sita are alone to accompany Rama, on which her father
Janaka exclaims, "My child, what happiness it will be to wait upon thy
husband in the hour of trouble, permitted to partake and cheer his
wanderings!" Bharata requests permission to go with them, but Rama
refuses his assent; on which his brother begs his golden shoes of him,
promising to instal them in the kingdom, and rule thereafter as their
representative. The seniors are led out in deep despondency, and Rama
with his brother and wife set off to the woods.
A dialogue opens between the two birds, Jatayu and Sampati, the
vulture-descendants of Kasyapa, who have seen successive creations. They
relate Rama's progress towards the south; and Sampati, the elder leaves
his brother Jatayu, with strict injunctions to assist Rama, if needed.
He then goes to the ocean to perform daily duties and Jatayu to Malaya.
Jatayu perches on the mountain and marks the hero Rama in pursuit of the
swift deer. Lakshmana directs his remote course thither. A holy seer
approaches the bower and the dame gives him meet welcome. His form
expands.
It is he, the felon Ravana--his train crowd from the groves; he seizes
upon Sita--he mounts the car. Jatayu cries shame on his birth and
threatens to rend his limbs and revel in his gore. Jatayu is, however,
killed in the conflict. Rama raves with indignation. The brothers set
off in pursuit of the ravisher, when Sramana, a female devotee sent by
Vibhishana to Rama, calls for succour being seized by Kabandha, a
headless fiend. Rama sends Lakshmana to her rescue; he goes off to kill
the demon and returns with the dame. She gives Rama a note from
Vibhishana praying for his refuge. Rama asks Lakshmana what reply to be
sent to (his) "dear friend--lord of Lanka" and Lakshman replies that
those words are sufficient.
(Two promises are implied--first contraction of friendship and secondly
bestowal of the Kingdom of Lanka.)
Rama, learning from the devotee that Vibhishana is with Sugriva,
Hanuman, and other monkey chiefs at Rishyamuka, and that the monkeys
have picked up Sita's ornaments and upper garments in the forest,
determines to go to them. Kabandha then appears, to thank Rama for
killing him, being thereby liberated from a curse and restored to a
divine condition.
They then set off to Rishyamuka, the residence of Bali, watered by the
Pampa. In the way Rama performs a miracle by kicking away the skeleton
of a giant.
When the brothers arrive at the mountain, Bali appears like a cloud upon
its peak and, being instigated by his friend Malyavan, resolves to
oppose Rama. The heroes meet and, after exchange of civilities, go to
the conflict.
The noise brings Vibhishana, Sugriva, and all the monkey chiefs to the
place. Bali is overthrown and mortally wounded. He recommends the
Monkeys to choose Sugriva and his own son Angada for their joint
sovereigns, and mediates an alliance between Rama and them, as well as
with Vibhishana. Rama and Sugriva pledge themselves to eternal
friendship, over the sacrificial fire in Matanga's hermitage which stood
close by. Bali then repeats his request to the monkey chiefs, as they
were attached to him, to acknowledge Sugriva and Angada as their joint
leaders, and to follow them in aid of Rama against Ravana in the ensuing
contest: he then dies.
Malyavan laments over these miscarriages. Trijata, a Rakshasi, adds to
his despondency by news of the mischief inflicted by Hanumana, who has
burnt the town of Lanka and slain a son of Ravana. He goes off to set
guards, and gather news by means of spies.
Ravana meditates on his love. His queen Mahodhari comes to bring him
tidings of Rama's approach, but he only laughs at her. She tells him of
the bridge made by Rama: he replies, if all the mountains of the earth
were cast into the ocean, they would not furnish footing to cross it.
His incredulity is terminated by a general alarm, and the appearance of
Prahasta, his general, to announce that Lanka is invested. Angada comes
as envoy from Rama, to command Ravana to restore Sita and prostrate
himself and his family at the feet of Lakshmana. Ravana, enraged, orders
some contumely or punishment to be inflicted upon him. He orders him to
be shaved. Angada puffs his hair out with rage. The monkey tells Ravana,
if he were not an ambassador, he would tear off his ten heads, and he
then springs away; the tumult increases, and Ravana goes forth to the
combat. Indra and Chiraratha then come to see the battle from the air.
All the chiefs of the two parties engage in promiscuous war. The
Rakshasas have the worst, but Ravana, with his brother Kumbhakarna and
his son Meghanada, turns the tide: the monkeys fly, leaving Rama almost
unsupported. Lakshmana attacks Meghanada: Ravana quits Rama to assist
his son.
The "serpent band" of Meghnada is dispersed by the "eagle-king-weapon"
of Lakshmana. The forces of Kumbhakarna are reduced to ashes with a
fire-weapon by Rama. Rama kills Kumbhakarna, and then goes to the aid of
Lakshmana; the whole of Rama's party are then overwhelmed with magical
weapons, hurled invisibly by Ravana upon them, and fall senseless. While
Ravana seeks to restore Kumbhakarna, Hanuman, reviving, goes to fetch
_amrita_, and tearing up the mountain that contains it, returns to the
field: his very approach restores Lakshmana, who jumps up with increased
animation, like a serpent starting from his shrivelled skin or the sun
bursting from clouds. So Raghu's youngest hope, restored by heavenly
herbs, burns with more than wonted ardour, wonders a moment what has
chanced and then, all on fire for glory, rushes to the fight. Rama also
revives, and instigated by the sages, exerts his celestial energies, by
which the daitya, Ravana, and his host speedily perish. Rama is
victorious, and Sita is recovered.
Vibhishana is now crowned king of Lanka. Alaka, a tutelary deity, comes.
Lanka, another tutelary deity, is consoled by Alaka.
Sita passes the fiery ordeal in triumph. The gods cheer her.
Rama, accompainied by Sita, Lakshmana, Vibhishana and Sugriva, then
enters the aerial car Pushpaka which was once wrested from Kuvera by
Ravana, and which is now placed at the disposal of Rama by Vibhishana.
The car transports them from Ceylon all the way to Ayodhya. One or other
of the party points out the places over which they fly viz. the _Setu_
or bridge of Rama the Malaya mountain, the Kaveri river, the hermitage
of Agastya, the Pampa river, the residence of Bali and of Jatayu, the
limits of the Dandaka forest, the Sahya or Sailadri mountains and the
boundaries of Aryavarta.
They then rise and travel through the upper air, approaching near the
sun, and are met and eulogized by a _Kinnara_ and his bride; they then
come to the peaks of the Himalaya, and descend upon Tapavana, whence
they go towards Ayodhya, where Rama is welcomed by his brothers Bharata
and Satrughna, their mothers, Vasistha and Viswamitra.
The four brothers embrace one another. Rama is now consecrated king by
Vasishtha and Viswamitra.