Rāmāyana | Yuddha Kaṇḍa | Chapter 109

109. Vibhīṣaṇa Wails for Rāvaṇa

[Vibhīṣaṇa recollects the greatness of his brother and wails for him. Rāma consoles him and orders him to do the funeral rites for his brother.]

On seeing his brother lying down dead after defeat in the battle Vibhīṣaṇa wailed with a mind filled with outburst of sorrow. 109.1

"Why are you who are valorous, a hero, greatly skilled, and an expert in diplomacy who normally lies down on the best of beds, now lying down on the earth?" 109.2

"With your two hands decorated by armlets thrown out you are now motionless, with your crown as brilliant as the sun knocked down. Why are you now lying on the earth?" 109.3

"Oh valorous brother, though you did not like whatever I have told you earlier as you were overcome with passion and delusion, has now come true in your case." 109.4

"Due to great pride, neither Prahasta, nor Indrajit, nor Kumbhakarṇa nor Atiratha, nor Narantaka nor you yourself did not agree to my advice and you are suffering the consequence now." 109.5

"Due to the fall of this great hero, the greatest among those who wield the weapons on the ground, the established method of rule of persons with good conduct has vanished, the personification of Dharma has departed, the epitome of strength has gone, the ultimate refuge of all praises is no more, the Sun has fallen down on earth, the moon has merged in darkness, the fire has been extinguished due to its fames and effort becoming inactive." 109.6-109.8

"While the tiger among Rākṣasas is in deep sleep on the dust, what else is remaining in the world now?" 109.9

"With firmness being its shoot, endurance being its excellent blossom, asceticism being its strength, and valour being its firm root, the large tree in the shape of Rāvaṇa has been crushed in the battle- field, by the tempest in the shape of Rāma." 109.10

"With sharpness being its tusks, the line of ancestors being its back-bone, anger being its lower parts and graciousness being its proboscis, the elephant in rut in the shape of Rāvaṇa is lying asleep on the ground, its body having been overthrown by a lion in the shape of Rāma." 109.11

"With strength and power being its expanded flames, sighs being its smoke and his native strength being its glowing heat, the blazing fire in the shape of Rāvaṇa the Rākṣasa has been extinguished in the battle-field by the rainy cloud in the shape of Rāma." 109.12

"With the Rākṣasa being its tail; hump and horn and fickleness being its ears and eyes, the bull in the shape of Rāvaṇa the Rākṣasa, the conqueror of its enemies, who competed with the wind in energy, is lying dead, struck down by a tiger in the shape of Rāma, the ruler of the earth." 109.13

Addressing Vibhīṣaṇa who was wailing like this with great sorrow, Rāma spoke the following logical words which revealed his opinion in this matter. 109.14

"Rāvaṇa did not die in this battle, without making any effort and he exhibited great valour extraordinary enthusiasm of the great variety and great confidence throughout and fell in this combat." 109.15

"It is nor proper to be sad for him as he was steadfast in his Dharma as a royal warrior and wished for the growth of his country and had fallen to death in the battle field." 109.16

"It is not proper to be sad for him, because he who was greatly intelligent attained the state of death in a war which would frighten all the three worlds including Indra." 109.17

"In the past no one has always been victorious in a battle, for either a hero has been killed by his enemies or he manages to kill the enemies in battle." 109.18

"Those who had come earlier had proclaimed by esteemed royal warriors, that a royal warrior killed in battle should not be mourned, because it has been told like that." 109.19

"Therefore taking in to account this opinion and after understanding the true principle, become free from sorrow and think about rituals that ought to be performed now." 109.20

Addressing the valorous prince who spoke like that, Vibhīṣaṇa who was tormented by sorrow thought about what actions need to be taken about his brother. 109.21

"The Rākṣasa, who had never been conquered before in battles, even by all the gods combined or by Indra himself, has been conquered, on confronting you in the battle-field, like the sea breaks up, on reaching the shore." 109.22

"He maintained a perpetually sacred fire, practised great religious austerities and completely mastered Vedas, the sacred scriptures. He was highly proficient even in the ritual acts. I desire to do, with you graciousness, that which is to be performed to him, who has departed to the other world." 109.23

Hearing those words of the great one full of mercy regarding the great personality of Rāvaṇa by Vibhīṣaṇa, the son of the king of human beings ordered him to perform funeral rites which would take Rāvaṇa to heaven. 109.24

"All enmities end with death and our purpose has been accomplished. He is yours as well as mine and let the funeral rites be performed." 109.25

This is the end of One Hundred and Ninth Sarga of Yuddha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.