Chapter CVIII: Section CIX

Rama and Ravana thus opposing each other in battle, all the animals beheld them, stricken with astonishment. And those two great heroes, highly angered, began to dash towards and assail each other; and being determined to slay each other they looked greatly dreadful. And their charioteers drove the cars on, displaying their skill by moving in circles, in rows and diverse other ways. And those two excellent heroes, discharging their shafts and influenced by illusions, assailed each other proceeding and receding, Rama attacking Ravana and Ravana withstanding him. And these two cars coursed the earth for sometime like clouds accompanied by showers. And displaying many a movement in the conflict they again stood facing each other, the forepart of one car touching that of the other and the heads of the steeds touching each other; and the pennons, stationed on one touched those of the other. Rama, with four sharpened arrows, shot off his bow, removed the flaming horses of Ravana to some distance. And finding his steeds thus removed he was exercised with wrath. And the Ten-necked one discharged sharpened arrows at Raghava. And he was pierced by those arrows coming from the powerful Ten-necked demon. He was neither overwhelmed nor pained therewith and he again discharged arrows resembling the thunder-bolts. And the Ten-necked demon again discharged arrows at the charioteer, which fell with great vehemence on the person of Matali. Matali was not the least pained or overwhelmed in that encounter. And beholding his charioteer thus assailed Rama was excited with wrath and overwhelmed his foe with a net of arrows. And the heroic Raghava showered on his enemy's chariot shafts by twentys, thirtys, sixtys, hundreds and thousands. And the lord of Rakshasas, Ravana, who was stationed on the car, wroth, attacked Rama in the conflict with maces and _Musalas_. And there again ensued a terrible conflict capable of making one's down stand on end. And the seven oceans were overwhelmed with the sound of maces, _musalas_, _Parighas_ and gold feathered arrows. And those inhabiting the regions under the agitated oceans, all the Danavas and thousands of _Pannagas_ were greatly pained. And greatly shook the earth with her mountains, forests and gardens. The Sun was shorn of its resplendance and the wind blew very rough. Thereupon the celestials, with _Gandharbas_, _Siddhas_, great saints, _Kinnaras_ and serpents were all worked up with anxiety. And beholding the dreadful encounter between Rama and Ravana capable of making people's down stand on end, the celestials with ascetics began to pray,--"May good betide the Brahmins and cows, may people live in peace and may Raghava defeat Ravana, the lord of Rakshasas, in the conflict". And the crowd of _Gandharbas_ and _Apsaras_ beholding that wonderful battle between Rama and Ravana, said,--"The ocean resembleth the sky and the sky resembleth the ocean--forsooth this encounter between Rama and Ravana befits them only". Thereupon Rama of long-arms, the enhancer of the glory of Raghu's race, enraged, set his arrow, resembling a serpent, on his bow, and cut assunder Ravana's head wearing shinning _Kundalas_. And that head in the presence of the inhabitants of the three regions fell down on the earth. Instantly there arose another head resembling the former; and it was speedily cut off by the light-handed Rama. As soon as the second head was chopped off in the encounter by means of shafts another appeared again. And that was again severed by Rama's shafts resembling thunder-bolts. And thus were severed hundred heads all equal in brilliance. But the end of Ravana's life was not seen by him. Thereupon the heroic Raghava, conversant with the use of all weapons, the enhancer of Kaucalyi's joy, began to reason within himself in various Ways,--"Verily these are the arrows by which Maricha was killed, and Khara with Dushana was slain--Viradha was destroyed in the forest of Krauncha--the headless demon in the forest of Dandaka--Salas and mountains were broken--the ocean was agitated--and Vali was killed;--I do not perceive the reason, why they are becoming fruitless when discharged at Ravana". Thinking thus Raghava made himself ready In the conflict and began to shower arrows on Ravana's breast. Thereupon Ravana too, the lord of Rakshasas, seated in a car and highly enraged, assailed Rama in the conflict with a downpour of maces and _Musalas_. That dreadful and huge conflict, capable of making hairs stand on end, continued for seven nights before the eyes of the celestials, Danavas, Yakshas, Pisachas, Uragas and serpents stationed in the sky, on the earth or on the mountain-tops. Neither for the night nor for the day, nor for a moment did the fight between Rama and Ravana cease. And beholding the conflict between Dacaratha's son and the lord of Rakshasas, and Raghava's victory, the high-souled charioteer of the lord of the celestials spake speedily unto Rama engaged in the conflict.