6.023. The omens of a great battle ahead

Hari Om.

Let us begin the twenty third sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

Inducted into the army by the command of rAma, vibhIshaNa hit the ground running when he suggested to rAma that the idea of hot to cross the ocean should be obtained from the lord of the ocean himself. Accordingly, even if supremely capable, rAma lay in meditation and prayerful contemplation for three nights in front of the ocean. There was no sign of a solution. Then, a livid rAma got his bow and began to threaten the ocean that he will run him dry so that the vAnaras could simply walk across his bed! The whole of creation shook at this terrifying sight of rAma as he got ready to take on the mighty ocean. This was too much to handle for the ocean and he manisted and came running to rAma and began talking sense. The ocean submitted to rAma that he was bound by the principle to protect his inhabitants and hence can’t make way to let the army go. He however identified a key vAnara, nala, who was the son of the divine architect viSwakarma who could build the sEtu across the ocean. The ocean promised to safe guard the bridge and allow the vAnaras to cross over safely. rAma then oversaw the building of the bridge. They built 14, 20, 21, 22 and 23 yOjanas respectively in five days and completed the sEtu that was a hundred yOjanas long and ten yOjanas wide. The army happily crossed and camped at the southern shore of the ocean. The celestials who were witness to this spectacular and impossible feat of rAma’s army crossing the ocean, came down and felicitated rAma by consecrating him. Onwards…

Having crossed the ocean and grasping the omens, rAma, the knower of the omens, embraced lakshmaNa and said –

“O lakshmaNa, let us gather cool waters, abundance of fruits and then make strategies to organize our army into battalions. I foresee terrible times that will bring about destruction of the worlds and of noted warriors among the Rkshas (bear), vAnaras and demons. The wind is polluted, the earth is feeling tremors, the mountain peaks are shaking and huge trees are falling down. The clouds are resembling cannibals and making terrifying roars. The evil ones are even raining blood droplets. The evening is blood red and terrible to behold and it seems as if the sun is flaring up spitting fire. The birds and beats are bleating pitiably facing the sun everywhere and are causing much fear.

The blood red moon has risen as if signalling a great devastation and it doesn’t shine through brightly in the night sky creating a mourning atmosphere. The sun looks small, unattractive and hitherto unseen with a red orb around it and black spots in it. The stars have dimmed by the dust and it appears like the end of the yuga, O lakshmaNa. The crows, hawks and eagles are dropping from the skies and the jackals are howling inauspiciously generating great fear. The earth will be muddied with the flesh and blood of the vAnaras and demons as they fight with spears, mountain peaks and swords.

Accompanied by the vAnara army, O lakshmaNa, let us at once proceed towards the impregnable lanka administered by rAvaNa”.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा धर्मात्मा धन्वी सङ्ग्रामधर्षणः ।

प्रतस्थे पुरतो रामो लङ्कामभिमुखो विभुः ॥ 6.23.14.

Saying so, the righteous bow wielder who is delights in the battle, the lord rAma proceeded in the direction of lanka accompanied by vibhIshaNa, sugrIva and other vAnara warriors. All of them moved roaring loudly, very certain of vanquishing the enemy. The determined vAnara warriors performed many a heroic feat and winning the approval of rAma pleased him.