Hari Om.
Let us begin the one hundred and ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.The two amazing warriors engaged in a determined combat that was shaping into a do-or-die battle. rAma was never nearly challenged badly although he was getting exhausted in the engagement. The demon king copped many a blow and was blown away by rAma a few times. On one such occasion, his charioteer dodged the battle and deflected the chariot away prolonging his life. The valorous rAvaNa didn’t like that and gave an earful to the charioteer insinuating him. The charioteer justified his action since he was responsible for the overall well being of the chariot and its key drivers, the horses. As they were coming back to the battle, sage agastya descended to the battlefield and taught the invocation of the sun god to achieve victory and all round prosperity to rAma. The duo returned to the combat and fought like there was no example of their engagement. The all-out onslaught of each other had no parallel anywhere in the history or in nature. Finally, rAma deployed the all powerful brahmAstra which was conferred on him by the sage agastya near panchavaTi and with that wheezing arrow knocked off the vitals from the demon king. The arrow sped so fast that, it pierced through rAvaNa, hit the ground and returned to its quiver before rAvaNa fell off on the ground from his chariot! The ten-headed was dead. Onwards…
Beholding his brother fallen on the battleground, struck by rAma, grief surged in vibhIshaNa and he wailed –
“O brother, you are valorous, courageous, famous, adept in statecraft, you deserve to sleep on an expensive couch. But alas, you are fallen on the ground dead today with your long arms decked with armlets lying lifeless and outstretched and with your sun-like brilliant crown thrown off. O warrior, I had foretold that this will happen and smitten by lust and delusion, my counsel didn’t appeal to you. Blinded by pride and arrogance whatever prahasta or others like kumbhakarna, indrajit, narAntaka, atikAya or verily yourself didn’t imagine and ready to accept has taken place!
With this valiant one, the adept warrior with a great repertoire of weapons, felled on the ground, and sleeping on the dust, the one who stretched statecraft to its limits is gone, the one who excelled in rituals is gone, the embodiment of might is gone and the one who received great eulogies is gone. With him gone, the sun seems grounded, the moon is dipped in darkness, the flames have been doused and enterprise has become defunct. With the warrior having bitten the dust, what seems to be left in the world, at all?
Alas, the demon king who was like a giant tree with determination as its shoots, endurance as its blooms, sheer valour as its deep root has been uprooted by the torrential wind called rAma.
Alas, rAvaNa who was like an elephant whose tusks were his resplendence, whose back was his great lineage, whose buttocks were his anger and whose trunk was his grace lies fallen, overwhelmed by the lion of the ikshvAku dynasty, rAma.
Alas, the razing fire of the demon which had his enthusiasm for a good battle as its leaping flames and his own might and valour as its oxygen has been doused by the water-bearing cloud called rAma.
Alas, the bull that this demon king was with the rAkshasas making up his tail, hump and horns, who ruled the roost like a wild elephant in the rut, who had fickle ears and eyes lies slain by the tiger among the kings, rAma”.
Then rAma addressed vibhIshaNa, who was speaking in a measured manner with good reasoning and certainty and said –
“He didn’t fall without trying. He rained terror on the battlefield, fought with great enterprise and very well and has fallen. Seeking great fame and glory, those who are committed to the khAstra dharma are not to be mourned over when they are felled in the battle. When the one who tormented indra and his ilk and rattled the three worlds need not be grieved about when he has fallen.
नैकान्तविजयो युद्धे भूतपूर्वः कदाचन ।
परैर्वा हन्यते वीरः परान्वा हन्ति संयुगे ॥
Victory is never ensured in the battle. Either one slays the other or gets slain by the other. All those who confirm to the kshatriya code know this well and hence the death of a kshatriya in the battle is never mourned. Therefore, grasp this truth and plan for what is to be done going forward”.
Spoken to thus by rAma, the prince, vibhIshaNa, thinking about the well being of his brother (afterlife) said –
“The one who never tasted defeat earlier in anyone’s hands including those of gods and even indra lies shattered today encountering you like an ocean which has breached the beaches. Those who worshipped him were felicitated by him, luxuries were enjoyed by him, servitors were well taken care of by him. His friends were rewarded with riches by him and he has given enmity to the unfriendly ones. He was an agnihOtrI (Ahitagni), regular propitiator of the fire god, performed great penance, a knower of vEdanta and was very enterprising leading in actions right from the front. By your grace, I want to be able to perform last rites to his bod”.
The magnanimous prince rAma who was spoken to in moving words thus by the noble vibhIshaNa, then ordered the performance of the rites which ensured a smooth journey forth into the heavens for the deceased and said –
“Our goal has been achieved and all rivalries end with death. Please perform his rites. He is to me what he is to you”.
Here we conclude the one hundred and ninth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
