Ravan had fallen unconscious when Ram hit him with the divine shakti. It was then that Ravan’s charioteer took the initiative to bring him back to the citadel. Trijata, a prominent rakshasi-guard, shared the news with the captive Sita. It would not be easy for Ram, however, to kill Ravan, Trijata told her. Ravan had ten heads and twenty arms. But that was not the only challenge before Ram. The rakshas had won a boon from Lord Shiva. Any part of his body would regenerate itself as soon as it got destroyed in a battle or any other calamity. So, as soon as Ram’s arrows took away his heads or arms, new heads and arms sprang up instantlyfrom his body. Ravan was the metaphor of unchecked evil. You do away with one aspect of it, and it would reappear presently in full force unless you have eliminated the root cause of the evil. Sita was depressed. Did it mean that her tormentor-Ram’s foe-would never be killed? Sita asked. Trijata assured her that there was one way it could be done. “….KehTrijatasunu Rajkumari/Ur sarlaagatmareisurari// ” – O Princess, listen, the enemy of the devas (that is, Ravan) shall die instantly when an arrow hits his heart (Ramcharitmanas/Lanka Kand/98(vi).
But that moment had not yet come. As the divine weapon lost its effect, Ravan realised what had happened. Finding himself at the mercy of his charioteer, he chided the poor fellow severely-
Heetvirymivashaktampaurushenvivarjitam/
Bhirumlaghumivastavamvihinmivtejsa//
Vimuktmivmayabhirtrairivbahishkritam/
Mamvagyaydurbudhesvayabuddhyavicheshtse//
“Evil-mindedOne! Do you think of me as devoid of zeal, incapable, aimless, cowardly, shallow, impatient, lustreless, devoid of sorcery, and shorn of the knowledge of weapons that disregarding (my intent) (and) wilfully exercising your intellect, you have brought me here?”
Balmiki Ramayan/Yuddh Kand/Canto 104(ii-iii)
As a warrior, Ravan had none of the nine weaknesses that he recounted to his charioteer, but, yes, he did have a death wish. The charioteer, on his part, told him why he had brought him back. “A charioteer must reckon aspects such as time and space, good and bad omens, the warrior’s toils, (and the latter’s) enthusiasm, apathy, and distress, as well as strength and weakness,” he said. He went on to say that it was his duty to consider when to approach an enemy and when to retreat, as also to know the occasions that called for a determined stance in the battlefield or for leaving it. “My Lord!” asserted the charioteer, “it was not because of any caprice, but because of my affection for the Lord that I have brought the chariot here so as to protect you.” Ravan was satisfied with his minion’s reply. He insisted, however, on being driven back to the battlefield, right in front of his adversary, Ram. As a token of his special favour and gratitude, he rewarded the faithful charioteer with his own bejewelled armlet.
As Ram saw Ravan approaching him, he alerted the charioteer, Matali. Keeping himself to the left of Ravan’s chariot, Matali advanced speedily towards the foe. The dust flying from Matali’s chariot made Ravan mad with anger. He let a shower of arrows rain on Ram. Ram also took out Lord Indra’s bow in great fury. Amidsta lot many ill-omens, deafening thunder, and flying dust, a fierce battle ensued between Ram and Ravan. The two heroeswere intent on fighting unto the last; while their armies faced each other,quietly watching every single move made by their chiefs-Vanars watched Ram, while rakshasas watched Ravan.
Ram, shooting his arrows, forced the four horses of Ravan’s chariot to pull back. Ravan, in turn, grievously wounded Ram with his arrows. He then shot at Matali as well. Even though Ravan’s arrows could not as much as scratch thedivine charioteer’s person, Ram was enraged. With just one shot, he severed Ravan’s head. But a new head sprung up on Ravan’s body before Ram’s eyes. This went on for several times. Ram cut off Ravan’s heads, only to see fresh heads cropping up on his enemy’s torso.Then Ram hit his chest. Ravan hit back with his maces and clubs. The duel between the two went on throughout the night.
Malati, Lord Indra’s charioteer, seconded now to Ram’s service, could take it no more. He reminded Ram of the unmatched weapon Brahmastra,which Rishi Agastya had gifted to him. With great rage, Ram aimed the divine weapon at Ravan and let it go. The Brahmastra felled Ravan and, turning red with his blood, it penetrated the earth for all the times to come (see Balmiki Ramayan/Canto 108).
Sant Tulsidas, however, has a different take on Ravan’s killing at the hands of Ram (see Ramcharitmanans/Lanka Kand/101-102). The drawn-out duel between Ram and Ravan was being keenly watched by the devas. Lord Shiv remarked to His spouse Parvati that Ram was only putting the loyalty of his ally, Vibhishan, to the test. (As Ravan’s brother, Vibhishan knew the secret of the spontaneous resurgence of Ravan’s severed heads and arms. Would he reveal this secret to Ram? –
Uma kal mar jakinichha/So Prabhu jankarpritiprichha//
Sunu sarbagyacharacharnayak/Pranatpal sur munisukhdayak//
Nabhikund Piyush bas yaken/Nath jiyatRavanubal take//
Sunat BibhishanvachanKripala/Harshi gahekar ban karala//
(Lord Shiv says) Uma! The One (that is, the Vishnu-incarnate, Ram), at whose will even Death may die, He; the Lord, is testing the affection (of Vibhishan).
(Vibhishan said) O Omniscient! O Lord of the Universe! O Refuge of the Refugees! O Purveyor of Happiness to Devas and Munis, listen –
His (that is, Ravan’s)navel-depression is the abode of the nectar of immortality. O Master, Ravan survives because of that. Instantly on hearing Vibhishan’s words, the Hero of the Raghus (Ram) gladly took into his hands the deadly arrows.
Ibid/101(ii-iii)
Following Vibhishan’s crucial input, Ram shot thirty-one arrows at Ravan: one of the arrows dried up the pool of nectar in his navel, and the thirty arrows did away with all the ten of his heads and twenty of his arms. The earth began to sink as his headless and armless torso began to run about. At that, Ram shot another arrow, splitting his body into two.
Thus, Ravan met his end.But that hardly ended Sita’s woes.
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