Tena gatva pureem lankaam hatvaa raavanamaahave
Raamasseetaa manupraapya paraam vridaamupaagamat
Meaning of the hymn- Using the bridge as the medium, Rama crossed the ocean and reached Lanka. He killed Ravana in the war and rescued Seeta. Rama thereafter felt ashamed about the rightfulness in receiving back his wife Seeta, who had for such a long period of time, lived in the house of another person.
Witnessing the good & auspicious omens in Lanka, Rama said to Lakshmana that success surely would favour them. Along with the Vanaras, Rama stood observing the city of Lanka which was located upon the Mountain Trikoota. Exactly at that time Ravana together with the ladies from the palace, was walking near the topmost peak of city. Both Rama and Sugriva noticed Ravana. Upon seeing Ravana suddenly Sugriva, on an impulse, pounced upon Ravana and flung away the crown from Ravana‟s head. A very lengthy combat ensued between the two of them. Sugriva then returned back to Rama.
Rama sent Angada as an emissary to Ravana. Ravana found it hard to hear the words of wisdom that Angada was trying to preach. Angada failed to put any sense into Ravana‟s head and he finally returned back to his camp.
The war commenced. The brave Vanara Kumuda together with his troops besieged the eastern gate, the mighty Vanara Shatabali accompanied by billions of Vanaras seized the southern gate, Vanara Sushena together with crores of Vanaras guarded the western gate while Rama, Lakshmana and Sugriva stood at the Northern gate.
The Vanaras and the demons clashed with each other. There were many one-on-one duels. During the war, Indrajit attacked Rama and Lakshmana and bound them with naaga paasha (serpentine arrows). Seeing the plight of the two brothers, the entire monkey army began to grieve. Mother Seeta accompanied by the demoness Trijata was sent in the chariot Pushpaka, to see Rama and Lakshmana who were lying unconscious in the battle-field. Seeing both of them in this condition Seeta burst out crying.
While the Vanaras were grieving inconsolably, the mighty eagle Garuda appeared there and released Rama and Lakshmana from the spell of this naaga paasha.
Thereafter in the war Hanuman used a mighty boulder and smashed the demon Dhumraksha to death. Angada using his sword killed the mighty valiant demon Vajradamstra. Ravana now sent the terrible Akampana for the battle. Such was his prowess that just by hearing his name, many would tremble (kampana). Akampana began to attack the monkeys and unable to bear this onslaught, the monkeys began to run helter-skelter. Using a huge tree, Hanuman crushed this demon Akampana to death. Using a mighty boulder, he smashed to death another powerful demon Prahasta.
Ravana, the king of Lanka, now arrogantly stepped into the battlefield. He suffered appalling defeat in the hands of Rama who shattered his chariot, the wheels and the horses. Ravana was weary, tired and injured. Addressing the demon King, Rama said, “Ravana, you appear tired. Go home and after taking adequate rest, you return tomorrow in your chariot and let us resume the fight at that time. I shall not kill you at this time”. These words spoken by Rama, in front of all his retinue, only added salt to the wounds of Ravana who was already totally humiliated.
Ravana now organized for Kumbhakarna, his younger brother, to be woken up and sent to war. In the war Kumbhakarna fell to the ground never to wake up again. One by one all the sons of Ravana began to lose their life. At this point Indrajit, the brave valiant son of Ravana, assuring of father of victory, arrived at the battlefield. Rama and Lakshmana swooned under the arrows released by Indrajit. Hanuman fetched the appropriate herbs and revived all of them.
Hanuman thereafter killed Nikumbha. Rama killed Mararaksha. Indrajit once again arrived in the battlefield and began an illusory battle (maya yuddha) with Lakshmana in which he was killed. News of the death of Indrajit came as a big blow to Ravana.
He lamented uncontrollably. In frenzied anger, he took out his sword and rushed towards the Ashoka Vana to kill Seeta, who was the root of this entire calamity. At this point, his minister Suparshva intervened and dissuaded Ravana from killing Seeta, which was a shameful act. Instead he asked Ravana to divert this anger upon Rama in the battlefield. By then almost all of Ravana‟s ministers had lost their life in the battle. His court room was therefore nearly deserted. Ravana listened to this advice given by Suprashva and returned back to his vacant court. None of the demons who had set out for war had returned back alive. The lamentations of their women-folk now filled the air. Lanka was full of gloom.
The next morning Ravana arrived at the battlefield. On this day, Sugriva killed the demon Virupaksha. Mahodara another demon now entered the war field and created havoc. Sugriva used his sword and chopped off his head. Angada using his elbow gave a fatal blow to the demon Mahaparshva and felled him.
The war between Rama and Ravana ensued. Rama boarded the chariot sent by Indra and began to fight Ravana. At that time Maharishi Agastya appeared before Rama and taught him the hymn Adithya Hrudayam. The revered Maharishi assured him that recitation of this hymn ensured victory over enemies. Rama began to recite the Adithya Hrudayam. At this time, drops of blood began to fall on Ravana‟s head. Eagles began to fly in the sky above his chariot. All these were inauspicious omens. In the war that followed, Rama used his weapon Brahmastra and killed Ravana.
While Ravana‟s wife Mandodari was weeping inconsolably, Hanuman rushed to Seeta with the good news of Ravana‟s death. Having given her the good news, he came back to Rama and reported that Seeta was eager to see Rama. Rama began to reflect deeply „Seeta had lived in another‟s place for a long time. If he were to accept her now, even though she was faultless, the world would not accept his behaviour. How to resolve this problem‟?
Om Seeta Ramabhyaam Namaha.