Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part D2

In Battle of Rama and Ravana, Shakra sent down his car and charioteer from the heavens named Matali and Rama went to get it. Ravana unleashed a rakshasa weapon that poured flamed over Rama, but Rama responded with a Garuda weapon. This unleashed golden arrows that changed into birds and devoured all of the rakshasa arrows. Rama then wounded Ravana so bad that his charioteer turned away from the field of battle. Rama was told to worship the sun and did so before turning back to Ravana once he was ready once again. Rama chopped off heads, but new ones would appear. He did not think he could take his life away.

In Ravana's death, Rama shot an arrow which took off one of Ravana's 10 heads  and it immediately appeared again. So, Rama unleashed the flaming weapon Brahma had created to protect him and it struck Ravana. Ravana roared in pain and fell to the ground dead. The heavens celebrated and flowers showered the plain of victory. Vibhishana then burned the body of his fallen brother and performed funeral rites before he was proclaimed the king of Lanka.

In Sita and Rama, Rama now turned his focus to finding his beloved Sita. He found her by the Ashoka tree still being guarded by the rakshasas. Rama asked for Sita to come to him clean and bathed, so she did. I am not sure why, but Rama requested that she also come to him by foot.

(Photo from WikiMedia).

Although so much happened in the stories following, I do not think I want to write my story over them. I am going to focus on the process leading to getting Sita rather than after because I feel as though both have so much too them, but I would have like to see the fight where Rama defeated Ravana go a little differently. I am hoping to drag out a few more details and see what I can come up with! 

Rayamana, Part D. Sources used: M. Dutt, R. Dutt, Gould, Griffith, Hodgson, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Oman, Richardson, and Ryder.