Yuddha Kanda

Preparations For War

Rama seemed to have come back to life. 

When he heard the whole story from Hanuman’s lips again, he felt that something was reborn in his heart, as happens when one finds a person who is essential to one’s existence. He hugged his faithful devotee and thanked him warmly. 

They then held a military council and listened to the description of the enemy’s defensive forces. Rama and Sugriva made arrangements for immediate departure. As they prepared, the Vanaras manifested their joy and their warrior ardor.

Meanwhile, in Lanka, Ravana was worried. He had seen what Hanuman, by himself, had been able to do. Although his personal strength and that of his army gave ample guarantees, in his heart he felt worried. Something about this whole story anguished him. It wasn’t like the other battles he had waged. There was something different that was beyond his control and understanding. He called all the generals and principal ministers to council.

The Raksasas saw him worried as they had never seen him before battles that were far more challenging than that. According to them, it was basically only two men and a herd of monkeys. They tried to cheer him up.

“We don’t see you as calm and confident as you have always been prior to a confrontation,” Prahasta said. “Have that monkey’s threats intimidated you? What are you worried about? You are not right. Have you forgotten your military might and ours? How can you worry about two men and a few monkeys when you have defeated the greatest Devas in the universe? No one can defeat us when we are united on the battlefield, and even if that were to happen, no one could defeat you when, on your Puspaka chariot, you throw yourself through the ranks of enemy armies. O king, calm down, we can destroy any enemy. If that monkey comes back with his companions and with Rama and Laksmana, we will fight them and will exterminate them.”

Prahasta and the others reassured Ravana and gave him courage. But the virtuous Vibhisana did not agree with those scenes of blind fanaticism.

“What are you all saying? Ravana, do not listen to such senseless advice. Haven’t you seen how many bad omens arise every moment around you and in Lanka? These omens herald your defeat. Have you already forgotten what the one they call a simple monkey did in Lanka? What did your valiant generals do to prevent this mess? And, would Rama and Laksmana be two little men? And the slaughter of fourteen thousand mighty warriors? Even the forgotten one?

“The best way to face a danger is not  underestimating its capacicty, but rather the opposite. I am sure that in such a battle we would be defeated and our women would mourn their dead. Days of mourning await us.”

Vibhisana concluded by saying:

“Be wise, brother: return Sita to Rama and thus you’ll save your life and that of the millions of people who are faithful to you.”

A hum of disapproval accompanied Vibhisana’s last words. Ravana did not want to listen to those things and the enthusiasm that the encouragement of his generals had aroused in him died away. He jumped up and retired to his private apartments. 

A sleepless night passed.