18. The Awakening of Rama and the Call to War
Once Rama learned the whereabouts of Sita, he was filled with anxiety and urgency to meet her. The knowledge that Sita was living her days in the company of ferocious demonesses left him restless. He repeatedly asked Hanuman, “Please recount once more what you saw. Try to remember if Sita had any other message for me.”
Hanuman’s Report
Hanuman narrated his adventure and discovery time and again. He emphasized, “Sita Devi asked me why Sri Ramachandra, who is brave and mighty, has allowed these demons to persist for so long. She also wondered how the two brothers, Sri Ramachandra and Lakshmana, whom all the gods together could not surpass in valor, could spend time without taking action to rescue her. She feared that perhaps she had committed some sin in a past life, resulting in her suffering in this life.”
Continuing, Hanuman stated, “I reassured her that my visit to Lanka was proof that Sri Ramachandra was not idly passing his time. His emissaries had spread throughout the land, waiting for news of her. Once he has that information, the next phase of his action will begin.”
Celebrating Hanuman’s Courage
Delighted, Rama said, “What Hanuman has accomplished no one else could have done. Except for Garuda and the God of Wind, no one could have crossed the sea. Entering the city of Lanka and coming back alive is no simple feat either. Hanuman has destroyed the Ashoka garden, set fire to the city, and vanquished many demons. These are no small achievements. My only regret is that I am unable to reward him suitably. Indeed, I owe him a great debt; he has essentially saved both my life and Sita’s. All I can do now is embrace him with all my love.”
Rama embraced Hanuman and then said, “The question now is, how can the Vanara army cross the sea? I see no solution to this problem.” He looked pensive.
Strategizing the Rescue
Sugriva spoke up, “O Sri Ramachandra! Do not worry. Now that we know Sita Devi’s whereabouts, we can certainly do everything necessary to rescue her. To reach Lanka, we must construct a road across the sea! We must prepare to defeat the wicked demon, Ravana. This is not the time to worry; it is a time to resolve to take action. Through some means or other, we must achieve our goal. Let us have unwavering faith in our strength. Success is bound to crown our mission.”
Rama looked at Hanuman and said, “Supposing we manage to reach Lanka, what are our chances of defeating Ravana’s forces? What is the strength of his army? How many forts does he control, and how are they guarded? Tell me what you know.”
The Strength of Lanka
Hanuman replied, “Indeed, Lanka is a prosperous and strong land. The demons live there happily, in abundance of horses and elephants. It is not easy for any invading army to infiltrate the city. There are four entrances that are secured with heavy doors. In front of these entrances are large mechanisms capable of shooting boulders at distant objects. The strongest of the demon heroes guard these gates, capable of wielding gigantic maces and can crush a hundred humans with a single swing.”
“The city is surrounded by a well-decorated wall nestled next to a deep canal full of sharks. Four collapsible bridges over the canal connect to the four entrances. If the bridges are retracted, it becomes nearly impossible to enter.”
“Ravana never loosens his vigilance over his city. He keeps his soldiers alert, even when there is no immediate threat.”
“The inner city is situated on Mount Trikut, with no easy passage onto it, nor can one reach Lanka by boat. This is why Lanka remains largely unknown to the world.”
“However, I have already diminished Ravana’s strength by destroying a part of his army, killing several heroes, uprooting a bridge, and burning down a portion of the city.”
“To conclude, we must prepare to invade Lanka without delay. A few of our heroes, such as Angada, Dwividha, Maind, Jambavan, Neel, our general, should suffice to defeat the demons. We don’t need to take the entire army into the city. Please decide when we should commence our expedition.”
Preparing for Battle
Rama told Sugriva, “Let us depart immediately! The sun is overhead, and this is the perfect moment to begin our military expedition. There is no reason to delay.”
He instructed Neel, the general of the Vanaras, to lead the army along routes plentiful in provisions. However, utmost caution was necessary, so the enemy would not catch them by surprise. Spies were to scout ahead and ensure no dangers lurked in their path. Moreover, the army should comprise only those Vanaras who had proven their strength and valor.
Thus, the great Vanara army began to advance. The strong Gaja, the courageous Gaba, and Gabaksha took the lead. The right flank of the army was protected by Rishava. At the heart of the procession was Hanuman, carrying Rama on his shoulder, while Angada carried Lakshmana.
The army marched towards the south with great enthusiasm, feasting on a variety of fruits along the way and shouting with joy.
The Camp by the Sea
Eventually, they reached Mount Mahendra. Rama climbed to the hilltop and gazed at the sea, with Sugriva and Lakshmana doing the same. They then approached the Vanara army, which rested on the seashore. Rama instructed Sugriva, “Let the Vanaras camp here until we devise a way to cross the sea. They should not wander, exposing themselves to the enemy.”
Sugriva directed the Vanaras to camp in three groups along the shore.
The Demons Gather
Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, Ravana convened a conference with all the prominent demons. Hanuman’s incursion into Lanka had been a significant blow to his prestige. The fact that a Vanara could boldly enter a city where even gods feared to tread—and could unleash such chaos—was an insult that could not be overlooked.
Ravana asked his counselors, “You know all that has occurred. Now, tell me, what should we do?”
Information had reached Ravana that Rama, with an army of Vanaras, was advancing toward Lanka. Ravana feared that Rama would eventually cross the sea. The pressing question was, in the event of a battle between the Vanaras and demons, what would be the chances of victory for the demons? Some demons reminded Ravana of his past triumphs.
There was a time when Ravana had defeated Kuvera, a great friend of Lord Shiva. Even the snake king, who ruled the netherworld, had bowed to Ravana. There was hardly a king on earth who had not submitted to him. Why then should he be concerned about the invading Vanaras? Prahastha told Ravana, “My king! Not only men but gods, demons, Gandharvas, and vampires have all accepted your supremacy in strength. What are Vanaras that we should fear them?”
“Indeed, one Vanara troubled us greatly, but that was due to our unpreparedness. Let them come again, and they will see what it means to confront the demons. I alone can defeat the entire race of Vanaras,” he boasted.
Declarations of War
Durmukh also boasted about his ability to crush all the Vanaras singlehandedly. Vajradrashtama, while wielding his gigantic mace, declared he could not only destroy the Vanaras but also Rama, Lakshmana, and Sugriva. He further suggested that a thousand demons disguise themselves as humans and approach Rama, claiming to be sent by Bharata, heralding even more soldiers. While Rama would be distracted by this deception, the true demons would swiftly attack.
Nikumbha, the son of Kumbhakarna, insisted, “None of you need worry. Let me go out alone; I will return after killing Rama, Lakshmana, Sugriva, and Hanuman. Their defeat will demoralize our foes.”
Vajrahanu expressed his desire to devour all the Vanaras, his mouth watering with anticipation.
Thus, all the leading demons rallied for war, declaring their readiness to face any enemy that came their way.
