The “serpent band” of Meghnada is dispersed by the “eagle-king-weapon” of Lakshmana.  The forces of Kumbhakarna are reduced to ashes with a fire-weapon by Rama.  Rama kills Kumbhakarna, and then goes to the aid of Lakshmana; the whole of Rama’s party are then overwhelmed with magical weapons, hurled invisibly by Ravana upon them, and fall senseless.  While Ravana seeks to restore Kumbhakarna, Hanuman, reviving, goes to fetch amrita, and tearing up the mountain that contains it, returns to the field:  his very approach restores Lakshmana, who jumps up with increased animation, like a serpent starting from his shrivelled skin or the sun bursting from clouds.  So Raghu’s youngest hope, restored by heavenly herbs, burns with more than wonted ardour, wonders a moment what has chanced and then, all on fire for glory, rushes to the fight.  Rama also revives, and instigated by the sages, exerts his celestial energies, by which the daitya, Ravana, and his host speedily perish.  Rama is victorious, and Sita is recovered.

Vibhishana is now crowned king of Lanka.  Alaka, a tutelary deity, comes.  Lanka, another tutelary deity, is consoled by Alaka.

Sita passes the fiery ordeal in triumph.  The gods cheer her.

Rama, accompainied by Sita, Lakshmana, Vibhishana and Sugriva, then enters the aerial car Pushpaka which was once wrested from Kuvera by Ravana, and which is now placed at the disposal of Rama by Vibhishana.  The car transports them from Ceylon all the way to Ayodhya.  One or other of the party points out the places over which they fly viz. the Setu or bridge of Rama the Malaya mountain, the Kaveri river, the hermitage of Agastya, the Pampa river, the residence of Bali and of Jatayu, the limits of the Dandaka forest, the Sahya or Sailadri mountains and the boundaries of Aryavarta.

They then rise and travel through the upper air, approaching near the sun, and are met and eulogized by a Kinnara and his bride; they then come to the peaks of the Himalaya, and descend upon Tapavana, whence they go towards Ayodhya, where Rama is welcomed by his brothers Bharata and Satrughna, their mothers, Vasistha and Viswamitra.

The four brothers embrace one another.  Rama is now consecrated king by Vasishtha and Viswamitra.

UTTAR RAMA CHARITA

OR

THE LATER LIFE OF RAMA.

Rama, when duly crowned at Ayodhya, enters upon a life of quiet enjoyment with his wife Sita.  The love of Rama and Sita, purified by sorrow during the late exile, is most tender.

After a stay of a few days at Ayodhya, Janaka, the father of Sita, goes back to his country Mithila.  Rama consoles his queen for her father’s absence.  The sage Ashtavakra comes in and delivers a message to Rama from his spiritual preceptors to satisfy the wishes of Sita and please his people.  Then the sage goes away.

The family priest Vasishtha, having to leave the capital for a time to assist at a sacrifice, utters a few words of parting advice to Rama, thus:—­