Again Lakshmana speedily smashed Ravana’s chariot, struck down his charioteer and put him (Ravana) to confusion. Ravana, whose heart he pierced with a hundred arrows, fell fainting to the ground. Another charioteer came and threw him on to his own chariot and brought him forthwith to Lanka, while Lakshmana, Raghubira’s all-glorious brother, bowed before the Lord’s feet again.

Meanwhile, Ravana, on recovering, began to perform a sacrifice. In his rank ignorance the fool sought to gain victory in his stubborn opposition to Raghunatha.

At this end Vibhishana, on learning the news, hastened to Raghunatha and told him everything. ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘Ravana is performing a sacrifice; if he completes it, the wretch will never be dealt to death.

Therefore, my lord, despatch some valiant monkeys at once to wreck his sacrifice, so that the Ten-headed may return to the fray.’ As soon as the day broke the Lord sent out his champions, Hanuman, Angad and others, who all darted on.

As in mere sport the monkeys bounded up into the fort of Lanka and entered Ravana’s palace undaunted. As soon as they saw him engaged in the sacrifice, all the monkeys grew wildly furious.

‘You shameless wretch,’ they cried, ‘you’ve run away home from the battle and on getting here are practising feigned meditation!’ So speaking Angad struck him with his foot; but the wretch did not even cast a glance at them, so absorbed was he in the pursuit of his own end.

When he refused to take notice of them, the monkeys in their fury bit him with their teeth and kicked him. His wives too they seized by the hair and dragged out of the palace while they cried most piteously. Then at last he dashed out, furious as Death, and, grasping the monkeys by their feet, cast them away. Meanwhile, when he saw that the monkeys had wrecked the sacrifice, Ravana’s heart turned to water (and his courage ebbed away).