Myriads of Ravanas darted in all directions thundering aloud in a deep, shrill and awesome voice. The gods, all panic-stricken, took to flight, crying, ‘Now, brother, abandon all hope of victory.

A single Ravana subdued the whole heavenly host and now there are many! Take refuge in the mountain caves!’ Only Brahma, Shambhu and the wise sages, who had some understanding of the Lord’s glory, stayed where they were.

They who knew the Lord’s might stood fast and fearless, but the monkeys took the apparitions for real enemies and they and the bears all lost courage and fled, crying in their panic, ‘Protect us, Lord of mercy!’ Only Hanuman, Angad, Nila and Nala, all valiant champions, fought bravely on and crushed the myriads and myriads of gallant Ravanas who had sprouted on the soil of deception.

Rama, the lord of Kosala, smiled when he saw the dismay of the gods and the monkeys, and fitting an arrow to his Shranga, slew the whole host of phantom Ravanas.

In an instant the Lord dispersed the whole phantom as the veil of darkness is torn asunder at the rising of the sun. The gods rejoiced when they saw only one Ravana and, turning back again, rained abundant blossoms on the Lord.

Raghunatha then raised his arms aloft and rallied the monkeys, who then returned, shouting to one another. Emboldened by the might of their Lord, the bears and monkeys rushed on and bouncing briskly returned to the battlefield.

When Ravana saw the gods singing Rama’s praises, he muttered, ‘They think I am now reduced to one (though in truth a single Ravana is a match for any number of them); you fools, you’ve ever been my prey.’ So speaking, he made savage spring into the air.