Rama Smiles and One Arrow Ends Every Ravana of Maya
Lanka Kanda, Doha 96
Doha 96 · Movement 3 of 3
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The gods and vanaras are overwhelmed by the countless Ravanas. Heaven has fled, the army is scattered, and only a few warriors continue to resist what appears to fill all directions.
The Lord of Kosala looks upon their distress and smiles. Terror has reached cosmic scale for those inside the illusion, yet Rama sees neither an endless army nor an intricate problem. He strings Sharanga and places a single arrow upon it.
One shaft destroys every ten headed form. Countless enemies vanish through one movement because their number never belonged to reality. Rama does not match illusion copy for copy. The one answers the many from the level at which the many have no independent existence. His smile comes before the arrow like the quiet certainty of dawn before darkness has understood that its whole dominion is ending.
Rama meets a million false enemies with one true arrow, and the arithmetic of fear disappears.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुर बानर देखे बिकल हँस्यो कोसलाधीस। सजि सारंग एक सर हते सकल दससीस।।96।।
Seeing the gods and monkeys in distress, the Lord of Kosala smiled. Stringing His bow Sharanga with a single arrow, He slew every one of the ten-headed forms.