Rama stood in silence on the battlefield. He looked across to his opponent and took in the atmosphere of everything around him. He took in a full breath of the cold morning air and heard the conch of his opponent cry out that Ravana was ready for battle. The sound was shrill and chilled Rama, but he stood firm, and as he exhaled his breath, he heard another conch cry out. This sound came from some celestial place unknown to Rama. He was confused and looked up. He knew the sound. It was the "Panchajanya," the conch which had belonged to Mahavishnu. Rama thought, "yes, this is right. The gods are looking upon this battle, they want Ravana's evil reign to be over." It did not occur to Rama this this conch was his own conch sounding from heaven.

The first blows began. Arrows began to fill the air. Weapons swirling through the air, the two battlers at their utmost concentration. The onlookers terrified and speechless. Indra's chariot had been sent to Rama, and the battle raged on in the air. The tension was so thick you could cut it, Ravana had invoked an astra called "maya," a confusion weapon that surrounded and overwhelmed its target. Suddenly the tension was pierced by a stream of arrows. Arrows that hit the horses pulling Rama's chariot, and piercing Matali, Indra's own Charioteer, in the heart. Rama gained a sense of reality and his concentration broke. In his heart, a small panic began broke out. He turned to Matali with tears in his eyes."What!? What have I done! Now you, an innocent auxiliary to this battle, have been wounded!" Matali regained consciousness and looked at a stunned Rama.
"HUSH RAMA! Don't you know!?"
"Know? Know what?? How is everything coming back to life???"
"You Rama. You are the creator of all things illusion and real in this universe! Feel the truth in your heart and you will not be fooled by these illusions."
   
Before anymore discussion could pass, they were back in the middle of the battle. Rama, not completely comprehending what Matali had told him, felt the truth in his heart and was able to see through the obscurities of Ravana's weapons. What he thought he felt was the god Vishnu speaking o him in his heart. As Ravana, becoming increasingly livid by the second, paused to consider which weapon to use, Rama heard a whisper in the distance. "Vissshhhhnnnuuuuu......." This voice stayed in his head, and entered his ears with the wind.
   
Ravana, infuriated at this point, invoked the greatest astra he had in his power: the trident from the gods. The trident was lethal and indestructible. Ravana chuckled to himself as Rama, slightly panicking, launched oceans of arrows at the trident, each falling to the ground. Suddenly he heard the whisper in the wind again, only he listened more closely. "Vishhhnuu is in you. You are Vishnu, creator of all the universe, creator of all. You know the truth in you because you are the truth. You are vissshhhnuuuuu...."
 
Rama's posture straightened and he looked straight at the trident. Closing his eyes, he breathed in and suddenly there was a celestial silence all around. The trident glowed and fell, as if to bow before Rama. Ravana, terror and fear shining through his 20 eyes, fell to the floor, prostrating himself before what must be the highest god.

 

Analysis:
Rama is working towards the good of the earth throughout the epic; however, he never completely realized that he is in fact an incarnation of Vishnu. During Rama's battle with Ravana, this realization occurs to him slowly. Like any mortal, this is a lot to accept at once, and it takes repetitive signs for him to recognize the truth. Even after Matali tells him that he is the incarnation of Vishnu, it does not register with Rama. I consider this scene to be a critical point in the epic because it is the point where Rama does come to the realization of who he really is. Other parts of his life can then fall into place, and he can understand completely his situation in life as a reincarnation of Vishnu. It has taken the entire novel for Rama to understand who he is, and this understanding, though difficult, help complete his task of defeating the rakshasas. Although most incarnations may not ever know of their past lives, it becomes critical that Rama know who he is. We see him hesitate in battle, and in thought at times. This occurs until he fully absorbs what is being whispered to him.

Sources:

 

Picture Information:

1. "Conch Night," Oil on board, Artist: Ron Bodoh, Website: Ron Bodoh's Paintings, weblink

2. "Rama and Ravana fight in the chariot," Detail of mural painting (1990s), Thai Cultural Center
Bangkok, Thailand, Photo: Garrett Kam , Website: Rama Image Library, weblink

3. "Battle", Website: "History of India: Ramayana", weblink

4. "Rama", Website: Punjabkesari.com: Religion, weblink

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