Sarga 100: Rama and Ravana armed with excellent bows and powerful missiles begin to fight.

On seeing Mahodara and Mahaparsva killed in the great war, Virupaksha of extraordinary might also killed, Ravana was highly infuriated and addressed the charioteer in the following words.

"On killing both Rama and Lakshmana, I will relieve the sorrow of ministers killed and of Lanka from suffering.

That tree in the shape of Rama for which Sugriva, Jambavan, Kumuda, Dwivida, Mainda, Angada, Gandhamadana and Hanuman are the principal branches, that tree which will yield flowers and fruit in the shape of Sita will be cut down in the battle.

Ravana, the great charioteer, who could surpass many rushed quickly towards Raghava, by the chariot making great noise reverberating in all directions.

By that sound, the rivers, mountains, and forests including the earth, filled with the boars, lions and other beasts were shaken.

He released an exceedingly formidable weapon called Taamasa which consumed all the monkeys all over and had fallen.

As the Taamasa missile had been built and bestowed by Brahma, the monkeys were unable to bear and by their running dust had risen.

Ravana's shafts had burnt many hundreds of Vanaras in war and seeing that Rama took a firm stand.

Thereafter, the tiger among Rakshasas having routed the Vanaras from there, saw the lotus petaleyed Rama, endowed with long arms, an unconquered one, the tamer of enemies, standing with his brother Lakshmana like Lord Vishnu with Indra, holding a huge bow that was scraping the sky.

Then the highly brilliant, mighty Raghava along with Saumithri, witnessing the Vanaras routed in war and Ravana coming towards him. joyful Rama took hold of his bow and held in the midst.

Then he began to stretch his best bow endowed with an impelling force, sounding as if breaking the earth.

Then by Ravana's shafts and Sri Rama's stretching of the bow and sound of twang, Rakshasas fell in hundreds.

That way when the two princes came near the range of Ravana's arrows, it was like the Sun and the moon near planet Rahu.

Lakshmana desiring to fight first stretched his bow and took out his sharp arrows which were like peaks of fire and released.

As soon as the excellent archer, Lakshmana released his arrows, effulgent Ravana intercepted the arrows in the sky.

Exhibiting his skill by hand, he split the arrows of Lakshmana with only one arrow, three with three and ten with ten.

Ravana, who won many battles, overlooking Lakshmana went towards Rama standing like a rock in the battle.

Ravana the king of Rakshasas coming near Raghava with angry looks in his eyes, showered rain of arrows at Rama.

Then Rama immediately seized hold of bhallas and released swiftly seeing Ravana's volley of arrows flowing.

Thereafter, Raghava with glowing terrific arrows, which were like poisonous serpents split the sharp streams of arrows.

Thus, Raghava on Ravana and Ravana on Raghava, in that manner sharp arrows showered on one another.

Each of them pushing one another by the speed of the arrows, went round in circles and created wonderful rounds.

Just as created beings fight at the end of the dissolution of the universe, like God of death and God of retribution, both were fighting discharging arrows which was frightening to all beings.

Then the sky overcast with arrows of different kinds seemed like clouds with flashes of lightning.

By the speed of the arrows with sharp heads, with plumes of eagles, the shower of extremely pointed arrows covering the sky made it dark and seemed like windows in the sky.

Then the sky covered with darkness of arrows was like two huge clouds rising even though the Sun had set.

Each of them desiring to end the other, fought a terrific battle like Vrtra and Indra earlier, a great fight unimaginable for others.

Both Rama and Ravana were armed with excellent bows, both highly skilled in war, both adept in the use of missiles, both were foremost in fighting and were unmoved.

Whichever course they took, by those streams of arrows were seen like waves in two oceans stirred up by the wind.

Then Ravana, who made the people cry, whose hands were engaged in the fight, discharged a row of steel arrows into Rama's forehead.

Rama, into whose forehead Ravana had stuck arrows, felt them like blue lotuses released from his bow, and did not experience any pain.

Then valiant and bright Rama, enraged, chanting the mantras of missiles presided over by Rudra (God of destruction) taking many more arrows, stretching the bow, and fixing discharged arrows.

Fallen on the impenetrable shield of Ravana, those arrows did not inflict any pain.

Again Rama, who was skilled in the use of all weapons, pierced that king of Rakshasas seated in the chariot with an excellent missile on the forehead.

The five headed serpent like arrows released by Rama penetrated and having been repelled by Ravana they entered the earth hissing.

Making Rama's missile void, Ravana manifested another missile presided over by demon and released.

Arrows having lion and tiger face, buzzards and red geese face, eagles and falcons faced, in the same way arrows with jackals' face, wolves' face, terrible with mouth wide open five headed serpent like fearful sharp arrows were released by Ravana.

Deceitful and energetic Ravana provoked by anger, let loose more arrows of boar faced, dog faced, cocks faced, and alligators and serpents faced hissing like serpents and other such arrows against Rama.

In that way facing the demonic missiles, the leader of Raghus, overwhelmed, very enthusiastic, released missiles presided over by God of fire.

There Rama produced missiles glowing like fire, like Sun 's face, like moon's face, crescent moon face, face like Dhumakethu, missiles like planets, and star faced, with fire sticks like face resembling flashes and lightning and several others and let loose.

Struck by Raghava's missiles, the terrific missiles of Ravana melted in the air and split into thousands of pieces.

Sugriva and other leaders, heroes who can change form at their will and all monkeys rejoiced.

The great soul Dasarathi encountered the missiles released by Ravana rendering them void. Sugriva the Lord of monkeys overpowered by happiness spoke as follows. ।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेशततमस्सर्गः ।। This is the end of the hundredth sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.