January 6 - Sarga 68 and shlokas 1-60 of sarga 69 of Yuddha Kanda.
On hearing of the gory death of Kumbhakarna, his dear brother, there is a brief, hesitant and tentative appearance of a better sense in the door to Ravana's mind, before he is pulled back into his "might is right" mood by his worthy sons and half brothers.
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विद्राव्य वानरीं सेनां भक्षयित्वा च वानरान् ... प्रतपित्वा मुहूर्तं तु प्रशान्तो रामतेजसा -
"Oh King! The glorious Kumbhakarna who personified the god of death killed and devoured the vanaras incessantly for the better part of the day, burning bright with his might before he was overcome by the radiance of Sri Rama's prowess and his life extinguished in battle. His limbs were dismembered and flew hither and thither, his headless torso slipped into the ocean, and the terrifying, huge head of Kumbhakarna now lies blocking the main gate of Lanka."
This gory report from the rakshasas makes Ravana faint. His sons loudly bemoan their uncle's death. Ravana's half-brothers and ministers, Mahodara and Mahaparshva, are deeply distressed.
Ravana recovers, but to lament inconsolably. "Oh, brother Kumbhakarna! You were hitherto undefeated even by Indra's Vajra (thunderbolt)! कालाग्निप्रतिमो ह्यद्य राघवेण रणे हतः -"How come you, who resembled the fire of final dissolution in your valour, have been killed today by Raghava Sri Rama!?"
Ravana knows that the gods and sages in heavens would be celebrating Kumbhakarna's death. He fears the vanaras will now successfully break into Lanka.
"Oh, what is Sita now to me!? I have lost my right hand as it were. Brother! If I do not avenge your death by killing the enemy, I don't deserve to live."
तदिदं मामनुप्राप्तं विभीषणवचः शुभम् ।
यदज्ञानान्मया तस्य न गृहीतं माहात्मनः ॥
विनाशोऽयं समुत्पन्नो मां व्रीडयति दारुणः
तस्यायं कर्मणः प्राप्तो विपाको मम शोकदः ।
यन्मया धार्मिकः श्रीमान् स निरस्तो विभीषणः ॥
"Alas! I did not heed the good advice of my high-souled brother Vibhishana then, owing to my stubborn ignorance. Now I have reaped this gory outcome which torments me severely! This tragedy is directly the fruit of my disregarding and banishing my righteous and innately virtuous Vibhishana."
As Ravana continues to lament like this, Trishiras, one of his many sons schooled in Ravana's evil ways, addresses him.
"Father! Oh, glorious supreme monarch of rakshasas! This mood is totally unbecoming of you and befits a piffling obscure king. Don't you know that none in the three worlds remains to be conquered by you!? Do you forget all the mighty weapons bestowed as boons by Lord Brahma himself on you? Indeed you ride a glorious chariot that is drawn by a thousand donkeys and rumbles like a thundercloud! (सहस्रखरसंयुक्तो रथो मेघसमस्वनः)"
"Oh Lord! I suggest you tarry here. I shall go into battle myself and kill Rama, like Garuda destroys serpents and Vishnu killed Naraka (note: This Naraka is different from Narakasura. This is the son of Simhika and brother of Vatapi Ilvala)."
रावणो पुनर्जातमिवात्मानं मन्यते कालचोदितः Valmiki remarks that this thrust of encouragement from his son Trishiras brings back Ravana's usual mood like in one reborn, and he is himself again, surely instigated by the hand of Fate.
Devantaka, Narantaka, and Atikaya, all brothers of Trishiras, and sons of Ravana, join the chorus and say they will also go and kill the enemy.
All of them have great weapons that they have earned as boons. They have impressive CVs with deeds of mayhem caused to the enemy forces in many great battles. Their fame has spread in the three worlds.
On Ravana's instruction, his half-brothers Mahodara and Mahaparshva join and intend to give protective cover to their redoubtable nephews in battle.
Ravana warmly embraces his sons and the six heroes prepare to lead the rakshasas into battle.
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Valmiki describes at length the march of the rakshasa army under the leadership of the six heroes. The six are armed to the teeth, dressed up for the occasion, and press forward कालचोदिताः "egged on by Fate".
Mahodara rides a great black elephant born in the lineage of the divine Airavata. He carries great weapons. Trishiras drives in a chariot fully equipped with a wonderful bow and other weapons. He wears three splendid crowns on his three heads.
The most lustrous son of Ravana. Atikaya, a formidable archer, also rides in a splendid chariot.
Narantaka rides a glorious horse similar to Ucchaishravas. He carries a Shakti and resembles Lord Karttikeya. Devantaka carries a parigha and reminds one of Vishnu. Mahaparshva carries a magnificent mace (gada).
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As the glorious rakshasa army marched under their leadership, the six heroes were thinking,
मरणं वाऽपि निश्चित्य शत्रूणां वा पराजयम् "We shall kill the enemy or be killed, there is no other possibility (ie no retreat ever)!"
As the earth shook and the skies almost split to the deafening sounds of the rakshasa march, they witnessed the huge vanara army ready to strike with their typical weapons like rocks, boulders, and trees.
The two sides increased the decibel level of their war cries. They met in the middle in a fierce battle. The vanaras attacked the rakshasas from all sides and sometimes took the aerial route to bombard them with their rocks and trees. The rakshasas responded with their deadly weapons.
There was soon extensive damage to the rakshasa army. The rakshasas also retaliated in kind. Many vanaras seized the enemy weapons and used them effectively.
रिपुशोणितदिग्धाङ्गास्तत्र वानरराक्षसाः "Both the vanaras and rakshasas presented a gruesome sight covered and drenched as they were with much enemy blood."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
