After the Birth of Lava and Kusha, Shatrughna Pursues and Kills Lavana

We had seen in the last post about the divine birth of Lava and Kusha in sage Valmiki hermitage. The birth of Lava and Kusha in the Uttara Kanda is a divine orchestration of fate, ensuring that dharma prevails despite adversity. Sita, all through her life had faced adversity – from Rama sentenced to exile to living with him in forest to getting abducted and living in threatening captivity of Ravana to facing test of fire by Rama to hearing unfounded rumors by the people on her character in captivity to Rama discarding her and leaving her in the forest with Valmiki. At each and every phase, she faced adversity, hardship and nothing but tears of agony all along.  Her story is one of continuous name-calling, receiving blame, unfounded gossip, living in exile, captivity and separated from husband. That is the continuous difficulty faced by the dear spouse of Rama in the enthralling story of Ramayana for marrying Rama. Yet the mother never forgot Rama, never forgot to wish the best for Rama. Yet the mother prevailed against all odds and gave birth to the progeny of Rama who are going to continue the legacy of Rama. The story is a testament to Sita’s resilience, proving that a drop of truth and righteousness in the middle of ocean of gloom is always going to find a way back to glory. 

The story is not done yet as an alone, resolute and patient Sita is going to raise the offspring in the absence of their father under the protection and guidance of Valmiki. The kids raised in the forest will challenge their father and reunite with him which can be seen much later.  

Coming back to the last post, we are following the path of Shatrughna pursuing Lavana. While staying at Sage Valmiki’s hermitage, Shatrughna learned that Sita had given birth to twin sons. Valmiki performed a sacred protection ritual using Kusha grass and named the children Lava and Kusha. Shatrughna, overjoyed, offered blessings to Sita and spent the night in celebration. The next morning, he resumed his mission to defeat the demon Lavana. After reaching the Yamuna River, Shatrughna stayed at a hermitage where he conversed with sages, including Cyavana. That night, he inquired about Lavana’s strength. Cyavana told the tale of King Mandhata, a mighty ruler who sought to conquer heaven but was destroyed, along with his army, by Lavana’s powerful trident. Cyavana explained that Lavana’s strength came from this weapon. The sage revealed that Lavana would go out unarmed in the morning to hunt, presenting the perfect opportunity. Encouraged, Shatrughna prepared to confront the demon and end his reign of terror. 

In chapter 68, Shatrughna encounters Lavana. 

As Sage Cyavana concluded his tale and the sages extended their heartfelt wishes for Shatrughna’s success, the night passed swiftly for the valiant prince, filled with anticipation for the decisive battle ahead. 

At dawn, under a clear sky, the demon Lavana, driven by hunger, set out from his city, Madhupura, to search for food. At that very hour, Shatrughna crossed the Yamuna River and, armed with his bow, took up his position at the gate of the city, ready to confront the Rakshasa. He waited with focused resolve, knowing that this was the ideal moment, as Lavana had left his dreadful trident behind. 

By midday, Lavana returned, his monstrous arms laden with countless living beings—his gruesome prey. As he approached the city gate, he noticed Shatrughna standing firm and fearless, weapon in hand. The demon, arrogant and mocking, confronted the prince with scornful laughter. He taunted him, demanding to know what he intended to do with his weapon, claiming he had consumed thousands of warriors like Shatrughna before. Sneering, Lavana declared that death had brought Shatrughna to him and mocked his presence as mere food for his insatiable hunger. 

Shatrughna, incensed by the demon's words, was overtaken by a fury so intense that tears sprang to his eyes and sparks of fire seemed to leap from his body. Ignited by righteous wrath, the prince responded with courage and defiance. He introduced himself as Shatrughna, the son of King Dasaratha and brother of the mighty Rama, a true destroyer of enemies. Declaring his intent to slay Lavana, he challenged the Rakshasa to single combat, warning that there would be no escape. Shatrughna denounced Lavana as the enemy of all living beings and vowed to end his evil reign then and there. 

Unmoved, Lavana replied with arrogant confidence, mocking Shatrughna once again. He claimed that Shatrughna’s arrival was a stroke of luck for him, and insulted Rama, referring to him as the slayer of his maternal aunt’s brother, Ravana, whom he accused of being destroyed over a mere woman. Lavana lamented his own failure to avenge the annihilation of Ravana’s kin and vowed to wipe out the entire lineage of Rama. Calling Shatrughna a fool, he accepted the challenge and declared his intent to fetch his mighty trident to ensure the prince’s annihilation. 

But Shatrughna would not allow the demon such a chance. Swiftly, he rebuked Lavana’s intention to retrieve his weapon. “Shall I let you escape me alive?” he challenged. Shatrughna affirmed that no wise warrior would permit an enemy, especially one so dangerous, to go free once within striking distance. He denounced those who allowed enemies to escape as doomed by their own folly. 

With righteous fire in his voice, Shatrughna warned Lavana to take one last look at the world. The time of judgment had arrived. The prince vowed to send the demon to Yama’s abode with his sharpened arrows, avenging the suffering Lavana had wrought upon the world and upholding the honor of the Raghava lineage. Thus, on the threshold of battle, the clash between good and evil loomed imminent. 

In chapter 69, the death of Lavana can be seen. 

As Shatrughna stood firm at the gates of Madhupura, defying the fearsome Rakshasa Lavana, the demon flew into a violent rage. Striking his hands together and grinding his teeth, Lavana stormed forward to attack the courageous prince of the Raghus with redoubled fury. But Shatrughna, undeterred and resolute, boldly proclaimed that though others had fallen to Lavana before his time, today would mark the Rakshasa's end. He vowed before the Rishis and Brahmins that Lavana would die by his arrows, bringing peace to the city and the realm. Just as sunlight pierces the heart of a lotus, Shatrughna declared, so would his arrows pierce the demon’s chest. 

Enraged by Shatrughna’s defiance, Lavana hurled a massive tree at him, striking him in the chest. But the mighty warrior sliced it into a hundred pieces mid-air. Undeterred, the Rakshasa seized more trees and threw them in a furious storm at his opponent. Shatrughna, ablaze with righteous fury, met each attack with masterful archery, cutting down the trees with a few well-aimed, crescent-shaped arrows. Then, unleashing a relentless shower of darts, he assailed Lavana, who, though wounded, did not yield. 

In retaliation, Lavana mocked Shatrughna and, brandishing yet another massive tree, struck him on the head with such force that the prince collapsed, unconscious. A cry of despair—“Ah! Ah!”—rose from the watching sages, Devas, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, who feared the great warrior had been slain. 

Mistaking his enemy for dead, Lavana refrained from retrieving his deadly trident, thinking there was no longer any need. Believing victory was his, he began to gather the living beings he had brought back to devour. 

However, Shatrughna soon regained consciousness. With renewed determination, he seized his weapon and once again positioned himself at the city gate, greeted by cheers from the Rishis. Now prepared for the final blow, he chose a celestial arrow of divine origin—an infallible, resplendent weapon that illuminated the ten directions like lightning. It was stained with blood-colored sandal paste, perfectly plumed, and so terrifying that even the mightiest Asuras, Danavas, and mountains feared it. 

The sight of this radiant arrow sent a wave of panic across the universe. The Devas, Asuras, Gandharvas, and Apsaras trembled and fled to Brahma, the Grandsire of all beings, begging him to explain the cause of this cosmic dread. In a voice of calm reassurance, Brahma told them the truth: the divine arrow was the creation of Vishnu Himself, fashioned for the destruction of the ancient demons Madhu and Kaitabha. It was, in essence, the very form of Vishnu, and now wielded by Shatrughna to destroy Lavana, the scourge of the Three Worlds. 

Encouraged by Brahma’s words, the Devas descended to witness the battle’s climax. The weapon in Shatrughna’s hand blazed with such brilliance that it resembled the fire that engulfs the universe at the end of an age. Roaring like a lion, Shatrughna turned to Lavana once more. Provoked by this renewed challenge, the Rakshasa prepared to strike, but before he could act, Shatrughna pulled back his bow and unleashed the mighty celestial arrow. 

With terrifying speed and divine power, the arrow pierced Lavana’s chest and passed through his body, descending into Rasatala, the netherworld. The sacred weapon, honored even by the gods, then returned to Shatrughna’s hand. Struck down by the devastating force, Lavana crashed to the ground like a mountain split by a lightning bolt. At the same moment, his trident, long a symbol of terror, returned to Rudra. 

With Lavana’s death, the terror that haunted the Three Worlds was ended in a single, righteous blow. Shatrughna stood, his bow in hand, resplendent like the sun scattering darkness. The heavens resounded with the cries of celebration from the Devas, sages, celestial serpents, and Apsaras: “By great fortune, the son of Dasaratha has triumphed! The world is free from fear. Lavana, the vile serpent among beings, lies vanquished upon the earth.” 

This concludes chapters 68 and 69 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen the war of words and the war between Shatrughna and demon Lavana in which the latter is killed. As we had seen, Lavana is the son of Madhu another powerful demon who ruled Madhuvana. Lavana inherited Rudra’s trident, divine weapon given to his father which made him nearly invincible. Without this potent weapon, Lavana was overcome by Shatrughna who wielded another powerful missile which made the three worlds relieved of dangerous demon. We can look at the progress made by Shatrughna in the subsequent chapters following the death of Lavana.

The Lineage of Rama Comes to Life - Sita Gives Birth to Lava and Kusha

We have arrived at the auspicious moment of birth of Lava and Kusha, the twin sons of ideal couple Rama and Sita. Let us recall some backdrop here. After the final battle with Ravana in which Rama emerged victorious, Rama and Sita are reunited, and Rama’s rule began in Ayodhya when he was enthroned as King following elaborate ceremony. Few days have passed when the noble couple lived with content after the lengthy exile and painful days of abduction. However, rumors swirled in the kingdom about the chastity of Sita as she lived in the captivity of Ravana for some time and the virtue of Rama in accepting her back. Despite Sita proving her purity through the Agni Pariksha (trial by fire), Rama, as a king, prioritized his duty to uphold his people's trust and maintain the integrity of his rule. Rama made the painful decision to send Sita to the hermitage of sage Valmiki in the forest. Lakshmana carried out the orders of Rama and left Sita in the abode of Valmiki. It can be noted here that Rama left Sita, his own better half and ideal form of womanhood over the priority he has given to the duties as a king. He prioritized greater good and people welfare over his deep personal bond and familial relationships. He terminated the immense attachment to Sita and became detached as a husband and father, leaving her in forest when she is about to give birth to his valuable progeny. Once again, this points to his unwavering dharma as a noble king over personal desires, meeting societal expectations against personal truth and immense personal sacrifice. Succinctly, he prioritized kingdom over personal self, and this is how the story panned out as it passed down to generations leading to the clues of his heart which never falters. Though Rama is largely separated, it is a celebration time in the abode of Valmiki as Sita gives birth to twins which can be seen in following chapters.

We are following Shatrughna as he sets out to fight Lavana following Rama’s detailed guidance. After a month's march, Shatrughna paused and visited Sage Valmiki, who warmly welcomed him. There, Shatrughna learned about King Saudasa, an ancestor cursed by Sage Vasishtha to become a cannibal after being tricked by a Rakshasa. Known thereafter as Kalmashapada, Saudasa later regained his throne. The fertile land near Valmiki’s hermitage was the site of Saudasa’s Ashvamedha sacrifice. After respectfully hearing the tale, Shatrughna rested at the hermitage, ready to continue his mission at dawn. The night brings a surpise in the form of birth of Lava and Kusha. 

In chapter 66, the birth of Rama’s descendants – Lava and Kusha can be seen. 

During the night Shatrughna spent in the leaf-thatched hut at Sage Valmiki’s hermitage, a momentous event occurred. Sita, Rama’s consort, gave birth to twin sons. At midnight, the youthful ascetics of the hermitage hurried to Valmiki with the joyous news, informing the sage that the blessed Sita had safely delivered two children. They urged the great Rishi to perform protective rites to safeguard the newborns from evil influences. 

Hearing their request, the venerable Valmiki proceeded to the spot where Sita lay with her infants. Upon seeing the twin boys, radiant and full of life like divine offspring, his heart swelled with joy. With profound reverence and care, Valmiki undertook the Rakshasa Rite to protect them. Using a handful of Kusha grass with roots intact, he chanted sacred mantras to bless the children. 

Valmiki then declared that the names of the twins would be derived from the ritual itself. Since the firstborn would be rubbed with the blessed Kusha grass, he would be named Kusha. The second child, carefully dried and purified with the same sacred grass, would be called Lava. Thus, the sage pronounced that the two boys would henceforth be renowned as Kusha and Lava, destined for fame. 

Following Valmiki’s instructions, the female ascetics, having purified themselves, reverently received the Kusha grass from the sage and carefully applied it to the two newborns, completing the protection rite with utmost devotion. 

Meanwhile, Shatrughna, who was still resting at the hermitage, heard the delightful tidings. He was informed of the birth of the twins, their divinely ordained names, and the auspicious circumstances of their arrival. Overjoyed, he approached the hut where Sita lay and respectfully greeted her, offering heartfelt blessings, “O Mother, be you happy!” 

For Shatrughna, the night, coinciding with the rainy season of the month of Shravana, passed swiftly and joyously, filled with the auspicious atmosphere of Sita’s twin sons’ birth. 

At the break of dawn, after completing his morning devotions with proper rites and prayers, Shatrughna, with joined palms, bowed respectfully to Sage Valmiki. Having received the sage’s blessings, he prepared to continue his mission to defeat the demon Lavana, as instructed by Lord Rama. 

Resuming his journey, Shatrughna marched for seven days with his army until he reached the banks of the Yamuna River. There, he decided to rest at a renowned hermitage inhabited by illustrious Rishis. These sages, famed for their wisdom and piety, welcomed the prince warmly. Among them, the venerable sage Kancana stood out as their leader. 

In the tranquil surroundings of the hermitage, Shatrughna spent the night engaging in meaningful conversations with the ascetics. They shared with him the ancient and inspiring legends of great Rishis, including the tales of Cyavana, a revered figure from the illustrious lineage of Bhrigu, and other esteemed sages. These discussions, filled with wisdom and devotion, brought Shatrughna great delight. 

Thus, filled with spiritual nourishment and inspiration from these sacred exchanges, Shatrughna rested peacefully, preparing for the next phase of his noble mission with renewed strength and determination. 

In chapter 67, we can look at the story of Mandhata. 

As night descended, Shatrughna sought guidance from the sage Cyavana, son of Bhrigu, regarding the strength and power of the demon Lavana. With respectful curiosity, Shatrughna asked the sage about Lavana’s weapon, inquiring who the demon had previously slain using his fearsome shaft in battle. 

Cyavana, known for his virtue and wisdom, answered Shatrughna with a story that revealed the formidable might of Lavana. He recounted the tale of Mandhata, a descendant of the great King Ikshvaku and son of Yuvanashva. Mandhata was an extraordinary monarch, famed throughout the three worlds for his valor and strength. His conquests were so complete that he placed the entire earth under his dominion. Yet, Mandhata’s ambition knew no bounds, and he soon aspired to ascend even higher—to conquer the celestial realms and claim Indra’s throne among the gods. 

This bold intention caused great alarm among the deities. Indra, the King of Heaven and Slayer of Paka, decided to confront Mandhata. Addressing the powerful king in appeasing tones, Indra pointed out that Mandhata’s conquest of the earth was not yet complete. There still remained a formidable obstacle—Lavana, the Rakshasa son of Madhu, who dwelled deep within the forest and refused to acknowledge Mandhata’s sovereignty. 

At Indra’s words, Mandhata was deeply shamed. Though his pride was wounded, he accepted Indra’s statement and withdrew with bowed head. Returning to earth, Mandhata concealed his anger and swiftly gathered a mighty force of servants, infantry, and cavalry to challenge Lavana. With great determination, he dispatched a messenger to summon Lavana to battle, instructing the envoy to deliver words of harsh challenge. 

However, when the messenger reached Lavana, the outcome was grim. Before the envoy could finish speaking, Lavana, filled with savage rage, seized the messenger and devoured him on the spot. When the messenger failed to return, Mandhata, enraged, launched a furious attack against Lavana, raining a storm of arrows upon the demon. 

Yet Lavana, undaunted, took up his terrible trident—an unrivaled weapon imbued with devastating power. With mocking disdain, the demon hurled the flaming trident at Mandhata and his army. The weapon's might was so overwhelming that it reduced the king, his soldiers, and all his forces to ashes instantly. After completing its dreadful work, the trident returned to Lavana’s hand, leaving no trace of Mandhata’s once-glorious army. 

Thus, Cyavana explained, it was by the terrible power of Lavana’s trident that the mighty Mandhata, celebrated among men, met his end. The sage warned Shatrughna that Lavana’s strength lay primarily in his possession of this trident; without it, the demon was vulnerable. 

Encouraging Shatrughna with confident assurance, Cyavana revealed that the following morning would present a perfect opportunity. Lavana, driven by hunger, would venture forth in search of food, leaving his trident behind. It would be then, in that brief window before Lavana could arm himself, that Shatrughna must strike. 

Cyavana concluded by affirming that victory was within Shatrughna’s grasp. The defeat of Lavana would liberate the world from his tyranny, and Shatrughna’s name would be celebrated for generations to come. Thus, with the sage’s detailed counsel and a heart filled with courage, Shatrughna prepared for the battle that would define his destiny. 

This concludes chapters 66 and 67 of Uttara Kanda where we had seen Sita giving birth to twins when Shatrughna came to the hermitage of Valmiki. The kids will one day reach Rama and re-unite with his father and we can wait for the story. Before that it can be known that Rama is completely unaware and retracted to himself serving as king when Lava and Kusha are born. There are no major festivities in the kingdom, nor the people are aware of this until much later. The newborns are under the custody of Valmiki who gets the fortune to overlook the divine mother and her infants at their momentous time. This episode is touched upon with minimum importance in the book as the story follows the trial of Shatrughna pursuing Lavana. Shatrughna takes leave of Valmiki and reaches Cyavana who narrates the story of Mandhata getting slayed by Lavana with his powerful trident. We can look at how these words of caution alerts Shatrughna as he encounters and kills Lavana in subsequent chapters.