Editing Ramayana (section)

===''Yuddha Kāṇḍa''===
[[File:Battle at Lanka, Ramayana, Udaipur, 1649-53.jpg|thumb|The ''Battle at Lanka, Ramayana'' by [[Sahibdin]]. It depicts the vānara army of Rāma (top left) fighting [[Ravana|Rāvaṇa]] the demon-king of [[Lanka|Lankā]] to save Rāma's kidnapped wife, Sītā. The painting depicts multiple events in the battle against the three-headed demon general [[Trishira|Triṣira]], in the bottom left. Triṣira is beheaded by Hanumān, the vānara companion of Rāma.]]

Also known as ''Lankā Kāṇḍa'', this book describes the war between the army of Rāma and the army of Rāvaṇa. Having received Hanuman's report on Sītā, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa proceed with their allies towards the shore of the southern sea. There they are joined by Rāvaṇa's renegade brother [[Vibhishana|Vibhiṣaṇa]]. The vānaras named [[Nala (Ramayana)|Nala]] and [[Nila (Ramayana)|Nīla]] construct the [[Rama Setu]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Rajarajan |first=R. K. K. |year=2014 |url=https://www.academia.edu/8779702 |title=Reflections on 'Rāma-Setu' in South Asian Tradition |journal=The Quarterly Journal of the Mythic Society |volume=105 |number=3 |pages=1–14 |issn=0047-8555 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106212334/http://www.academia.edu/8779702/Reflections_on_R%C4%81ma-Setu_in_South_Asian_Tradition |archive-date=6 November 2018 }}</ref>

The princes and their army cross over to Lanka. A lengthy war ensues. During a battle, Ravana's son [[Meghanada|Meghanāda]] hurls a powerful weapon at Lakṣmaṇa and he gets mortally wounded. So Hanumān assumes his gigantic form and flies from Lankā to the [[Himalayas]]. Upon reaching, Hanumān is unable to identify the [[Sanjivani (Hinduism)|sanjeevani]] herb that will cure Lakṣmaṇa and so he decides to bring the entire mountain back to Lankā. Eventually, the war ends when Rāma kills Rāvaṇa. Rāma then installs [[Vibhishana|Vibhishaṇa]] on the throne of Lanka.

On meeting Sītā, Rāma says; "The dishonour meted out to him and the wrong done to her by Rāvaṇa have been wiped off, by his victory over the enemy with the assistance of Hanumān, Sugrīva and Vibhishaṇa".<ref>{{cite web |title=Book VI : Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 115 |url=https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/yuddha/sarga115/yuddha_115_frame.htm |website=sanskritdocuments.org |access-date=24 September 2021 |archive-date=29 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829063115/https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/yuddha/sarga115/yuddha_115_frame.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> However, upon criticism from people in his kingdom about the chastity of Sītā, Rāma gets extremely disheartened.
So Sītā, in order to prove the citizens wrong and wipe the false blame on her, requests Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to prepare a pyre for her to enter. When Lakṣmaṇa prepares the pyre, Sītā prays to [[Agni]] and enters into it, in order to prove her conjugal fidelity. Agni appears in person from the burning pyre, carrying Sītā in his arms and restores her to Rāma, testifying to her purity.<ref>{{cite web |title=Book VI : Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 118 |url=https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/yuddha/sarga118/yuddha_118_frame.htm |website=sanskritdocuments.org |access-date=24 September 2021 |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912143805/https://sanskritdocuments.org/sites/valmikiramayan/yuddha/sarga118/yuddha_118_frame.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Rama later joyfully accepts her. The episode of ''Agni Pariksha'' varies in the versions of ''Ramāyaṇa'' by Valmiki and [[Tulsidas]]. In [[Tulsidas]]'s ''[[Ramcharitmanas]]'', Sītā was under the protection of Agni (see [[Maya Sita|Māyā Sītā]]) so it was necessary to bring her out before reuniting with Rāma. The gods led by Brahma arrive and glorify Rama as the incarnation of Supreme God Narayana. Indra restores the dead Vanaras back to life.

After the exile, Rāma returns to Ayodhya and the people are so happy they celebrate it like a festival. [[Deepavali]] is the day considered that Rāma, Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa and Hanumān reached Ayodhyā after a period of 14 years in exile after Rāma's army of good defeated demon king Rāvaṇa's army of evil. The return of Rāma to Ayodhyā was celebrated with his coronation. It is called ''Rāma pattabhisheka''. There are mentions in Rāmayaṇa that Rama gave several donations to Sugriva, Jambavan, other Vanaras, and gave a pearl necklace to Sita telling her to give it to a great person. She gives it to Hanumān. [[Rama|Rāma]] was so thankful to [[Vibhishana|Vibhisaṇa]] and wanted to give him a great gift. [[Rama|Rāma]] gave his [[Ranganatha|Aradhana Devata]] (Sri Ranganathaswamy) to [[Vibhishana]] as a gift.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theindiandharma.org/2018/03/18/episode-312-significance-of-the-sri-ranga-vimaana/|title=Episode 312 – Significance of the "Sri-Ranga Vimaana"!!! – The Indian Dharma|website=theindiandharma.org|author=Dr. Jeayaram|date=18 March 2018}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=June 2024}} Rama's rule itself was ''Rāma rājya'' described to be a just and fair rule.{{sfnm|1a1=Sharma|1y=1986|1pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9Vo0OJtO6DQC&pg=PA2 2–3]|2a1=Claeys|2y=2010|2pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=sFCuoqykV9QC&pg=PA240 240–241]}} It is believed by many that when Rama returned people celebrated their happiness with ''[[Diya (lamp)|diyas]]'', and the festival of [[Deepavali]] is connected with Rāma's return.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lOnuAAAAIAAJ|title=Self-realization Magazine|date=1971|publisher=Self-Realization Fellowship|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=lOnuAAAAIAAJ&q=is+diwali+connected+to+lord+rama+returned 50]|language=en}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=June 2024}}