Ravana's Vidya Sadhana and the Havoc Wrought in Lanka by the Vanara Princes

Spies bring word to Rama's camp that Ravana sits in the Shantinatha temple to master the Bahurupini vidya, which will be accomplished in twenty-four days and can crush even the pride of the gods. The Vanaras reason that if they can make him angry the vidya will fail, for once it succeeds not even Indra could defeat him; Vibhishana urges them to act quickly, and they tell Rama that now is the time to take Lanka and obstruct Ravana's sadhana.

Rama refuses: ‘This is foolish talk. It is not the dharma of our Kshatriya clan; our tradition is not even to slay one who flees in fear, so how can we harass a man seated under a vow in a Jina temple? Such base deeds are unworthy of the nobly born.’ All praise their lord's righteousness.

Then, with Lakshmana's knowledge, the Vidyadharas send their princes into Lanka, while Sugriva and the other great kings take an eight-day vow and practise japa and penance. Princes such as Pritinkara, Dridharatha, Rativardhana, Nala, Nila, Anga and Angada ride into Lanka on chariots drawn by lions, tigers, elephants and Ashtapadas, in vimanas and on horses, marvelling that the city sits unconcerned though Kumbhakarna, Indrajit and Meghanada are in bonds and Ravana's champions Hasta, Prahasta, Aksha and many others have been slain.

Vibhishana's son Subhushana tells the Kapi princes to enter Lanka fearlessly, sparing children, the old and women but harrying the rest, and they throw the city, and even Ravana's palace where princesses were absorbed in worship, into terror. Mandodari's father, King Maya, arms himself and comes to the palace gate with his troops, but Mandodari stops him: her lord ordered that none give way to passion in these holy days and fighting would break his command, so Maya lays down his weapons.

Breaking all bounds, the Vanara princes breach the city wall and smash its adamantine gates, and the terrified citizens flee to Ravana's palace, women clutching their children as necklaces snap and pearls scatter. Seeing this, the guardian deities of the Jina's teaching burst out of the Shantinatha temple in fearsome forms, changing into lions, elephants, horses, serpents, wind, trees and mountains, and a fierce battle breaks out between them and the deities on the side of Rama's camp.

Purnabhadra, lord of the Yakshas and guardian of the land, protests that harassing Ravana, who has given up food, water and attachment to the body to meditate, is no deed for warriors, and Manibhadra adds that not even Indra could shake Ravana's calm. The two steadfast Jain Yaksha lords take up the fight, raising a great wind, raining stones and thundering, so that the Vanara princes and their allied gods scatter like dry leaves.

The Yakshas come to reproach Rama: a son of the righteous King Dasharatha should not let his army ravage jewel-filled Lanka, for whoever takes a man's wealth takes his life. Lakshmana retorts that the wicked Ravana deceitfully carried off the great sati Sita, dearer than life to Raghunandana, and asks why the Yaksha lord comes with knitted brows and red eyes to take Ravana's side.

Sugriva, alarmed, offers Purnabhadra an arghya (offering of honour) and explains that they only wish to provoke Ravana's anger so that the vidya fails, since once it is accomplished none could stand before him. Purnabhadra allows this provided no citizen of Lanka and not Ravana's body is harmed, warns that Ravana is very hard to anger, and the two Yaksha lords, loving towards the faithful and devoted to munis, return home abashed by Lakshmana's words.