Lanka Kaanda
187 - Combat of Ravana and Hanuman; Ravana creates phantoms and Sri Rama disperses the phantoms
Chaupais
Description
He became invisible for a moment and then the wretch revealed himself in multitudinous forms. The ten-headed monster appeared in as many forms as there were bears and monkeys in the army of Sri Rama (the Lord of the Raghus). The monkey host beheld numberless Ravanas; the bears and monkeys then fled in every direction. The monkeys had no courage to stay. They fled crying, "Help, Laksmana ! Help, Raghuvira (Hero of Raghu's line) !" Myriads of Ravanas darted in all directions, thundering in a deep, shrill and frightful voice. All the gods took flight in panic crying, "Now, brethren, abandon all hope of victory. A single Ravana subdued the whole heavenly host. Now that he has been multiplied, let us seek mountain caves." Only Brahma (the Creator), Lord Sambhu (Siva) and the wise seers, whoever knew something of the Lord's glory, remained unshaken.