Lanka Kaanda
194 - The gods sing the Lordís praises; Indra rains down nectar on the dead
Chaupais
Description
"Listen, King of the gods: our monkeys and bears, those that were killed by the demons, are lying on the ground. They have laid down their lives in my service: therefore, restore them all to life, O wise lord of the celestials." Listen, O king of the birds: (continues Kakabhusundi,) these words of the Lord are profoundly mysterious; only enlightened sages can apprehend them. The Lord Himself can wipe out the inhabitants of the three spheres and bring them back to life; He wished only to give Indra honour. By a shower of nectar the latter restored the monkeys and bears to life. They all arose with delight and betook themselves to the Lord. Although the shower of nectar promiscuously fell on the dead of both the armies, it is the bears and monkeys alone that returned to life, but not the demons. Their mind was absorbed in the thought of Sri Rama when they gave up the ghost; that is why they got liberated and were rid of the bonds of mundane existence. As for the monkeys and bears, they were all part manifestations of the gods (who are all immortal): hence they all came to life by the will of Sri Rama (the Lord of the Raghus). Is there anyone so kind to the afflicted as Sri Rama, who liberated the whole demon host? Even the wicked Ravana, who was a sink of impurities and given up to sensuality, attained to an exalted state which is withheld even from the greatest of sages.