Shatrughna, endowed with valor, faced the formidable rakshasa Lavaṇa in fierce combat. He unleashed a shower of arrows upon Lavaṇa’s chest, but the demon remained unmoved, his strength undiminished. In response, Lavaṇa, mighty and fearless, laughed aloud, seized a towering tree, and struck Shatrughna upon the head. The blow was so powerful that Shatrughna’s limbs slackened, and he lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground. At the sight of the fallen hero, a cry of distress echoed among the sages, the hosts of gods, the gandharvas, and the apsaras. Despite Shatrughna lying slain and helpless, Lavaṇa did not return to his abode, nor did he seize his spear. Confident that Shatrughna was dead, the rakshasa simply gathered his food. Yet, after a brief moment, Shatrughna regained his senses. Rising once more at the city gate, he stood armed and was honored by the sages for his resilience. Now, Shatrughna took up the divine, unfailing, supreme arrow—an arrow blazing with energy that filled all ten directions. This weapon had the face and force of a thunderbolt, resembled the mighty Meru and Mandara mountains, was curved at every joint, and undefeated in battle. Its shaft was smeared with blood and sandalwood, its feathers were beautiful, and it was renowned as the destroyer of the lords of demons, mountains, and asuras. As Shatrughna prepared to wield this radiant arrow, all beings were seized with terror, for it blazed like the fire of destruction at the end of an age. Gods, asuras, gandharvas, sages, and apsaras—all the world—became disturbed and approached Brahma, the Grandfather. They spoke to him, the lord of gods and bestower of boons, voicing their confusion and fear: never before had such dread and destruction threatened the worlds. Hearing their words, Brahma, the Grandfather of all, who brings fearlessness to beings, explained the cause of their fear in sweet tones: “Listen, O gods. The arrow held by Shatrughna in battle is meant for the slaying of Lavaṇa. Its energy has bewildered us all. This is the eternal arrow of the ancient god, the creator of worlds, composed of pure energy. It was created by the high-souled one for the destruction of Kaitabha and Madhu, those two mighty demons. Only Vishnu knows this arrow, for it was once the very form of the great-souled Vishnu himself. Go now, and witness Lavaṇa, the foremost of rakshasas, being slain by Rama’s heroic younger brother.” Reassured by Brahma’s words, the gods went to the place where Shatrughna and Lavaṇa were locked in combat. All beings beheld the divine, radiant arrow in Shatrughna’s hand, rising like the fire at the end of an age. As the sky was covered by its brilliance, Shatrughna, descendant of Raghu, let out a mighty lion’s roar and fixed his gaze upon his target. Summoned again by the great-souled Shatrughna, Lavaṇa, filled with rage, advanced for battle. Shatrughna drew his bow to his ear and released the supreme arrow at Lavaṇa’s broad chest. The arrow pierced Lavaṇa, swiftly entering the netherworld. Honored by the gods, this divine arrow returned once more to the delight of the Ikshvaku line. Struck by Shatrughna’s arrow, Lavaṇa, the night-wandering demon, fell suddenly to the ground like a mountain shattered by a thunderbolt. The great spear, once wielded by Lavaṇa, now came under the power of Rudra, as all the gods looked on. With a single arrow, Shatrughna, the mighty hero of Raghu’s line, struck down even the threat to the three worlds. The supreme bowman shone forth, his arrow dispelling darkness like the thousand-rayed sun. Then the gods, seers, serpents, and all the apsarases honored Shatrughna, proclaiming, “By fortune, victory has come to the son of Dasharatha; let fear be abandoned, as a serpent becomes calm.” Thus concluded the sixty-ninth sarga in the glorious Uttarakanda of the ancient and revered Ramayana, composed by Valmiki. When Lavaṇa was slain, the gods, with Indra and Agni at their head, spoke sweet words to Shatrughna, the scorcher of foes: “By fortune, you have won, child; by fortune, Lavaṇa the rakshasa is slain. O best of men, O steadfast one, choose a boon.” “All of us, O mighty-armed one, have come here as givers of boons, desiring your victory; for our sight is never in vain,” they assured him. Hearing the words of the gods, Shatrughna, valiant and disciplined in mind, joined his hands upon his head and replied, “This city of Madhu is delightful, sweet, and fashioned by the gods. Let me quickly obtain its settlement—may this supreme boon be granted to me.” The gods, well pleased, said to Shatrughna, “So be it! This city shall indeed be beautiful, O Shurasena, without doubt.” Having spoken thus, those great souls ascended to heaven. Shatrughna, radiant in energy, gathered his army together. The army came swiftly at his command, and Shatrughna began the settlement at the auspicious time of Shravana. That city, shining with divine splendor, was settled in the twelfth year, becoming the secure domain of the Shurasenas.