With the battle at its height, the righteous Rāma took up an arrow gifted by Maghavan, the wise lord of the gods. Fitting this celestial weapon to his bow, Rāma released it with a thunderous sound, aiming straight at the formidable Khara. The mighty arrow, blazing with divine energy, struck Khara full in the chest just as he was drawing his own bow. Overwhelmed by the searing fire of the weapon, Khara was cast down to the earth, consumed as Andhaka was once destroyed by Rudra in the white forest. Khara, thus slain, fell like Vṛtra struck by Indra’s thunderbolt, like Namuci felled by the froth, or Bala laid low by the bolt of Indra. At that moment, the gods themselves gathered in the heavens with the celestial sages, sounding their drums in celebration and showering flowers upon the earth. In that great battle, fourteen thousand rākṣasas—masters of illusion and followers of Khara and Dūṣaṇa—were all slain by Rāma. The gods marveled: “What a mighty deed by Rāma, who knows his true self! What strength, what unshakable resolve—he appears truly like Viṣṇu incarnate!” Having spoken thus, the gods departed as they had come, and then the royal sages and great seers assembled together. In their joy, they honored Rāma, and with Agastya among them, they addressed him: “For this very purpose, mighty Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, came to the sacred hermitage of Śarabhaṅga; you were brought to this land by the great sages through their guidance. For the destruction of these wicked rākṣasa enemies, you, O son of Daśaratha, have accomplished this task.” Now, the great sages would be able to practice their own dharma in Daṇḍaka, and the heroic Lakṣmaṇa, together with Sītā, would dwell in peace. Emerging from the mountain stronghold, Rāma, victorious and honored by the great sages, joyfully entered the hermitage. There, Lakṣmaṇa greeted him with honor, and as Rāma, the destroyer of enemies and comforter of the sages, entered, Vaidehī—Sītā, Janaka’s daughter—was filled with delight. She embraced her husband, overjoyed at the sight of the slain demons and the safety of Rāma, the imperishable one. As Rāma was honored by the delighted sages for crushing the rākṣasa hosts, Sītā, her face radiant with joy, embraced him once again, her heart overflowing with happiness. Now begins the thirty-first sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa. Meanwhile, Akampana, fleeing from the destruction of Janasthāna, hastened to Laṅkā and entered the presence of Rāvaṇa. He addressed the demon king: “O King, many demons stationed at Janasthāna have been slain, and Khara too has been killed in battle. I alone have escaped with my life.” Hearing these words, the ten-headed Rāvaṇa was filled with rage, his eyes bloodshot, his energy blazing as if to consume everything around him. He demanded of Akampana, “By whom has my dreadful Janasthāna been destroyed with weapons? Who in all the worlds could do this and not meet their end? Not even Indra, nor Kubera, nor Yama, nor Viṣṇu can harm me and hope for happiness. I am Time itself to time; I could burn even fire, and by the law of death, I could unite Death with his own end. By force, I could outpace the wind; in my wrath, I could burn the sun and fire with my energy.” As Rāvaṇa raged, Akampana, trembling with fear, joined his palms and sought assurance of safety from the mighty king. Rāvaṇa, best of the demons, granted him safety, and thus reassured, Akampana spoke without hesitation: “There dwells a son of Daśaratha, young and lion-shouldered, named Rāma, mighty-armed and broad-chested. He is dark-complexioned, of great fame and glory, equal in strength and valor. By him, Khara and Dūṣaṇa were slain at Janasthāna.” Upon hearing this, Rāvaṇa sighed deeply like a great serpent and asked, “Is this Rāma allied with Indra and all the gods, who has come to Janasthāna? Tell me truly, Akampana.” Akampana replied, describing Rāma’s strength and valor: “Rāma, radiant and mighty, is the foremost among archers, endowed with the qualities of divine weapons, and has attained supreme righteousness in battle. His younger brother Lakṣmaṇa, powerful and red-eyed, with a voice like a drum and a face like the full moon, matches him in strength. Joined together, like fire with wind, these glorious princes destroyed Janasthāna. “The gods and great souls need not deliberate further; Rāma’s arrows, golden-feathered and winged, are enough. They became five-headed serpents and devoured the rākṣasas, while the terrified survivors fled wherever they could. Yet wherever they went, they saw Rāma standing before them. Thus was Janasthāna destroyed by him, O faultless one.” Hearing Akampana’s account, Rāvaṇa declared, “I will go to Janasthāna to kill Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa!” But Akampana replied, “Hear, O king, the true account of Rāma’s strength and prowess. Rāma, famed for his valor, is unconquerable when angered; with his arrows, he could even check the flow of a mighty river.” Thus, the aftermath of Rāma’s victory echoed through the worlds, and the seeds of new enmity were sown in the heart of Rāvaṇa.