Part 1: Rāvaṇa’s funeral

Then Bibhīṣaṇa, overcome by affection for his relatives, encouraged the fugitive Rākṣasas: “These two, Padma and Nārāyaṇa, the eighth Bala and Śārṅgin, yield protection. Unhesitatingly resort to them for protection.” They all went to Padma and Saumitri and they showed them favor. For heroes are impartial toward subjects.

When Bibhīṣaṇa saw that his brother had been killed, in a paroxysm of grief he wished to die himself and drew his knife. Rāma seized Bibhīṣaṇa as he was striking his belly with it and weeping piteously, “Oh, brother! brother! Padmanābha and Lakṣmaṇa enlightened him weeping with Mandodarī and others near Rāvaṇa: “Daśānana, who had such strength, must not be grieved for, at whose battles even the gods trembled at a distance. He has died with heroic conduct, the receptacle of fame. Therefore, perform his last rites. Enough of weeping.”

With these words, Padrnanābha, noble-minded, released Kumbhakarṇa, Indrajit, Meghavāhana, and others who had been captured. Bibhīṣaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa, Śakrajit, Meghavāhana, Mandodarī and others, shedding tears, at once cremated Daśagrīva’s body with a blazing fire from gośīrṣa-sandal mixed with camphor and aloes. Padma and they went to a lotus-pool, bathed, and gave Daśamauli the handful of water^[1] together with warm tears. Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa said in a charming voice, as if pouring out nectar, to Kumbhakarṇa and the others: “Administer your respective kingdoms now as before. We are not concerned about your royal power. O heroes, peace be with you.” So addressed by Padmanābha, feeling grief and astonishment simultaneously, Kumbhakarṇa and the others said in a choking voice: “There is no advantage to us in kingdoms nor in subjects, O king. We intend to take mendicancy which results in the empire of emancipation”