Victory
(HANUMAN hands the crest jewel SITA gave him to RAMA.)
--HANUMAN—
This pearl she wore from the marriage day
Tied in her hair, adorning her head,
This pearl she gave as proof!
--RAMA—
SITA!
Lakshman, she is found!
(LAKSHMAN enters.)
--LAKSHMAN—
Our Sita? How so?
--RAMA—
Sita is found by Hero Hanuman!
Look! The pearl she wore upon her brow
From our wedding day! It’s proof! He found her!
(To HANUMAN: )
Call Sugriva, Monkey King. His fight
With us begins today to rescue Sita,
As we won his wife, returned his queen.
(Hanuman exits. To LAKSHMAN: )
Demand the bears at once
Gather the creatures of earth and follow!
(Lakshman exits.)
Across the sea! Irrevocable is the ruin of Ravana!
Unstoppable victory is ours!
(Lights fade on RAMA, come up on SITA and the DEMONESS GUARD.)
--SITA--
This day is full of terror.
Rain makes flooding torrents. The ground shakes.
I hear explosions, cries, and hideous screams.
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Thousands of monkeys poured over the South Wall and scattered, setting fires everywhere.
--SITA—
Monkeys? Hanuman?
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Elephants crashed the North Wall and flattened everything in their stampede. Eagles by
thousands flew over the West Wall protecting cavalry which followed.
--SITA—
Eagles? The kin
Of Jatayu who fought so fiercely for me, Oh Rama!
Is it Rama?
--DEMONESS GUARD—
It is Rama. Rama has come and we are doomed. I would return you to him myself if I could.
Rama and Lakshmana and their forces stormed the West Wall.
--SITA—
Oh, victory to Rama! Victory!
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Barracks are burned. Cavalry is killed with their horses. Foot soldiers are gone. Guards
are dead or fled. My family is killed. Only the two remain to fight: Rama and Ravana. As
the sun sets, Ravana straps on his black armour and Rama, his armor of gold.
(Lights fade on SITA and DEMONESS GUARD and rise on Rama and LAKSHMANA.
LAKSHMAN is tying the golden armor on RAMA. Sita can change into fresh clothes during this
scene.)
--LAKSHMAN—
Remember your rage for the kidnap of Sita the sweet.
Rage for the destruction of that demon Ravana.
--RAMA—
What has the siege taught us about this fiend?
What strength of Ravan’s have spies uncovered that was
Unknown before our search?
--LAKSHMAN—
Ravana can assume whatever form
He will and worlds and weather wields
As suits him. He can be friend, ally,
Or family to protect himself. Beware!
No use are god or demon ally here
For Ravana cannot be killed by either,
A boon he won from God by hardest penance.
--RAMA—
Then human indeed am I today and ready!
Blow the conch and trumpets! Raise the cry!
Now is the ruin of Ravana the despicable!
(Lights fade on LAKSHMAN and RAMA, rise of SITA and DEMONESS GUARD who tells the
audience: )
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Hell is sweet compared to this night of horror. Look!
Ravana makes a mountain around Rama by his magic.
--SITA—
And Rama makes a huge blade and cuts
The mountain like a field of grain at harvest.
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Ravana creates fire to cover the earth.
--SITA—
And Rama makes torrents of rain to douse it out.
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Rama cuts off a head of Ravana but Ravana remains upright! The head grows back! Rama cuts of another head and
another and another. Still our king does not
fall and every head grows back. Doesn’t Rama know where life and death is? Where lives the self? Doesn’t Rama understand? Oh Rama! Rama, no! (She screams.)
--SITA—
What? What has happened? All is still.
A heaviness lifts. A darkness lightens. What?
(HANUMAN enters with a package of SITA’s jewelry.)
Hanman, what happened?
--HANUMAN—
One shaft, one arrow to the heart of Ravana
Fired by Rama felled the dreaded demon.
That dark and mighty armor is still at last.
--SITA—
Rama. Oh, Rama! Rama has won!
--DEMONESS GUARD—
Oh, my lady, be kind to me out of compassion and not because I deserve it. Forget justice and revenge! Forgive me!
--SITA—
You are forgiven! Rise
and rejoice with us.
--HANUMAN—
(To SITA, giving her the jewelry)
These gifts of the sky are yours to wear in joy
And celebration of rescue long awaited.
--SITA—
Oh, Hanuman! These are the jewels I dropped.
The loss of each a cry that rescue be close.
Blessed is the day of your return!
--HANUMAN—
(To audience as SITA dons the jewels)
Sita asked that a pile of sandalwood sticks
Be built at the feet of Lord Rama, be set aflame
Like a fragrant offering, we thought, like incense.
(Light rises to reveal RAMA. Smoke, indicating fire should arise in from of
him. HANUMAN and SITA can walk around the stage stopping in front of the fire. HANUMAN
goes around it to RAMA and LAKSHMANA.)
--HANUMAN—
Sita, the moon, is ready for Rama, her sun.
--SITA—
Fire, prove me as you prove the metals.
If I’ve been false to Rama, end my life.
If I’ve been true, be cool and light, reveal
My loyalty.
(SITA walks into the flames, Everyone calls out or gasps. Sita should stand, as
if in the midst of the fire, brightly lit, for at least 30 seconds, and then step out to
RAMA as all express relief and cheer.)
--SITA—
Rama, radiant as the morning.
--RAMA—
It’s over!
It’s over and joy begins today!
--RAMA and SITA—
It’s over! It’s over! Victory and Joy!
--RAMA--
Love and joy! Freedom and fullness!
--SITA--
Victory and joy
clearly shining!
--RAMA—
Victory and joy
for all to see!
Copyright 2000, Aikya Param
