Courageous Raghava, the destroyer of enemies on hearing the words spoken by Lakshmana took up his bow and fixed it.

Rama discharged dreadful shafts at Ravana's army in the forefront. Ravana ascended another chariot and went towards Rama, just as the planet Rahu moved towards the Sun.

Seated in the chariot, the ten headed Ravana showered thunderbolt like shafts just as rain cloud showers on a huge mountain and struck.

Sri Rama steadily covered Ravana, the ten headed Rakshasa with shining shafts covered with gold glowing like fire in the battle.

Rama standing on the earth and Ravana seated on the chariot and waging war is not fair, declared Devas, Gandharvas and Kinneras.

The foremost of Devas, the glorious Indra, on hearing their sweet words called his charioteer Matali and spoke as follows.

"Proceed quickly in my chariot to the foremost of the Raghus on the earth, where Sri Rama stands and call him to sit in the chariot as per the words of Devas."

Lord of Devas having spoken that way, the charioteer of Devas offering salutations to Devas in obedience spoke these words.

"O Devendra, I will do the duty of charioteer duly to the Lord of gods with green horses proceeding quickly", said the charioteer."

Thereafter, Matali brought the glorious chariot of Lord of Devas. It was decked with charming gold wheels, body fitted with hundreds of gold bells that shone like the early morning sun, decked with gold on top, green horses with white whisks shining like the Sun, decked with golden net, the horses yoked to staff, and the flag fitted on golden bamboo staff. Descending from the chariot, like from heaven, Matali went towards Kakuthsa.

Thereafter, Matali brought the glorious chariot of Lord of Devas. It was decked with charming gold wheels, body fitted with hundreds of gold bells that shone like the early morning sun, decked with gold on top, green horses with white whisks shining like the Sun, decked with golden net, the horses yoked to staff, and the flag fitted on golden bamboo staff. Descending from the chariot, like from heaven, Matali went towards Kakuthsa.

Thereafter, Matali brought the glorious chariot of Lord of Devas. It was decked with charming gold wheels, body fitted with hundreds of gold bells that shone like the early morning sun, decked with gold on top, green horses with white whisks shining like the Sun, decked with golden net, the horses yoked to staff, and the flag fitted on golden bamboo staff. Descending from the chariot, like from heaven, Matali went towards Kakuthsa.

Thereafter, Matali brought the glorious chariot of Lord of Devas. It was decked with charming gold wheels, body fitted with hundreds of gold bells that shone like the early morning sun, decked with gold on top, green horses with white whisks shining like the Sun, decked with golden net, the horses yoked to staff, and the flag fitted on golden bamboo staff. Descending from the chariot, like from heaven, Matali went towards Kakuthsa.

Then the thousand eyed charioteer, holding the whip in hand, from the chariot, offered salutations with folded palms to Sri Rama and spoke these words.

"To you, Kakuthsa, who are endowed with great prowess, destroyer of enemies, this chariot has been sent by Indra for your victory."

"Here is Indra's mighty bow, armour shining like fire, shafts resembling the Sun and stainless auspicious javelin."

"O heroic king! With me as charioteer, mounting this chariot, kill the Rakshasa Ravana as Mahendra killed the demons."

Speaking like that, Matali went round Sri Rama, and went round the chariot clockwise saluting him. Sri Rama then ascended the chariot, illuminating his splendour to the world.

Then a wonderful, severe thrilling fight took place between Sri Rama and Ravana.

Raghava who was highly skilled in the use of supreme weapons destroyed that missile presided over by Gandharvas and gods, released by Ravana.

The Rakshasa king, the night ranger, became highly furious and once again discharged the most terrific missile presided over by Rakshasas.

The shafts released from Ravana's bow were covered with gold and highly venomous like serpents reached near Kakuthsa.

Those shafts with wide flaming mouths, vomiting fire, glowing, frightening, and striking went over to Rama.

Flaming coils like the Vasuki, covering all quarters with poison, enveloped all over.

Seeing the dreadful reptiles approaching, Rama discharged the missile presided over by Garuda.

By the missile discharged by Raghava those reptiles and snakes turned into golden feathered eagles and by the shine of the feathers, the reptiles flew.

Those shafts of Rama in the form of eagles which could change their form at will, destroyed the serpent forms and they flew at great speed.

King of Rakshasas knocked back, became enraged and covered Rama with a terrific shower of shafts.

Thereafter having showered a thousand shafts on Rama, of unwearied action, Ravana pierced Matali with shafts.

Ravana attacked the flag post of the chariot with one arrow and felled it down. Then he released a network of arrows on Indra's horses and struck them.

On seeing Sri Rama afflicted by the action of evilminded Ravana, the Devas, Gandharvas, Charanas, Danavas also, Siddhas and foremost rishis were despondent. Seeing the moon like Sri Rama eclipsed by planet Rahu in the form of Ravana, the Vanara leaders and Vibheeshana became worried.

On seeing Sri Rama afflicted by the action of evilminded Ravana, the Devas, Gandharvas, Charanas, Danavas also, Siddhas and foremost rishis were despondent. Seeing the moon like Sri Rama eclipsed by planet Rahu in the form of Ravana, the Vanara leaders and Vibheeshana became worried.

When the planet Budha comes closer to the Rohini planet presided over by the Lord of creation, people predict bad luck.

The waves of the ocean were, as if in fury, waves covered with mist turning around as though to touch the radiant sun rose high.

The Sun seemed without radiance like the colour of weapon (grey), in the form of Kabhanda (headless trunk), combined with Dhumakethu.

In the sky, the planet Mars too stood in constellation with Visakha star presided over by gods Indra and Agni in heaven, which was propitious for the kosala kings.

Ravana with ten heads and twenty arms seizing his bow appeared like the Mynaka mountain.

While Ravana with ten heads and arms was ready in the forefront of the battle, Sri Rama had no possibility to fix his arrows.

Enraged Ravana, knitting his eyebrows in anger, eyes turned red as if he was going to burn the world, became very angry. ।। इत्यार्षेवाल्मीकीयेश्रीमद्रामायणेआदिकाव्येयुद्धकाण्डेत्ऱ्युत्तरशततमस्सर्गः ।। This is the end of the hundred and third sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.