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JAIN RAMAYAN
Dense darkness covered everything, enveloping the whole world. In that darkness nothing was visible. An impenetrable silence pervaded the atmosphere.
The goddess of the night began her sway over the world. Dense dark clouds covered the sky. The whole universe was filled with a dreadful kind of darkness.
The Devaraman garden which a few moments before had been resplendent like the Nandanvan, the heavenly garden suddenly became transformed into a darkling plain for the dreadful sports of demons. The whole garden was filled with sky-cracking cries of monsters, ghosts and spectres. Monsters and demons began moving about freely indulging in their diabolical games and frolicsome sports. The garden began to echo with the cries and roars of tigers and lions and the dreadful hissing of venomous snakes.
Inspite of all this, the great woman Sita did not experience any fear or helplessness.
She began reciting, with devotion, the Navkar Mahamantra.
She experienced neither fear nor worry. She did not feel helpless or terrified. She remained still and stolid like the Meru which remains unshaken by clashing clouds or raging winds. Throughout the night, Ravan brought about countless terrifying events by means of his magical and supernatural powers but Sita who was absolutely devoted to her Lord, Shri Ram kept reciting the Namaskar Mahamantra. Ravan's terrortactics totally failed. The mighty hero Ravan had to accept defeat before a woman, week compared to his might; yet his infatuation for her did not decrease even a little.
In this manner the night passed. The golden rays of the rising sun shot from the eastern horizon and rendered the whole world resplendent by his heavenly alchemy. The birds skipping playfully on the branches of trees gave an indication of the rising sun.
At last, Ravan feeling utterly defeated put an end to his deceitful and magical trickery and returned to his palace.
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