Yuddha Kanda Summary: The War in Lanka and Rama's Return

Quick answer: The Yuddha Kanda ("Book of the War"), also called the Lanka Kanda, is the sixth book of Valmiki's Ramayana. Vibhishana leaves Ravana and joins Rama; the vanaras build a bridge to Lanka; in the war, Kumbhakarna, Indrajit and finally Ravana are killed. Sita is restored after her ordeal by fire, and Rama returns to Ayodhya to be crowned. It has 131 sargas.

It is the longest book of the Ramayana and the climax of the story. This summary follows it in order, with sarga numbers for the edition on IIT Kanpur's Valmiki Ramayana site; other editions, such as the Gita Press text, number the later sargas differently.

Preparing for war (sargas 1 to 16)

Rama embraces Hanuman for his news (sarga 1). Sugriva rouses him from grief, Hanuman describes Lanka's defences, and the army marches to the sea (sargas 2 to 4). In Lanka, Ravana holds council; his ministers boast that they will easily destroy Rama (sargas 6 to 8). His younger brother Vibhishana advises him to return Sita and points to evil omens (sargas 9, 10 and 14). Ravana rebukes him harshly, and Vibhishana leaves Lanka (sargas 11 to 16).

Vibhishana's refuge (sargas 17 to 19)

Vibhishana comes to Rama's camp and asks for refuge. The vanara leaders distrust him; Hanuman speaks for him. Rama decides to accept him, saying that he will protect anyone who comes to him for refuge (sargas 17 and 18). This passage is central to the Sri Vaishnava teaching of sharanagati, surrender to God. Vibhishana tells Rama everything about Ravana's strength, and Rama consecrates him as future king of Lanka (sarga 19).

The bridge (sargas 20 to 22)

Rama asks the ocean for a passage and waits; when the ocean does not answer, he takes up his bow in anger, and the Ocean appears and advises him to have a bridge built (sarga 21). Nala, son of Vishvakarma, builds it with the vanaras, and the army crosses to Lanka (sarga 22). In tradition this is the Rama Setu.

Spies, omens and the ultimatum (sargas 24 to 41)

Ravana's spies Shuka and Sarana watch the army and are released by Rama (sargas 20 and 24 to 30). Ravana tries to break Sita with a false head of Rama, and the rakshasi Sarama, Vibhishana's wife, tells Sita the truth and comforts her (sargas 31 to 34). The old rakshasa Malyavan, a kinsman of Ravana's mother, urges peace and is ignored (sargas 35 and 36). Rama surveys Lanka from Mount Suvela (sargas 38 and 39) and sends Angada to Ravana with a last offer: return Sita or fight (sarga 41).

The battle (sargas 42 to 79)

The vanaras besiege Lanka (sarga 42). Indrajit, Ravana's son, fighting invisibly, binds Rama and Lakshmana with serpent-arrows, and the vanaras despair until Garuda arrives and frees them (sargas 44 to 50). One after another, Ravana's generals fall: Dhumraksha and Akampana to Hanuman, Vajradamshtra to Angada, and the commander Prahasta to Nila (sargas 51 to 58). Ravana himself enters the field and is defeated and sent back by Rama (sarga 59).

Ravana has his giant brother Kumbhakarna woken from his long sleep (sarga 60). Kumbhakarna tells Ravana plainly that he has done wrong, but goes to fight out of loyalty (sargas 63 to 65). He devastates the army until Rama kills him (sargas 66 and 67). Ravana's sons and generals follow; Lakshmana kills Atikaya (sarga 71).

Indrajit strikes down Rama, Lakshmana and much of the army with the Brahmastra (sarga 73). On Jambavan's advice, Hanuman flies to the Himalayas and brings back the whole mountain of healing herbs, reviving the fallen (sarga 74). Lanka is set on fire, and Kumbha, Nikumbha and Makaraksha are killed (sargas 75 to 79).

The death of Indrajit (sargas 80 to 93)

Indrajit kills an illusory Sita before Hanuman's eyes, and Rama faints at the news (sargas 81 to 83). Vibhishana exposes the trick and explains that Indrajit must be stopped before he completes his sacrifice at Nikumbhila (sarga 84). Lakshmana goes with Vibhishana, and after a long duel kills Indrajit (sargas 85 to 91). Ravana, maddened with grief, sets out to kill Sita, and his minister Suparshva stops him (sarga 93).

Rama and Ravana (sargas 94 to 111)

Ravana takes the field with his last generals (sargas 96 to 99). In the duel, Ravana's javelin strikes Lakshmana down; Hanuman brings the healing herbs again and Lakshmana recovers (sargas 101 and 102). Indra sends his own chariot and charioteer Matali to Rama (sarga 103). When Rama tires, the sage Agastya teaches him the Aditya Hridayam, a hymn to the Sun (sarga 107). After a long and terrible fight, Rama kills Ravana with the Brahmastra (sarga 111).

After the war (sargas 112 to 121)

Rama asks Vibhishana to perform his brother's funeral rites, telling him that enmity ends with death (6.112.25). Ravana's queens and Mandodari lament him (sargas 113 and 114). Vibhishana is crowned king of Lanka, and Hanuman carries the news of victory to Sita (sargas 115 and 116).

Vibhishana brings Sita to Rama (sarga 117). In front of the assembly Rama speaks harshly to her and says that she is free to go where she wishes (sarga 118). Sita answers him and enters a fire (sarga 119). The gods appear, and Brahma praises Rama as Narayana (sarga 120). Agni brings Sita out unharmed and declares her pure, and Rama receives her, saying that this was needed so that the world would not doubt her (sarga 121). See Sita: her life in the Ramayana for how later Ramayanas tell this episode.

The return to Ayodhya (sargas 122 to 131)

Dasharatha appears from heaven and blesses Rama, Sita and Lakshmana (sarga 122). At Rama's request Indra revives the fallen vanaras (sarga 123). Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and the allies fly to Ayodhya in the aerial car Pushpaka, and Rama shows Sita the places of their journey from above (sargas 124 to 126). They stop at Bharadvaja's hermitage (sarga 127). Hanuman goes ahead to tell Guha and Bharata (sargas 128 and 129). Bharata meets Rama, and Rama is crowned king in Ayodhya (sargas 130 and 131). The book ends with the blessings of hearing the Ramayana.

In North Indian tradition Diwali celebrates the return to Ayodhya; Dussehra celebrates the victory over Ravana.

What later tellings add or change

• The Lanka Kand of the Ramcharitmanas differs in many details and is much shorter.
• Sanjeevani. Valmiki describes two journeys to the herb mountain (sargas 74 and 102). Popular retellings often merge them into one story about Lakshmana and the Sanjeevani herb.
• Ravana's last lessons. The well-known story that the dying Ravana taught Lakshmana statecraft at Rama's request is not in Valmiki's text; it comes from later tradition.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called the Yuddha Kanda?

Yuddha means "war". It is also called the Lanka Kanda after the place where the war is fought.

Who built the bridge to Lanka?

Nala, the son of Vishvakarma, with the vanara army (sarga 22).

Who killed Indrajit?

Lakshmana, at Nikumbhila, guided by Vibhishana (sargas 85 to 91).

How did Rama kill Ravana?

With the Brahmastra, after a long duel in which he fought from Indra's chariot (sargas 103 to 111).

Where is the Aditya Hridayam in the Ramayana?

In the Yuddha Kanda, where Agastya teaches it to Rama before the final duel: sarga 107 in the IIT Kanpur edition (numbered 105 in some other editions).

How many times did Hanuman bring the herb mountain?

Twice in Valmiki's account (sargas 74 and 102).

Related reading

• Ramayana: The Complete Guide
• Sundara Kanda summary
• Ten heads of Ravana: meaning and interpretations
• Ravana Dahan: why Ravana is burned on Dussehra
• Sita: Her Life in the Ramayana

Sources

1. Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sanskrit text with English translation (Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati), IIT Kanpur: heritage.iitk.ac.in/VRAM/6.1.1; sarga headings from heritage.iitk.ac.in/VRAM.
2. Tulsidas, Sri Ramacharitamanasa, Lanka Kand (Gita Press, Gorakhpur), for the comparison.

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.