The End of Ravana

Rama called Lakshmana to his side and said, "O Lakshmana! Ravana was not just a great warrior but also a learned scholar. Please learn something from him." Lakshmana folded his hands, stood near Ravana's feet, and asked the fallen Demon King for advice.

"Never underestimate your enemy," Ravana told Lakshmana. "Don't anger your charioteer, cooks, brothers, or bodyguards with your behavior, as these people may become deadly to you. Always trust advisors who criticize you. Never assume that you will always be victorious, even if you usually are." 

After that, Ravana breathed his last with Rama's name on his lips. Brahma's invincibility boon to Ravana was not violated because Rama was a man. Mandodari began to weep when she heard the news of Ravana's death. 

"O Lord!" she cried. "You are now lying dead in the mud despite having Brahma's boon of invincibility. You wouldn't be in this state if you had listened to me. You should have freed Sita and befriended Rama. You chose to ignore Vibhishana's advice as well. When I heard that a bridge to Lanka was being built, I knew Rama was no ordinary human—he is an avatar of Lord Vishnu. He has merely assumed the form of a man to save the world. The monkeys who fought on Rama's side were also god-like.

"You performed severe penance once, but you wouldn't be in this state now if you had continued meditation. I am no less than Sita in birth, class, or beauty, yet you looked lustfully at her. Sita is a faithful wife; you should have treated her with respect. Her tears have caused your destruction because you behaved immorally under the influence of lust."

Seeing Mandodari and the other women of Lanka weeping, Rama told Vibhishana to prepare for Ravana's funeral. Vibhishana immediately started making the requisite arrangements. He gathered sticks for Ravana's funeral pyre and poured pure ghee and aromatic liquids onto it. After decorating Ravana's body with fine clothes, Vibhishana respectfully touched his elder brother's feet. He then set fire to the pyre and prayed that Ravana's soul would rest in peace. Thus, Vibhishana duly performed Ravana's last rites. The monkeys tried to console Vibhishana and the other inhabitants of Lanka.

"I have full confidence in Vibhishana's loyalty and diligence," Rama told Lakshmana and Sugriva. "I want to see him seated on Lanka's throne. We should plan for his coronation." Lakshmana obeyed Rama's orders and, in the presence of all the demons and monkeys, crowned Vibhishana king of Lanka.