Vaishravana

Bhima ascends the mountain, sees Vaishravana's jeweled abode, and terrifies all beings by blowing his conch, twanging his bow, and slapping his arms. Yakshas, rakshasas, and gandharvas rush at him. A fierce battle follows — and only one rakshasa, Maniman, dares to stay and fight.

Bhima lays down his weapons and bows before Kubera in submission. The lord of riches blesses him, promises Arjuna's imminent return, and instructs the Pandavas to dwell in the beautiful residences provided. Then Kubera departs for his home on Kailasa with his retinue of rakshasas and yakshas, while the dead rakshasas are removed from the mountain as Agastya's curse had determined.

Vaishravana (Kubera) addresses Yudhishthira directly, critiquing Bhimasena's violent and undisciplined nature. He delivers a discourse on perseverance, place, time, and valour, ordering Yudhishthira to dwell at Arshtishena's hermitage for a lunar fortnight. He promises protection from gandharvas, yakshas, and rakshasas, and reveals that Shantanu is pleased with Arjuna in heaven.

Markandeya, pulled from the mouth of the cosmic being, hears Narayana declare his true nature: he is Vishnu, Brahma, Shakra, Yama, Shiva — all gods in one. He is the creator and destroyer, the one who sleeps through the ages and wakes to recreate the universe.

Markandeya begins to answer Yudhishthira's request by tracing the lineage of Rama from the Ikshvaku king Aja through Dasharatha and his four sons. Then he turns to Ravana's birth, describing how the god Prajapati's line passed through Pulastya, and how a father's anger created the sage Vishrava — the father of the rakshasa king.

Ravana defeats his elder brother Kubera in battle and seizes the Pushpaka vimana, the flying chariot that moves at the speed of thought. Kubera leaves Lanka for Gandhamadana, but before he goes, he speaks a curse: the vimana will not carry Ravana — it will carry the one who kills him.

Jealous of Kubera's prosperity, Ravana and his brothers undertake terrible austerities to win boons from Brahma. Ravana stands on one foot for a thousand years, then cuts off his own heads and offers them into the fire. Brahma grants him invincibility against all beings except men — and Ravana, in his arrogance, ignores the exception.

Kubera, knowing his father Vishrava is angry with him, sends three rakshasis to serve the sage. They rival each other in dancing and singing to please him. Vishrava is pleased and grants each a boon — and from these three women are born the lords of the rakshasas: Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Khara, and Shurpanakha.

After the gods depart and Sita is vindicated, Rama arranges Lanka's protection, crosses the bridge, and begins the journey home. He installs Angada as heir in Kishkindha, sends Hanuman ahead to Bharata, and arrives at Nandigrama to find his brother still living in bark garments with Rama's sandals before him.