"Ravana laughed to himself when Rama바카라™s arrows struck home unfailingly and managed to chop off his head. 바카라˜He can go on doing this till his arms drop from fatigue. He does not know that I cannot be beheaded. A new head will appear every time my head is separated from my body. That is one of the boons I acquired after intense tapasya for long years,바카라™ he thought. At the same time, he was not so sanguine about the tricky vision he seemed to have developed. This was the first time he had come face to face with this enemy. But he seemed strangely familiar; it was as though he was a long-lost friend.
Then he saw it coming바카라”a strange and immensely powerful missile that Rama released from his bow. Its head seemed as if it was the sun itself rushing at him. Its tail too was different from that of any arrow he had ever seen. Was it the wind propelling the sun, or was it a snake pushing the sun? Whatever it was, Ravana instinctively knew that this missile would take the life out of him.
Ravana바카라™s lips parted in a demonic grin as he suddenly recognized the missile. It was the Brahma-astra, Brahma바카라™s most potent weapon that knows no failure. The missile follows its intended target endlessly till it hits and kills. He debated with himself바카라”should he try and duck it or face it squarely and die as a brave soldier? 바카라˜Why should I even attempt avoiding it, when I know its character,바카라™ he asked himself. In fact, being hit by this missile was his victory. It showed his opponent바카라™s admission that there was no other way of getting the better of him. And, he would go down in history as the only being on whom this magical astra had been used. The decision was made바카라”Ravana took the full impact of the missile on his chest. The earth shook and the ocean rose as Ravana collapsed.
Ravana felt himself slipping from his seat onto the floor of his chariot, but he was unable to do anything about it. Then there was someone lifting him out of his chariot and laying him flat on a soft bed of grass, right in the middle of the battlefield. Ravana wondered who it was; it could not be Mahaparshva, as he had been burnt to death by the heat of the missile that had struck Ravana. Then he heard words and voices. They were all crying바카라”crying that he lay there dying. He recognized the voice of Mandodari, his dear and beloved wife. He was sorry that he would be leaving her alone in this world and wanted to tell her so. But he could not utter any words. In fact, it took all his energy just to open his eyes.
Mandodari was weeping inconsolably, her words coming in a torrent on occasion and halting and mumbled at other times. 바카라˜Praneshwara, who would have imagined that you, the mighty Dashakantha Ravana, would fall to a manava! It has to be a game of death itself that played out and placed you in this situation. Death has visited you in the guise of Rama. How else can you explain how a single human being killed thousands of rakshasa veeras in one go? Did I not warn you that this was no mere human? When that monkey came and played havoc in Lanka, did we not know that there was a cosmic conspiracy to wipe you out? Would the curses of all the rishis and Brahmins who suffered at your hands be in vain? Oh nath! I was so proud바카라”proud to be daughter to a danava king; proud to be wife to a rakshasa emperor and proud to be mother to a son who defeated the king of devas! But what is left for me now? What have I to live for? You are the strongest and bravest in the entire universe! What quirk of fate then, made you steal a woman?바카라™
The outpouring of anguish hurt him. Hurt because he had no answer to give her. Then he heard Vibhee...his dear younger brother. It soothed his heart to hear tears in his voice. 바카라˜See, he loves me,바카라™ Ravana thought to himself with happiness. Vibhee led Mandodari away. He could hear the wailing sounds of many others바카라”women from his harem, many of whom loved him dearly, and citizens of Lanka바카라”바카라˜Or those that have survived this war,바카라™ Ravana thought wryly.
Then he heard an unfamiliar voice. Ravana laboured to open his eyes and identify the source of this soothing voice. It was Rama, standing near his feet. Ravana shut his eyes; he did not want to see his killer.
바카라˜Oh, the noble king of rakshasas! Please do not turn away from me. Death is the end of everything, all your bonds on earth, including bonds of enmity and hatred.바카라™ Rama paused and Ravana forced his eyes open again. Rama continued: 바카라˜Ravana, you have been punished for the crimes you committed. I hold no feelings of ill will towards you now.바카라™
Ravana smiled through half-closed eyes, the curl of his lips indicating the pain he was in. 바카라˜Such pious words come easy to the winner,바카라™ he thought to himself, and waited for Rama to continue바카라” for, he knew that Rama was seeking something from him.
바카라˜Noble king! I have great regard for you. Your wisdom is unparalleled! I request you to share that knowledge with me now,바카라™ Rama said, his arms crossed on his chest and head slightly bent in a mark of respect and attention.
Ravana smiled. It hurt to make the effort of talking. But he would not disappoint Rama. 바카라˜Rama, you are a worthy opponent and a noble being. I admire your ability to detach yourself from your emotions. That, believe me, is the secret to a happy life.'
바카라˜I have very little time left before life leaves this body permanently. I will tell you the most important lesson I have learnt in life. Ignorance is one바카라™s worst enemy. It is the ignorant mind that is drawn toward things that cause harm. It is the ignorant mind that again makes one avoid things that are good. It is what we shy away from, what we push away, that can actually help us evolve,바카라™ Ravana signalled that he had finished speaking, and was about to close his eyes once again when Rama바카라™s voice penetrated his consciousness.
바카라˜Do you regret anything, Dashagreeva?바카라™
바카라˜I have prided myself as being the greatest devotee of Shiva. I even managed to secure his atmalinga for myself, remember? My only regret is that I have been unable to internalize even a fraction of his detachment. I am very attached to all things worldly.
바카라˜It is the same trait I admire in you Rama바카라”your detachment. Your self-control is exemplary. You spent the best years of your life in the forest. The forest is where no rules apply, no laws exist. But you did not allow that lawlessness to affect you in any manner. You remained disciplined. I admire that in you.
바카라˜I have lived in Lanka, where there is rule of law. I was the one who was responsible for putting most of those laws in place. Yet I never shied away from a chance to bend the rules if they came in the way of what I wanted, what I desired. I could not accept a situation wherein I could not achieve my purpose.바카라™ Ravana바카라™s voice was becoming feebler with every word he uttered.
His eyes too were drooping shut, when suddenly his body went into a convulsion. His hands and legs started twitching and his voice was barely audible when he whispered the words: 바카라˜Who are you Rama...who are you truly...바카라™ His eyes closed and he heard a voice answer his question.
Ravana knew the voice was not coming from the person standing by him, yet it was definitely his voice. 바카라˜I am -ence... I am eternal... I am endless... Come to me, Jaya... Come to me... Vijaya has already returned...바카라™ Ravana바카라™s face relaxed. He had found his answer and was at peace with himself."
(Radha Vishwanath was born in Andhra Pradesh and spent most of her life in Delhi. Trained as a teacher, Radha entered journalism late in her life. After a distinguished career as a political correspondent spanning three decades, she retired from active journalism. She has the honour of being the first woman journalist to be admitted in the long and distinguished category of Parliamentary journalists, in 2006.
An avid reader with a keen interest in Hindu mythology, she aims to bring the complexities of the Indian political discourse into intricate and rich mythological narratives.)
