Predictably Unpredictable II
What happens to that reputation now ! He is at the feet of someone who really hates him. Only a perverted hysteric can be this unpredictable…
‘Accept me as your slave, have mercy on me!’ so saying Ravana did the most unexpected thing. The mammoth egotist who stood there moments ago vanished into thin air. His pride shrunk to thinner than the thinnest of threads. He fell at the feet of Sita.
‘kudimai mUndru ulagum seym kotraththu en adimai kOdi,’ Here, accept me, who has established my kingdom in all the three worlds, as your slave. ‘aruLudhiyaal.’ Have mercy on me. ‘mudiyin meedhu mugizhththu uyar kaiyinnan,’ His hands went over his heads, so saying. ‘padiyin mEl vizhundhanan,’ He fell on the ground (at the feet of Sita) ‘pazhi paarkkalaan.’ (There is no wonder he did so for) he was not mindful of the disgrace that his act would bring to him.
Shocking! Is that not so? One has to place oneself in the position of Sita to understand the extent of harassment and suffering that this act would have caused in her mind. Our custom is to bless the person who falls at our feet. We observe this as a matter of tradition. The younger generation that falls at the feet expresses its respect and the elders whose hearts melt at this, happily bless them. What would Sita do now? What was she, far, far younger to Ravana to do now!
But for Ravana, that was simply nothing. It was not disgrace for him. It was just another strategy. He must have anticipated all this even as he reached the Asoka Vana. And that must be the reason why the celestial maidens who, accompanied him till they reached the spot where Sita was imprisoned, withdrew and moved away. ‘aayidai arakkan arambayar kuzhuvum allavum vEru agala, mEyinan…’ Ravana reached there while the maidens and other withdrew… That obviously was an instruction. They cannot take a step either closer or far away without the nod of their master, Ravana!
“These tender soles (of yours) are being lovingly pressed with my heads. Show (your) grace to me at once; I am your obedient servant. Let not these words uttered by me pining from love fall flat (on your ears). It is well-known that Ravana salutes any woman whatsoever with his head bent low.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda, Canto LV, Sloka 35-36)
The golden-knot of Kamban is untied here. Right on the first scene when Ravana is introduced in Aranya Kanda, he makes one point. ‘maadhar valiya nedum pulaviyilum vaNangaadha maguda nirai’
Emotional blackmailing. That’s what we call such an act now. Just think over and recall the style of his opening words! And compare that with what he is doing now! Who could have anticipated such a turn! Valmiki gives us a similar portrayal in the first interview, moments after his arrival in Lanka.
is the attribute by which he presents Ravana to us for the first time. Our society, as evidenced by all classic and devotional literature, has accepted this ‘falling at the feet’ in a most personal circumstance, namely to please her during the ‘mock resentment’ when in wooing. Ravana is said to be so hard-hearted as not to stoop even at such a time. And what happens to that reputation now! He is at the feet of someone who really hates him. He is begging for her love. And he has fallen at her feet. Only a perverted hysteric can be this unpredictable.
Mountain Slighted by a Flower
When she retaliates, she does so very beautifully. “Interposing a blade of grass between herself and Ravana when spoken to as aforesaid…
A person who does not hesitate to stoop to the level of falling at someone’s feet should be expected to have done it either out of respect or out of love, as discussed in our last posting. It was neither out of respect nor out of love that Ravana did this. It was more out of impulse and running short of any other options to bring Sita to his way that he adopted this emotional blackmailing. Sita was not moved at all. ‘kalodum thodarndha nenjam kaRpin mEl kaNdadhu uNdO?’ she retorted. My will is as strong as the stone. And for me there is nothing stronger than my faultless chastity (to hold on to).
When she retaliates, she does so very beautifully. “Interposing a blade of grass between herself and Ravana when spoken to as aforesaid, Sita (a princess of Videha territory) for her part, emaciated as she was through grief, fearlessly replied…” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kanda, Canto LVI, Sloka 1)
She took a blade of grass, threw it before her and addressed it instead of looking at Ravana and speaking to him. She conveys to him by this act that she would not look at him because he is not worth even a glance; she also ensures that he understands that she equates him with a worthless piece of a blade of grass, that too, plucked from the ground and whose life has thus been ended; and above all, she very clearly communicates her determination not to look at him even for answering. Addressing a blade of grass clearly shows that she avoided looking at him not out of fear but out of contempt.
‘sol idhu theriyak kEtti thurumbu! enak kanandru sonnaaL’ Listen to my word you nitwit, you worthless scum, she retorted in anger. Her detailed answer, taking the words of Ravana point by point and breaking them, proving them wrong brings out not only the strength of her intellect but the strength of her character as well. ‘You blabber that you plucked the Mount Kailash from its very roots and boast that you overpowered the elephants that guard the cardinal points. ‘silai eduththu iLayavan nirkka, sErndhilai.’ But then if you are so very strong, you did not arrive till Lakshmana left the hermitage. You waited for him to leave my presence. That so very amply shows the material that you are made of! Is that insult not sufficient for you? ‘thalai eduththu innamum magalir thaazhdhiyO?’ As if that is not sufficient you are falling at the feet of women!
‘Falling at the feet of women,’ hits out at the motive behind Ravana’s act of doing so and not at the action. This has to be understood carefully, for otherwise it may lead to interpretations from many other angles. The answer of Sita would more appropriately be dealt with and studied later when we see Sita. The person who went to the extent of effacing his own personality and placing his head at the feet of Sita proves that he is volatile once again. His total personality changes once again. He is infuriated. The real Ravana comes out now. He is ashamed that Sita hit him so very hard. The mountain slighted by a flower!
‘piLandhu thinbEn endru udanranan’ In his anger he cried ‘I will slice her down and gobble her.’ ‘peyarndhanan peyaraan.’ He took a step towards Sita with that end in mind. But he retraced his step. ‘kiLarndha seetramum kaadhalum edhir edhir kidaippa.’ He was pulled in opposite directions by his anger and the lust (I would prefer this word here, instead of love) that engulfed him.
Pride or prejudice?
Was his love for Sita so very intense? Or was his desire for her grew like forest fire that consumed him in the end, just because he was not able to accept the fact…
This kind of an impulsive act became a routine for Ravana. He could not but place his head at the feet of Mythili, every time. It must have been gossiped about among the lower rungs. In the war council that Ravana convenes after Lanka is set fire by Hanuman and rebuilt, Ravana, as is wont of him tries to whip up passions. He sees the act of Hanuman as a challenge to the Rakshasa pride; as a shame on the entire race. A mere monkey could walk into their highly guarded country, converse with someone who is imprisoned, kill their kith and kin in large numbers, burn their country with the tail that was set ablaze, which was meant as a punishment, thus throwing the punishment back on their race and escape the best of rakshasa guards.
Kumbakarna was clearly against what Ravana was doing. He did not like Janaki being held in prison in Lanka. And he was the only one in the entire war council – apart from Vibishana, who speaks only later – who could voice his opinion, strongly against Ravana. ‘You say that Rakshasa pride has been slighted by the daring act of a monkey. ‘nannagar azhindhadhu ena naaNinai nayaththaal.’ You were very eloquent about the shame that fell on our lot by the destruction of the country. ‘un uyir enath thagaya dhEviyargaL un mEl in nagai tharath thara,’ Even as your beloved wives, who must be considered as your very soul, desire your company and look up at you smilingly (when they love you so much that they are prepared to forget all the ills that you perpetrated by the imprisonment of Sita and when they yearn for your love) ‘oruththan manai utraaL pon adi thozhath thozha’ you prefer to fall at the feet of a woman who is the wife of another man begging for her love. ‘maruththal pugazh pOlaam.’ And she keeps on rejecting you. Refusing what you are begging for. She slights you. She hits back at you. And, do you, my brother consider these as feathers on your cap? Does this act of yours add to the repute of the race?
It can thus be seen that Ravana did not confine his act of falling at the feet of Sita to one instance. No other phrase can better describe his act. One cannot call his act as ‘touching her feet’, ‘going down on his knees’ etc. When he falls down, he falls flat on the ground with the row of his heads touching her feet. Was his love for Sita so very intense? Or was his desire for her grew like forest fire that consumed him in the end, just because he was not able to accept the fact that there could be a situation when the great Ravana, the mighty Ravana, the Ravana who was the terror of the worlds could be refused? Did he persist in his attempts and tried to persuade her to his side by adopting whatever that was possible and also whatever that was not possible, just because he could not bear the thought of denial?
If at all Ravana desired to have something, to own anything, he did not have to stand for permission. He was used to just walking into whichever territory it is and violate anyone for anything. This was the first time that he could not fulfil what he desired. Was it that he went into this pursuit blindly because he was impelled by his pride that was humbled by a woman? Or was it that he persisted in trying to win her hand because he was in love with that woman?
Before answering the question, let us now go into the interview between Ravana and Hanuman that clearly establishes the volatile nature of Ravana and that brings out different shades of Ravana.
Interview with Hanuman – a prelude
What started as a scuffle by his destruction of a major portion of the Asoka Vana, soon turned into a skirmish, which led to a combat…
The capturing of Hanuman, whom the rakshasas and Ravana took very lightly, turned out to be a long drawn out process, instilling fear in the minds of all. Actually that was what Hanuman intended. He was not ready to go back silently after the successful completion of his mission, as a mere errand boy. He wanted to make it very clear to the Rakshasa race and more importantly to Ravana, that there are others in this world who could counter them effectively, who could kill them, destroy their kith and kin and destroy their very country under their watchful eyes notwithstanding.
What started as a scuffle by his destruction of a major portion of the Asoka Vana, soon turned into a skirmish with the arrival of the kinkaras of Ravana, which led to a combat with a higher level of warriors – the five commandants – and took the shape of a battle with the necessity to press a stronger leader of a higher order, namely, Aksha the youngest son of Ravana and with his gruesome killing it assumed the proportions of a mini war when Indrajit had to come in and use his divine weapons. Just against a single Vanara. One man army. Or should we call it ‘one monkey army!’
Of course none could have expected that a monkey could be so very powerful. But with the killing of the five commandants Ravana should have woken up and responded to the reality. What went with the five commandants was a very large army which was minced down to mere meat and bones in a matter of less than an hour. (Remember? The entire time span of events in the Sundara Kanda is only ONE day.) He should have obtained the right intelligence reports. He should have examined the situation and gauged it properly. But he preferred to listen to those toad-eating sycophants that surrounded him and kept on insisting that he should not worry about a mere monkey.
A king who does not listen to good advice and reacts very strongly to it begets only sycophants! Naturally so. If the king punishes the messenger who brings bitter news, if the king kills the person who brings the news of the defeat of his detachment somewhere, what else would grow around him except brazen and unabashed flattery? Who would at all come forward to update him with facts as they are? Who would think of speaking about what is good and what is not, in his presence?
If at all there were voices of revolt in Lanka, they came from three persons. Kumbakarna, Indrajit and Vibishana. Ravana remained silent when the first two rebelled and rioted in his presence and even chided him. There was a reason behind this. He depended on their strength. It was their strength that added to his own, which combined together, had produced the wonderful success that Lanka was. As for Vibishana, he was never given to speaking harshly, until the day of the war council. Ravana respected his voice and even his advice, as long as it was suffused with flattery.
He did not recognise the gravity of the situation even after Aksha, his dear son, was killed by Hanuman. Hanuman did so very elaborately. A genius in warfare strategy and tactics he knew how to plant the quick growing tree, ‘fear’ in the minds of the enemy.
Interview with Hanuman
He knew what change the name ‘Vali’ would bring about in Ravana. But he spoke as if he did not know anything…
Before Aksha breathed his last, even while he was alive and half-conscious, Hanuman held him by his head by one hand and the feet by another hand and as though he was holding the pestle and rubbed him hard against the ground until he was reduced to nothing more than a meatball and a skeleton and the earth was soaked with his blood. Indrajit turned particularly furious on this gruesome and the most insulting manner in which Aksha was killed.
After the killing of Aksha, we see how the tongue of Indrajit could become a sting. And how he could express his feelings without the fear that others had for their king. ‘ondru nee urudhi ooraai’ he says. You don’t seem to realise what is good and what is right and proper. ‘utru irundhu uLaya kitri.’ You suffer afterwards (failing to take a proper grip of the situation). ‘van thiral kuranging aatral marabu uLi uNarndhum,’ Even after knowing the ability of the monkey by what had already occurred, ‘sendru neer porudhir endru thirath thiram seluththi,’ you sent our forces in small detachments, (of a very convenient size that the enemy could kill) asking them to go in war against this monkey. ‘thEyak kondranai neeyE andro?’ It was you who killed our forces. It was you who killed my brother Aksha. It was your fallacy that killed our race.
Recognise the gravity of the situation and respond appropriately. That precisely was what Ravana did not do. This quality once again is brought out and spoken against by Kumbakarna much later.
By the time Hanuman was brought to the court of Ravana, the spell of Brahmastra was already waning especially due to the fact that Hanuman was bound by ropes even when the divine astra had its effect on him. Ravana boiled on seeing him. ‘Who are you? Why did you come here? Who sent you?’ he rolled hundreds of questions at Hanuman. Kamban beautifully paints the picture. On the one hand we have Ravana with his eyes spitting fire at the humiliation that he and his race suffered at the hands of Hanuman. On the other hand, we see Hanuman, full of confidence, smiling to himself, keeping his calm and allowing Ravana to expend his anger through his words. He knew when exactly to bowl his googly.
After a short introduction about Rama and the reason why he came to Lanka, Hanuman gave a pregnant pause. And finally he slipped the vital name in passing. ‘annavarrkku adimai seyvEn.’ I am a servant of Rama. ‘naamamum anuman enbEn.’ And my name is Hanuman. ‘nannudhal thannai naadi naar perum thisayum pOndha mannaril,’ Out of the commanders who went in all the four directions in search of Sita, ‘then paal vandha thaanaikku mannan vaali than magan’ the commander of the contingent that came southwards is led by the son of Vali. ‘avan than thoodhan vandhnen thamiyen’ I came here as his emissary, all alone. I am the only one who has come here.
Hanuman uttered these words in a voice of matter-of-factness. He knew what change the name ‘Vali’ would bring about in Ravana. But he spoke as if he did not know anything, underplaying his delivery. At least his eyes must have twinkled. He was very prepared to see the change in Ravana. And Ravana changed quickly. His face reddened with anger softened. ‘eyitru inam ezhili naapaaN min thrindhu enna nakku,’ Ravana smiled with his teeth flashing like lightning on the dark clouds. His total personality changed instantaneously. It was not out of memories of friendship. Obviously! How could he forget the tail of Vali! ‘Ah I see. Are you the emissary of the son of Vali?’ ‘van thiral aay vaali valiyan kol?’ Is Vali of unmatched prowess well? ‘arasin vaazhkkai nandru kol?’ Does his sovereignty continue to be inviolable?
The sudden change of posture, the sudden change of tone and the change in the attitude amused Maruti. ‘naaygan thoodhan nakkaan.’ Hanuman out laughed loudly. He knew what effect the name of Vali would bring about and it happened as precisely as he expected!
Pearls before swine
These words should have been uttered by the ministers surrounding Ravana. By a strange development of events, here is an emissary who is tendering the words of caution.
That clever name-dropping by Hanuman had the expected result. This is one of those places where Ravana’s mind shows through his face, despite himself. Ravana is a clever actor who very convincingly plays his part even while speaking utter falsehood. There are several occasions where Ravana does so. But this was a situation that he did not quite expect. The name of Vali caught him unawares. He who was seething like a volcano suddenly managed to wear an embarrassed smile. Hanuman did not fail to notice this. He laughed at Ravana.
‘anjalai arakka,’ he chuckled. ‘Fear not O Ravana, fear not. ‘paar vittu andharam adaindhaan andrE.’ Vali has left this earth for his heavenly abode. ‘venjina vaali meeLaan.’ He has died after all. And for sure, he won’t come back. ‘vaalum pOi viLindhadhu andrE.’ Peace unto you! His tail also died with him! It won’t come back either!
After teasing Ravana to his heart’s content, Hanuman slipped another information. That it was Rama who killed Vali. The message, though couched in humour and mockery, conveys the real purpose of it very clearly. ‘If he can kill Vali, who overpowered you, you are simply nothing for him. Therefore, surrender unto him. Send Sita back. ‘Do not keep bandying empty words about. Realise what is happening around you. Your repute and your prestige are getting corroded everyday.
‘indru veendhadhu.’ The glory, the repute and the respect that you had earned – at least a portion of that – has been wasted already. Another portion of it was destroyed (by me) today. ‘naaLai irai siridhu nindru veendhahu.’ Whatever remains would be wiped out either tomorrow or the day after. It would take a little more time. That is all. Realise what is happening to you. Wake up to the reality.
These words should have been uttered by the ministers surrounding Ravana. By a strange development of events, here is an emissary – self-announced emissary at that – from one whom Ravana does not respect at all, who is tendering the words of caution. He does not stop with that. Here, listen to Hanuman.
‘veruppu uNdaaya oruththyai vENdinaal,’ If you keep persisting on attaining a woman who does not love you, ‘maruppu uNdaayapin,’ even after she rejects you ‘vaazhgindra vaazhvinin,’ (assuming that you are able to get her somehow) of what avail is the life that you would be leading thereafter? ‘uruppu uNdaai nadu Ongiya naasiyai aruppuNdaal,’ it is like cutting your nose to ‘adhu azhagu enal aamE’ to beautify your face.
Hanuman quotes extensively from all holy books, cites examples – warnings – from history. He does not hesitate to recognise the great deeds of Ravana. ‘thErinaar palar kaamikkum sevviyOi’ is one of the epithets by which he addresses Ravana. ‘You who has achieved many a thing that even the wisest of the wise would desire to attain.’ The words of wisdom, given out in the most sincere manner just helped to fuel his anger and nothing more!
Vibishana is moved
Vibishana wanted to set Hanuman free. But he had no more valid reasons to speak for. Ravana had finally put the question to Hanuman…
Now Ravana has no answer. He is not able to accept what Hanuman says, openly acknowledging his greatness. “It is not right for you to forfeit this (vast) fortune, which is an outcome of virtue (alone) or the capacity to preserve your life (for an inordinately long period of time), both of which have been acquired by you through the practice of austerities. The aforesaid extraordinary virtue (alone) is responsible even for your immunity, which you perceive, from death at the hands of gods including demons, occasioned by austerities.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kanda, Canto LI, Sloka 25 an 26)
‘Be warned,’ adds Hanuman. “Sugriva or Sri Rama is neither god nor a Yaksa nor an ogre. Sri Rama is a human being; while Sugriva O King, is the lord of monkeys. How (then) will you be able to preserve your life against the latter?” (Ibid, Sloka 27) You are protected by your boons against Devas, Yaksas and all of them. But you are not protected against men and monkeys. Remember that. This is your weak spot. You better wake up to the reality. Save yourself. Return Sita. Surrender unto Rama and be happy.
But that was something incomprehensible for Ravana. Rt. Hon’ble Srinivasa Sastriyar observes. “Now Rama was a mere man, it is true, but early enough in his life he had given great proofs of his superhuman qualities. He had made his mark upon earth, and the entire inhabited part of the earth must have been aware of his greatness, his marvellous skill as a rival, his power even over nature, and his ability to stand strong and unruffled against the embattled world. Still, although there were many who thought Rama even at that time to be an avatara and spoke of him habitually in that way, it is curious that throughout the poem Ravana never once recognised anything more than a mere man, and that even among men, he was anything very considerable. Proof after proof came to him; still he would not be convinced that there was anything out of the common in this Rama.”
A superpower with ten pairs of eyes! And yet blinded by rage; blinded by ahamkara; blinded by lust and blinded by what not! But there was one soul in the court that was deeply moved by what Hanuman said. The praise that he sang of Rama fell on at least one pair of ears. The extensive reasons that he quoted from holy books moved at least one mind in that Court. Vibishana. Vibishana wanted to set Hanuman free. But he had no more valid reasons to speak for. Ravana had finally put the question to Hanuman: ‘kurakku vaarththayum maanidar kotramum irukka.’ Let the words of Sugriva (that you have carried over here to send Sita back) and the chivalry of human beings remain on one side. ‘nee en kol ada irum puraththinuL tharum thUdhu pugundha pin arakkaraik kondradhu?’ You say that you have come here as an emissary. Then you should have come here straight to me and spoken to me. Instead you killed my men in their thousands. I charge you with murder. Thoughtless and vain murder of my men.
‘I did so because that is the only way to see you. Your city is well guarded and none was prepared to show me to you and I resorted to killing just because I desired a meeting with you,’ said Hanuman half-jocularly and half- seriously. Ravana pronounced the death sentence on Hanuman. Vibishana wanted to secure his freedom. He had exhausted all other ways. There was only one way open to him now. He had to speak the language of Ravana. That was the only language that Ravana could understand.
Hari Krishnan