Why bother about characters from an ancient myth that is fictional in nature? People who approach रामायण as a fictional fairly-tale story like Harry Potter – to such “wise” people, I will merely say नमो नमः!!!!! My only request to them is to refrain from sharing their “wise” opinion about the “fictional” characters of राम or रावण or हनुमान. To a few rare others who approach रामायण as the a text meant for daily study and indeed practice it, to such evolved people, they need not waste their time here.

Most of the other people are probably inquisitive about रामायण but may not have had time (or inclination) to read the original text itself. While it is logical to assume that most Hindus have the रामायण text in their homes, one cannot be sure about this in these “evolved” times. This paper is therefore for people who have views or opinions on राम or रावण but such opinions are based on partial knowledge of रामायण gained either from Amar Chitra Katha or some stray TV serial. The trigger for this blog are certain recent “insightful” opinions that I came across in the media (newspapers/Whatsapp) carrying sympathy for रावण and राम as an unsympathetic aggressor. This did seem surprising but when I saw factual inaccuracies also being conveyed through the media, I thought it fit to write a blog on रावण. The paper mostly quotes from वाल्मीकि रामायण directly (in italics) and thus seeks to avoid distortion that may come about from my own subjective opinion. This will hopefully enable people to make up their own opinion based on knowledge of the words from the इतिहास itself. There are other ways to look at रामायण to look at actions of रावण as that of a Jiva who is desperate to merge with Paramatma and all his Adharmic actions were done to ensure that रावण comes face to face with राम to enable him to get back to Vaikuntha. I will not cover these aspects and the focus is purely to do an external reading of the रामायण to understand रावण.

But before I get into details of रावण himself, some theoretical backdrop may be useful.

Actions and Consequences

All actions have consequences. We walk towards our destination and we reach the place. We take food in our hands, place food into our mouth and the food is consumed by the body. We talk and our voice is heard by others. A seed is planted and a plant grows. All the above are simple actions and all these actions have consequences.

What is the link between action and consequence? One may be tempted to say that consequence is a natural “predictable” outcome and all actions have “predictable” consequences. Are the outcomes “predictable” at all times? I guess this is where difficulties turn up. Unfortunately, consequences are not predictable at all times. A seed may not grow into a plant (owing to bad soil, weather problems, animal grazing, etc). We may consume food but the body may reject the food. We may start walking to our destination but a विघ्न may prevent us from reaching our destination. There appears to be an “unknown” that we were unfamiliar with prior to commencing the action and this “unknown” prevents a “predictable” consequence from materializing. However, while a “predictable” consequence may not materialize, a consequence is still happening. Thus, in the examples given, a seed dies out, the food is vomited out, etc and these may also be taken as consequences. However, these consequences are at variance with the intention of the action doer. Therefore, despite intention being the same on various occasions, it is seen from our practical experience that the consequences are varying/ inconsistent. Two similar students take an exam making a similar effort with similar intention but while one may top the exam, one may not – consequences thus tend to be varying through intention and effort may be the same.

Therefore, to reiterate again, all actions have consequences. But WHY do consequences vary? These vary from person to person, these vary from time to time for the same person. So WHY do these vary? We may attempt to give rational answer to explain the specific circumstances but the answers also leave us with a sense of dis-satisfaction. Let us take a simple fictional narrative to understand this sense of dis-satisfaction. Two students worked hard to study for an exam – one passed and one failed. How do we analyse this situation. The conversation may go as follows:

Person 1: Results have come out – A has passed but B has failed.
Person 2: OMG! How did this happen? Both had made good effort.

Person 1: I do not know. Are you sure both had made a good effort?
Person 2: Of course, I am sure. But B used to get carried away by football matches during the exam event.

Person 1: OK – that must be the reason then. But frankly, A used to also spend time gossiping while his friends while studying.
Person 2: Agreed but once A is back into his study, he used to be focussed while B used to think about the game even after the game was over.

Person 1: Agreed but both were sincere.
Person 2: Yes, both were sincere but A had higher concentration ability while B did not have.

Person 1: But why did A have better ability and B did not while both had similar background and parental conditioning?
Person 2: I do not know.

On may be tempted to give further “rational” logic but we are bound to reach “I do not know” stage sooner or later. The above is a simplistic narrative. Interestingly, most of us do not feel comfortable to admit “I do not know”; many of us therefore stop our deductions earlier itself. Or our minds get satisfied with an explanation which actually may be up for challenge. But a truly JIGNASU person may not be so. But when this person digs further, he or she will have to reach this state of “I do not know”.

So how does one know? One way of knowing is to read narratives where actions and consequences are shown. Through these narratives, one can thus regulate our conduct knowing that certain actions have harmful consequences while others are beneficial. When one reads Indian narratives – इतिहास or पुराण stories, one cannot but observe that these narratives are explained as actions and consequences. Unlike modern labeling of persons as good or bad or as a evil or divine, one cannot but see that one does see many good aspects in the so-called evil people and one sees inappropriate actions by the people who may be seen as divine. Given this prism of good and evil labeling operating in our mind, one ends up therefore being confused on how to understand these characters. In recent times, one sees narratives that praise रावण for being a शिव Bhakta or for not harming सीता while keeping her in captivity. Equally, one sees a lot of narratives castigating राम. So how do we really understand these characters? My response is that while the story remains unchanged, our prism is analysing the narratives has been coloured by this “good” or “bad” labeling and we are therefore unable to understand the characters in the way the narrator is attempting to convey the ideas. Besides, the objective is not to really label राम or रावण but instead to regulate the conduct of our own actions learning from consequences of actions of these characters.

कर्म

कर्म means action in one sense. Each कर्म therefore succeeded by a कर्म फल. In another words, all actions have consequences. Equally however, we will know that behind every action, there is an intention. Therefore, a person reads a book with an intention of clearing an exam or gaining knowledge. A person watches a sport activity to derive joy from such an experience. Each such कर्म फल can be either beneficial to the person doing the कर्म or may not be beneficial. Indian, आध्यात्म traditions, whatever label we give it (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc), maintain that a person takes birth on account of accumulated stock of कर्म. One may put in another way by stating that whatever कर्म a person does, one has to be alive to experience the कर्म फल. In case कर्म फल is not actualized in the current life, there is no choice but to be born again to experience or receive the कर्म फल of the earlier कर्म undertaken.

So far so good, I hope. Now how do we judge a person? Indian narratives however seem to follow a logic where they merely narrate about people. They do not seem to be judging. श्री वाल्मीकि does not seem to making any value judgement of the रावण character. However, he narrates the रामायण in such a way that one can see the operation of कर्म and कर्म फल in the actions of all characters – हनुमान, राम, रावण, सीता, etc. When one reads deeply, one sees that since रावण actions are disturbing the cosmos or the equilibrium of the environment, he suffers at the end. Equally, there are actions done by रावण (like तपस्या) which give him a lot of benefit too (power, wealth, etc). While one may argue that रावण suffered at the end, one may equally argue that even राम and सीता suffered owing to their decision to follow to धर्म. Therefore, one must witness the narratives merely as the operation of कर्म and कर्म फल instead of doing value judgments on specific individuals. However, these narratives must also encourage us to choose the कर्म that is beneficial rather than कर्म that may be harmful – that indeed is also the primary purpose of any इतिहास or पुराण. Therefore, while all कर्म are indeed followed by कर्म फल, certain कर्म have the ability to uplift us while others do not. Therefore, one must also follow the कर्म done by रावण if these are beneficial while we shun those कर्म that will not bring the consequence that रावण eventually suffered at the hands of राम.

So the question that now naturally emerges is what कर्म is beneficial what which कर्म is not beneficial? This route of questioning, however, is not the purpose of this paper since this is a deep subject of it own and will take us away from the focus of this paper. This paper attempts to provide an insight into the character of रावण. People who have read रामायण superficially are simply aware of रावण kidnapping सीता and eventually losing the battle with राम. However, people with such superficial knowledge are not aware of रावण in totality. Only when one understanding all kinds of कर्म that रावण had indulged in all his life, one will truly understand the purpose of the AVATARA of राम and its necessity. Foolishly praising रावण and castigating राम (which has become a fashionable line by half-read intellectuals) may therefore be reconsidered once more details on रावण become known. Having said that, if रावण still inspires a few people, all the very best to them.

However, some of you may still be keen to have some criteria to get an idea of what is a good कर्म and what is a negative one. I give below a simplistic grid that may considered to assess all actions of रावण vis a vis all actions of राम vis a vis all actions done by ourselves.

One may have arguments with the simple logic given in the grid above. For the moment, if one goes with a proposition that the cosmos or nature backs those actions which give joy to maximum number of her children, the logic of the above will become evident. More combinations may be possible; for the sake of simplicity, I will leave it here itself without getting into the rationale for each box.

The paper will highlight select extracts from वाल्मीकि रामायण with the वाल्मीकि narrative given in italics and a few words here and there from me to highlight key aspects of the narrative. While life of रावण has many episodes other than those articulated in the paper below, I hope that the few aspects given below encourage people to read the original text fully on their own to make their own assessment of the epic.

Hari Om!!!!!

How did रावण get his name? उत्तरकांड, सर्ग 16

रावण is not the name that he was given on his birth. His original name given by his father was दशग्रीव. So how did the name ‘रावण’ come about?

After defeating his brother कुबेर, the King of राक्षस sought the well-known thicket of Reeds where भगवान् कार्तिकेय was born. Now दशग्रीव saw the golden-hued expanse of reeds, bright like a second sun surrounded by राक्षस reflected “How has this aerial car, which has been designed in such a way as to follow his master’s will, been rendered motionless? Why does it not move? What may be the reason for the पुष्पक not proceeding according to my wishes? It must be the act of someone who resides on this hill.”

The astute मारीच thereupon said on that occasion – O King! It cannot be without reason that this aerial car, पुष्पक, does not proceed. Maybe the aerial car will not carry anyone other than कुबेर. Therefore, as it has been disunited from him, it has become motionless.

Interrupting his speech and approaching him, नन्दी, an attendant of भगवान् शिव, dreadful, of yellowish dark completion, dwarfish, mis-shapen, with his head clean shaven, of short arms and very strong, and full of joy, spoke the following words to the king of the राक्षस – Turn back, O दशग्रीव! भगवान् शंकर is sporting on this hill; (hence) it has been rendered inaccessible even to Suparnas, नाग, यक्ष, देवता, गंधर्व and राक्षस, to all created beings.

Hearing these words of नन्दी and alighting from the पुष्पक, and his earrings shaking on account of his wrath and his eyes coppery through indignation, रावण sought the foot of the hill saying – “Who is this शंकर?

It appears as if रावण never heard of शिव till such a time.

There, he beheld नन्दी standing near to the भगवान्, holding a flaming Shula and appearing like a second शंकर. Seeing him endowed with the head of a monkey, and disregarding him, the said राक्षस laughed loudly thundering like a cloud laden with water. Provoked with anger the divine नन्दी, an alter ego of भगवान् शंकर, spoke to the said राक्षस, दशानन who was standing close-by there: O दशानन! Since deriding me in my monkey form, you burst into a loud laughter resembling a stroke of lightning, therefore monkeys will be born to destroy your race. They will possess my valour; there will have a lustrous form like mine. They will have claws and teeth for their weapons; they will have to speed of the mind; they will be frantic in flight; they will be proud of their might; they will look like moving mountains, O Cruel One! Gathering together, they will take away your excessive arrogance and pride of physical superiority along with that of your ministers and sons. O राक्षस! I can kill you even now; but you shall not be killed inasmuch as you are already killed by your own misdeeds”.

It is evident from this episode that रावण is an arrogant man; even here, he laughed in an insulting manner when he sees someone he considers inferior to himself. This arrogance is innate to रावण. नन्दी makes an important point that what will eventually kill रावण is his own misdeeds or bad कर्म. It is actually one’s own कर्म that either uplifts or kills oneself – the “other” who or which actually kills is just a निमित्त (or a causal agent) – that is all. Now question may come as to whether नन्दी getting angry and giving a curse is excessive – we will answer that at a later stage.

Not minding the utterance of नन्दी and approaching the hill, दशानन the very mighty राक्षस however said on that occasion – “O Master of a bull, I shall pull up by the roots this hill on whose account the course of पुष्पक in which I was travelling has been arrested. By virtue what power does शिव continually sport (on this hill) like a King? He does not understand what should be known to him viz., that danger has come to him. Having said so, he put his hands below the hill and lifted it up in no time, the hill shook violently. By the shaking of the hill, the attendants of the भगवान् trembled; पार्वती also slipped and clung to महेश्वर at that moment. Then महादेव, the foremost of देवता, also known as हर (the destroyer), sportively pressed the hill with His great toe. His (दशानन) arms, which resembled pillars supporting the hill, were then crushed; and the ministers of the राक्षस standing there were surprised. When his arms were thus crushed, the राक्षस in fury raised a cry of all a sudden. All the three worlds were shaken by it. His ministers took it to be a crash of thunder at the end of the world period. At that time, even the देवताs with इंद्र as their head stumbled on their way. Even the oceans became turbulent and the mountains also shook; nay the यक्ष, विद्याधर and सिद्ध cried out – “What is this”?

Propitiate महादेव, the blue necked देव and the husband of उम; O दशानन, we do not see any protector other than Him. In all humility, seek refuge in Him by singing His praises. शंकर is compassionate and will become gracious to you when gratified. Respectively bowing to Him when advised thus by his ministers, दशानन glorified the देव, whose standard bears the sign of the Bull, by singing स्तोत्र from the सामवेद and other hymns. A long time elapsed while the राक्षस went on crying in this manner.

Relieving his hands of the pressure when pleased with his eulogy, while remaining seated on the peak of the hill, भगवान् महादेव then spoke to दशानन as follows: O दशानन! I am pleased with your strength, a hero as you are as well as with your eulogy (to me). Since all people of all the three worlds were set into your crying, seized as they were with fear by the fierce cry which was let forth by you when you were crushed by the hill therefore, O King, you will go by the name रावण. The देवता, human beings, यक्ष and whatever other beings exist on the earth’s surface will henceforth call you by the name of रावण because you thus set the world into crying. O grandson of Pulastya, proceed without fear by whichever path you wish to take. Permitted by Me, O भगवान् of the राक्षस, you may go.

When spoken to in these words by the भगवान् शंभु Himself, the king of Lanka said – O महादेव, if you are pleased with me, kindly grant a boon to me which I am begging of you. I have already secured immunity from death at the hands of the देवता, दानव, राक्षस, गंधर्व, गुह्यक, नाग and others who are mightier than these. I do not reckon human beings, O भगवान् because they are regarded by me as insignificant. A boon of long life has been secured by me from ब्रह्म, O destroyer of Tripura. Give me the remaining lease of life and give me also a weapon Requested thus by the aforesaid रावण, the well-known भगवान् शंकर gifted to him the highly shining sword known as Chandrahasa. The भगवान् of evil spirits granted to him the remaining lease of life on that occasion. Bestowing it to him, He said – This sword is not to be despised by you; if it is disregarded by you, it shall doubtless return to Me. Having thus been named by the supreme Deity शिव, greeting महादेव, the said रावण ascended पुष्पक.

It is an interesting name – the one who makes other cry. Ancient Indian stories also give the names as per the character of the person. From his name only, it is evident that रावण makes other cry – that is his innate character. Also, despite him knowing about भगवान् शिव (since he knew the Vedas, he has to know शिव who is described in the Vedas), he became very arrogant with the boon given by ब्रह्म and he thought even शिव cannot do any harm to him. Clearly, he learnt his lesson very well from the above episode. Post this episode, one does see रावण doing उपासना of शिव. Note the use of the word उपासना – I have not stated that he is a BHAKTA of शिव. One may do उपासना out of भक्ति; but रावण appears like one who did उपासना for his own personal benefit (or safety) once he realized that शिव is powerful. One does not see भक्ति for शिव when one reads वाल्मीकि रामायण; just like one cannot say that रावण was a Bhakta of ब्रह्म, one cannot therefore state that रावण is a शिव Bhakta. Use of the words भक्ति in a loose manner can thus contribute to a wrongful understanding of the individual. Some of us do Puja once in a while; one may thus ask ourselves whether this Puja is really done out of any genuine भक्ति or following of a tradition or a mere उपासना to get rid of inner fears or to fulfill our petty longings – understand that रावण also does the same.

रावण remembers his past misdeeds – युद्धकांड – सर्ग 60

In the युद्धकांड, there is a situation where राम and रावण battle with one another at the end of which रावण is utterly defeated. राम allows him to return since रावण was without weapons. Fear seized रावण and as he returned home, he self-reflected in the following manner:

Entering the city of Lanka stricken with the fear of arrows of राम, the king who has his vanity crushed, felt troubled in mind. The king was overcome by the महात्मा राम as an elephant is by the lion and a serpent by Garuda. The king of राक्षस felt a lot of grief while recalling the arrows of श्री राम which resembled ब्रह्मदंड(a fiery comet appearing at the time of universal dissolution) and emitted an unsteady light like lightning. Having taken his seat on his magnificent and excellent throne of gold and letting his gaze wander over the राक्षस, रावण spoke as follows:

All that तपस्या of the supreme type which was practiced by me has undoubtedly proved ineffective in that I, the equal of the mighty इंद्र have been utterly defeated by a mere mortal. That terrible warning of ब्रह्म in the words “Know you for certain of danger from humans” has now flashed upon me. Immunity from death at the hands of देवता, असुर , गंधर्व, यक्ष, राक्षस and नाग was sought by me but not at the hands of human beings. I conclude this राम, an offspring of दशरथ, to be that human being of whom a mention was made by King Anaranya, born in the Ikshwasu by whom I was formerly cursed in the following words – “In my house will undoubtedly be born as a man who will exterminate on the field of battle you with your sons, ministers, army, horses and charioteers, O evil-minded bane of your race, the vilest of राक्षस!”

I was further cursed by Vedavati as she was about to be violated by me in the past. The same highly blessed lady has been born as this daughter of Janaka. The result which Uma, नन्दीश्वर, Rambha and Punjikasthala (daughter of Varuna) predicted has also been attained by me. The predication made by those endowed with prophetic vision can never be untrue. Knowing this very fact, you ought to strive to conquer the enemy. And let राक्षस too take up their position on the main roads as well as on top of the gates. Nay, let कुम्भकर्ण, for his part, who is unparalleled in profundity and is capable of crushing the vanity of the देवता and राक्षस alike and who remains immersed in slumber due to the words of ब्रह्म, be fully roused.

It is evident from the above that रावण in his difficult time became aware of his past deeds where he has suffered curses on account of troubling others. As for the women mentioned above, रावण had forcefully invaded the privacy of these women. As a result, he was cursed that if he ever attempts to forcefully have conjunction with any woman, he will die instantly. This is the reason why रावण was trying to convince सीता by keeping her alive for a year instead of attempting to force himself on her. The details of events mentioned above are clearly provided in the उत्तरकांड of the रामायण. Any statement by anyone stating that रावण was a decent man since he did not force himself on सीता is obviously ignorant of the रामायण text.

Lament of मन्दोदरी – युद्धकांड, 111 सर्ग

It is normal for the wife to be deeply saddened when her husband has been killed. It is also normal therefore in such situations that the anger is directed towards the person who is the cause of the death of the husband. When मन्दोदरी however sees the dead body of रावण, she however castigated रावण himself. This is given below:

Indeed is well known, O mighty armed younger brother of कुबेर, that even इंद्र feared to stand in front of you when you were angry. Even eminent Rishis and illustrious गंधर्व and Charanas too, they say, actually fled in all directions for fear of you. How is it that you do not feel ashamed even though defeated in combat by राम, a mere human being? How did a human being wandering in the forests kill you who have overcome all three worlds by the dint of your strength, had grown irresistible and were endowed with glory? That you, who lived in a place inaccessible to man and were capable of assuming any form at will, were destroyed in combat by राम is not compatible with reason. Nor do I believe that your defeat at his hands in the van, of your army fully equipped as you were with all implements of war, was the achievement of राम. Or, taking recourse to inconceivable magic of your destruction, Death himself appeared in the form of राम. Or (it seems) you were overcome by इंद्र (disguised as राम, O भगवान् endowed with extraordinary might! इंद्र however had no power even to gaze on you, the enemy of देवता, on the battlefield, endowed as you were with महाबल, महावीर्य, and महा औजस or energy.

Assuming a human form, prompted as He was by the desire to do good to all the worlds and surrounded by all the देवता, who had taken the form of (so many) monkeys, evidently the celebrated भगवान् विष्णु of Satya Parakrama, the eternal Supreme Spirit, a great master of Yoga, a gracious ruler of all three worlds as well as their sustainer, who has no beginning, middle or end is supremely greater than the great and stands (eternally) beyond darkness (meaning ignorance), who carries a Conch, Discuss and a Mace and is distinguished by the mark of Srivatsa on the chest, who is constantly endowed with fortune, is invincible, everlasting and perpetual, made short work of you, a terrible enemy of देवताs along with राक्षस who surrounded by you. After subduing your senses (by तपस्या) all the three worlds were conquered by you in the past. You now stand defeated by the senses themselves (who have ceased to cooperate with you) as though they recollected their old grudge against you. The moment your brother Khara was actually killed by श्री राम in Janasthana even though surrounded by numerous राक्षस, it became evident that श्री राम is no ordinary human being. We all felt perturbed the moment हनुमान penetrated by dint of his strength deep into the city of Lanka which was difficult to penetrate into even for देवता. This nemesis has come upon you since you did not heed my advice. You were being repeatedly admonished by me to the effect that no hostility should be entered into with श्री राम. Nay, to the destruction of your sovereignty, life and your own people you unaccountably conceived a passion for सीता, O bull of राक्षस. Surely an unworthy act was perpetrated by you, O foolish one, while treating with indignity, the celebrated सीता who is superior (in the point of her devotion to her husband) even to Arundhatti and Rohini who deserved to be respected and who is a model of patience even to Goddess Earth and a model of grace even to श्री and is extremely fond of her husband. Bearing recourse to a fraudulent act the aforesaid सीता who was living in a lonely forest was faultless of every limb and charming, though miserable, ruination has undoubtedly been brought on yourself as on ours. Nay, having failed to realize the well-known ambition cherished by you for union with सीता, you have surely been consumed by the asceticism of that lady devoted to her husband, my भगवान्! It is because all the देवता together with इंद्र and included those headed by Agni fear that you were not consumed even while laying violent hands on that slender-waisted lady. When the time comes, O husband, the doer assuredly reaps the fruits of his sinful deed; there is no doubt about it. The doer of a blessed act gathers happiness while the perpetrator of a sinful act reaps misery. While विभीशण has attained happiness, you have met with such evil destiny.

मन्दोदरी has essentially pointed out two facts from this long narration

a. रावण acquired powers by his own will and prowess but while he was doing this, he suppressed his desires. Eventually, these suppressed desires overpowered रावण when he became powerful and consumed him. मन्दोदरी is very clear that रावण thus pursued desires excessively. Equally, the message for us readers is that one must not suppress desires for pursuing any action since such artificial suppression will eventually consume us.
b. रावण was pursuing a sinful action – she says this quite clearly. Clearly, सीता fidelity eventually consumed रावण also. The message for us is that one must not trouble or harm a woman who is completely loyal to her husband – such action will not go unpunished.

At no stage is she saying that राम is responsible for her husband’s death though राम may have been a निमित्त. She is clear that it is रावण misdeeds (or negative Karma) itself that consumed him. She continues:

You were death to Yama himself; how did you fall under his sway? Stony am I, who, though having list my darling still retain this body even on seeing stuck down by राम my husband, who enjoyed treasures of all three worlds and proved to be a great source of annoyance to all three worlds; who was able to conquer even the guardians of the world and lifted up भगवान् शिव; who manifested his strength by subduing the arrogant, threw into disorder all the worlds (by oppressing them) and tormented pious men; who by virtue of his might uttered insolent words in the presence of his enemy, protected his own band as well as dependents and killed those who indulged in terrible deeds; who made short the work of दानव and यक्ष in thousands, subdued the Nivatakavachas (a class of दानव) in combat, put to end a number of sacrificial performances and protected his own people; who violated the moral order or धर्म, employed conjuring tricks on the battlefield and bore away from various places the young daughters of the देवता, राक्षस and human beings; who brought mourning to his enemy’s wives, was the leader of his own people and protected the land of Lanka; who perpetrated terrible deeds, provided sense-enjoyments to us and was the foremost of warriors – in other words who was endowed with such power.

This seems like a mixed account of praise and castigation. However, a reader can easily detect that while मन्दोदरी is acknowledging the fact that रावण protected his own people, he was violating धर्म, he was stealing young women from other kingdoms and he was troubling Rishis and good people. His bio-data is indeed that of a very arrogant and a cruel person who always troubled others.

Did ब्रह्म show favoritism? उत्तरकांड, सर्ग 10

The following is the account of the boons given by ब्रह्म to the three brothers after their long and arduous तपस्या to ब्रह्म.

Supremely satisfied (with the तपस्या), ब्रह्म for his part stood before him (रावण) in the company of other देवताs and said – O दशग्रीव! I am really pleased with you. Select the boon of your choice without delay, O Knower of what is right! What desire of yours shall I fulfill today? Your तपस्या will not go in vain. Pleased at heart, दशग्रीव bowed down to ब्रह्म and said in a voice choked with joy – O भगवान्! To living beings, the only constant source of fear is death; there is no enemy like unto death. I choose immortality. Thus addressed, ब्रह्म thereupon said to दशग्रीव “There can be no absolute immortality for you; ask some other boon of me.

ब्रह्म, the creator of the world, having spoken thus at that time, दशग्रीव, standing in front submitted as follows with folded hands – O eternal भगवान् of created beings, I want immunity from death in the hands of Suparnas (eagles), नाग, यक्ष, दैत्य, दानव, राक्षस and also from देवता. O देव worshiped by the देवता! I have no cause for anxiety from other living beings; for I think of those other creatures such as human beings as mere straw. Addressed thus by दशग्रीव, the pious minded देवता ब्रह्म who was accompanied by other देवता said as follows – O jewel among the राक्षस, this request of yours shall be fulfilled. Having said this to दशग्रीव, ब्रह्म added – Hear now of another auspicious boon from me who am pleased, O Sinless one, the heads that were previously offered as a sacrifice into the fire, will again appear as before. O राक्षस, I will offer you another boon on this occasion, not easily to be obtained, O Dear one! You will assume any form at will. So of दशग्रीव, who was thus assured by ब्रह्म, the heads which were offered as sacrifice into the fire were restored.

Having said as above to दशग्रीव O राम, ब्रह्म, the grandfather of the Universe spoke as follows to विभीशण – विभीशण my child, I am highly pleased with you, whose mind is imbued with धर्म, O pious minded one! ask for a boon, O राक्षस of holy vows. विभीशण, the धर्म Aatma, always endowed with all good qualities like the moon with its rays, said with folded hands – I am krtakrtya (one who has his life’s purpose accomplished), in that the Loka Guru is himself pleased with me. If you grant a boon to me in your pleasure, O देवता of holy vows, please give me a hearing: Even when I get into the greatest of difficulties, my mind should remain steady in धर्म. O भगवान्, let the Brahmaastra dawn on me untaught. May the thoughts that comes to me in all stages of life, be in accord with धर्म. Let me also perform the duties appropriate to each stage, O supremely magnanimous one, this I consider to be the best boon. There is nothing in the world which those who are devoted to धर्म find difficult to obtain. The प्रजापति, being pleased further said to विभीशण – My son! You are exceedingly full of धर्म it shall be so. O destroyer of your foes, since your mind is not inclined to ADHARMA, even though you are born in the family of the राक्षस, I make you immortal.

I will not talk about कुम्भकर्ण here since that is not the main purpose of this write-up. रावण asked for immortality but he was not given this. रावण was very clear that the purpose of his तपस्या is to seek boons which are self-aggrandizing. There is no ambiguity in his mind nor is there any भक्ति towards ब्रह्म. Since he did तपस्या, it is ब्रह्म job to give him boons – “I deserve it” is how he thinks. विभीशण however is different and the result is obvious – he gets immortality even though he does not seek it. It also means that it is in the power of ब्रह्म to grant immortality but he gives it only to a person who deserves to obtain it. ब्रह्म could see through रावण mind, ब्रह्म saw in रावण as not being qualified enough as a deserving person to be given whatever he seeks.

How विभीशण sums up रावण? युद्धकांड, सर्ग 111

While विभीशण gets a little emotional at the end of the war on seeing his brother’s dead body, after मन्दोदरी’s lament, विभीशण again sums up the character of his brother as follows:

Reflecting within himself, the intelligent विभीशण thereupon made to श्री राम the following humble and wholesome submission, which was in conformity with धर्म and self-interest – “I cannot perform funeral rites in relation to one who had abandoned the path of धर्म and good conduct, who was cruel, merciless and untrue and laid his hands on others’ wives. Intent on doing harm to all, रावण was my virtual enemy in the guise of a brother, he does not merit my respect. (On refusing to perform his funeral rites) people on earth will (surely) brand me as ruthless, O राम! On hearing of his blemishes, however, all will speak of me as having done well.”

What more can one say if own brother and wife felt the same way about रावण post his death?

Conclusion

There are many more episodes from वाल्मीकि रामायण that can be stated to bring out the character of रावण. While रावण was capable and it is this that gave him power and wealth and intelligence, he used the power to boost his ego. His arrogance made him so proud that he was ruthless to all people. His sole aim of life was to seek people who have a claim for being powerful and work to defeat them. While he used to win most of the time, he used to get defeated also (like he was shown his place by शिव, Arjuna (not the Arjuna of the Bharata) and even वालि). As शिव had named him, he will either make others cry and when he was defeated in battle, he will cry – his sole aim in life was to invite crying all around him. What more can one say about a person who suffered a humiliating defeat from वालि in a personal battle and to save his life made the following plea to वालि:

O valiant monkey! Having witnessed your might, O jewel among monkeys, I seek to enter into an enduring and exceedingly loving friendship with you in the presence of Agni. Our wives, sons, cities, kingdoms, luxuries, rainment and food – all will be jointly held by us two.

Can one who promises to share his wives be held us as a victim or an object of sympathy? All lives are merely a list of actions and consequences. By hard work and तपस्या with excellent education, रावण became powerful and thus ruled over the world. One can say that Good कर्म can contribute to wonderful consequences like power and position. However, should this lead to increase in ego and arrogance, one ends up performing Bad कर्म. Such कर्म will also have consequences and रावण’s end in the hands of राम is such a consequence. The learning for us is not really to defend रावण or राम or discuss the merits of their lives. The decision for us is to choose our own कर्म and decide what कर्म we undertake in our own lives. The lives of राम and Krishna and हनुमान and many others provide us with a certain model of कर्म choices. रावण life shows us the choices he made and the consequences he faced. The choice of what type of कर्म we choose for ourselves is ours only.

Hari Om Tat Sat!!!!!