This blog explores two prosperous cities in the रामायण viz अयोध्या and लंका. The description of अयोध्या was when दशरथ ruled the city while रावण ruled लंका.

Let us begin with अयोध्या has described by वाल्मीकि in the 6th सर्ग of this इतिहास:

The people of the city were happy, धर्मात्मा, learned in all स्रुति, free from greed, truthful (सत्य vadis) and contented with their own wealth. There is no family in that great city which has not stored valuable things in abundance and has not attained objects of human pursuit and who is in want of oxen, cows, horses and other wealth and food grains. There is no man to be seen in अयोध्या who has excessive काम, miserly, cruel, unscholarly and unattached to the word of the वेद (नास्तिक). All the men and women in that city are by nature adherents of धर्म, well-regulated in life, (always) cheerful and faultless in character and possess disposition of the महऋषि. There is no one here who is devoid of ear-rings, head-crown and flowery garland. No one lacks in objects of भोग. There is no one who does not put-on a smart appearance after having bath. There is no one who does not smear his body with sandal-paste and does not use perfume. No one in अयोध्या is seen taking food that does not deserve to be eaten, not giving charity and not exercising control over his mind. No one is found there who does not wear ornaments on their hands, neck and armlets. There is no one in अयोध्या who does not maintain (and worship) अग्नि in their homes, who does not perform यज्ञ, no one among them is petty-minded, given to thieving, immoral and illegal-birth (children born out of wedlock). The ब्राह्मण are always devoted to their स्वकर्म and exercise control over their इंद्रिय at all times. They are charitable, pursue their studies and are wary of accepting gifts from others. There is no member of the द्विज who is a नास्तिक, untruthful and devoid of the ज्ञान of the शास्त्र, busy finding fault with others, resource-less and bereft of learning. There is no one in that city who has not mastered the six branches of knowledge auxiliary to the वेद and does not undertake pious व्रत. There is no donor of scanty gifts and no miserable persons. There is none who is either distracted in mind or afflicted. There is no man or woman in अयोध्या who is devoid of prosperity, not elegant and not loyal to the king. People belonging to all वर्ण are fond of worshipping the देवता and unexpected guests. They possess कृतज्ञता, generous, heroic and powerful. All the citizens of that great city enjoy a long lease of life and are devoted to धर्म and सत्य and as such are not deprived of their wives, kids and grandchildren. The क्षत्रिय’s turn towards the ब्राह्मण’s (for intellectual support) and वैश्य’s towards the क्षत्रिय’s (for state of economy is dependent on political stability) and while शूद्र’s pursue their own स्वकर्म with delight while serving the other three वर्ण’s.

Now let us turn to description of लंका, as seen by हनुमान्, the great योगी. This description of लंका comes in the सुंदरकांड as soon as हनुमान् descends into लंका after flying across the सागर.

Beauty around लंका

The mighty वानर saw around लंका, trees like सरला, कर्णिकारा in full bloom, खर्जूरा, प्रियाला, मुचुलिंदा, कुटजा, केतक trees filled with fragrance प्रियंगून्, कदम्ब, so also flowering plants like सप्तच्छदान्, आसन, कोविंदारान् and करवीरान् fully loaded with flowers and buds. These trees were thronged by birds, with their branches shaken by the wind. Flocks of swans and waterfowls were found in ponds of different types. There were various pleasure groves with flowers in bloom and fruits of all seasons and varieties of water resorts and delightful gardens. Fortunate हनुमान् having reached लंका ruled by रावण found it surrounded by moats full of blue lotuses, guarded by राक्षस with frightening bows, in view of सीता abducted and kept there. It was protected by boundary walls inlaid with gold that great and beautiful city with buildings resembling the assembly of planets and whitewashed, elevated houses looking like autumnal clouds and well laid out streets decorated with garlands of banners and flag posts, rows of colourful creepers and festoons. The city of लंका appeared like अमरावति, the city of देवता. The foremost among the वानर’s, perched on top of the mountain saw the city of लंका on the mountain with auspicious mansions as though touching the sky. The city of लंका, ruled by the lord of राक्षस and built by विश्वकर्म looked as if it was a city floating in the sky.

Conception of लंका as a lady

Having reached the northern entrance of the city, he started thinking that विश्वकर्म must have conceived लंका as a lady with its ramparts as her hips and loins, moats filled with water as her robes, the spiked iron tridents as her locks of hair, and the tall towers as her ear rings.

Visible presence of wealth

Observing लंका that resembled mount कैलाश, with sky scrapers appearing as if flying, filled with dreadful राक्षस and नाग;’s protecting the city of भोगवति (the city of पाताल), unimaginably well-built. It was once occupied by कुबेर (half brother of रावण). It was guarded by horrible राक्षस holding tridents and spears in their hands. The city appeared like a cavern protected by venomous serpents with protruding fangs. हनुमान् examined the high security of लंका and looked at the ocean. …..

As soon as dusk had set in, courageous हनुमान् jumped in and entered the well laid out royal path of the beautiful city. हनुमान् saw the city stretched with rows of buildings all over, with seven or eight storied mansions, which had pillars of gold and silver, windows with fretwork of gold, inlaid with crystals, floors decorated with gold, resembling the grand city of गन्धर्व. Inlaid with precious gems and fretwork, and ornamented with pearls, the mansions of राक्षस looked splendid. The golden archways of the demon were colourful. They illuminated the well decorated लंका from all sides. हनुमान्, happy to reach लंका, stood on its rampart and surveyed the city of land which was splendid with beautiful mansions overcast with autumnal clouds pierced by glittering streaks of lightning, served by planets and stars with mild winds blowing (out of fear of रावण), with the roaring sounds of the sea and with a well-fed army like Vitapavati (that is Alaka, the capital of कुबेर, half-brother of रावण and the treasurer of celestials), which had elephants stationed at the outer gates, provided with white archways and protected by serpents like the auspicious city of भोगवति (capital of पाताल). Surrounded by a golden rampart, the city resembled अमरावति, the capital of इंद्र, decorated with flags fluttering, echoing with the jingling sounds of small bells. Surveying all over, हनुमान् was wonderstruck to see as though it was leaping into the sky. The city had golden shutters, altars encrusted with vaidurya, mansions inlaid with diamonds, crystals, pearls and other gems, crowned with pure gold and silver. The staircases built with silver were studded with vaidurya. The beautiful quadrangles, covered with grains of crystal were as though leaping into the air. It echoed with sounds of क्रौंच birds, peacocks and royal swans. Filled with sounds of musical instruments, it resembled the city of Vaswokasara.

The houses reverberating with sounds of laughter and of musical instruments, decorated with lattice windows of diamonds resembled the sky shining with clouds with a goad made of diamond (thunderbolt of इंद्र). The city of लंका appeared radiant with its tall mansions resembling white clouds. The mansions had auspicious marks of lotus and swastika engraved on them and were opening in the direction of the south. Going from one building to another, हनुमान् saw mansions of different kinds structures. Great हनुमान् heard the jingling sounds of waist bells and anklets of women and sounds of great men climbing up and down flights of steps, sounds of clapping and joking everywhere in the mansions. He heard chantings of वेद in the houses of राक्षस engaged in the study of the वेद. And heard राक्षस singing loudly the eulogy of रावण. He observed large contingents of राक्षस lining the highway and spies of रावण stationed in the middle of the city. Going around लंका, हनुमान् witnessed all kinds of राक्षस priests who were performing यज्ञ, ascetics with matted hair, some with shaven heads, and some robed in cowhides. Some were holding fistfuls of दर्भ grass (as weapons), others held sacrificial tools (as weapons), some had mallets, some hammers and others had staff and spikes. Some looked frightful with a single eye, some with a single ear, some with drooping stomachs and sagging breasts and in distorted forms. Similarly some dwarfs and some wielding iron weapons, their bodies covered with wonderful shields some not very tall or short, not stout or thin, not very dark and not with hideous forms or mutilated bodies. Some had good-looking countenances, some were seen holding posts and flags and weapons of several kinds. The great monkey saw the राक्षस who held शक्ति and trees as weapons (शक्ति is a lance), some held three-pointed spears, missiles and slings with which missiles are hurled. Some of them wore flower garlands, smeared unguents on their body and were bedecked with choicest ornaments. They were dressed in several ways and many of them moved freely. They were very strong and held sharp tridents and armed with thunderbolt-like weapons. The great वानर observed the huge archway of the राक्षस king’s palace made of gold situated on top of the mountain as if scraping the sky, circled by moats full of white lotuses appearing as though the moats were decorated with ear-ornaments. The whole city was encircled by a boundary wall. And then the great वानर entered the wonderful mansion that resembled heaven. It was resonating with pleasing sounds of jingling ornaments made more noisy by the neighing of the horses. There were carriages, chariots, flying chariots, horses and elephants. The beautiful entrance was looking splendid with intoxicated animals and birds. That place looked splendid with four-tusked elephants resembling heaps of white clouds. The beautiful entrance was guarded by thousands of valiant राक्षस…… and this goes on and on.

How does one compare both the cities of that era?

1. 1. लंका had grandeur while अयोध्या does not have visible signs of grandeur.
2. Special efforts were made to ensure that the wealth and grandeur of लंका is experienced by all its citizens while visibility of opulence is not seen in अयोध्या
3. Citizens of both cities seem to be happy since they seem to be getting what they seek in life. Citizens of both cities are prosperous. Citizens of लंका however prefer material prosperity and actions of chanting of the वेद/ performing यज्ञ are all geared towards enhancing their material prosperity. Citizens of अयोध्या value धर्म and guide all aspects of their life by following धर्म.
4. Frequent references to अमरावति and भोगवति are seen in description of लंका. The देवता in अमरावति lead lives of भोग. A देवता cannot accumulate कर्म from their actions in स्वर्ग – they are merely exhausting their कर्म by living a life of भोग. The name भोगवति itself contains the word भोग within itself. Thus, the key concerns of a life of राक्षस is how to maximize भोग in their lives – watch movies, eat more and more, sports, etc and acquiring भोग remains the key purpose of their lives. Citizens of अयोध्या also experience भोग but such भोग does not cross the boundaries of धर्म. Their इंद्रिय’s are under control and they do not pursue भोग that makes them leave control over their इंद्रिय.
5. Citizens of both cities were loyal to their king – loyalty in लंका was owing to fear of रावण while loyalty in अयोध्या was because दशरथ followed धर्म which was also valued by its citizens.
6. लंका is a security state. Their fortifications are strong, they have guards walking all around the city to guard the city. Why is it so? A राक्षस by nature is one who prides in taking possessions of others and bring them into their homes. Throughout their life, रावण and his army kept on bringing riches from other kingdoms and filling up their own coffers. In fact, लंका itself was actually owned by कुबेर, the elder brother of रावण which was snatched away by रावण after which कुबेर had to leave his own to set up another kingdom. And because they had always behaved in the nature of thieves, there is no choice but to have a strong army guarding the city at all times since they will be worried about other kings who may attack the kingdom to take back their stolen wealth. अयोध्या however has not such challenges – its citizens never indulged in theft not just from other kingdoms but even among themselves.
7. यथा राजा तथा प्रजा meaning as a king or leadership behaves, so do its citizens. रावण always aspired for physical power, he was always abducting women from other countries, he always led a life of stealing the best that others had – so citizens of लंका too strove to live such a life. This does not take away the fact that they were hard working, they indulged in TAPASYA and chanted वेद, etc but all these कर्म were meant for one purpose only – to have the best quality material lifestyle. अयोध्या kings chose धर्म as their way of life – they too worked hard, strove to make their lives better and each indulged in स्वकर्म meaning they undertook activities that most suited their strengths and were thus happy with the outcomes of their hard work. They were charitable, they were materially prosperous too but this prosperity was not earned at the expense of others but through their own hard work. They were not नास्तिक but led their lives in pursuit of truth, the परम् सत्य that is the root of all of life.

So what should a modern State aspire for itself? Higher GDP? Everyone owning mansions studded with diamonds? Everyone owing cars? Should we base our lives to achieve material prosperity in the way लंका had achieved it or should we base of life to make efforts to achieve a general sense of happiness and prosperity that is subservient to धर्म? रामायण has already shown both models – the choice is ours.

ॐ तत् सत्

Source

1. https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in/ – Translation of entire रामायण is available here.
2. Srimad Valmiki Ramayana by Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India