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Continued from yesterday's instalment
 ‘Do not stand in my presence. I am restraining myself from killing you only because I am afraid of the blame that it would result in. Get away from here and do not show your face else I will slay you the same moment.’ After Ravana uttered these words, there was no choice for Vibishana but to leave him.
He rose up high in the sky and spoke to Ravana from there. His words show that still it was difficult for him to leave the side of Ravana. But he was convinced that the time for bringing him to reason has already past and he could not stay by his side any more, for it was not in his mould to bear what is not right.
‘I intended to do good to you. But what are you doing? ‘keezhmayor sol
kodu kedudhal nerdhiyo?’ You are listening to those who base of mind and moving towards your downfall.
‘vaazhmaidhaan aram pizaithavarkku vaaikkumo?’ Those that swerve from the path of Dharma are not worthy of living. Forgive me. I am going. I do not know what is in store for you.
‘iththani perayum iraaman vem saram chithira vadhai seyak kaNdu theerdhiyo?’ Are you going to end up seeing the arrows of Rama tormenting all those who are near and dear to you? Are you going to cause the destruction of your race, along with yours?’
Now, there were four ministers of Vibishana. Analan, Anilan, Aran and Sampathi. They also left Ravana and rose up in the sky along with Vibishana. ‘What do we do now?’ asked Vibishana. He made his mind clear to them. ‘I could not do anything to make my brother realise what he does. I do not want anything that comes to me by that which is not right.’ ‘Let’s go to Rama now and take refuge in him,’ suggested the ministers. Vibishana’s mind was already thinking in these lines and he agreed with them. They reached the other side of the sea where Rama and the Vanaras were camped, discussing ways of crossing the ocean.
‘My mind is now fixed on Rama. I don’t know why.
‘munburak kandilen.’ I have not seen him earlier.
‘kelvi munbu ilen.’ Nor have I heard of him before.
‘anburak kaaranam ariya kitrilen.’ I don’t know the reason why this love for him wells up in me. ‘enbu urak kulirum’ (when I think of him) even my bones get cool
‘nenju urugum’ my mind melts. He must be the one who helps souls to cross this ocean of births and deaths.’
Vibishana tarried till it dawned. It must have been a long, long night for anyone in his situation. He has come to the camp of his brother’s enemy. He didn’t know what brought him there. Anyone else would have come to this place with a hundred questions haunting his heart. Normally and quite naturally the first question that would arise in any person’s mind at that juncture would have been, ’Would I be accepted? Would I be suspected?
 Would l ever be wanted here?’
Not so for Vibishana. He was quite confident. He walked towards the massive army of Vanaras. The Poet says,
‘muraipadu thaanayin marungu mutrinaan arai kazal veedanan’ Vibishana went close to the vanara army, his warrior’s anklets tinkling as he did so.
‘ayirppu il sindhayaan.’ The word ‘ayirppu’
means doubt. His mind was clear and void of all doubts.
That is the first qualification of a devotee that submits unto Him.
More follows…
Hari Krishnan
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