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Continued
from yesterday’s instalment
 Undaunted by the curses piling on him Ravana continued his
dhik vijaya. He established his victory over Marutta who was offering a sacrificial fire, attended by Indra, Varuna, Yama and other celestials. Marutta who was challenged by Ravana for a duel rose from the sacrificial offerings but was stopped by Brahmarishi Samvarta (brother of Brhaspati), who was conducting the offerings. 'The sacrifices should not be left unfinished. 'There is no use in fighting with the Asura. Do not pay heed to him. Continue the Yaga,' said Samvarta in the belief that Ravana would not proceed any further if Marutta did not respond to his challenge, that too, when engaged in sacrificial offerings.
But what sense of values did Ravana have! He once again showed the metal that he was made of. He destroyed the Yaga, killed the sages who were assembled there and drank their blood. Indra, Varuna, Yama and other celestials who were present in the sacrificial grounds camouflaged themselves in the forms of birds and animals and escaped the rage of Ravana. Fully sated, by his acts, he left the place loudly announcing his victory over Marutta and others.
Great kings fell at his feet and accepted their defeat. Ravana reached Ayodhya, which was then ruled over by Anaranya, an ancestor of Rama. 'This is my mandate,' croaked Ravana. 'Either give me battle or accept that you are defeated by me.' Anaranya had heard of Ravana and was aware of the fact that Ravana was marching on his city and had collected his army in preparation.
Anaranya resisted him. He fought furiously to stop Ravana. But his army was soon reduced to mere corpses, flowing blood and bleeding soldiers. Anaranya himself, who was engaged in a duel, fell down from his chariot with a blow from the palm of Ravana on his head. Ravana poked fun at the Ikshvaku dynasty. 'You should have surrendered to me! What did you gain now, by resisting me! Is there a single soul in all the three worlds to resist Ravana? You must have been lost in sense-pleasures and would not have heard of me or would have ignored reports about my victory over the kings in their hundreds,' he scoffed.
 Anaranya, who was sinking at that time, was touched to the quick. "What can be done by me now?" he asked. "For death is inviolable indeed. Surely I have not been vanquished by you O Ogre, who are indulging in self-praise. I stand destroyed by Fate alone and you are a mere instrument (in the hands of Death). What can be done by me precisely at this moment when my life is coming to an end? Thank God, I have not been averse to fighting, O Ogre, and have been killed while fighting. Since you have insulted the race of Ikshvaku, I shall pronounce a curse on you." (Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, Canto XIX, Sloka 26 {Part} to 28 {Part})
'kaalaththinai gnalaththavar evarE kadappavar?' Who can (ever) cross the limits drawn by Fate?
'aalak kodu manathOi! avamadhiththai ennai,' You insulted me O you whose heart is made of the most potent of venoms.
'adhanaal,' Therefore, 'kolath dasaradha raaman, en kulaththOn,' Rama (who) would be born to King Dasaratha of my clan,
'kodum kanayaal,' by his sharp arrows, 'thaalak kulai pOl nin thalai tharai vIzhga!' may your heads be severed and fall on the ground like a bunch of palm fruits.
A quality of Ravana that emerges consistently in all these scenes is that Ravana never repents when he is cursed. He does not plead for being forgiven. He does not ask for ways to obviate the effects of the curse. He just moves away from the spot, either laughing or announcing his victory. The curses never go into his heart; he never reacts to them and he never bends for any reason, the Mount Kailash incident being an exception.
More follows...
Published on 24th July 2002
Hari Krishnan
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