6.013. rAvaNa reveals his dark secret

Hari Om.

Let us begin the sixth sarga of the yuddha kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

The sagely advice of vibhIshaNa could not influence the thoughts of rAvaNa about returning sItA to rAma and avoiding a conflict. All the other demons played yes-men and appealed to the deep desire of rAvaNa rather than what was the right and dharmic thing to do. Their sycophancy laden proclamations were filling rAvaNa with shallow assurances. In the earlier assembly vibhIshaNa had spoken. He did again in the private chambers of rAvaNa at his residence. Today he came again to the assembly. The younger brother kumbhakarNa who slept for six months and stayed awake for a day was awake on the given day and he lambasted rAvaNa for the foolish adventure of abducting sItA. He however assured rAvaNa that he would vanquish whoever came his way and that he need not fear. This filled rAvaNa with much confidence given the mountainous stature and size of his brother and his valour. The assembly was on. Onwards…

Grasping the anxiety of the king rAvaNa, a demon by name mahApArSwa thought for a while and with folded hands submitted –

“O king if one has gone to the deep forests infested with beasts and serpents and fetches honey from there, it will be childish to not partake that honey (he is suggesting that after abducting sItA with such effort if he doesn’t obtain her, it will be futile). O repressor of the enemy, you are yourself the lord and who is there to lord over you? Step on the head of the enemy and forcing yourself on sItA like a cock does to the hen, sport and revel with her and enjoy yourself. Once your desire is fulfilled what is there to fear? We will face whatever happens afterwards.

You have got kumbhakarNa and the mighty indrajit on your side who can even stand upto indra in conflict. The approach suggested by the wise about reconciliation through dialogue or charity or inducing dissent in enemy ranks must be discarded and we should take the battle to the enemy camp and punish them. We will conquer your enemies who come here by force, I have no doubt about it”.

Thus spoken to by mahApArSwa, rAvaNa responded to him and said –

“O mahApArSwa, listen about some (dark!) secret of mine. It happened a long time back and I shall narrate this to you about what I have obtained. Once I saw the celebrated apsara called punjikasthala who was glowing like a bright flame in the skies and going to the abode of lord brahma, the grandsire. I went to her, tore off her clothes and forced myself upon her. She was wilted like a lotus stalk and reached the abode of the grandsire after that. Coming to know of what happened to her, the grandsire was very angry and spelt a curse on me that from that day if I force myself on any woman without her consent, then my head will instantly explode into a hundred pieces! I am very scared of that curse of the grandsire because of which I am not forcing myself upon sItA.

I am vast and compelling in force like the ocean, I am swift like the wind. This is not known to rAma and hence he dares to approach me. Who would want to get into the cave of the lion, wake it up and invite one’s own death? Once rAma sees my unerring and punishing arrows in the battle he will know me. Unleashing hundreds of arrows that are unsparing like the thunderbolt, I shall overwhelm rAma like an elephant is overwhelmed by the torches of flame. Then I will destroy his army like the sunrise destroys the light of the stars. I cannot be fought by either the thousand eyed indra or by the mighty varuNa. I have by the might of my arms usurped this city of lanka that was being ruled over by the vaiSravA kubEra in the yore”.