Queen Of Lanka- The Conclusion
Are u guys still reciting the names of Panchakanyas? Give some break I am back with my story to answer all the questions running in your mind about the Lankan Queen!
Wife of Dashanana ( one with 10 heads)
Mandodari must have been proud to be the wife of a brave and valiant warrior. Ravana was an exemplary scholar and also mastered Vedas. Lanka saw great advancements in science and medicine during his time. The pushpaka vimana which he flew is held as an example of great scientific achievements made during his regime. In many depictions of Ravan, he can be seen carrying a Veena. It is believed that he had a keen interest in music and was a highly accomplished veena player who composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram which is still very popular in India. He is also believed to have authored Ravana Sanhita, an anthology of Hindu astrology. He was a great Scholar in Ayurvedic medicine who invented Arka Shastra. The description of Ravana as a ten-headed person, Dasamukha or Dashanana, is believed to be a reference to his vast knowledge and intelligence.
Oh, I am falling in love with Ravana after knowing this part of his human trait. Who doesn’t wish to have a partner with such a pearl of wisdom and courage?
Mandodari who is often compared to Sita for her wisdom, grace, beauty, and chastity started to realize that being the best made Ravana aggressive, egoistic and womanizer. She could speak eloquently and gently yet still firm enough to get her point across. Despite the name, Ravana-that brings loath and fear in people she always made a point to speak her perception and tried hard to make her husband understand not to be blind with ego. When Sita refused to marry Ravana, he threatens to kill her and even removes his sword to kill Sita. It is said that Mandodari comes at the right time and saves Sita by stopping Ravana and making him realize that it is a heinous crime to kill a woman. Being a righteous woman, she always tried to change Ravana’s path from Adharma to Dharma.
Mandodari’s chief concern was not her sense of shame but the larger sense of sin!
The Final Yagna
The Valmiki Ramayana narrates: It was almost the end of the demon king. He had lost his brothers and sons in the battle. Ravana was suggested to organize a yajna (“fire sacrifice”) to assure his victory. Rama sent a troop of vanaras, headed by Hanuman and Angada, to make sure that Ravana’s yajna would fail. The vanaras created complete chaos in Ravana’s palace, but the latter refused to stop and carried on with the fire sacrifice. Angada dragged Mandodari by her hair to the court. Mandodari, begged her husband, “Look at how they’re treating your wife, Ravana. Won’t you set aside your grudge and your ego to even save me?”
Enraged, Ravana abandoned his yajna and struck Angada with his sword. However, Rama’s purpose of disrupting the yajna was successful and he immediately left Mandodari and escaped. Ravana had disregarded all her requests, and it is said that because Ravana could not complete his yajna to win it ensured the opposite– Rama’s victory.
Mandodari is a tragic character who teaches us the powerful lesson on how to keep our values intact, losing everything for a greater purpose is more important than winning, acceptance of situations and people around us is a boon, raise your voice when you think things are not under dharma!
Your patience, pious, valor, righteousness as a Queen of Lanka will always be remembered in history and make people awestruck every time they hear about you. Your devotion and unfailing loyalty and love is something that will give chills to people of my generation.
But when I sit in dark I can hear the voice of Mandodari in agony questioning, I was the one who lost everything in the battle- my husband, sons, dignity and what did I get in return? Not sure whom should I blame, Rama or Ravana? Or was it my karma? Who decides karma? Is it always right?
And I dint know what to answer only thing I could say is “ I don’t know if we do good, good will come back to us! But do good anyways!
