61. ANXIETY IN LANKA :

Now let us leave Rama and his host
here and go back to Ravana. Great poets
in all languages delineate with sympathy
even their bad characters allowing gleams
of goodness to shine through occasionally,
for nature has not made anybody wholly
and unredeemably evil.


The poet's aim is to direct the reader's
mind into the path of good, the satvik
way. For this purpose they use all their
skill and power in developing even their
rajasik and tamasik characters.


The reader who is held by rajasik and
tamasik qualities, naturally tends to
sympathise with such characters; much
more so readers below the average who
are untouched by the satvik element.


They would regard the deeds of the
hero and other satvik characters as mere
fiction invented for blind worship, and
identify themselves with the rajasik and
tamasik characters and even claim these
as their own kith and kin. They would
themselves attracted by such characters
and follow their doings with considerable
interest.


Paradise Lost, the English epic on a
Biblical theme, is famous throughout the
world. In this poem Milton delineates the
Almighty and Jesus, His spiritual son and
human incarnation, as well as several
orders of angels. But the most impressive
character in the great epic is Satan who
rebelled against God and brought sin and
death into this world.


Critics of English poetry admire
Milton's wonderful success in the
characterisation of Satan. Similarly, the
great dramatic poet Shakespeare has
created a wonderful character in Shylock,
the usurer and miser. Even such
embodiments of despicable qualities are
presented by the poets as possessing
courage, determination, energy and other
good qualities that attract us and serve as
a bright background to their blackness.


In Valmiki's portraits of Ravana and
Kumbhakarna too, we notice the same
artistic skill. The cook who meets all
tastes shows his skill in making out of
bitter vegetables an attractive dish. So
does the poet show his skill in portraying
evil.


The Rakshasa king was somewhat
ashamed and afraid at the thought of what
Hanuman had achieved in Lanka. He
summoned his ministers and took counsel
with them.


He began in an apologetic tone. "What
has happened is something strange and
unexpected. No one has till now been
known to enter our city, but this envoy of
Rama has not only entered Lanka, he has
met and talked with the imprisoned Sita.
He has destroyed temples and palaces. He
has slain some of our best warriors. He
has filled our people with fear. And this
thing is not likely to stop here. Hence we
have to consider what should be done.


You know that the king should decide his
course of action only after consulting his
loyal ministers of clear vision and wellversed
in statecraft. And so I have
summoned this Council. Rama has
become an inveterate enemy. Let us
consider what we should do about it. The
king has no use for ministers who are not
straight forward or who not knowing their
own minds wobble in their advice. The
matter before us is most important. Rama
is strong, and so is his army. It is certain
that they will contrive some how to cross
the sea. It would be unwise to trust to that
single defence. Consider well and tell me
how we can strengthen and secure our city
and army and what steps we should take
to defend ourselves."


After listening to the king, the
members of the Assembly spoke with one
voice.


"Great king! Knowing well that our
army and our weapons are the strongest in
the world, why need you be anxious?


Where is the enemy who dares to attack
your fortress and who can oppose your
army with any hope of success? The
world knows your might. Did you not
invade the city of Bhogavati and defeat
the Naga king? Did you not attack
powerful Kubera and defeat him and his
Yakshas and capture his Pushpaka
Vimana as well as this island of Lanka?


Did not Maya in fear of you sue for your
favor and friendship and give you his
daughter in marriage? How many cities in
the nether region have you not attacked
and taken? You fought and defeated the
Kalakeyas. The sons of Varuna, yea, and
Yama himself have been suppliants for
your mercy. And who is this Rama? Your
son Indrajit by himself can destroy Rama
and his Vanara army. Did he not seize and
imprison Indra himself and afterwards let
him go? How can Rama and his Vanaras
stand against such a warrior? You have
only to bid Indrajit destroy this Vanara
crowd and all will be over. Why should
you, great king, be anxious?"


Thus they spoke in praise of their king.
The Commander-in-chief Prahasta rose
like a great black cloud. "You, who
subdued in battle the Devas, Danavas and
Gandharvas, why should you, oh King of
kings, feel anxious because of these little
creatures? It is true that the monkey came
here and caught us napping and did some
mischief. But this sort of thing will never
happen again. If he comes again, I know
how to manage him. I alone can destroy
the whole Vanara race, if only you will
order it. You need not fear any danger
from this small indiscretion of yours, the
abduction of Sita."


Next Durmukha rose and roared: "We
shall not let this monkey's bravado and
undeserved good luck go unavenged. I
shall go this very instant and destroy the
Vanara army, root and branch, and
return."


Vajradamshtra stood with a terrible
iron club in his hand and cried: "Here is
my weapon unwashed and still covered
with the blood and flesh of my foes. Why
waste your time talking about this
monkey? Are not Rama and Lakshmana
our enemies? I shall slay them first and
then destroy the Vanara army and re turn
immediately. Only let me go. I have a
piece of advice to give you, King, if you
would listen. Let us order some Rakshasa
warriors to put on human form and
approach Rama, telling him, 'Bharata has
sent us in advance. A great army is
coming behind to help you.' While Rama
is thus fooled into negligence, our
Rakshasa army can travel through the sky
and destroy him and his followers on the
other shore. This is my advice."


Nikumbha, son of Kumbhakarna, rose
and said: "All of you may stay here with
the King. I shall go alone and meet and
destroy the enemy and bring you the
news."


Another Rakshasa, licking his lips, said
with gusto: "I shall go alone and kill and
feast on the flesh of these two men, Rama
and Lakshmana. Please let me go."
Thus one after another they got up and
spoke brave words to please Ravana and
then all of them stood up together and,
raising their weapons, roared aloud.


At that Vibhishana, the younger
brother of Ravana, made them all sit
down, and said to the king with folded
hands:
"Brother, what these people say is
sweet to hear but not true or good to act
upon. Anything done in violation of Niti
shastra (the Science of Politics) can only
lead to grief and ruin. It is only after
trying sama (conciliation), dana (buying
off the enemy) and bheda (sowing
discord) that one should think of using
danda (force of arms.) against a foe. If
you take the advice of these people and
start a war now, it would mean the
destruction of Lanka and all of us. We
should also consider the demands of
dharma. It was not right, it was indeed a
great sin for you, to have seized and
brought Rama's wife here. We should first
cleanse ourselves of this sin. What harm
did Rama do to us? What Rama did in the
Dandaka forest was in pure self-defence
and the defence of those that looked to
him for protection. He fought with and
slew only those that went out to slay him.
His actions surely do not justify your
carrying away his wife. And even if we
had any just complaint against him, we
should have met in battle. Instead of that,
to contrive his absence and seize his wife
was very wrong and sinful. When the fault
is on your side, it is morally not right that
we should think of battle. Further,
warcraft requires that before fighting we
should take some measure of Rama's
strength and that of his army. We have
had some taste of Hanuman's strength and
skill. It is pointless to talk lightly of him.


Did he not do remarkable things? Though
our own strength may be great, we should
weigh it against the enemy's strength and
then decide whether we should seek war
or avoid it. But first it is essential that we
should restore Sita. My advice is this,
before Rama and the Vanaras attack
Lanka, let us restore Sita. Dear brother, I
am saying all this for your good. Pray, do
not be angry with me. We should first set
right our own fault and then think of other
things."


Thus with folded hands Vibhishana
besought Ravana.


Though Ravana was pleased with the
vainglorious words of his ministers and
generals, there was doubt lurking in his
mind. Hence, after listening to
Vibhishana, he said: "Let us meet again
tomorrow and consider this matter."
He adjourned the Council, and retired.


NEXT :62. RAVANA CALLS A COUNCIL


Continues....