Bits of life

J-18 Words-1800

have died a long time ago frightened by the demon women around her. He also told Rama that she was ready to give up her life having been overcome with despair. After meeting Hanuman and knowing of the friendship between Rama and Sugriva, now she ever hoped that Rama would come and rescue her from the clutches of Ravana assisted by the army and support of the ape men. Hanuman reported to Rama about the threat issued by Ravana. Sita asked Hanuman to tell her lord that if didn’t come within the month, he would not find her alive. Rama’s reaction was immediate and urgent. He vowed there and then that he wouldn’t delay rescuing her for another minute. Then he further asked if she had given any message to him.
Hanuman replied,
“Sir, she said showing pity to the creatures is your nature. She asked you to show pity for her. Then she begged Lakshmana to pardon her rough and rude words to him while Rama was away hunting for the golden spotted doe in the forest. She entreated you to forgive her sin. Here is the hair ornament she gave as a sign of reminding you of the past. This ornament was given to her during her marriage with you. She also told me the incident of Jayant, Indra’s son assuming the form of a crow and making mother Sita suffer. And you rescued her from him with your powerful Brahmastra and put an end to her suffering. This event was known only to you and her. She questioned how could you bear the suffering she was now being subjected to by the evil minded Ravanasura.”
Rama replied,
“No, I can’t bear her suffering. Sita, I am coming to Lanka to restore you and relieve your suffering.”
Then he turned to Sugriva and asked him to assemble his forces immediately for which Sugriva readily agreed.
He turned to Hanuman and said with tears in his eyes that he was now indebted to him forever, because Hanuman had done him a great service. No man, no being had ever done him the kind of service that Hanuman did.
Hanuman was overcome with devotion for Rama and replied that nothing was impossible for the devotee of Shree Rama. Whoever had the mercy of Lord Rama on him would make the impossible, possible.
Rama insisted that Hanuman should ask for a boon for the service he did. Hanuman asked for himself to be in the service of Rama eternally. Rama said, “so be it.”
Soon they started discussing the war strategy. Sugriva asked Rama to be the commander of the army of ape men and bears. For, he said, Rama was well versed in all the doctrines of war and he knew how to go about winning a war. Rama gracefully agreed to Sugriva’s suggestion and then he started talking of the enemy’s strength. He asked Hanuman to tell him of how strong was Ravana’s fort and what kind of arms did he have and how did he store his weaponry.
Hanuman replied that Ravana’s fort was strongly built. It had four main gates and each of them was well bolted and guarded by the demons. They had some guns atop the fort walls which could fire huge boulders at the enemy’s army. Nearby they had some store houses in which there was a huge store of weapons of war. All around them were impregnable ramparts. Around them was a deep moat of icy water in which there live huge crocodiles. There were draw bridges which could be pulled in when the enemy approached. Ravana supervised his military strength from time to time. He was the supreme commander of his army.
Hanuman informed Rama that he destroyed the armories of Ravana and burnt his bridges. This, he thought would make it easy for Rama to enter the city without much difficulty. Rama appreciated the brave deeds of Hanuman.
Rama gave directions to the ape warriors regarding the path and route they need to follow in the forest. They should see to it that they need to go through a trail that had the trees of fruit and the availability of water so the ape men could quench their thirst and hunger without trouble. They should also keep an eye on the demons that might poison the edible fruit and put many obstacles on their way.
Regarding positions in the army, Rama had decided and told them who should lead which direction. He, Sugriva and Hanuman would be positioned in the center of the army.
Next day the march towards Lanka started. Rama led the army like yogi with a single minded purpose. The purpose was to conquer unrighteousness with dharma or righteousness. He told them that their aim should be victory and they should march for it. They should have faith in their in achieving their objective. He told them to keep away from villages and towns and cities which might not cause them concern or botheration.
He started the march to Ravana’s fort’s ramparts with a prayer and invocation to the goddess of war Durga. Taking her name he flagged off the march. They reached the sea shore without much trouble. So far the journey was easy and without any untoward incidents. Now came a major impediment. Jambavanta raised the question as to how they could cross the immense ocean. Hanuman did it with his own prowess. How could the ape men do the same wonder? Rama and Lakshmana along with their assistants go to the shore and prayed to Varuna the God of Sea to be kind and helpful to them. Sree Rama then thinks of Sita and told her in his heart of heart he would soon reach Lanka and would release her from Ravana’s bondage.
Sita in Asoka grove felt the waves of hope growing strong within her. She told Trijata that she had come to experience many auspicious signs on this day. Her heart seemed to have lightened with the hope that soon her husband and brother Lakshmana would arrive and rescue them. Trijata commented that for the first time Sita’s voice sounded joyous and hopeful.
Mandodari, Ravana’s queen, on the other hand experienced only bad omens. She told her husband Ravana to give up this wrong doing and return Sita to Shree Rama. Ravana scoffed at her and told her to keep her fear away. He accused her of feeling jealous of Sita whom he would marry and make her the queen.
A messenger entered and conveyed the following message to Ravana as following;
“Sire! Rama and his brother Lakshmana have arrived on the other shore of Lanka and camped there. They have a large army of ape men and bears with them. They intend to cross the sea anytime and launch war against us.”
Mandodari was overcome with sorrow and foreboding that nothing well was going to happen for Ravana, her much loved husband. Mandodari’s character provides the example that even among the asura or demon population there were people like her who thought in terms of conscience and good behavior. She told Ravana many times that abducting and keeping Sita in his custody did not bode well for him or his empire Lanka, for what he did was violating the principles of dharma or good character.
So it is with Ravana’s younger brother Vibhishana. He was the first one to advise Ravana not to let Lanka be destroyed. The best thing to do to save Lanka would be to take Sita back to her husband with due honor. Listening to this advice, Ravana became wrathful and was abusive to Vibhishana. But Vibhishana was unafraid in the face of his evil brother Ravana’s anger and said that if Lanka had the fate to be exterminated, it would be mainly because of its emperor’s unethical behavior to Rama’s wife. He reminded Ravana of the number of demons who died with the arrows shot by Rama from his bow. He took the names of Khar, Dushan, Kabandha, Thataki, Subahu and thousands of demons with whom Rama had fought. He also told his brother Ravana that Rama was known for his truthful behavior and kindness. If we go to him with folded hands and ask for forgiveness he would take pity and would leave us unharmed, he said.
Ravana’s anger knew no bounds and he banished Vibhishana from his kingdom forthwith. Vibhishana was overcome with sorrow and met his mother Kykasi to tell her of all the details of his confrontation with Ravana. Kykasi advised him that he should leave Lanka and join the camp of Rama and be with him to avoid danger to his life. She was of the opinion that if he continued to live in Lanka, Ravana might kill him out of anger. So Vibhishana flew to the other shore of the south sea and came to the safe harbor of Rama’s refuge. There and then after having sworn to undying friendship by Vibhishana, Rama had anointed him the king of Lanka, for he was going to kill Ravana soon enough.
When the spies of Ravana reported the events that took place in Rama’s camp, Ravana laughed it off and scoffed at the ungainly behavior of Vibhishana and called him the traitor of Lanka. Then he had sent a spy named Shuk to tempt and get Sugriva to their side and to get the first hand information of how Rama was planning to cross the sea and come to Lanka.
Shuk went to the military camp set up by Rama and Sugriva by the sea. He went flying to the camp and took the form of a lark and entered. He listened to the conversations of the ape men as they relaxed by bonfires at night. He then went into Sugriva’s tent and stood before him. Sugriva asked for his identity and on learning that he was the envoy of Ravana and he came here particularly to meet him, he asked him to take his seat and tell him the reason for his visit.
Shuk told Sugriva that Ravana would be happy to make him one of his own. In return he would give him unlimited wealth, gold and jewels. He could have any number of women and luxurious living. Ravana also sent word for Sugriva to leave the company of Rama and shouldn’t give in for small rewards. He asked him to withdraw his forces which he was using for Rama to help physically impossible to swim the sea to reach Lanka. There was no other way. So it would be a foolish thing to stay associated to a person who was definitely not going to win over Ravana and take his wife Sita from his custody. Sugriva listened to the envoy