Reason for Ravana’s death explained through Bhagavad Gita
Reason for Ravana’s death explained through Bhagavad Gita
Nowadays, Ravana is an idol for some groups of people. As I said above it's all about the perspective of the individual. On the other side, people find it pointless and spread hatred if the name is uttered. I have penned this blog based on “Valmiki Ramayana.” Even there is negativity about the Valmiki Ramayana that it is written after the winning of Rama and returned to Ayodhya. However, it is a blunder, you can even refer life story of Valmiki. There it is mentioned that Valmiki using his spiritual powers, himself becomes a spectator of Ramayana that is happening in the same timeline and he writes the same in his “Thaatipatras.”
“Vimsadh
bhujam, Dasakhantam .. Dasagreevam”: 20 arms, 10 heads.. Ravana. The
attire of him scares any person regardless any god or a devil, his face is as
bright as the Sun, wide arms and vest, body bearing the scars and marks of
weapons which he was encountered during the battles. The 10 heads of Ravana refer
to the ten improprieties that human beings make:
1. Kamah: Desire
2. Krodhah: Anger
3. Lobhah: Greed
4. Moha: Attachment
5. Madha: Pride
6. Aham: Ego
7. Dweshaha: Hatred
8. Matsarya: Jealous
9. Adharmah: Wrong doings
10. Swardhaha: Selfishness
There also a saying that Ravana’s 10 heads refer to 4 vedas and 6 tastes. However, this done just match the number and not the exact meaning. There are many other references to match the reason why Ravana having 10 heads, but this is the apt one that most of the people suggest.
“Trividham Narakasyedham dwaram nasanam
atmanaha
Kamah Krodathatha Lobha thasmadetat
trayam tyajet”
The above mentioned kamah, krodaha and lobaha
are the three ways that leads a good human being to the destruction. (1,2,3).
The fire ignited by Surpanaka in Ravana, he
made his only desire (kama) for making Sita as his wife and felt no one should
have an eye on her (lobha). Ravana made Sita to sit under a tree in Ashokavana
and allotted aman (lady in waiting / bodyguard) for her needs.
“Dhyayatho vishan pumsaha sangast
theshupajayathe
Sangat sangayate Kama Kamat Krodho
bhijayathe”
As a man contemplates sense-objects, attachment
for them arises, from attachment, desire for them will be born, from desire
arises anger, from anger comes delusion, from delusion, comes loss of memory,
from loss of memory, comes destruction of discrimination, and from destruction
of discrimination he perishes. (1,2,4)
Ravana despite of having desire of having Sita, it is wrong to have such feelings on a married women and married women are often compared to mothers in many puranas. This describes that moha leads to self-destruction.
“Ahamkaram
balam Darpam Kamam Krodham cha samsrithaha
Mam atma para dehesu
pradvisanthobhya sooyathaha”
With these characters people even cannot
recognize the God in himself. With these traits even success is a failure. Even
the people who love you starts hating you. (5,6)
When Ravana heard about Lord Rama, his feeling
was so egoistic and felt that he was blessed by Bramha that even Gandharvas and
Daityas cannot kill him. Not only because of the strength he has but also for
the knowledge he gained. “Ravanaha Sakala Sastra Paramgataha”, he is a
master of all vedas and purana grandhas and also a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
“Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu
Kadachana,
Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te
Sangostvakarmani”
You have the right to work only but never to
its fruits. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your
attachment be to inaction. (4,7,8)
The deeds which we do to others will comeback
to us in the same way. No sooner did Ravana started hating and feeling jealous
of Rama, than his knowledge starting going vain. He made his mind to dare
anything that he has, for getting Sita as his wife.
“Yada Yada hi Dharmasya
glanirbhavathi bharatha
Abyuthanam Adharmasya tadatmanam
srijaymyaham”
Dharma is verily the prescribed actions that
are conducive to our spiritual growth and progress; the reverse of this is
adharma (unrighteousness). When unrighteousness prevails, the creator and
administrator of the world intervenes by descending and reestablishing dharma.
Such a descension of God is called an Avatār. (1,9,10)
Ravana just for his selfishness to become the
only ruler of universe has followed many unrighteous paths. He is often alerted
by Vibhisana for his wrong doings and also advised to leave Sita when he
brought her to Lanka.
Even the death of Ravana did not bother much for Vibhishana and Mandodhari. Vibhishana felt so bad to perform rituals after Ravana’s death, later after listening to the words of Rama he said yes for doing so. Rama mentions that Ravana is the greatest scholar, architect, ruler and moreover a devotee of Lord Shiva. Ravana wrote “Shiva Tandava Strotram” which describes the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva and eliminates all negatives energy nearby. Shiva got impressed for the devotion of Ravana and forgave him for the wrong doings he done also Lord Shiva gifted an invisible sword named “Chandrahaas”. Mandodhari after hearing the death of her husband, she ran into tears and reaches the battlefield in no time. She explains the reasons for his death, the words which are uttered by her in the battlefield have special mention in many books that are related post-ravanasamharam.
These are the above reasons that I
feel that led to Ravana’s death. Things that are mentioned in this blog are based
on Valmiki Ramayana not any other. I thank each reader of this blog for their
patience and interest towards knowing something fascinating.
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