The Ramayana (89 page)

“Briefly Ravana felt an unaccustomed coldness clutch his heart at these women's silent, potent curse. Briefly his face lost its radiance, and a shadow flitted across it. The pushpaka vimana landed in Lanka. Word of their king's sweeping conquests filled the streets, and the rakshasas came out in singing and dancing crowds to celebrate his victories and their own new power as the master race of the worlds. Suddenly, forgotten, mysterious Lanka was the focus of creation.

“Ravana was being borne to his palace on a thousand rakshasas' shoulders when he heard a keening sound, which echoed over every other in his noisy streets. It was the shrill ululation of a woman deranged with grief. Ravana saw his sister Surpanaka, her hair in disarray, her clothes torn, her face streaked with tears and dirt where she had rolled on the ground, unhinged that her brother Ravana had killed her husband Vidhujjiva, the Kaalakeya.

“When Ravana took her in his arms, he saw her eyes were the color of cherries, and he asked her, ‘What has happened, little one? Who has brought these tears to your eyes? Just tell me his name and he shall not live another hour.'

“When she could speak, Surpanaka said, ‘You killed my husband, O Rakshasa who call yourself my older brother. I loved him more than my life and you cut him down like any other enemy. What use is it my living any more, wretched Ravana, when you have made me a widow in my youth? Monster, I heard you killed him with your own hands. I am your younger sister and my husband is not just your brother-in-law, but meant to be like your own son. And you killed him.'

“He wiped her tears with his long fingers. He smoothed her hair and said gently, ‘My child, my child, in the heat of war every enemy seems alike and just a target for arrows. Every enemy is one who would kill me, if I did not kill him first. I shot my arrows without looking whom I aimed at, for the Kaalakeyas rushed at me in a wave and every Asura was an indomitable warrior. I did not know whom I killed when I fought, Surpanaka; believe me I would never have killed him if I had known. You know how much I love you: why, I gave you away to Vidhujjiva with my own hands. How could I have killed him, when I knew it would break your heart? I never knew he had returned to his city. I thought he was here in Lanka with you.'

“Gradually, her sobs subsided. When she had calmed down a little, she said, ‘I cannot live in Lanka any more. Everywhere I look, I see his face. I cannot bear it; what shall I do?'

“Ravana thought for just a moment, then said, ‘I have decided to send our cousin Khara to the Dandaka vana, to rule the wilderness in my name. I will send fourteen thousand of my best rakshasas with him, so he can establish a city in the jungle's heart and spread my power through the land of Bharata. Khara's rakshasas will all be mayavis and you shall be safe with them.

“‘Dushana will go with him, as his Senapati, and our cousin Trisiras as well. Khara is our mother's sister's son, and he has grown with us. Why don't you go with him to the Dandaka vana? You will be distracted from your sorrow by the beauty of the jungle and all the wild marvels you will see there.'

“And so it was that Ravana himself set a distant chain of fate in motion. Khara went to the Dandaka vana with a legion of some of the fiercest rakshasas in Lanka. And there, in the depths of that impenetrable forest, he built a wooden city called Janasthana, from which he spread a reign of terror through that jungle where countless rishis lived, whose prayers were the very support of the world. The bloodthirsty Khara and the sinister Trisiras and Dushana, and, indeed, all their demons began to prey on the rishis, at first desecrating their yagnas, which brought grace down upon the earth, then killing and devouring the munis.

“Thus they sought to choke and in time to destroy the very roots of dharma in the world, and to establish the rule of hell in monstrous Ravana's name. And surely, at first, they succeeded in good measure. The Dandaka vana became a home of evil upon the earth, and the evil spread subtly from the jungle, borne on the wind, into the hearts of men. And it seeped into the earth as the sacred blood of rishis which the rakshasas spilled and drank.”

 

14. The abduction of Kumbheenasi

“Hidden deep in a forest on Lanka there was a most auspicious tapovana called Nikumbhila. When Khara and his fourteen thousand had left for the Dandaka vana, taking Surpanaka with them, Ravana went to Nikumbhila. There he saw an altar of sacrifice, and standing before it he saw his son Meghanada, wearing the hide of a black deer, a tuft on his shaven head, and holding a kamandalu and a staff. A yagna fire blazed in its pit at Meghanada's feet, and Usanas, the guru of the rakshasas, the Asuras, and all beings of darkness, sat beside it, feeding the fire with oblations, chanting arcane mantras, himself a flame.

“Ravana approached his prince, clasped him fervently in his arms, and asked, ‘Child, what are you doing?'

“But Meghanada had taken a vow of silence, mowna, and to break it would spoil his sacrifice. So it was Usanas who replied, ‘Your son has performed six great yagnas, Ravana. He has already performed the agnistoma, the aswamedha, the bahusuvarnaka, the rajasuya, and the vishnu yagna. He has just completed the maheswara yagna, and already Siva Pasupati, the Lord of embodied souls in bondage, who are like beasts, has blessed your son with a vimana and the tamasi maya, which makes the one who knows it invisible in battle. Not even the Danavas or Devas can see the warrior who is mantled in the tamasi maya.

“‘Sankara has also given Meghanada a bow, a pair of inexhaustible quivers, and a mighty astra. Your prince was waiting for you, Lord of the rakshasas, for a father's blessing.'

“But Ravana was not entirely happy. He murmured, ‘Indra and the Devas are my enemies. They have been worshipped, and that hardly pleases me. But what is done cannot be undone; let us think of it as having been well done. Come, my child, let us return to our city.'

“Ravana blessed his son. He took the blessing of Usanas, who then vanished before their eyes. Arm in arm, father and son returned to Lanka and to their palace, where now the pushpaka vimana disgorged its cargo of the most beautiful women of all the races of the worlds, whom Ravana had brought here to grace his harem and warm his bed.

“But now, his pious brother Vibheeshana greeted Ravana, with shock and anger in his eyes. ‘What have you done, my lord? Already, your sin has brought nemesis to our clan.'

“‘What do you mean, Vibheeshana?' Ravana was annoyed that his triumphal return was tainted by any imperfection.

“‘You have sealed all our fates by bringing these women here. Don't you see them cry? Don't you hear them curse you, my brother? How will their curses fail to bring punishment down on you?'

“Ravana growled, ‘It is the way of war; it is the way of the rakshasas. You are born a rakshasa, but you have never been like one of us, Vibheeshana.' He smiled. ‘And the women shall be well cared for and they shall be well satisfied with their lives here.'

“But Vibheeshana said, Then perhaps you will be content to hear that our cousin Kumbheenasi has been abducted by Madhu, just as you have abducted these women?'

“Ravana seemed surprised. He asked mildly, ‘Who is Madhu?'

“Kumbheenasi, of course, was the daughter of Malyavan, who was the eldest brother of Sumali, their mother's father. Also, Kumbheenasi's mother, Anala, was their own mother's younger sister. Kumbheenasi was hardly less than a sister to those royal rakshasas.

“Vibheeshana said, ‘While Meghanada was away performing his yagna, while I lay submerged in water, at tapasya, and Kumbhakarna slept, the rakshasa Madhu came to Lanka one moonless night. He killed many of our guards, entered the harem, and carried our cousin away. Even when we heard what had happened, we did not pursue Madhu or kill him. For once he has enjoyed her, Kumbheenasi will be his wife by rakshasa vivaha; and it would break her heart if we killed him.

“‘So, my brother, even as you took a thousand women from their homes and their men and children, we, also, have been punished here in Lanka.'

“Ravana's ten heads flashed into view, snarling. His breath was hot; his eyes were the hue of kimsuka flowers. Through clenched fangs he said, ‘Let my chariot be fetched and my weapons be laid in it. Let my brother Kumbhakarna be roused. Let any others who would ride with me fetch their chariots and bows. I will go at once to kill Madhu, and then to crush Indra in Devaloka!'

“Four thousand aksauhinis rode with Ravana, every rakshasa of them hungry for battle. Meghanada rode at the head of that horrible force, Ravana at its heart, and Kumbhakarna at its rear. Vibheeshana, who had little taste for battle, though he was a great warrior and unafraid, remained in Lanka.

“Across land and through the air they went, on fair mounts and strange; and it is told that when the Daityas of the air saw Ravana flying to Madhu's city, the Asuras, who are the enemies of the Devas, joined his host.

“Ravana arrived at Madhu's city, entered violently, and found Kumbheenasi in the palace. She saw her cousin and began to cry. He took her in his arms with great gentleness and said, ‘Don't be afraid. I am here now. Tell me where Madhu is; he shall not live another day.'

“At which she only sobbed more piteously and cried, ‘If you bear me any love, don't kill my husband. The unhappiest woman on earth is a widow. I beg you, my brother, swear you will not hurt him.'

“Ravana paused in his anger. He wiped her tears. ‘I have told you not to be afraid. Take me to your husband. I will not kill him, but take him with me to Devaloka to fight beside me against Indra. Madhu will be like my own brother from now.'

“She led him deep into the palace, where her husband waited in some fear. Madhu sprang up when he saw Ravana, whose presence was like death's. Kumbheenasi said, ‘This is my brother Ravana. He accepts you are my husband. He loves you like a son, my lord. He wants you to fly with him to Devaloka, with your legions, to take battle to Indra.'

“Madhu smiled in relief. He bowed to the Master of all rakshasas. He knelt before Ravana, kissed his hand, and said, ‘I will go with you, my lord.'

“Ravana embraced him and he stayed in Madhu's splendid city that night, to celebrate his cousin's marriage. The next morning, Ravana flew north again, with an even greater army now than the one with which he left Lanka. He arrived at the foot of Mount Kailasa and made camp there. Kailasa, as you know, verges on Indra's realm.”

 

15. The violation of Rambha

Agastya continued, “The moon rose over Kailasa. Ravana's army lay asleep, swathed in its light. But Ravana did not sleep. He climbed to the top of Kailasa, alone. As he went, he saw karnikara, kadamba, and bakula groves that seemed lit not just by the full moon but with luster of their own. Their flowers shone in the silver light like the phosphorescent blooms of Devaloka.

“The Rakshasa saw lotus pools that shimmered with the waters of the Mandakini, and were mantled with the flowers of the champaka, asoka, punnaga, patala, and lodhra trees that grew beside them. Here and there the brighter blossoms of priyangu, arjuna, and ketaka floated beside the others.

“Ravana heard the soft, breathtaking songs of kinnaras. He saw these wondrous folk in dreamlike snatches, appearing and disappearing not just in and out of his sight, but the dimension of this world. He saw knots of delicate vidyadharas, their eyes dyed with wine. He saw them at love, their naked limbs shining, their subliminal cries like music.

“From across the white tableland that lay around him, the Lord of night heard apsaras who sang across the valley in the city of Alaka, in his brother Kubera's enchanted halls. As he climbed on, often a caressing wind shook free tender showers of petals that fell over him, and their fragrances clung briefly to the Demon, as if in strange yearning, then fell away onto the pale ground. Ravana felt a soft and mighty sweetness steal over him.

“He walked on, an evil presence through such loveliness and purity. Then, inexplicably, he felt his blood quicken. He smelled a new fragrance on the breeze, unlike every other he had known tonight. It eddied around him, wrapped in the scents of a hundred wildflowers and in the aroma of the sandalwood paste ground from the chandana trees of Devaloka. But this was no exotic flower's perfume that made his heart go so fast. It was the scent of a woman's body.

“Ravana advanced carefully. He did not want to alarm whoever it was who inflamed him by just the scent of her skin. At least not until he was near enough so she would not escape him. He crept forward toward a circular glade of kadamba trees from where the fragrance issued. He could see another pool of mirror water through the trees, laden with a soft frenzy of lotuses in echoing colors.

“Ravana arrived at the circle of trees. Peering around the bole of the one he was behind, he thought he might swoon from the sight that met his burning eyes. She was not of the earth; no, she was certainly no human woman. She was too tall, too slender, and far too beautiful. And the brightness that swathed her long, perfect limbs was not of the moon or the stars, but of heaven. She was so lovely, she was barely corporeal. Yet her breasts were full and high, her waist slender as a lotus stalk, and her hips flared away from it as he had never seen on any other woman, of any race. For all her obviously unworldly charms, she was unbearably seductive; why, she was seduction embodied and displayed before him upon Kailasa.

“Her skin was anointed with golden sandalwood paste; her hair was adorned with mandara flowers from Devaloka. Her face was as the full moon above. She wore supernal ornaments and garlands woven with blooms of the six seasons. Her eyebrows were like Kama's sugarcane bow. The girdle around her flaring waist scintillated with gemstones cut in Indra's realm. Her hands were as tender as fresh leaves on the trees of spring.

“Ravana could not resist that apsara, for so she was; how could he, a rakshasa, when the Devas themselves and the holiest rishis had yielded to the charms of Rambha, the most beautiful of all the nymphs of heaven, their queen?