Ravana Hunts Every Flame of Austerity
Bala Kanda, Chhand 18
Doha 183 · Movement 2 of 3
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News reaches Ravana whenever japa begins, a yogi gathers the mind, vairagya takes root, tapasya deepens, or a yajna fire is kindled anywhere in the worlds.
The ten headed king does not leave such work to distant armies. He rushes there himself, following sacred discipline as a hunter follows a trail. Chant, posture, offering, and silence become signs by which violence finds its victims.
In fury he seizes those who practise and destroys the gathering. The empire recognizes inward freedom as its enemy, for one who remembers the Lord cannot belong completely to fear. Ravana therefore moves from altar to cave, trying to extinguish the unseen source of resistance.
Where one mantra rises, Ravana follows its sound with destruction.
Read the passage from the Manas
जप जोग बिरागा तप मख भागा श्रवन सुनइ दससीसा। आपुनु उठि धावइ रहै न पावइ धरि सब घालइ खीसा।। अस भ्रष्ट अचारा भा संसारा धर्म सुनिअ नहि काना। तेहि बहुबिधि त्रासइ देस निकासइ जो कह बेद पुराना।।
Whenever the ten-headed one heard that japa, yoga, vairaagya, tapas, or yagna was being performed anywhere, he would rush there himself. He would find them, seize them all, and destroy them in his fury.