Ravana Answers Mandodari's Tears With Boasting and Returns to Flattery
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 8
Doha 8 · Movement 1 of 2
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Ravana lifts Maya's daughter from his feet and answers her trembling fear with the story of his own power. What warrior equals me? He names Varuna, Kubera, Vayu, Yama, Kala, and the guardians of every direction as beings conquered by the strength of his arms.
Gods, demons, and humans stand beneath my control, he tells her. Why should fear arise in you? He consoles Mandodari in many ways, but every comfort asks her to share the blindness from which her plea tried to awaken him.
She understands silently that Time has taken possession of her husband and produced this pride within him. Ravana returns to the assembly and asks how the enemy should be fought. The ministers immediately feed the illusion. Why ask repeatedly? Humans, monkeys, and bears are merely food. The king's private boasting becomes public policy inside a circle of agreeable mouths.
Mandodari sees Time gripping Ravana while his ministers call the approaching army a feast.
Read the passage from the Manas
तब रावन मयसुता उठाई। कहै लाग खल निज प्रभुताई।। सुनु तै प्रिया बृथा भय माना। जग जोधा को मोहि समाना।। बरुन कुबेर पवन जम काला। भुज बल जितेउँ सकल दिगपाला।। देव दनुज नर सब बस मोरें। कवन हेतु उपजा भय तोरें।। नाना बिधि तेहि कहेसि बुझाई। सभाँ बहोरि बैठ सो जाई।। मंदोदरीं हदयँ अस जाना। काल बस्य उपजा अभिमाना।। सभाँ आइ मंत्रिन्ह तेंहि बूझा। करब कवन बिधि रिपु सैं जूझा।। कहहिं सचिव सुनु निसिचर नाहा। बार बार प्रभु पूछहु काहा।। कहहु कवन भय करिअ बिचारा। नर कपि भालु अहार हमारा।।
Then Ravana lifted up Mayasuta and began to boast of his own prowess. 'Listen, beloved, you have feared in vain. What warrior in the world is equal to me? Varuna, Kubera, Vayu, Yama, and Kala: I have conquered all the dikpalas with the strength of my arms. Gods, demons, and men are all under my control. For what reason has fear arisen in you?' In various ways he explained and consoled her, then went and sat again in the assembly. Mandodari understood in her heart that this pride had arisen because Kala had seized him. Coming to the assembly, he asked his ministers: 'How shall I fight the enemy?' The ministers said, 'Listen, O lord of rakshasas. Why do you ask again and again, master? Tell us, what fear should we consider? Men, monkeys, and bears are merely our food.'