Angada Restores the Divine Measure to Everything Ravana Calls Ordinary
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 26
Doha 26 · Movement 1 of 2
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Anger flashes through Angada. He recalls the thousand arms of Sahastrabahu and the terrible axe of Parashurama, images of might before which Ravana's pride had already fled. Then he turns upon the phrase mere mortal and begins restoring the hidden greatness Ravana refuses to see.
Is the divine bow only the common bow of desire? Is the Ganga merely a river, Surabhi merely an animal, or the wish fulfilling tree merely wood? Is true charity only food, nectar only a drink, Garuda only a bird, Shesha only a serpent, or the wish granting gem merely stone? Sacred reality may stand within a familiar form without being exhausted by it.
So too Rama cannot be contained by Ravana's word human. Devotion to Raghupati surpasses even residence in Vaikuntha, and Angada stands in Lanka carrying that devotion. The court has mistaken appearance for limit. The envoy answers by opening ordinary names until immeasurable light pours through every one of them.
Angada speaks, and every ordinary form becomes a doorway through which the infinite answers Ravana.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनि अंगद सकोप कह बानी। बोलु सँभारि अधम अभिमानी।। सहसबाहु भुज गहन अपारा। दहन अनल सम जासु कुठारा।। जासु परसु सागर खर धारा। बूड़े नृप अगनित बहु बारा।। तासु गर्ब जेहि देखत भागा। सो नर क्यों दससीस अभागा।। राम मनुज कस रे सठ बंगा। धन्वी कामु नदी पुनि गंगा।। पसु सुरधेनु कल्पतरु रूखा। अन्न दान अरु रस पीयूषा।। बैनतेय खग अहि सहसानन। चिंतामनि पुनि उपल दसानन।। सुनु मतिमंद लोक बैकुंठा। लाभ कि रघुपति भगति अकुंठा।।
Hearing this, Angada spoke with righteous anger: 'Watch your words, O base and arrogant one!' 'Sahastrabahu had arms beyond counting, infinite and dense. His axe blazed like the fire of destruction itself.' 'By the keen edge of his axe, like an ocean's sharp current, countless kings were drowned again and again.' 'He whose very pride sent you fleeing at first sight. How can you call that Lord a mere man, O wretched one?' 'How is Rama merely human, you foolish wretch? Is the divine bow merely Kamadeva? Is the Ganga merely a river?' 'Is Surabhi merely a beast? Is the Kalpavriksha merely a tree? Is charity merely food? Is amrita merely a drink?' 'Is Garuda merely a bird? Is Shesha merely a serpent? Is Chintamani merely a stone, O ten-faced one?' 'Listen, O dull-witted one. What gain is even Vaikuntha itself, compared with the boundless devotion to Raghupati?'