Mandodari Gathers Every Warning and Places It Before Ravana
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 36
Doha 36ख · Movement 1 of 2
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Mandodari asks her husband to abandon the ruinous resolve. War with Raghupati does not befit him. Ravana could not cross even the small line drawn by Lakshmana, so how will he defeat the master whose messenger crossed the ocean in play, killed the guards and Aksha, destroyed the grove, and burned Lanka to ash?
Do not boast in vain, she pleads. Rama is not merely a king but the immeasurable Lord of the moving and the unmoving creation. Maricha knew the force of his arrows, yet Ravana ignored him. Countless kings, including Ravana, stood in Janaka's court when Rama broke the bow and married Janaki. Why was no challenge made then?
Indra's son Jayanta learned a portion of Rama's power when Rama destroyed one of his eyes yet spared his life. Ravana has also seen what befell Shurpanakha. Mandodari lays incident beside incident, not to humiliate her husband but to return him to reality. Every ignored warning has now become one voice inside the chamber.
Mandodari lights the room with proofs, but Ravana must choose whether remembered truth will become sight.
Read the passage from the Manas
कंत समुझि मन तजहु कुमतिही। सोह न समर तुम्हहि रघुपतिही।। रामानुज लघु रेख खचाई। सोउ नहिं नाघेहु असि मनुसाई।। पिय तुम्ह ताहि जितब संग्रामा। जाके दूत केर यह कामा।। कौतुक सिंधु नाघी तव लंका। आयउ कपि केहरी असंका।। रखवारे हति बिपिन उजारा। देखत तोहि अच्छ तेहिं मारा।। जारि सकल पुर कीन्हेसि छारा। कहाँ रहा बल गर्ब तुम्हारा।। अब पति मृषा गाल जनि मारहु। मोर कहा कछु हृदयँ बिचारहु।। पति रघुपतिहि नृपति जनि मानहु। अग जग नाथ अतुल बल जानहु।। बान प्रताप जान मारीचा। तासु कहा नहिं मानेहि नीचा।। जनक सभाँ अगनित भूपाला। रहे तुम्हउ बल अतुल बिसाला।। भंजि धनुष जानकी बिआही। तब संग्राम जितेहु किन ताही।। सुरपति सुत जानइ बल थोरा। राखा जिअत आँखि गहि फोरा।। सूपनखा कै गति तुम्ह देखी। तदपि हृदयँ नहिं लाज बिषेषी।।
My lord, think carefully and abandon this wicked resolve. War with Raghupati does not befit you. Rama's younger brother drew a small line, and even that you could not cross, for all your might. Beloved, will you conquer in battle the One whose mere messenger accomplished such deeds? That monkey hero crossed the ocean as sport and came fearlessly to your Lanka. He slew the guards and laid waste to the grove. Before your eyes, he killed your son Aksha. He burned your entire city to ashes. Where was your strength and pride then? Now, my husband, do not boast in vain. Consider my words even a little in your heart. My lord, do not regard Raghupati as a mere king. Know Him as the Lord of all that moves and does not move, whose power is beyond measure. Maricha knew the might of His arrows, yet you, wretched one, would not heed his warning. In Janaka's court, countless kings were present, and you too were there with your vast and matchless strength. He broke the bow and wedded Janaki. Why did you not challenge Him in battle then? Indra's son Jayanta knows how slight his own power is. He gouged out your eye and still let you live. You witnessed what happened to Shurpanakha. Yet even then your heart felt no special shame.