Ravana Casts Out Malyavant and Takes Comfort in Meghnad's Promise
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 49
Doha 49ख · Movement 1 of 3
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Abandon enmity, return Vaidehi, and worship the supremely loving treasury of compassion. Malyavant gives Ravana the whole counsel in one movement. It strikes the king like arrows. Ravana orders the old minister to blacken his face and leave, adding that only age prevents him from killing his own grandfather.
Malyavant understands that the compassionate Lord now wills Ravana's destruction and departs in sorrow. Meghnad rises with a voice like thunder. At dawn, he promises, Lanka will behold his prowess. Ravana's confidence returns, and he seats his son affectionately upon his lap.
Their planning continues until morning overtakes it. Vanaras attack all four gates again, closing angrily around the difficult fortress as tumult fills the city. Demons rush to the walls bearing many weapons and send mountain peaks crashing toward the besiegers. The counsel that could have ended the war has been expelled, and Ravana begins the day beneath the promise of his son.
Malyavant leaves with the truth, Meghnad sits in Ravana's embrace, and dawn brings the rejected counsel back as battle.
Read the passage from the Manas
परिहरि बयरु देहु बैदेही। भजहु कृपानिधि परम सनेही।। ताके बचन बान सम लागे। करिआ मुह करि जाहि अभागे।। बूढ़ भएसि न त मरतेउँ तोही। अब जनि नयन देखावसि मोही।। तेहि अपने मन अस अनुमाना। बध्यो चहत एहि कृपानिधाना।। सो उठि गयउ कहत दुर्बादा। तब सकोप बोलेउ घननादा।। कौतुक प्रात देखिअहु मोरा। करिहउँ बहुत कहौं का थोरा।। सुनि सुत बचन भरोसा आवा। प्रीति समेत अंक बैठावा।। करत बिचार भयउ भिनुसारा। लागे कपि पुनि चहूँ दुआरा।। कोपि कपिन्ह दुर्घट गढ़ु घेरा। नगर कोलाहलु भयउ घनेरा।। बिबिधायुध धर निसिचर धाए। गढ़ ते पर्बत सिखर ढहाए।।
'Abandon this enmity and return Vaidehi. Worship the treasure of compassion, the supremely loving Lord.' Those words struck Ravana like arrows. 'Darken your face and begone, you wretch!' 'Had you not grown old, I would have killed you. Now never show your face to me again.' Malyavant thought to himself, 'This compassionate Lord wishes to slay him.' He rose and departed, speaking sorrowful words. Then Meghnad spoke with fierce anger: 'Tomorrow morning you shall behold my prowess. I will do much; why speak of little?' Hearing his son's words, Ravana felt a surge of confidence. He lovingly seated Meghnad in his lap. While they were still making their plans, dawn broke. The monkeys again attacked at all four gates. The enraged monkeys besieged the mighty fortress. A great tumult arose throughout the city. The demons, bearing all manner of weapons, rushed forth; from the fortress walls they hurled mountain peaks down upon the foe.