Mandodari Falls Before the Head of the King Who Shook the Earth
Lanka Kanda, Chaupai 103
Doha 104 · Movement 1 of 3
Keep this contemplation
Preserve, print, or share
Mandodari sees her husband's severed head and collapses unconscious. The women of Lanka run weeping, lift her, and bring her to Ravana's body. Hair unbound, they beat their breasts and call aloud the greatness of the one lying in dust.
His strength once made earth tremble and dimmed fire, moon, and sun. Shesha and the cosmic tortoise could scarcely bear his weight. Varuna, Kubera, Indra, and the Wind lost courage before him. He conquered Death and Yama, commanded creation, and made the guardians of the directions bow in fear.
Now he lies helpless like one without a protector, his sons and clan gone, his arms and heads left for jackals. Mandodari names the cause within the lament: this is the condition of one turned away from Rama. Overcome by Time, Ravana rejected her counsel and saw the sovereign of the animate and inanimate world as merely human.
Mandodari measures the dust covered body against a universe once made to tremble and finds Rama at the center of the fall.
Read the passage from the Manas
पति सिर देखत मंदोदरी। मुरुछित बिकल धरनि खसि परी।। जुबति बृंद रोवत उठि धाईं। तेहि उठाइ रावन पहिं आई।। पति गति देखि ते करहिं पुकारा। छूटे कच नहिं बपुष सँभारा।। उर ताड़ना करहिं बिधि नाना। रोवत करहिं प्रताप बखाना।। तव बल नाथ डोल नित धरनी। तेज हीन पावक ससि तरनी।। सेष कमठ सहि सकहिं न भारा। सो तनु भूमि परेउ भरि छारा।। बरुन कुबेर सुरेस समीरा। रन सन्मुख धरि काहुँ न धीरा।। भुजबल जितेहु काल जम साईं। आजु परेहु अनाथ की नाईं।। जगत बिदित तुम्हारी प्रभुताई। सुत परिजन बल बरनि न जाई।। राम बिमुख अस हाल तुम्हारा। रहा न कोउ कुल रोवनिहारा।। तव बस बिधि प्रपंच सब नाथा। सभय दिसिप नित नावहिं माथा।। अब तव सिर भुज जंबुक खाहीं। राम बिमुख यह अनुचित नाहीं।। काल बिबस पति कहा न माना। अग जग नाथु मनुज करि जाना।।
Seeing her husband's severed head, Mandodari fainted and fell unconscious to the ground in distress. A group of women came running and wailing, they lifted her up and brought her to Ravana's body. Seeing their husband's condition, they began to wail loudly with disheveled hair, unable to compose themselves. They beat their breasts in various ways while weeping and recounting his mighty deeds. O lord, by your strength the earth would tremble daily, and fire, moon and sun lost their brilliance before you. Shesha and the cosmic turtle could not bear the burden of your power, and now that body lies on earth covered with dust. Varuna, Kubera, Indra and the wind god - none could maintain courage when facing you in battle. O master, you conquered Death and Yama with your arm's strength, yet today you lie helpless like an orphan. Your lordship was known throughout the world, the strength of your sons and family was beyond description. Being opposed to Rama, this is your condition - not one remains in your lineage to mourn you. O lord, all of Brahma's creation was under your control, and the guardians of directions would bow their heads in fear daily. Now jackals will devour your head and arms - this is not inappropriate for one who opposed Rama. Overcome by destiny, my husband did not heed my words and considered the Lord of the universe as merely human.