Ramayanaparam -20 Ravana and Mandodari

Here is an interesting conversation between Ravana and Mandodari.

 

Mandodari: Prabho! You look sad and depressed. May I know the reason?

 

Ravana: Mandodari, you know that I brought Sita Devi and she is in the Asoka Vanam for the last several days. I do not want to touch a pativratha like her, without her consent. But she is not even looking at me. There is no way I can change her mind. Mandodari, I know it is not fair to tell about this to you, who is my Dharma patni.

 

Mandodari: Prabho! I am seeing your mind and even if you do not say your desire to have her, I am aware of it. So it is easier for me to accept your "avihitha moham" (unrighteous desire) when you are true to me. I am your well wisher and I hate to see your grief.

 

Ravana: Mandodari, I approached her with many different attires and ornaments and Sita did not even acknowledge my presence. I am disappointed.

 

Mandodari: Prabho! Sita will not look at anybody other than Raama. Her paathivrathyam is exemplary. The only way you can get her eyes on you is by disguising yourself as Raama. If you look like Raama she will fall for you.

 

With his magic, Ravana takes the form of Raama and goes to Sitadevi, but as soon as he took Raama's form all his kaamam or lust disappeared from his mind. He could not look at Sita with lust . He transformed completely in to a satwic person in that form. He came back and told Mandodari:

 

Mandodari, when I disguised as Raama, all my kaamam or lust disappeared. So that also did not work.

 

Mandodari: Prabho! what does that say? If you change your mind and pray to Raama, all your lust and bad vaasanaas will disappear and you will give back Sitadevi to Rama. Then you can surrender to Him and He will protect you from all miseries. Please change your mind. Where there is Raama, there is no kaama and Raama is an incarnation of Vishnu Bhagavan.

 

But we all know that Ravana did not listen to Mandodari's advice and he died at Rama's hands. Even after dying by Rama's arrows, he did not get salvation. Why? Because he saw Rama only as a man and not as an incarnation of Vishnu. So he had to be born one more time as Shishupaala to get salvation. "Anthe Naaraayana smruthi" is essential for salvation, meaning those who think of Naaraayana at the time of death gets moksham. For that, scriptures say, we have to practice remembering Him continuously and success depends on the intensity and sincerity of devotion. Until then we go through "punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam".