Article sent from The Hindu on indiaserver.com

[Guest guest]

=============================================================

This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

=============================================================

Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Divine will manifests in unique ways

 

CHENNAI, APRIL 9. It is common for one who is blessed with

intellectual acumen and physical prowess to entertain the notion

that he is invincible and in the process terrorise everyone into

submission by his tyranny. When everything goes in his favour

this presumption further gets strengthened and boosts his ego.

Often in such cases when the blow comes it is fatal as

temperamentally such egoistic persons cannot swallow pricks to

their ego in the right spirit. The character of Ravana as

depicted in the Ramayana is a case in point.

 

Ravana was not only a valourous king of the demons who had by his

prowess brought other rulers into his fold but he was also very

learned in the scriptures and accomplished in the arts. Becoming

ambitious he performed severe penance and obtained a boon that no

one except animals or humans would be able to kill him, to become

omnipotent. He was so powerful that it did not even occur to him

that an animal or a human being could pose a threat to him. But

divine will manifests itself in unique ways.

 

After Hanuman found Sita in the Ashokavana he convinced Her of

his identity as Rama's envoy and instilled hope in Her heart when

She was on the verge of losing hope altogether, that She would be

rescued soon, he decided that he should meet Ravana in person to

assess his designs and thought of a way to gain entry into his

presence. He was furious that the ogre was living in all

splendour in this beautiful city when his Lord Rama was suffering

because of separation from His noble wife Sita and he decided to

wreak vengeance appropriately by destroying the enchanting grove

so that it would be brought to his notice and anger him.

 

In their discourse, Sri Ramakrishnan and Smt. Perundevi Seshadri

said that furious like the wind Hanuman proceeded to fell the

trees and uprooted them. The ogresses who were guarding Sita

reported the matter to Ravana who immediately dispatched some

ogres. Hanuman made short work of them and also others until

finally he sent Indrajit to whose missile he submitted so that he

would be able to meet Ravana.

 

Ravana had been cursed by Nandideva when he went to Kailas once

when he did not heed his instruction to stop, that his end would

be near whenever a monkey confronted him. Ravana naturally had

not paid any importance to it then as he prided in his strength.

But when Hanuman was brought before him this warning crossed his

mind. Hanuman cautioned Ravana directly when Prahasta questioned

him about his identity that he was Rama's envoy and that he

should not underestimate his or Rama's strength.

 

Copyrights: 2001 The Hindu & indiaserver.com, Inc.

 

Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly

prohibited without the consent of The Hindu & indiaserver.com, Inc.