Ramayana of valmiki and Kamban-yuddhakanda

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2. Vibheeshana leaves Lanka

 

In the meanwhile There was anxiety in Lanka and

Ravana was disturbed that a monkey had come and created havoc in Lanka. He

called his ministers and his kith and kin. He told them that he was upset that in

Lanka, which was not accessible to any one so far, has been entered into by a

monkey who not only talked to Seetha but also killed his valiant men and son

and had set fire to Lanka. He said that Rama had become a formidable enemy and

a plan of campaign had to be decided. All his ministers as one man, told him

that he need not afraid of a chance victory by a monkey over them and he who

vanquished Indra, Kubera and all the three worlds need have no fear from the

insignificant human beings and monkeys. All of them including Indrajith, except

Vibheeshana rose and declared that they would go immediately to kill Rama and

Lakshmana.

 

Vibheeshna rose and spoke to his brother with

folded hands. He said that Rama was difficult to be conquered and the prowess

of Hanuman could not be understated and they could not be treated with contempt

or judged hastily.

 

Further he asked Ravana, what harm did Rama do to

him to justify the abduction of his wife. The destruction of the rakshasa in

Janasthana was in self defence and to protect those who sought his help. Vibheeshana

entreated Ravana to return Seetha to Rama before all the rakshasaas are

destroyed. He said that he was speaking

only because of his affection to his brother and to avert the disaster that was

sure to happen to the rakshasa race. In

six slokas ending with the words "let Seetha be returned to Rama, " Vibheeshana

tried to advise his brother. Ravana then

left the hall and went back to his own chambers.

 

Vibheeshana approached Ravana again in the

morning and told him that there were a

lot of ill omens since Seetha came to Lanka and urged him again to give Seetha back to Rama but Ravana would not

listen and started to the assembly hall and ordered Prahastha his commander to

guard well the city of Lanka.

Kubhakarna who was sleeping for the past

six months woke up and attended the council. Ravana narrated the whole story of

his abduction of Seetha for the sake of Kumbhakarna and said that Seetha

refused to yield to his desire and he had given her one year's time to make up

her mind, which is now drawing close. He said that the only course left now was to kill Rama and Lakshmana

because he would never give up Seetha.

 

Kumbhakarna , hearing this became angry and said

that Ravana should have asked advice before he acted on impulse and abducted

Seetha and now when it is too late he had assembled the ministers and close

relatives to ask them what to do. But however , Kumbhakarna said what had been

done could not be undone and he would kill Rama and Lakshmana so that Ravana

could enjoy Seetha without any obstacle.

 

Kumbakarna knew the dharma as well as Vibheeshana

but he was basically a rakshasa and had demonic tendencies. Moreover he was attached

to his brother and his sibling loyalty made him support Ravana even though he had no illusions about the

consequence of the battle. He told Ravana that it was a miracle that he was not

killed by Rama already. He differed from Vibheeshana, who was saathvik in

nature and attached to dharma and later to Rama who he knew to be the incarnation

of the Lord Himself. Thus both were doing their svadharma as they understood

it. We shall see this later is discussing vibheeshana saranagathi.

 

Mahapaarsva , one of the mighty rakshasas told Ravana

to take Seetha by force but Ravana expressed his inability to do so due to a

curse that his head would break into thousand pieces if he forces himself on

any female without her consent.

 

Vibheeshana then addressed the assembly extolling

the strength of Rama and requested them to advice Ravana to return Seetha

before it is too late if they were really his well wishers. He said that Seetha

whom Ravana was harbouring in his heart was like a five-hooded serpent and Ravana

was like one who had been possessed by evil spirits and he should be freed from

them even by force if necessary.

 

Then Indrajith got up and spoke insulting words to

Vibheeshana saying that he was the sole one among them without courage and

valour. Vibheeshana chided him that he was immature and talking nonsense. There

upon Ravana got angry and called him a traitor and said that if anyone else had

spoken to him like that he would have ceased to exist. Then Vibheeshana rose in

the air and said that even though Ravana was to be respected as an elder

brother he could not take the harsh words spoken to him and he was sad that he

could not rescue him from the noose of death. He said the same words which Marica

said on advising Ravana to give up the idea of abducting Seetha.

 

sulabhaa purushaa

raajan sathatham priyavaadhinaH

apriyasya

cha paThyasya vakthaa Srothaa cha dhurlabhaH

 

" Oh king, it is easy to find men who always speak

what pleases you but the one who says what is good though unpleasant and one

who listens to it are rare." So saying Vibheeshana with four of his companions started towards Rama. This episode is

presented more colourfully by Kamban. We shall see that next.