Chapter
9
The Nether Region
Rama
embraced Vibhishana, Hanuman, Nala, Nila and others and
thrilled them all with the Divine Touch; at this, the
pain that tortured them disappeared in an instant; the
wounds on their bodies were healed. The Vanaras were
delighted at the sight of Rama's happy face. The
compassionate look of Rama fell upon the
Vanaras.
Meanwhile, Sulochana,
the wife of Meghanada, heard the news of her husband's
death, through her maids who ran to her with the tragic
information. [Ravana spoke:] "Until now, I
believed that this small task could be accomplished
easily by either Meghanada or Kumbhakarna. Now, I have
observed with my own eyes the failure of their prowess. I
am ashamed that Meghanada fell a victim to the attack of
monkeys. Those who are killed by monkeys, how can they
claim to be heroes?" Ravana said. He tried to console
Sulochana. He said, "Respected Consort! Give up your
grief. Do not think that I am a hero of that type. I
shall bring you solace, within an hour or so. You can
witness on the battlefield, my terrific might. I shall
pluck the heads of those who caused the death of your
husband, and bring them with me. This shall be done,
without doubt". Thus, Ravana boasted and raved in the
presence of Sulochana. His anger burnt his frame and he
was beside himself with rage.
Hearing his words, the
wise and virtuous Sulochana said, "O Ten-headed One! Is
there in your heart any trace of hope that you can win
victory? You are sunk in the deep darkness of delusion. I
had swallowed my resentment and my disappointment so
long, for, I felt that opposing one's father-in-law was
improper, and in this case, it is also useless to try
convince you. Your rage is the prime cause for the
destruction of the Rakshasa population of this island.
Let me tell you this - it is impossible for you to win
this war. This is the truth, the indisputable truth".
Sulochana rose suddenly, and wailing alone, she moved
towards the apartments of Mandodari,
the Queen, the mother of Meghanada. Reaching there, she
fell at the feet of her mother-in-law and said, "This
calamity has been brought about by your husband and not
by any one else. You too cannot escape such a calamity,
which is sure to befall this day or the next". Her torn
heart poured out words that were harsh and cruel.
Mandodari too was pained when she contemplated the evil
desires of Ravana and his pride at his own wickedness;
she wept at the realization that the words of Sulochana
were awfully true. The two women sat silent for long, and
later they described to each other the virtues and
excellence of Rama and the patience and chastity of Sita
and told themselves that if only they could get a glimpse
of that divine person their lives would be rendered worth
while.
Ravana could not bear
to witness the agony of his daughter-in-law, the bereaved
Sulochana. Her words thrust his heart like sharp spikes.
His grief was so heavy at the loss of such a bright and
loving son that he fell on the floor and in despair beat
his head on the ground. Rising up, he poured out his
anguish before the Siva idol of his favorite temple.
Meanwhile, the ministers of his court approached him
there. They said, "O King, Why are you grieving in vain?
Sons, wives and all the rest on whom we lavish our love
are all like the lightning flash that illumines the dark
cloud for an instant; they come and go. Life is a flash,
it does not last. Knowing this in full measure, it is not
proper for you to sink in ignorance and bewail their
loss. Now is the time to plan the future. Plan out the
strategy by which we can destroy the enemy at our doors".
They tried to bring consolation and remind him of the
immediate task, through various arguments. At last,
Ravana folded his twenty palms and praying to Siva, he
fell on the floor of the temple in reverent
homage.
When this happened on
the earth above, Ahi-ravana, living in the nether regions
became aware that Ravana was suffering a great burden of
sorrow. He thought within himself. "How could this be? He
has all the world under his control and within his grasp!
No one can defeat him". Ahi-ravana worshipped no other
god but the Devi Kamada. Immediately, he meditated on Her
and She revealed to Her votary the place where Ravana
was, at that time. So, he could appear before Ravana, in
the Siva Temple itself. He fell at Ravana's feet,
announcing his name while doing so. Ahi-ravana was no
other than another son of Ravana. He enquired the reason
why the father was so dishearted. Ravana related to him
all that had happened since the nose and ears of
Surpanakha
were sliced off by the brothers (RRV2-2).
This account made Ahi-ravana very sad. He said, "The path
of morality is adored by every one in the world. By
straying away from that path and preferring the path of
immortality, fear enters the heart. Instead of paying
attention to the past and future, and the likely course
of events, you have plunged into this foolish fatal war.
As a consequence, you have destroyed your clan and your
dynasty. You do not know the heroism and the power that
lies dormant in 'man'. You have counted the greatest
among them as the least and the lowest. Yet I wish to
tell you one thing now. I shall capture Rama and
Lakshmana and take them with me to the nether regions. I
shall sacrifice them as offerings to my Kamada Devi. I
shall thereby bring immense fame to the Rakshasa name."
With these words, he prostrated before Ravana, and made
obeisance to Kamada Devi. Then he entered the camp of
Rama. With his supernatural power, he invoked the spirit
of darkness and enveloped the Vanaras in thick blackness.
No one could see his own palm, held before him! Such was
the thickness of the pitch darkness around all. The
Vanaras were extremely vigilant in camp; even Death dare
not enter the place. Hanuman, the Vanara guard, elongated
his tail to such an extent that he could encircle the
camp with it many times over, until the coils one over
the other became a high wall, of the size and strength of
a mountain barrier. Hanuman himself sat alert at the only
gate through which entrance into this impregnable fort
was possible.
Ahi-ravana saw the
caudal fort and was stricken with great fear. He could
not conceive of any strategy to outmaneuver this defense.
Suddenly getting a brainwave, he changed himself into the
likeness of
Vibhishana and
accosted Hanuman at the gate. He told him, "Friend, I
must go into the Presence of Rama. With His approval I
had gone outside the camp to perform my evening prayers
and rites. I have finished them now. If I do not go
without delay, I would incur the sin of disobeying His
command. So, allow me to enter the camp." Hanuman was
taken in by those words and that form, which were to his
ears and eyes the same as Vibhishana's. He allowed him
into the camp. He found Nala and
Sugriva fast
asleep, since they were exhausted by the day's fighting.
Rama too was sleeping, with His hand clasping the hand of
His brother Lakshmana. The pseudo-Vibhishana who was
approaching him was not un-noticed by Rama. He had
incarnated, adopting, in sport, the human frame and His
purpose in so doing was to destroy the entire Rakshasa
species and wipe them off. His task will remain
unfinished if the descendants of Ravana survived in the
nether regions. So, He played His role, as if He did not
know the trick that Ahi-ravana was about to indulge in.
Others can not understand His ways. He knows where, when
and by which means, one has to be exterminated. He plays
His drama, in His own way.
The Rakshasa recited
the Mohana Mantra, which would make whomsoever he wants
swoon and become unconscious. That made the Vanara heroes
sleep even more soundly. Then, he bound Rama and
Lakshmana and carried them off to his region in the
bowels of the earth, the region called Patala.
[See
Srîmad Bhâgavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 24: The
Nether Worlds]
After some time, the
Vanaras woke up and were plunged in dismay when they
found that Rama and Lakshmana were not beside them. The
place where they had slept had become a deep pit. The
entire camp was soon filled with cries and groans. The
Vanaras were rendered as miserable as the sky without the
moon, or lotus blooms without water. The Vanaras started
moving in all directions to seek out the brothers and
recover them. Many ran towards the shore of the sea; many
searched the borders of the campus. No one could discover
any clue. The Vanaras lost hope and courage; they were
overcome by sorrow and despair. "All this juncture, this
misfortune has overtaken us." The Vanaras lamented their
fate in this manner. Sugriva, the King of the Vanaras,
himself fell unconscious on the ground. Vibhishana had
not heard about this incident; he was returning with wet
clothes on, from a sea bath, after performing his morning
rites. The Vanaras ran towards him and revealed to him
that Rama and Lakshmana could not be seen in camp.
Vibhishana was struck with sorrow for one instant; but,
since he was conversant with the tricks that the
Rakshasas could play, using their supernatural powers, he
guessed the plot correctly. "Come. Let us go into the
camp," he told them. This gave them some little
consolation. When he talked with Hanuman at the gate, he
was surprised and shocked. Hanuman asked, "Why? You
passed through this gate into the camp a while ago; you
asked me permission to do so."
It was now clear to
Vibhishana. He could picture in his mind what had
happened. So he addressed the Vanaras thus: "Vanaras!
There is no need to be anxious. Ahi-ravana, the son of
Ravana, is a master in such tricks. He is living in
Patala ... the nether regions. Judging from the depth of
this pit, I am sure it is he who has carried Rama and
Lakshmana to his own place underground. I have no doubt
on this point. For, no one else can assume my form. Do
not be disheartened. It is best that some one from among
us who is mighty proceeds thither." Vibhishana looked
around and sighting Hanuman, he said, "Hanuman! Your
physical and mental strength are known all over the
world. Go immediately to Patala and bring back those
Oceans of Mercy, Rama and Lakhsmana. Vibhishana described
also the route that Hanuman had to take to reach Patala,
where Ahi-ravana stayed. Sugriva, Angada and Jambuvantha
clasped Hanuman to their breast and shed tears of joy.
Hanuman solicited permission from his Royal Master,
Sugriva and, while starting on his mission, told the
Vanaras, "Do not fear. Do not be anxious in the least.
Whoever he is, I shall destroy him, even if I have to
sacrifice my life. I shall stand before you with Rama and
Lakshmana pretty soon. Be assured". With these words and
with the acclamation, Jai Rama, Jai Rama (Victory to
Rama, Victory to Rama) emanating from his tongue, Hanuman
started off. Reaching the Patala region, he rested a
while under a tree. He heard two birds sitting above him,
conversing aloud. Hanuman knew the language of birds; so,
he sat listening to their talk. "Dear One", spoke the
bird, "Ahi-ravana has brought two brothers Rama and
Lakshmana, and he has made all preparations to sacrifice
both of them to Goddess Kamada just now. He will cast
those holy bodies away, after the sacrifice. We can feast
on those sacred bodies to our full content. This day is a
festival day for us." Hanuman rose suddenly from under
the tree; like a cobra whose tail has been trodden upon,
he hissed with rage, and leaped forward like a giant
flame. "Alas! I fear what has happened already to my
Lord", he wailed.
He entered the City of
Ahi-ravana. At the very entrance, he had to fight and
overcome Makaradhwaja, the guard in monkey form. But,
seeing that he was a monkey, he explored his genealogy
and history; Hanuman was able to win his confidence and
get from him inside information about Rama and Lakhsmana
and their fate. He also came to know from him that the
brothers were to be taken at dawn to the temple of
Goddess Kamada, for being offered as human sacrifice to
Her.
Hanuman asked
Makaradhwaja, the Monkey Guardian of Patala, where the
two brothers were kept by the cruel Overlord of the
Nether Regions. He gave him all the details. However, he
insisted that he will not allow him to enter the area,
for, he had to obey his master and be loyal to him and to
his interests. 'Whatever the suffering I have to endure,
I shall not let you in,' he said. "If I show you special
consideration for the reason that you too are a monkey, I
will thereby be dishonoring the entire monkey species, as
unreliable and ungrateful. My lord, Ahi-ravana, is as
much adorable to me as your lord, Rama is to you. So,
however near you may be to me, I shall not waver or
deviate; I must do my duty and carry out his command. You
can get in only after defeating me in combat", he said
challengingly. Hanuman appreciated his sentiments and his
sense of duty. He was happy that Makaradhwaja had taken
the proper attitude. He took up the challenge and entered
into the fight. After some time spent in fierce combat,
Hanuman decided that protraction was not desirable; so,
he twisted his tail around the body of Makaradhwaja and
cast him far out in the distance. Then, Hanuman boldly
entered the City. He noticed a florist entering the gate
with a fine big garland of fragrant flowers. Resolving
that this was the best chance to reach the place he
wanted to, he assumed suddenly a molecular form and
occupied the garland he (the florist) was carrying. The
garland was not rendered any heavier; it was as light as
ever. The florist had no idea of what happened.
Everything was as before, for him. The garland was
delivered to Ahi-ravana himself. He took it in both his
hands and placed it round the neck of the image of Kamada
in the temple. He also offered various rich dishes as
sanctified food to the idol. From his vantage point on
the garland round its neck, Hanuman ate up the dishes as
they were placed before the idol. The Rakshasas saw the
food disappearing, and they were delighted that their
Goddess had deigned to accept their devotion. Ahi-ravana
too was happy, at the thought that 'this day, my prayers
have been answered: my fortune has reached its
summit.'
Meanwhile, Rama and
Lakhsmana, the brothers, were brought in, decorated in
the manner in which sacrificial animals are decorated.
Gigantic Rakshasa warriors were holding them by their
arms on either side. Hanuman saw them being made to stand
by side of the sacrificial altar. Hanuman bowed obeisance
to Rama from where he was, and filled his mind with
adorations for Him. The guards placed the brothers right
in front of the Idol, and held sharp swords near their
necks. Ahi-ravana said that the sacrificial offering of
the lives of the two brothers has to take place
immediately after the waving of the Holy Flame, and that
they ought to be ready to execute their task, without a
moment's delay. Rama and Lakshmana, who were really
Divine Beings playing the role of humans, had discovered
that it was Hanuman who had eaten the food offerings
placed by Ahi-ravana before the Deity, and that knowledge
induced them to take on to the impending events with
great good humor. Seeing them smiling and light-hearted,
Ahi-ravana was awfully enraged. He said, "Well. If the
few moments more of life that you are granted give you so
much of joy, I do not grudge it; be happy while you can.
A while later, you can smile in the realm of
Yama,
the Ruler of the Dead". He paid no regard to the
brothers, but continued to relish their fate and utter
harsh words to wound them even more. At this, the priest
rose and paying respects to his master, informed him that
the code of political morality requires that the victims
be permitted to pray, if they so desire, to their
guardian for peace after death. The Rakshasa Chief rose
from his seat and announced, "Princes! If you have any
well-wishers, this is the time to express gratitude for
them, since you have only a few moments to live". Rama
and Lakshmana looked at each other's face and
smiled.
That very moment,
Hanuman let out a terrific roar. Hearing it, the
Rakshasas imagined that their Goddess had manifested
Herself and was expressing Her anger. Hanuman jumped from
the garland, assuming his terror striking Form and
grasping the sword that was in the hand of the Goddess,
he felled Ahi-ravana to the ground and hit him all over,
hacking him to pieces. But his body was of diamond
strength and he had won a mysterious boon which made the
bits get together and become whole, as soon as they were
separated. At last, Hanuman fixed Rama in his mind and
with a shout, Jai Rama, he caught the head in one hand
and with the other sliced the neck. Before they could
join, he threw the head into the blazing fire, in the
sacrificial pit, before the Idol.
Just
then, Makaradhwaja managed to reach the temple and the
presence of the Goddess. On seeing him, Hanuman recovered
the golden crown from the head of Ahi-ravana, and placing
it on his head, he proclaimed him ruler of Patala and
advised him to be ever grateful to the Brothers and to be
always loyal and devoted to them. He had Rama and
Lakshmana seated on his shoulders and, at one jump, he
rose from Patala and landed for them [the
Vanaras] with their million eyes. Vibhishana
and others could not contain the joy that overwhelmed
them when they saw the Brothers safe and sound before
them. They fell at the feet of Rama and Lakshmana; they
clasped Hanuman in their arms and shed tears of
gratitude. The Vanaras praised Hanuman in a thousand
different paeans. They lifted him on their shoulders;
they fed him and fondled him. They embraced him, poured
their love on him. Vibhishana stood before Rama and said,
"Lord! What shall I say of your Leela,
your Sport? You alone can reveal to us the meaning of
your acts and activities. You have come with the
resolution to wipe off the Rakshasa denizens even in the
Nether Regions. All this stage-acting, is, I know, to
fulfill that resolution".
Ravana came to know
that Rama and Lakhsmana had been brought back by Hanuman
from the kingdom of Ahi-ravana. He heard the tragic news
of the death of his son, Ahi-ravana. He collapsed and
fell on the ground; he lamented his loss, long and loud;
tears flowed in streams from his eyes. Mandodari, the
Queen, came to him and tried her best to console him and
reduce his grief. He did not give ear to her words; he
only grew more and more enraged at her soft counsel.
Ravana mustered courage and rose suddenly, to meet a
Minister who presented himself at that time. His name was
Sindhuranatha; he was a respected elder, far gone in
years. He was a very wise man, who was in close proximity
to Vibhishana, when he was formerly in Lanka. He advised
him on various moral virtues and on the mortality of men
and things. Ravana did not listen to his words; he even
treated them with patent disgust. The Minister was sad
when he saw his reaction. He felt, "In times of
misfortune, intelligence too gets warped. Poor fellow! He
is heading towards disaster and so, even sweet counsel
tastes bitter to him". Still, out of compassion, he
continued with his words of sympathetic
advice.
Ravana said to himself:
"Now my kith and kin have been decimated; there is no one
left alive". Just then, an aged Minister said, "Why do
you say so? You have another surviving son, Narantaka,
who has with him 72
crores of
Rakshasas. Call him for support; send a messenger
immediately. He can destroy the enemy; you need have no
doubt". Ravana was delighted at these words. He sent the
messenger, named Dhoomakethu with instructions to bring
with him the clever Narantaka. The messenger described
the tragedies that had overtaken Lanka and communicated
the urgent appeal Ravana had made for his help. He
proceeded, on the spot, with his hordes and as soon as he
reached the field he fell upon the Vanara forces. Hanuman
spied him from far. He went forward to confront him. On
seeing him and his terror striking form Narantaka was
struck with fear. He asked Dhoomakethu who he was and was
told that he was Hanuman, the invincible hero who had
killed all his brothers. Hearing this, Narantaka became
even more ferocious; he placed arrows on his bow and let
them off against Hanuman; but, he caught them all by the
hand and broke them to pieces. He came very close to
Narantaka and pounded his breast heavily with his
clenched fist. He lifted him aloft and turning him around
fast, threw him deep into a Nether Region named Rasatala
[See
Srîmad Bhâgavatam, Canto 5, Chapter 24,
(verse 7): The Nether
Worlds].
Millions of his Rakshasa followers were thrown into the
sea. He broke into smithereens the chariots in the army
of Narantaka; the charioteers were also
decimated.
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