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 As we saw earlier the name Vali made Ravana shudder. Just two verses earlier, his eyes were spewing fire. Now they mellow. An uneasy smile appears on his countenance. ‘Ah...I see… are you a messenger sent by Vali’s son? How is Vali? Is he well?’ Hanuman enjoyed this uneasiness. He slips more information in pieces and pokes at the shaken ego of
Ravana.
anjalai arakka
Fear not O demon. Paar vittu andharam
adaindhan. He left this world and reached the heaven. venjina Vali
meeLaan. He will never return. vaalum poi ozindhandre! Nor will his tail. Don’t worry sire. Vali is dead and gone. He will not come back and his tail was also dispatched with him. It won’t return either.
Hanuman told Ravana that the most powerful Vali was killed by a single arrow shot from the bow of Sri Rama, thus giving him the message that Rama was not to be underestimated. But that information helped to pacify Ravana’s troubled heart. Vali is dead. He was able to see only up to that and no more. His passion, folly and ego were too thick to be penetrated. He could not see the fact that if Rama killed Vali, who had overpowered him, it would not be difficult for Rama to put him to such an end.
Ravana’s reaction
‘Ah I see. Your king is so meek as to worship the one that killed his elder brother. Your team leader Angada is brave enough to serve a person that slew his father. What a glorious way to follow! It seems you serve him because you are all afraid of him. Don’t be afraid of me. I won’t kill you. You may convey to me what you are supposed to.’
Putting up a brave face when the heart is confused. Few moments before, this same Ravana was fretting and fuming. Ravana was a person who could not tolerate the slightest protest. Here, he had lost a sizeable portion of his army and even his own son, Aksha Kumara in an attempt to capture this monkey. He could not contain his grief, anguish and anger. He was very particular to kill this monkey in revenge. Look at the words that he utters now. He reassures Hanuman - who is supposed to be afraid of Rama and serves him because of the fear he has for a person who killed his leader - that he won’t kill him as he was an emissary.
 He so magnanimously adds. ‘You came with the message of someone. But you caused untold damage by destroying my land and engaging in a battle with my army needlessly. Now that you are caught, you must be afraid. Don’t be afraid. I won’t kill you, as you are a messenger.’
That must have been the bravest of speeches! Imagine this Ravana. He was so angry moments ago. And he had valid reasons too. Loss of a handsome son in the most gruesome way would anger anyone. The proportion of anger in the case of a person like Ravana, with such power over the worlds, need not be emphasised. Now he tries to reassure the monkey that killed his army and his own son.
The folly does not stop with that.
Hari Krishnan
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