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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 Which is the character that brought the most important turn of events in the epic? Manthara occupies the first position in the chronology of events. Kaikeyi comes next. But as the attempt was just started by Manthara and executed by Kaikeyi, the first position has to be shared between these two. The second position must therefore be given to Surpanakha and the third position goes to Märïca.
But if you reflect on it, it was Rama himself who was responsible for all the important turn of events! He was behind those persons who brought story to its natural and pre-ordained destiny. If it were not for his aiming clay-tipped arrows on the hunchback of Manthara, she would not have developed a dislike for the lad, after all! And that goes true in the case of Märïca as well. If it was not for Rama, Märïca would not have survived that long - approximately a little more than 22 years - to bring about a turn that led to the taking shape of events that quicken the process of reaching the culmination point of the purpose of the avatar.
There are two lineages of rakshasas, says sage Agastya in the Uttara Kanda while narrating the story of Ravana and his family to Rama. One was that of Salakatankata and the other one was that of Pulastya. Ravana belonged to the Pulastya lineage and Tataka was his grandmother. One would not have forgotten the sarcastic chuckle of Angada when he met Ravana in his court. ‘Enough of your bragging. Where were you when your grandmother’s carcass was feasted upon by vultures?’
(‘parundhu uNap paatti yaakkai padutha pOdhu…’) Tataka had two sons, Märïca and Subahu.
Ravana seems to have had his ‘outposts’ in India, with his relatives infesting the jungles. Tataka, Märïca and Subahu occupied the jungle where Viswamitra was performing his penance and Kara, Dhooshana and a whole lot of their army infested the forests of
Panchavati.
We know how Viswamitra took Rama and Lakshmana to protect his yaga. Once Viswamitra started the sacrificial fire, there appeared these two ogres, sons of Tataka and therefore uncles of Ravana, Märïca and Subahu. To the frightened lot of sages Rama showed his
abhaya hasta, says Kamban. ‘kaviththanan kara thalam kalangaleer ena.’
His hand rose up as a mark of protection. ‘Don’t fear,’ he said and in the next few moments he razed them all down to the ground. He killed
Subahu.
 ‘thirumagal naayagan dheyva vaaLi dhaan,’ The divine arrow of the husband of
Mahalakshmi, ‘veruvaru thatakai payandha veerargal iruvaril oruvanaik kadali ittadhu,’
threw one of the two sons of the dreaded Tataka and ‘angu oruvanai andhaka puraththil uyithadhE’ despatched the other to the Yamaloka. Subahu was killed and Märïca was thrown beyond the sea.
It was the wish of the Destiny to let Märïca escape the deadliest of arrows. If Rama’s arrow - celebrated as unfailing - did not kill him, it is something extraordinary. He was saved for a later occasion. But in the meantime, for the long, long 22 years, Märïca was a totally changed soul. He had quit from doing harms, striking terror and wreaking vengeance on sages and even on the general public. He was leading the life of a hermit.
More follows...
Hari Krishnan
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