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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 Märïca realised that he was left with no other option but to listen to Ravana. There was no purpose in his reasoning it out. No amount of logic, wisdom or fear of dharma would work here. Ravana was above all these. There are five things that protect a man from yielding to temptations and swerve from the path of rectitude. First comes the fear of God. Second one is the sanctions contained in scriptures. The fear that it would affect the children and the race at large comes third. A fourth is the laws enacted by the Government. And the fifth is the fear of ruination of health and also wealth.
Of the five, the first two - fear of God and fear for scriptures are dependent on faith. Ravana did not have any fear for the first two, though he could not be found lacking in it completely. He did not consider himself above the Ultimate, like Hiranya who insisted that his name be chanted instead of that of Narayana. Though he exhibits disrespect for the Trinity and talks ill of them in several instances, we find him offering puja to Lord Shiva on two occasions in the entire epic, before starting for his first war with Rama and also before starting for the last war. He is shown as more devoted to the Lord in the last scene - that is before he gets into the chariot for the last war. But till the last moment, we see him roaming about with the stoutest ego ever. Märïca knew that these wouldn’t work with him. But nonetheless, he tries to instil that kind of fear in vain.
The fourth would obviously not work with him! He was the Government and it was his will that was law! If we analyse the arguments of Märïca, we can clearly see that he shows a clear recognition of these and therefore places the emphasis on points three and five alone, more especially on point three, namely, it would spell the doom of children as well as the race.
 He did his best to stop Ravana. Now he was left with just one option. That of choosing his death either from the hand of Rama or from Ravana.
‘arakkan ahdhu uraithalOdum aRindhanan.’ Having heard Ravana speaking thus, Märïca understood what was lying in store.
‘adangi nenjam,’ He controlled himself and stood balanced of mind.
‘tharukkinar keduvar endral thathuva nilayitru andrO!’ ‘Pride goes before a fall,’ is the adage, he said.
‘serukkunar theerththum enbaar thammin aar serukkar?’
Who can be termed more proud than the person who believes that he has the ability to bring the proud to sense?
The verse puts his position beautifully. ‘Ravana, pride goes before a fall and a person like you is incorrigible and cannot be made to see the truth as it is. I tried to correct you. Now I realise that my attempt was futile. If I continue to believe that I can correct you, then I would be considered to be prouder than you. Let me guard myself from excelling you in pride. I give up. I would listen to you. But listen to me, I have something more to tell you by way of warning, if not by way of advice.’
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Hari Krishnan
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