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Continued from yesterday’s instalment
 From that point onwards Rama took over and very soon Ravana was stripped bare of his army, defences, divine weapons and his crowns ten rolled on the ground. Ravana was ashamed. His head, for the first time, hung low. Hear it from the mouth of the Poet.
‘aRam kadandhavar seyal idhu endru ulagelaam aarppa,’ People shouted joyously ‘This happens to anyone who transgresses the path of Dharma.’
‘niram karindhida,’ his complexion darkened
‘nilam viral kiLaindhida nindraan,’ he stood there, his toes drawing lines on the ground.
‘verum kai naatrinan.’ His bare (weaponless) hands hung low
‘vizhudhudai aal anna meyyaan,’ resembling a banyan tree with rooting branches.
I am tempted to write on the magnanimity of Rama. Though the field belongs to Lakshmana, I cannot but quote a few words of his, addressing Ravana at this moment when his Rival stands weak, spent and alone. ‘I can kill you this very moment,’ says Rama ‘but I won’t.’
‘aRaththinaal andri, amararkkum arum samam kadaththal maraththinaal aridhu,’
Wars are won by Dharma and not by might. It is not possible even for the celestials to be victorious unless they stand by Dharma.
‘enbadhu manaththidai valiththi.’ You need to comprehend and understand this deep in your mind.
‘paRaththi nin kiLayodum padhi puga iRaththi,’ you will die this very moment with the large crowd of your men.
‘yaan adhu ninaikkilan.’ But that’s not what I want to do now.
‘thanimai kaNdu irangi.’ I pity you. I sympathise with you, for you are alone.
Here is the man! Here is the hero! Here is the greatest of all greats that mankind has ever seen! Rama gives Ravana another opportunity now. The reader would remember the question of Lakshmana that we heard in our earlier posting (See:
The voice of the rebel), when Rama sent Angada as his emissary just before the commencement of the war. ‘If Ravana hands back Sita now, what would happen to that promise that you made to Vibishana, to make him the king of Lanka?’ Rama answers this point by his action now.
 ‘siRayil vaiththavaL thannai vittu,’
Release her whom you have imprisoned. ‘nin thambiyai iraakadhar mudhal pEr iRayil vaiththu,’ and make your younger brother the king of Lanka and
‘avarrkku Eval seydhu iruththiyEl’ and if you serve him as your master,
‘innum thaRayil vaikkilen nin thalai’ I won’t roll your head on the ground.
Number one. Leave Sita. Number two. Make Vibishana the king of Lanka and accept him as your master. If you accept these two conditions, I would spare your head. If you do not, I leave you for now.
‘indru pOi pOrukku naaLai vaa.’ Go now and come well prepared and armed for war tomorrow.
And that aptly answers Lakshmana’s questions. This is how Rama handles the situation when his rival was almost overpowered and he had his life at his disposal. And he knew very well that Ravana would not accept any of the two and that he should wait till his mind is wiped clean of its lust. Ravana’s exit that day led to the waking up of Kumbakarna and the exciting battle that ensued between him and Lakshmana before he was finally killed by Rama.
More follows...
Published on 16th
April 2002
Hari
Krishnan
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