Kamba Ramayana A study 13. Ravana fails to win the heart of Sita and carries her away.

In epics the name and the nature of the person so named often has a connection. Curiously Ravana means 'causing to cry' and 'act of screaming'. However Ravana did try to impress Sita and win her over.

 In the tradition of a Hindu household Sita welcomed the mendicant who stood in front of her cottage. In the course of the conversation, the sadhu, began to praise Ravana and his rule. When Sita remarked that it did not become a holy man to support a Rakshasa, he replied that Ravana was the master of the world today and it was better to be on the side of the strong. Sita countered, 'Fear not then, Rama has vowed to annihilate the Rakshasa with all his army.' When he replied that a mere man could not defeat Ravana, vast in size and with twenty arms. Sita asked, 'Of what avail are twenty arms? Did not Parushu Rama kill Kartavirya, a king with thousand arms and one who had kept Ravana in prison?'

This allusion to his former defeat and shame infuriated Ravana and in anger revealed his true form as Sita trembled in fear. Ravana scooped out the cottage from the earth with her in it and placed it in his vast flying chariot and flew towards Lanka.

In Valmiki Ramayana, Ravana walked in disguised as a wandering monk, asked if Sita, beautiful and shyness personified, was Lakshmi, goddess of fame, wealth and fortune or an apsara or Rathi, wife of Kama. Or are you pleasure loving, moving at your free will? He also tried to flatter her, 'Your teeth are smooth even, white and beautiful.Your big eyes are clear and sparkling with red tinge at the tip; the eye balls and lashes are dark.
Obviously unable to stop, he went overboard! 'Your broad hips are stout and strong, smooth thighs are like the tusks of elephant, your breasts adorned with gems are round like palm fruits and lovely, drooping towards the belly with heaviness with their stiff nipples projected are adding beauty.'

While it is unusual for a monk to speak in this manner, obviously, in spite of his disguise, Ravana was just being himself. I had read that the hundreds of  women in his harem (अन्तःपुर), while they were captured, were in fact in love with Ravana. Sita was the first woman to be abducted against her will. Clearly the demon expected that Sita would be bowled over with his approach. Her rejection must have bruised his ego. I used to wonder about these women. How could they love a ten-headed demon. Not anymore, look at all the new novels about girls enamoured by vampires, werewolves and so on!

He persisted by telling her that she belonged to a palace and not a forest full wild animals and demons! Sita took all this in her stride and offered him a traditional welcome due to a brahmin. And looked out  for that beautiful form of Rama who had gone to hunt the deer and waited with eagerness for her husband. She saw only green stretch of great forest land and not Rama and Lakshmana.

With no sign of them, Sita thought, 'He is a brahmin and a guest. If I don't answer his entreaties he may curse me'. She narrated the story of her life and concluded, 'O! Best among brahmins! Three of us are wandering in the deep forest, having been forsaken from the kingdom on account of Kaikeyi. Take rest for a while staying here. It is hoped that my husband will come and be getting from the forest plenty of meat of many kinds on killing deer, alligators and hogs.'

She then politely asked the guest about himself. Ravana tired of his pretence replied, 'O Sita! I am Ravana by name, the lord of host of rakshasas whom the worlds of asuras and pannagas along with gods are frightened. O! Flawless woman of golden complexion, after seeing you clad in silk garments, I am not inclined to show any interest in my wives'. Supremely confident he offered,.... you will be the chief queen. I wish you all well.

His offer, one he imagined she could not refuse, was spruned by Sita and she angrily warned him of the dire consequences he would face. He, after more heated arguments, showering insults on Rama and also offering more inducements, .. great Ravana speaking in harsh words to Vaidehi lifted her and got on to the chariot and placed her there.

Amruta Dongray said...

You have mentioned that women in Ravana's harem were in love with him. Women have, I think always admired and have been attracted to males who come across as physically strong and may be in some way also are attracted to men with quirks...Quirks that add an interesting dimension to the personality of the man.

I think Sita actually was attracted to Ravana for may be even for a fraction of a second and justified her actions of letting him in because he was a sadhu...

22 May 2013 at 18:44