Ravana’s wife, queen of Lanka. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

 

There lived a rakshasa by name Mayura. He had built a beautiful city for himself. That city was more beautiful than the city of Indra. The daughter of Mayura was Mandodari. Ravana married Mandodari. She had many qualities like shanti, kindness and prema and Ravana never had any one of them in him. (SSB 1977, p. 155)

 

She was an ideal wife

From the time of marriage, Mandodari tried her best to communicate her good qualities to Ravana and save him but Ravana made no attempt to change his bad qualities. As a man reaches his end, his bad qualities will also go on increasing. So also Ravana’s bad qualities began to increase. (SSB 1977, p. 155)

 

While abducting Sita, Ravana was taking her across the ocean to Lanka. He was highly materialistic and wanted to impress Sita with glimpses of his riches, power opulence and acquisitions. With this intention he took Sita into inner apartments of his palace. But Sita refrained from looking any of these with utter disdain. Mandodari was very sad at the turn of events. She advised Ravana thus: ‘Oh! Lord! Why are you inviting you own doom? Rightly is it said that as the time of destruction approaches, discrimination departs (Vinasha Kaale Viparita Buddhi). Why did you have to bring here such chaste and pious lady like Sita? This is our fate. You are not making attempts to understand the true nature of mother Sita. For you need to know and control yourself first. She definitely cannot stay in the inner palace. Instead select a peaceful location and put her there.’ Paying heed to Mandodari’s advice, he set up a small house in the Ashoka Vana for Sita to live in peace. Mandodari is ranked as an ideal wife, because, like a minister who warns his king against danger, she gave timely advice to Ravana and made sincere attempts to dissuade him from going astray. She told him, ‘Lord! Instead of doing ‘Rama-chintana’ (Thoughts about the Lord Rama) you are doing ‘Kama-chintana’ (indulging in lustful thoughts). From now on you will never face good times again. Your doom is approaching. This is the reason why you are entertaining such wicked, destructive thoughts. You should never cause a woman weep and shed tears. If you do so, for every tear that she sheds, you will have to shed a thousand. Never hurt a woman.’ Thus Mandodari tried her best to make Ravana realize his folly.

 

Mandodari implores Sita to save her Evil Husband:

One day Mandodari herself went to Sita. She implored, ‘O daughter of Mother Earth! Accept my salutations. You are chaste and noble lady. You are highly sacred and pure. My husband is an evil man. His evil deeds are dragging him to his destruction. It is said that:

 

With good feelings, man enjoys happiness;

With evil feelings he himself becomes evil. (Telugu Poem)

 

His bad intentions are making him evil. Please forgive him and save me from widowhood.’ This episode of Mandodari pleading with Sita is not chronicled in any prevalent version of the Ramayana. Meanwhile Sita was totally lost in Rama’s contemplation. Mandodari’s plea or Ravana’s threats did not even register in her mind. (SSB 2002, pp. 113-115)

 

Mandodari, the queen of Ravana, strived hard to save her husband. She gave wise counsel to him but Ravana paid no heed to her. When husband takes to evil ways, virtuous wife acts as his wise minister to put him on the right path. Mandodari was one such wife. Bharya (wife) is not the one who provides worldly pleasures to her husband; she is the one who does good to him by leading him to the path of wisdom and righteousness. Mandodari was a true Sati (wife) who tried to mend the ways of her Pati (husband). (SSS Vol.37, pp. 102-103)

 

Her advice to Ravana

The wife should advise her husband well when he indulges in evil;

She should be like a Minister who advises the King properly.

 

Women should follow the example of Mandodari, who always struggled to mend the ways of her husband, Ravana. (SSB 1996, p. 45)

 

Ravanasura was a very wicked person. Mandodari could live long with him because of her forbearance. Mandodari used to advise Ravana in many ways. She used to tell him if the same thing had happened to him, how much he would have felt. ‘You should not go after the wife of another person. Is there anything wrong in Rama getting angry? Don’t you think they would feel just as you would feel? You just correct yourself. Don’t try to make your fault as something very big’. (DTB Vol.4, p. 17)

 

Mandodari ....... strove hard to change the wicked ways of her husband, ‘You do not know who Rama is. He is the very incarnation of Lord Narayana and Lakshmana is the incarnation of Adishesha. Return Sita to Rama and fall at His feet,’ she said, but Ravana refused to pay heed to her advice. (SSB 1996, p. 66)

 

 

Mandodari said, God is the Ultimate Divine Master and Everything in Creation belongs to Him. All beings are His property. The Sahasrara flower (representing the Mind) is His property, and it must be offered to Him alone. Mandodari said, ‘Ravana, Sri Rama is God Himself and Sita is the embodiment of Mother Supreme. You have committed a heinous crime in abducting Sita. What right do you have to take away what belongs to someone else? Repent at least now for what you have done. Go to Rama, fall at His Feet, seek His pardon, and restore Sita back to Him.’ But alas, when disaster beckons, the mind gets perverted; so Ravana ignored Mandodari’s advice and later paid the price for his rashness. (SSB 2002, pp. 103-104)

 

‘Return to Rama the Acme of chastity, the Diadem of the Virtuous, the Incomparable Jewel of beauty, Sita.’ Then let us crown our son as Emperor of this realm and spend the rest of our days in peace and plentiful joy in the immediate presence of Rama. Ah! How fortunate is your brother! He is moving in the cool shade of Rama s grace. It is not too late. At this very moment, hasten towards Rama, which is at the very entrance of Lanka and fall at his feet, praying for pardon.’ (RKRV Part II, p. 185)

 

Mandodari tried to din sense into Ravana’s head. She said: ‘Oh Ravana, you are indulging in heinous and lowly deeds. You are bringing untold suffering and misery to many pure and noble ladies. The heinous sins in which you are indulging in will boomerang on you.’ She continued; ‘You cannot escape the inexorable law of Karma. I am plagued by all sorts of apprehensions about you and about us, though I am the daughter of a great emperor, my son Indrajit, an invincible hero, and you are my master. Be careful for women are like fire. Do not insult women by evil looks, evil words, and evil deeds, for it is great sin.’ Ravana did not take the words of Mandodari seriously. On the other hand, he laughed at her. (SSB 1996, pp. 77-78)

 

Ravana, in fact, had so many other bad qualities and bad ideas in him, and he often undertook to do things which he should not have done. Many times, he made attempts to kill even Sita. Mandodari, the wife of Ravana, tried to teach Ravana that to kill a woman is very wrong, and that he was committing a great sin. The bad qualities that were in him made him take always the wrong path and subjected him to many difficulties. On one occasion Mandodari went to her husband asked him: ‘You know all the Dharma, and all codes of conduct. With all your wisdom, why is it that you are doing wrong things? What is the matter? How can you explain? What is the inner meaning of your behaviour? Not only this, you have all the capacity and you have all the strength to assume any form that you like. On one day when you brought Sita to Lanka, you were in the form of a Sannyasi and you deceived her. Why are you taking all the trouble to win over the sacred Sita? If you only assume the form of Ramachandra, then Sita would be yours. Why did you not adopt that path?

 

The, Ravana replied that Ramachandra’s form was a sacred and divine one. If he really took that form, how will he have bad qualities at all? (SSB 1977, p. 116) Then, Ravana replied that if he could really put on the sacred appearance of Rama, he would not get such evil thoughts in his mind at all! When you look like Rama, you will get the thoughts and ideas appropriate to Rama and not those of Ravana. (SSB 1973, p. 168) This means Ravana knew very well that qualities which one will have should be appropriate to his form. Because he had a form of rakshasa, the qualities of rakshasa were showing up. (SSB 1977, p. 116)

 

Today, people have a human form. They appear like human beings but behave like rakshasas. There is some contradiction in this situation. Since we have taken the human form, sacred qualities which are appropriate to a human being should thrive within us. In words we may say that we are human beings, that we are devotees, that God in the form of Atma is present in us, but to put these statements into practice has become very rare. The first thing we should do in this context is to correct our practice. Through our efforts, we can achieve any great thing. The kind of conduct which we accept and go through in our daily life will only be reflected by our life. (SSB 1977, p. 116)

 

Hanuman’s advice to Mandodari:

 

Ravana …….ordered that Hanuman’s tail be set on fire after wrapping it with clothes dipped in oil. …. The tail of Hanuman was set on fire. Hanuman did not keep quiet. With the burning tail, he jumped from one building to the other and thus set the entire city on fire. Beautiful and palatial buildings with precious stones went up in flames within no time. Even Mandodari’s palace was engulfed by flames. She came out. People ran helter–skelter, here and there. Not a single building was spared from the raging flames. (SSS Vol.42, pp. 116-117)

 

Queen Mandodari ......summoned the soldiers guarding the Palace, and ordered them to give refuge therein to women and children. She confessed her fears and poured out the grief she suffered. ‘Alas! The foolish obstinacy of Ravana is causing the extinction of the Rakshasa clan. This blow will end only with the holocaust. I and brother-in-law, Vibhishana advised him a great deal. We prayed with folded arms. He refused to pay heed. We lamented that it will end in the destruction of every single Rakshasa. But as they say, ‘When extermination is near, discrimination flees far.’ Bad times are approaching him, and so, he is behaving in these nefarious ways.’ Wherever she turned her eyes, ferocious tongues of flame glared at her. Hanuman too was very much before her eyes, jumping about in the midst of the flames. From every household there rose the cry, ‘Hanuman, save us.’ ‘Spare this house.’ With folded palms, they prayed, ‘Take pity on our children.’ The wife of Kumbhakarna, the younger brother of Ravana, ran forward with her prayer. ‘Oh, Messenger of Rama! My husband is submerged in deep sleep. Do not set fire to our home. Save my husband from being burnt to death.’ (RKRV Part II, pp. 152-153)

 

Hanuman then advised Mandodari, ‘Mother, it is the sin committed by your husband that is responsible for this devastating fire and consequent loss of so many lives and property. Please tell your husband not to commit such heinous sins hereafter. If you can thus save your husband, it amounts to saving yourself and the rakshasa clan’ People have to suffer the consequences of their actions. God is only a witness. Good and bad, one gets the fruit of his actions. (SSS Vol.42, p. 117)

 

Mandodari implores ravana to pay heed to the omniscient one:

 

(Mandodari approaches her husband, the demon king Ravana, while Prince Rama and his allies convene outside the palace)

 

In Lanka every Rakshasa was struck with anxiety about what was in store for him in days to come. They were afraid of the disaster that was imminent. They were convinced they could not escape the calamity. They could communicate their fears to each other only in whispers since they were mortally afraid of Ravana.

 

Wherever groups of Rakshasas collected in Lanka, the talk centred around the calamitous damage inflicted by the messenger of Rama. They wondered, ‘When the servant is capable of such tremendous heroism, what would be the measure of the onslaught the Master can inflict?’ They pictured Rama as capable of immeasurable attack. Their fears were communicated by her maids to Mandodari, the Queen of Ravana. Her mind was filled with apprehension and anxiety. She realised that the fear was based on a correct estimate of the happenings. She waited for a propitious moment when Ravana would be in a receptive mood, and could be spoken to while alone. Getting such a chance, she said, ‘Lord! Do not develop enmity with the Omniscient One. You yourselves expressed the opinion that Rama is not an ordinary person. Your army could not wreak vengeance when sister Surpanakha was disfigured. It could not harm him or move him to repentance. Now he has with him millions of redoubtable Vanara heroes. What can our Rakshasa warriors achieve against him now? They could not even bind and punish the messenger who got entry into this kingdom. That is the extent of the misfortune that has beset us. When one servant caused such horror and despair, how much worse would be the calamities that millions like him could bring about? Therefore, pray listen to my appeal. Send Sita back to Rama, in the care of brother Vibhishana, or with your Ministers. Sita too is no ordinary woman. She is exemplarily chaste. She is the very embodiment of spiritual energy that results from the righteous nature. Causing grief to such a person can bring you no good. Accede to my pleading. Return Sita to Rama. When that is done, all will be good for you and for our Rakshasa race. Or else, as the serpent swallows the frogs, the arrows of Rama will swallow the Rakshasa hordes. Give up stubbornness and pride. Offer Sita at the feet of Rama.’ She fell at the feet of Ravana with this pitiable importunity.

 

Ravana, the conceited ignoramus, looked at Mandodari, and replied with a loud peal of laughter. He said, ‘Fie on you! Tender women are scared soon; that is their very nature. Their words rising from fear will turn even fortune into misfortune. When the monkeys arrive at our doors, the Rakshasas would certainly gobble them up. The gods shudder in mortal terror when my name is uttered within hearing; why are you afraid of these tree-dwelling brutes? Fie on your fears! Get thee gone from here’. Saying thus, he proudly moved into the Hall, appearing like personified audacity. As soon as he left, Mandodari bewailed to herself, ‘Alas! Destiny is devising a mighty tragedy. What has it decided for me? It is terrible even to guess what it is’. Burdened with grief, and at a loss to, plan what else to do, she restored to her rooms and rolled on her bed, agitated by a multitude of thoughts. (RKRV Part II, pp. 160-162)

 

Mandodari pleads with Ravana to prostrate before Rama and seek pardon:

Ravana saw Mandodari, the Queen, in the apartment. Her eyes discovered that Ravana had become forlorn. She decided to administer wise counsel to him. She held his hands in her hands and in a soft, smooth and sweet voice, she said, ‘Lord! Please listen to me, give up your anger; pay heed to my words. Think them over carefully. Those whom we can win over by reverence and devotion, we should not plan to win by hatred and opposition. In such circumstances, we have to resort to intelligent reasoning. It will not bring any good if we oppose such sacred persons. You cannot achieve victory if you encounter Rama. The glow-worm cannot vanquish the Sun. Listen to me. Take Sita, at least this moment, and while returning her safely, prostrate before him and pray for pardon. Do not ruin your life and destroy Lanka and sacrifice the lives of its women and children. Persisting in your resolve to fight is not in line with the devotion and dedication to God that you are famous for. If you hold fast to this horrid decision, even Siva, whom you have pleased hitherto, is sure to give you up. Good deeds alone can win the grace of God. How can God reward and appreciate such heinous acts?’

 

Mandodari spoke in this strain for a long time trying to mend his ways and to save him from destruction. ‘Lord! You are as dear to me as my own life. Pay heed. Rama is no ordinary human prince. He is the very person who destroyed Madhu and Kaitabha come again. He killed Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. He is the Lord who trampled on the head of Emperor Bali. He demolished the pride of the thousand-armed Kartavirya Arjuna. Then why boast of the prowess of your mere twenty? He is worshipped by the entire world. He is of the most auspicious form. A long time ago, you had yourselves told me that Brahma had told you that God would incarnate as Rama in order to relieve the earth of the burden of cruelty and vice. Do you not remember? Aware of all this, how is it that you do not give up this path, and recognise the truth? Return to Rama the Acme of Chastity, the Diadem of the Virtuous, the Incomparable Jewel of beauty, Sita. Then let us crown our son as Emperor of this realm and spend the rest of our days in peace and plentiful joy in the immediate presence of Rama. Ah! How fortunate is your brother! He is moving in the cool shade of Rama’s grace. It is not too late. At this very moment, hasten towards Rama who is at the very entrance of Lanka and fall at his feet, praying for pardon.’

 

Mandodari was in tears when she spoke thus. She rolled at the feet of her lord, appealing to him to be warned in good time and to take immediate measures to rescue himself and his empire, his people and his fame. Ravana raised her to her feet and wiped her eyes. He said, ‘Dear one! Why are you agitated thus? Wherefrom all this fear, this lack of courage? There is no one more powerful than me in the world. The rulers of the eight directions have been defeated by the might of my arm. Death dare not step near me. Do not yield to fear. You are extolling that weakling Rama in my hearing unaware of the depth and extent of my might.’ With these words, he left the Queen and entered the Audience Hall, where he promptly sat on the Throne. Mandodari noticed his movements and the trend of his thoughts. She said to herself, ‘What a fool! This is the inevitable fate of persons who do not give up their false pride. Good counsel cannot enter their minds. When one is suffering from fever, sweet things taste bitter. He is now having the poisonous fever of pride. Therefore, nectarine counsel is rejected by him, as if it is poison. What more can I do now?’ She pictured in her mind the calamities and sorrows that were in store for Lanka. She felt that, before witnessing and sharing in all that misery and grief, it would be better to end life itself. With a heavy heart and with thoughts of Rama filling her, she went into her room and threw herself on the bed. (RKRV Part II, pp. 182-186)

 

Mandodari’s advice ignored:

Ravana entered the apartments of the queens, overwhelmed by shame and fear. Mandodari noted the pallid crestfallen appearance of Ravana. She said, ‘At least, now, give up your foolish tenacity. To cultivate enmity towards Rama will bring disaster to the kingdom itself. You could not step across the line drawn by Lakshmana. How then could you hope to defeat them in battle? Your powers and might are but dry leaves before them. Your followers could not overpower the messengers they sent. Can you ever hope to overwhelm them when they invade this land in their billions? You could not stir Angada’s feet even a hair breadth, and yet, you hope to capture and bind billions of such Vanaras! I am pained that, in spite of all experience already available, you are still holding on obstinately to your resolution. Our son was killed. Your city was reduced into a heap of ash. Your parks were uprooted. Countless Rakshasas were thrown up like balls and killed by the fall. Where were your strength and skills at that time? Boastful declarations can inflict no harm on these Vanaras.’ ‘Lord,’ Mandodari pleaded, ‘Pardon me for these words. You are badly mistaken when you consider Rama a mere man. He is the Master of the Universe. He is an invincible hero. You are already aware of the extent of his might and valour, aren’t you? Recollect the facts related by Angada, quietly within yourself. Remember! You were seated in the gathering of kings in the Hall of Janaka, to exhibit your strength and skill; but you failed even to shift a little the position of the Bow of Siva. Rama lifted it as if it was a spurt of playfulness and cast it aside in broken halves. This demonstration of might was seen with your own eyes. If you still do not give up your foolish tenacity, it is an indication that your destruction is imminent. What could you do when the nose and ears of your own sister, Surpanakha, were sliced off? Are you not ashamed to proclaim and boast about your strength and your heroism, after all these experiences? Rama killed Vali with a single arrow. Was Vali an ordinary foe? Rama has now come with his army of Vanaras and encamped on the Suvela Hill. Rama is the very embodiment of Righteousness and Morality; or else, why should he send an envoy to you, as he has done, to advise you how you can still save yourself? This envoy has tried to turn your mind towards accord with Rama. But you do not give up your sense of pride. You do not appreciate the moral sense that moves Rama. You do not understand the virtues that animate the supremely sacred Person who has sent the envoy. You are causing the downfall of your own kingdom! What could you do now to throw out Angada, the envoy, who entered the Audience Hall? There are in their camp thousands, nay, lakhs of Vanaras, mightier and more destructive than this one. Listen to my words, give up this demonic passion. Go and surrender to Rama.’ These words of counsel reminding Ravana of happenings in the past, struck his heart like sharp arrows. (RKRV Part II, pp. 197-199)

 

Sulochana confronts Mandodari

Sulochana, the wife of Meghanada, heard the news of her husband’s death. …. Wailing alone, she moved towards the apartments of Mandodari, the Queen, and the mother of Meghanada. Reaching there, she fell at the feet of her mother-in-law and said, ‘This calamity has been brought about by your husband and not by anyone else. You too cannot escape such a calamity, which is sure to befall this day or the next.’ Her torn heart poured out words that were harsh and cruel. Mandodari too was pained when she contemplated the evil desires of Ravana and his pride at his own wickedness. She wept at the realisation that the words of Sulochana were awfully true. The two women sat silent for long, and later they described to each other the virtues and excellence of Rama and the patience and chastity of Sita and told themselves that if only they could get a glimpse of that divine person their lives would be rendered worthwhile. (RKRV Part II, pp. 233-235)

 

Mandodari’s lamentation

The battle that ensued between Rama and Ravana was fought with incomparable and unexcelled fury. Dogs howled, foxes moaned, donkeys brayed. Birds and beast set up piteous wails. Balls of fire dropped from the sky. Sudden bursts of flame became evident in all directions. The heart of Mandodari, the Queen, beat loud and fast. Every idol in every home and temple in the island shed tears in plenty…..Rama shot a bunch of thirty-one arrows at the same instant on Ravana…Ravana rid himself of life and reached heaven… Hearing that Ravana had died, his queen Mandodari collapsed on the floor. When she recovered, she hastened with her maids to the corpse of Ravana and wailed aloud. She collected the heads and was stricken with grief at the tragic fate of her lord. She recited with fond reminiscence the exploits of Ravana in the past. ‘Lord! You had overwhelmed and subjugated the entire Creation. The Rulers of the eight directions had fallen at your feet, praying for protection. Of what avail was all that glory! Of what avail were the austerities and asceticism that you underwent. You had to endure this fate in spite of all the might you had won. This blow fell upon you since you turned away from Rama. You could not conquer the promptings of lust. He who becomes a slave to lust cannot escape dire punishment, be he as powerful as even the God of Death,Kala. Blinded by lust, you could not avoid this tragic end. Lust led you to ignore Rama and invite this calamity on your head. Ravana! Rama has incarnated with the purpose of destroying by the fire of his anger the forest of Rakshasa vice. I disclosed this to you many times over, but a cruel fate rendered you deaf to my importunities. I told you that he is no mere man. You relied foolishly on your physical prowess, your clever intellect, your vast treasures and the vast numbers of Rakshasas you ruled over. Did I not plead with you, holding your feet in my hands, to surrender to Rama, the Ocean of Mercy, and thus save the Rakshasas from annihilation? My pleadings were not welcome to you. You were engaged constantly in inflicting injury on others, an activity which gave you great joy. You seldom attempted to confer benefits on others. Your urges were ever towards sinful deeds and thoughts. In spite of this, Rama has conferred his blessing and your spirit has merged in him. What great compassion is this! You died at his hands. This is a fortune that few can achieve. Why, Rama came into this world in human form for the special purpose of killing you. The royal road to the destruction of the Rakshasa race was laid by the Rakshasa Ruler himself! This will be known as your greatest achievement! This is the supreme example of your protective skill! Is this the final result of all your austerity and spiritual Sadhana? Rama! Have you done this to prove that no one can escape the consequences of his deeds? What greater example for that law can there be? This calamity brought about by him is here for all to see and learn from,’ (RKRV Part II, pp. 258-259)

 

(On the right Ravana s body is surrounded by his lamenting wives headed by his chief wife Mandodari. The women express their grief with eloquent gestures.)

 

When Ravana fell dead, his queen, Mandodari came near the corpse and wondered what had given him the fatal blow. How could he, who had mastered the Four Vedas and Six Vedangas, and who was severely strict in observances of various rites for the propitiation of the Gods could meet with ignominious end? Being shrewd and loving woman, she realised soon the cause of her husband’s downfall. She lamented ‘Alas! You only suppressed your desires; you did not uproot them.’ The low desire of lust sprouted fast, when temptation was strong. When rains came, what was dry yellow land became green, on account of the seeds and roots below the surface; they had not been pulled out and destroyed! (SSS Vol.7, p. 291)

 

Mandodari lamented over his body; ‘You conquered every enemy of yours, except your own lust! You were pious, you were learned, you subdued even the most powerful foes – but, you allowed yourself to be enslaved by desire. That brought about your downfall.’ (SSS Vol. 6, p. 79)

 

Mandodari wailed in agony, ‘Lord! I had warned you several times not to meddle with chaste and pious married women. I told you not to cast lustful eyes on spiritually accomplished women. You are now reaping the consequences of your sins. You have accumulated plenty of vices. I tried to dissuade you. But you would never pay me attention,’ It is rightly said:

 

‘Good advice is never accepted

Though given with a good heart.

Evil counsel is immensely attractive to the ears

How will such people ever realize Me?’ (Telugu Poem)

 

Of what use is one’s accomplishment if one does not listen to good advice? He is bound to be ruined. Ravana too could not escape this fate and paid for it with his life. (SSB 2002, pp. 125-126)

 

Mandodari wailed for long, sitting by the side of her lord. Mandodari had realised through her wisdom that Rama was Parabrahma Itself, the Universal Over soul, the Absolute. The gods, watching her from heaven, were elated at her outlook and attitude at this hour of grief. (RKRV Part II, pp. 259-260)

 

What is the use of our higher learning?

Who can erase fate’s writings on the forehead!

When evil thoughts arise in the mind,

Man becomes blunt and useless.

 

Did Ravana gain anything by mastering the sixty four disciplines? Learning should lead to Wisdom. Man is the architect of his misfortune. When Ravana collapsed on the battle field, Mandodari, his queen, went to the dead body and lamented: ‘Oh Ravana! What has happened to all your learning now? I was telling you very often to mend your ways. It is shameful for a great Emperor like you to be troubled and tortured at the hands of monkeys. However, I am happy that you have died by Rama’s hands.’

 

Vibhishana came at that juncture to see Ravana’s body. At first, Mandodari started scolding Vibhishana. Then, realising her mistake she said: ‘Oh Vibhishana, there is no use in scolding you. Very often you counselled your brother well, but your advice did not enter his head.’

 

When the head is empty anything can be filled in it;

How can one fill a head which is already filled with stuff and nonsense?

Unless the dross in the head is drained away,

How can one fill it with pure feelings?

 

Mandodari wanted to run to Sita and seek her forgiveness. She then said to herself; I ought to have gone to Sita a long time back; what is the use of my going to her now?’ (SSB 1996, p. 81)

 

His Queen, Mandodari lamented over her husband’s defeat and death, at the hands of a mere man leading a host of monkeys! She had learnt from the Sastras that death caused by drowning or by the fall from a tree or through monkeys converts the dead into ghosts that wander in the realms of darkness. So, she wondered why such a fate overtook the great Scholar, the pious devotee that Ravana was. Then she remembered that spark of lust that he harboured in his heart had burnt all the scholarship and all that piety into ash! He was not able to control his senses or sublimate the sensory urges. A bullock that does not yield to the yoke, a horse that resists the reins, a car without brakes and a person who knows no self-control, are all equally heading towards disaster! (SSS Vol.7, p. 336)

 

Vibhishana was moved by the wailing of Mandodari. He agreed that what she said and felt were correct. Rama and Lakshmana approached Vibhishana and consoled him. They directed him to perform the funeral rites for his deceased brother. And according to that order, he too carried out all the prescribed rites and rituals, at the proper places and with correct ceremonial. Mandodari and other women also offered water offerings, sanctified with mantras and til. Every item of the funeral rite was gone through in correct order, without any hitch or disturbance, by Vibhishana who was all the while comforted and consoled by Rama. Rama said that when the curses Ravana had invoked on himself by his sins had ripened and fulfilled themselves, he was killed, and so, there was no reason why the death should be lamented. (RKRV Part II, p. 260)