December 16 - Sargas 36 and 37 of Yuddha Kanda.
The supreme emperor of rakshasas, Ravana, whose alias could well be Mr.Super Ego, did not take kindly to Malyavan's advice. In his typical and comprehensive way, he used his own circuitous logic to condemn his concerns.
स बद्ध्वा भ्रुकुटिं वक्त्रे क्रोधस्य वशमागतः - "Ravana then knitted his big, bushy eyebrows and with a big scowl on his face, displayed his rage."
हितबुद्ध्या यदहितं वचः परुषमुच्यते ।
परपक्षं प्रविश्यैव नैतत्छ्रोत्रगतं मम ॥
"Oh Malyavan, your words, apparently well-meant, which are actually doing a disservice to me, and which you have uttered after taking the enemy's side, have not reached my ears at all!"
मानुषं कृपणं राममेकं शाखामृगाश्रयम् ।
समर्थं मन्यसे केन त्यक्तं पित्रा वनाश्रयम् ॥
"It is most surprising that you are singing the praises of Rama, that miserable, mere, human, who was discarded by his own father, who sought refuge in the forest, and has now befriended some monkeys!"
राक्षसामीश्वरं मां च देवानां च भयङ्करम् ।
हीनं मां मन्यसे केन अहीनं सर्वविक्रमैः ॥
"And you choose to paint me as a weakling when I am the supreme lord of all rakshasas and I strike terror in even the gods! And how did you fail to notice that I have lost none of my formidable powers in battle?"
"Do you hate me for my valour? Or have you made a pact with the enemy so that you are towing their line? That can be the only explanation because a man of your wisdom and sagacity would not speak thus otherwise."
"That miserable Sita, whom all Fortune had forsaken, has been redeemed by me by being brought from the forest. How do you suggest I now get scared of that Rama and return her?"
"Oh Malyavan, you shall witness soon how I will annihilate the crores of monkeys that Rama has brought. I will kill Sugriva, Lakshmana, and Rama in no time. This Ravana whom no one even among the gods dares to face in a one-to-one combat - who shall he be afraid of!?"
"Know this. Even if I am cut in half, I shall not bow down to anyone. Take it as my personality quirk. But that's who I am."
"Ok, by some good fortune, Rama built a bridge over the ocean. How can that be a big deal? Why should anyone be afraid of him for that reason?"
'Know this, I am solemnly swearing to you that Rama will not return alive, nor will those vanaras."
Malyavan got a measure of Ravana's rage. He was a bit shamefaced now. He proclaimed, 'Victory to our King!", and took leave of Ravana and left the assembly.
Ravana now conferred with his ministers. He announced their defence plan.
"Let Prahasta with his forces guard the eastern gate. Let Mahaparshva and Mahodara guard the southern gate. Let my great warrior and illusionist son Indrajit defend the west gate, along with a formidable rakshasa contingent. Let Shuka and Sarana guard the northern gate. I shall personally go and lead at the northern gate. Let Virupaksha, the formidable warrior, with an immense contingent, guard the centre of Lanka. "
Ravana felt he had made good arrangements. He felt great confidence, Valmiki says, given that he was being drawn on a string by Fate. Amidst cries of "Victory to our King", he left for his inner chambers.
***
Cut to Sri Rama's camp. He is seated, along with Lakshmana, the great Hanuman, Jambavan, and Vibhishana, as also Angada, Sharabha, Sushena, and others.
They were all in a military council. Sri Rama pointed to Lanka, "Lo and behold, that city is impregnable for even gods and asuras, gandharvas and nagas. This council will have to come up with a plan to defeat Ravana, ensconced there. "
Vibhishana now spoke, deferentially. "Oh lord, my team of Anala, Panasa, Sampati and Pramati has just reconnoitred Lanka and returned. They took the form of birds and studied the army activity undetected. Please listen to their debrief through me of how Ravana has organized the rakshasa forces."
Vibhishana described pretty much exactly what we read before, in terms of the rakshasa commanders and their defences arrayed at the four gates and in the middle. He also narrated their numbers in terms of soldiers, elephants and horses and chariots. "The men on Ravana's side are all formidable warriors ready to kill. They are all very faithful to Ravana." Vibhishana presented his four lieutenants who also gave all the information to Sri Rama.
"Oh Sri Rama, when Ravana attacked Kubera, his rakshasa warriors fought as well as Ravana himself. I am not saying this either to displease you or scare you. I know that you are fully capable of defeating even the gods. Therefore I know you will attack with a well-organized vanara army and defeat Ravana."
Now Sri Rama issued orders.
"Let Nila with a huge vanara contingent attack Prahasta at the eastern gate. Let Angada take a big chunk of our army and go to attack the southern gate where Mahodara and Mahaparshva lie in wait. Let the son of Vayu, Hanuman, take a large contingent and enter the western gate."
दैत्यदानवसङ्घानामृषीणां च महात्मनाम् ।
विप्रकारप्रियः क्षुद्रो वरदानबलान्वितः ॥
परिक्रमति यः सर्वाल्लोँकान् सन्तापयन्प्रजाः ।
तस्याहं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य स्वयमेव वधे धृतः ॥
उत्तरं नगरद्वारमहं सौमित्रिणा सह ।
निपीड्याभिप्रवेक्ष्यामि सबलो यत्र रावणः ॥
"The one who has always done evil to devas, danavas, and rishis of noble soul, who is despicable in all ways, and is bloated with a sense of power owing to the special boon he got from Brahma ; that one who attacks and torments all beings in all the worlds always - that king of rakshasas, I shall undertake to kill personally. Therefore I shall go and break into the northern gate myself, along with Lakshmana, exactly where Ravana is waiting with his forces."
"Let King Sugriva, Jambavan, and Vibhishana attack the enemy at the centre of Lanka."
Sri Rama now gives a clear directive. "Let vanaras not assume a human form ever in battle. We need to track our vanara forces closely. Only the seven of us (Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Vibhishana, and his four men) will be fighting as humans. "
After this, Sri Rama decided to go to the top of Suvela mountain and get a good view of the enemy forces. Sri Rama along with his forces viewed Lanka from the mountain top with a most sanguine disposition.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
