Your Friend or enemy!

As Ravan sat aboard Pushpaka chariot, gazing at the magnificent scenery below, he suddenly noticed a lady sitting in meditation. This was most unusual as women were rarely seen in those mountains. Sometimes the rishis would have their wives with them, but this woman seemed to be entirely alone

Ravan slowed the chariot & moved down to have a closer look. He saw a young ascetic girl sitting on a soft grassland surrounded by wildflowers. She glowed with golden beauty; her limbs were exquisitely formed & she wore a black deerskin. Dark locks of thickly matted hair hung down to her waist, framing her white-complexioned face. Her red lips moved slightly as she intoned the sacred syllable Om. Her smooth golden arms were bared in front of her as she sat with folded palms, her long curling lashes covering half closed eyes

Ravan’s mind was overpowered with lust. Who was this youthful lady? What is she doing here in such a lonely place? Does she have a protector? Never mind, he would soon deal with that. The forest is no place for such a maiden & she would make an excellent addition to his other consorts

By mystic power Ravan assumed a human form & approached the girl. In soft voice he began to beseech her. He was unable to resist the charms of women & as he gazed upon the alluring form of the girl, he was possessed by increasing desire

The girl fully opened her eyes & respectfully told him her name. She was Vedavati, daughter of a powerful sage, who was himself a son of the god’s preceptor Brihaspati. She said: I was born as an incarnation of the holy Vedas. My father was sought by numerous gods & other celestial beings to have my hand in marriage. However, none but Vishnu can be my spouse. I am seated here absorbed in His thought, awaiting His favour. She could understand by her inner vision who Ravan was & what was his intention

Ravan laughed. He was not going to leave behind this jewel of a woman. Hearing the name of Vishnu, his sworn enemy only made him determined. He thundered: Why you are wasting your fleeting youth in this way. I’m Ravana, lord of the Rakshasas, the mighty race of demons. Become my wife & live in my capital Lanka, the golden city which I forcibly seized from the gods

Ravana spoke derisively of Vishnu. He had been granted boons by Brahma-the creator of the universe, who had so blessed him that he could not be killed by practically any created being, neither god nor demon. He could assume forms at will. Vedavati’s mention of Vishnu did not bother him & he stood smiling, his eyes full of lust

Hearing Ravan deride Vishnu, Vedavati flared with anger, rebuked him & told him to leave for his own good. Ravan smiled, stepped forward & grabbed hold of her long locks. Vedavati at once uttered a powerful Sanskrit mantra which momentarily checked the demon’s advance. She lifted a hand & by her mystic power cut through her hair. The demon fell back in surprise as she spoke furiously – O evil one, I shall now quit this body defiled by your touch! As I have been insulted by you, I shall take birth again only for your destruction. Appearing from earth, I shall become the pious daughter of a virtuous man. You & your entire race will be destroyed as a result of that birth

Vedavati closed her eyes & meditated on Vishnu, seeing him within her heart. Before Ravan’s eyes she invoked fire from within herself & her body was immediately consumed by flames

We are also cautioned at times to check ourselves, but with no control over self, commit blunders. This comes back to haunt us in future. Krsna says, an unchecked mind is our biggest enemy, but we feel it is our best friend

bandhur ātmātmanas tasya yenātmaivātmanā jitaḥ
anātmanas tu śatrutve vartetātmaiva śatru-vat

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy

Beware!

#gameoflife