Divine will manifests in unique ways

CHENNAI, APRIL 9. It is common for one who is blessed with intellectual acumen and physical prowess to entertain the notion that he is invincible and in the process terrorise everyone into submission by his tyranny. When everything goes in his favour this presumption further gets strengthened and boosts his ego. Often in such cases when the blow comes it is fatal as temperamentally such egoistic persons cannot swallow pricks to their ego in the right spirit. The character of Ravana as depicted in the Ramayana is a case in point.

Ravana was not only a valourous king of the demons who had by his prowess brought other rulers into his fold but he was also very learned in the scriptures and accomplished in the arts. Becoming ambitious he performed severe penance and obtained a boon that no one except animals or humans would be able to kill him, to become omnipotent. He was so powerful that it did not even occur to him that an animal or a human being could pose a threat to him. But divine will manifests itself in unique ways.

After Hanuman found Sita in the Ashokavana he convinced Her of his identity as Rama's envoy and instilled hope in Her heart when She was on the verge of losing hope altogether, that She would be rescued soon, he decided that he should meet Ravana in person to assess his designs and thought of a way to gain entry into his presence. He was furious that the ogre was living in all splendour in this beautiful city when his Lord Rama was suffering because of separation from His noble wife Sita and he decided to wreak vengeance appropriately by destroying the enchanting grove so that it would be brought to his notice and anger him.

In their discourse, Sri Ramakrishnan and Smt. Perundevi Seshadri said that furious like the wind Hanuman proceeded to fell the trees and uprooted them. The ogresses who were guarding Sita reported the matter to Ravana who immediately dispatched some ogres. Hanuman made short work of them and also others until finally he sent Indrajit to whose missile he submitted so that he would be able to meet Ravana.

Ravana had been cursed by Nandideva when he went to Kailas once when he did not heed his instruction to stop, that his end would be near whenever a monkey confronted him. Ravana naturally had not paid any importance to it then as he prided in his strength. But when Hanuman was brought before him this warning crossed his mind. Hanuman cautioned Ravana directly when Prahasta questioned him about his identity that he was Rama's envoy and that he should not underestimate his or Rama's strength.

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