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Monday, June 27, 2011 Paradox The ancient Sanskrit epic, Ramayana tells the tale of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka who abducted Sita, wife of Ram (Prince of Ayodhya and also known to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). With the help of the monkeys, Ram killed Ravana and saved his wife. Lanka, on the other hand, was reduced to ashes. It has been widely e  stablished that it was Ravana's lust over Sita that had led to this destruction. Sita, however, has been heightened as the epitome of chastity for effectively preserving herself and not succumbing to Ravana's demands.Hence, Sita's role in the story was carved as an image of an ideal woman in the society. Curiously, little has been said about Surpanakha, Ravana's sister. Surpanakha plays a pivotal role in the drama that unfolded thereafter. Was Ravana the only one responsible for the plight? Was it not Surpanakha's lust for monogamist Ram that led to all that hadhappened? Had she not pushed the boundaries and spun a tale to instigate her brother's wrath, Ravana wouldn't have gone in search of the two brothers to teach them a lesson. He would not have seen Sita and become enchanted by her beauty. Critics have concluded that Ravana's ill intentions to possess a chaste woman against her will proved to be a curse that led to his eventual end and that of Lanka's. Given the laws of Karma, I wonder what could have led to the end of the king and his kingdom. Was it the tears of a virtuous woman, the anger of a woman's unfulfilled desire or the senseless love of a brother? |
