Epics in Imprints-1.pdf - Vivekananda Kendra Prakashan

After listening to the decision of Ravana,
Mandodari got angry, but couldn’t express
her hatred at that time, but agreed with
Vibhishana, who told the truth to his
brother with utmost courage. Later, with
all her courage, she gave expressions to
her thoughts thus, “In politics of Lanka if
men and women are equally treated as its
subjects the voice of women is clear that
as women we cannot tolerate and witness
the insult and trouble given to an ideal
woman-the wife of Sri Rama, whom you
have brought here by kidnapping. Of
course, our voice is suppressed and such
mental slavery is a shameful status of
women’s race. If you believe in the
constitution of your state, you must listen
to my claim. Though I may not understand
your dirty politics, I feel ashamed of being
the queen of a king of Lanka. Forgive me,
Maharaj, but I can clearly see that your
politics is neither subject oriented nor
truth oriented but it is only lust oriented.
But remember! Yama didn’t hit anyone
with a stick. A person who gives up his/
her life for the sake of a principle is really
fortunate. Today you have got ready to
enter in to the jaws of Yama because of
your lust and ego. As your spouse, I feel
great pain and as a civilian of Lanka, I feel
great anger but as a chief queen of a king,
I feel a profound shock. Before witnessing
such a war, it is better, if God took away
my Prana”. But unfortunately Ravana’s
heart had no effect for such words! She
also reminded, Ravana of the death of her
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FEBRUARY - AUGUST 2003
uncle Maricha, Khara, Dushana and
Jayanta and also reminded him of the real
nature of Rama, who was the supreme
authority of the whole of the universe, not
an ordinary human being doing austerity.
At last, in her utter helplessness, she
prayed to God that let her husband, at the
end of his life take the name of God! Such
was her contribution as Rajamata. In other
scene also we witness her role being played
as Rajamata. After the death of Ravana,
she along with Rajaguru (the priest of the
kingdom) went to have darshan of Sri
Rama and pleaded with him, “Prabho!
Please bestow your blessing on my
Vibhishana so that the kingdom of Lanka
may run on the principles of truth and
welfare of its people”. How noble is her
thinking of hers, expressed in such words!
As a Rajmata she saw where lied the well
being of the subjects (people). And Sri
Rama accepted proposal of the
Vibhishana coronation of and explained
to him how to reign over the kingdom of
lanka.
Thus, the character of Mandodari is
an intelligent, compassionate,
sympathetic, woman who had the moral
courage to express her views clearly. And
not only in the past but in the present
also her character inspires thousands of
women . The qualities she possessed are
absolute values and in our Indian society,
we always follow absolute values.
INFLUENCE OF THE EPICS ON INDIAN LIFE AND CULTURE (5/11)
NILMADHAV SEN
From A study of epic derivatives in classical and regional literature, it is very easy to imagine
how profound the epic influence must have been on art and culture, and on the general
texture of social life. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are, in the words of Havell, ‘as
much the common property of all Hinduism as the English Bible and Shakespeare belong to
all English-speaking people. The Indian epics contain a portrait-gallery of ideal types of men
and women which afford to every good Hindu the highest exemplars of moral conduct, and
every Hindu artist as inexhaustible mine of subject matter’.
Extracted from “Cultural Heritage of India Vol.II--”
The RKM Institute of Culture Calcutta 1993.