Ramayana_VOLUME V with index

Ramayana: A Divine Drama – Vol. V
would not interfere. So the Sita kidnapping provoked Him to wage war. Thus
He killed Ravana. This was a man who wanted to die at the hands of Rama.
So why say, ’He is a bad man’ (Alarm Bells –Divine p .40-41)
Ravana ignored the three types of advice –Sujnaana- Vijnaana –
Prajnaana
Ravana was a most powerful king, fully accomplished in all the arts, with
mastery of the Vedas 53 . He had performed a severe penance. But, because he
used all his talents for his selfish purpose, he met with an ignominious death.
He was warned by his wife Mandodari, who was a paragon of virtue, standing
for Sujnaana (right knowledge), that he was not following the righteous path
as he had stealthily kidnapped Sita, wife of Rama. She questioned him
whether he would keep quiet if his wife had been kidnapped. She thus taught
Sujnaana (beneficial wisdom). But Ravana ignored her advice.
His brother, Vibhishana, tried to teach him Vijnaana (discriminatory wisdom)
by telling him that he was not using his Buddhi (intellect) in the right way and
was doing a reprehensible act which was unbecoming of an emperor like him.
Ravana ignored this too.
Later, Hanuman advised him in terms of Prajnaana (Supreme Wisdom). He
told Ravana that in spite of his Vidya (vast scholarship and knowledge), he
had failed to recognise the Atma as the reality of an individual and with body
consciousness he was indulging in a despicable act, losing control over his
53
The story of Ramayana shows how one who began his career with lust,
developed hatred and enmity towards God and mined himself. Ravana
was a great scholar. He had mastered sixty-four types of vidya
(knowledge). He was the first one who invented an aeroplane called
Pushpaka Vimana. He had mastered the language of animals, birds and
insects. There was nothing wanting by way of knowledge in Ravana. In
terms of wealth and prosperity his kingdom excelled heaven itself. He
did a lot of penance to acquire mastery over the physical world. In spite
of all these, he had faith only in the phenomenal world and not in the
Divine. He did not choose to enquire who was behind all creation. (SSS
Vol.25 p.312)
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