26. THE GRAND TORMENTOR (PART - 2)

The weather changed to suit his mood. On his order came

the monsoon season with its cloud and damp air, but even

that proved too warm for him. He shouted, "What kind of

weather is this? You have brought back only the late winter,

which was horrible."

His aides answered meekly, "Would we dare to disobey

you? What we called down was really early rains, as your

Lordship commanded."

Whereupon Ravana said, "Banish all seasons. Let them

all get out of this world." As a consequence, there was a

complete standstill in time. Minute, hour, day, month, and

year lost their boundaries. And mankind was lost in a

season less confusion. In spite of all this, there was no peace

for Ravana. He was still scorched by a hopeless love for

Sita.

When all measures for cooling himself had failed—such

as covering his body with sandalwood paste and layers of

tender leaves of a rare plant treated with essence of saffron

—Ravana, who felt himself shriveling in stature, said to

those around him, "The moon is supposed to have cool moisture. Bring the moon down."

His messengers approached the moon, who normally

avoided passage over Ravana's territory, and said, "Our

King summons you. Don't be afraid. Come with us." The

moon rose in full glory over the sea and timidly approached

Ravana, bathing his surroundings in soft light.

But now Ravana asked his servants, "What made you

bring the sun?" They answered, "The sun dare not come

unasked nor would we dare to bring him here." When

Ravana recognized the moon as the moon, he swore at him,

"You are worthless, pale-faced, constantly worn out and

trying to regain your shape again. You have no stamina or

quality. You are contemptible. Is it possible that you are also

stricken with thoughts of Sita? Take care if you ever

entertain any ideas about that woman. Get out now, I don't

want you here." He then ordered, "Let the night go. Get back

daylight and the sun."

When the night suddenly ceased, all the people of the

world were suddenly thrown into confusion. Lovers in bed

found themselves suddenly exposed by daylight; those in a

state of intoxication with wine were bewildered and

embarrassed. Birds stirred in their nests not knowing what

had happened. Lamps fed with oil and lit for a whole night

faded in daylight. Astronomers who calculate the movement

of the stars and planets and declare their positions through

the almanacs were caught literally napping as they did not know day had come. Even the roosters remained silent,

unable to adjust themselves to the sudden daylight. "Is this

the sun? You call him the sun! He is once again the moon

who was here a while ago and made my blood boil. This one

is no better. Same as before. Don't lie," said Ravana. His

servants assured him again that this was really the sun. Then

he ordered the sun to go out and the crescent moon to rise;

then the sea waves to remain silent; and then ordered total

darkness to envelop the earth, causing confusion and

suffering to its inhabitants. In that utter darkness Ravana

suffered hallucinations of Sita's figure approaching and

receding, and addressed it endearingly.

He had never seen anyone so beautiful in all the worlds

where he had roamed at will. Still doubting his own vision, he

ordered, "Fetch my sister at once." No time could be lost

between his command and the execution thereof.

Soorpanaka arrived. He asked her, "I see this woman before

me. Is this the one you meant?"

Soorpanaka looked hard and said, "Oh, no. The person

who stands before us is not a woman at all. It's Rama, that—

that man. I don't see Sita here. You are only imagining… ."

"If it's mere imagination on my part, how is it you see

Rama here?"

Soorpanaka merely said, "Ever since the day he did this

damage to me, I find it impossible to forget him," trying not to

be too explicit about her feelings for Rama, equivocating her meaning.

Ravana said, "Be that as it may, I am melting and dying for

Sita. How shall I be saved now?"

Soorpanaka said, "You are the overlord of seven worlds,

mightier than the mightiest. Why do you feel sad and

unhappy? Go and get her; that is all. Take her. She is yours.

Is there anything beyond your reach? Stir yourself. Leave this

desolate mood. Go forth, snatch her, because she is yours,

created for you and waiting for you." Thus she infused a new

spirit in Ravana, and it made her secretly happy that her plan

to get Sita out of the way was working out satisfactorily. She

left.

Ravana felt reassured now and braced himself to take

practical steps to achieve his aim. He sent out his servants

to summon his advisers and minister immediately. With the

least delay they began to arrive at Ravana's retreat by

horseback, elephant, and chariots, and the gods in Heaven

watched the traffic apprehensively, speculating as to what

this sudden activity might bode for the universe. Ravana's

consultations with the advisers were brief, being in the

nature of an announcement to them of decisions already

made. Somehow he valued the formality of being

counselled. He then summoned his chariot, got into it alone,

and flew towards a retreat where his uncle, Mareecha, was

meditating in a cave. Mareecha had made two attempts to

attack Rama and both had failed. The first had been the on eat Sidhasrama, to avenge his mother Thataka's death, when Rama's arrow had flung him far out into the sea. Later he

had made another attempt, failed to kill Rama, and retreated

into the woods, forswearing a career of violence.

Now, at the sight of Ravana, Mareecha felt uneasy, but

received him courteously and inquired, "What can I do for you?"

Ravana said, "My mind is shattered. I am going through a

phase of utter shame. The gods doubtless watch and

rejoice, but on our supreme race a great shame has fallen

and we have to hang our heads down and crawl aside like

faceless worms. A human creature has stationed himself in

Dandaka and has dared to challenge our supremacy. He

has mutilated my dear sister's face. Your beloved niece is

now without nose, ears, or breasts. He chopped them off

when she approached his miserable hut."