Ravula: The Rise Of Lanka

Prologue: A Dreadful Sin

In the vicinity of the night he stood gazing at the thunder that struck the ocean. In the flashes of light his face appeared with deep gravity.The clouds mourned over his step. A step that he himself never wanted to take.

The memory of his past was overflowing his mind but the deeds of the present were deepening his grief. He stood at the highest part of his kingdom and repented over his act but he new deep inside that there was nothing else which he could do.

His values and principles were foundation of his life but they all have been sacrificed today for he who has won everything in life will never be able to gain the trust of his family, the love and respect of the world for which he has worked so hard but he knew that sometimes in life a wrong step is the only way that leads to the right destination. He stood repenting and tried to overcome his fears that were sucking life out of his mortal body. He never wanted to disclose anything and that's what he has done till date. He has hidden everything perfectly inside his heart , no one in his family had the faintest Idea of what he was going through or what his life was devoted to for he kept it as a secret even hidden from his wife whom he loved deeply. But today he knew that whatever he has done will change the course of his life and he cannot hide it anymore but he tried to overcome although the grief which was struck inside his heart was deeper than the oceans.....

As his grief was, the night grew deep and dark. A voice as startling as the night fell into his ears. This voice was of his wife Mandodari a friend whom he cherished till date but now he felt ashamed of facing her. He didn't knew what could be the better possible explanation of his shameful act. She came towards him and with all possibilities of faith and trust looked into his eyes and asked him,

‘My king, my lord I have always worked and prayed for the betterment of this kingdom and inturn for the betterment of my life who is none other than you'.

‘My apologies my lord If I have failed you somehow'…..she spoke in a tone that reflected her concern.

Is there something you want to share with me as I can clearly perceive from your gestures that something is not right……..As she lowered her voice and moved forward, she held her hand on his shoulders and turned him. He head was weighed down by the deeds of his present.  Mandodari raised his chin and looked straight into his eyes that were holding back the tears of repentance.

She said more firmly now, ‘ Do you consider me as your better halfAm I not worthy of being a good wife. Her question was not less than a sword passing through his heart but he remained calm.

She  exclaimed further,' what forced you to sell your manhood and ruin your self pride that you took a man's wife as a prisoner to your kingdom. Are you not the greatest of the great, the most devoted, the most knowledgeable and a true warrior'.

I fear today,' Am I still talking to the king of Lanka, the son of the greatest Muni Vaisharva, the great grand son of Brahma himself, Ravula.

RAVULA's heart was pumping twice as fast as a soldier who has just fought a war. He knew that this act of shrewdness will ruin his name not only for that age but for ages to come. He had the perfect vision of interpreting his 10 heads of knowledge into a 10 headed deamon. All his life he tried hard to come out of the demonic blood that flew into his viens and he did all that could be done to achieve the highest degree of knowledge to be just called learned rather than a son of a demon but what was done today had ruined all the hard work of the past.

Mandodari again asked, this time in a little fearful voice,' Ravula or you want me to call you Ravana. There should be a better explanation of your shameful act or do you feel that I am not worthy of hearing it. RAVULA’s love for his wife was a pillar of strength and now he didn’t wanted to hide anything from her anymore. His voice was shivering with shame and disgust and he finally uttered the word ‘Sita’.

Mandodari although  knew that he has captured a women but hearing Sita she fell on the ground and started weeping. Ravula sat beside her and kept his arm on her shoulder and uttered finally,

' Mandodari, man’s life is incomplete till he reaches his destiny and destiny is what makes him to struggle more and more. Refining one's attitude, gaining knowledge and to excel in all the fields is an aspect of that journey which he takes to reach his final goal but true knowledge and true power is toxic. The more you know the more curious you become.

Now Mandodari was silent and she was trying to figure out each and every word uttered by his master but nothing was relating it to the cowardice act which he carried out today. Ravula continued,

’ One's you understand the true and hidden meaning of your existence, you perceive that all you did to become that powerful has gained you nothing. We are mere puppets in the hand of our creators, bounded by time our past present and future.  My journey has finally begun to achieve the truest goal of my mortal life. We are not what we appear and being my wife I consider you to be a part of that glorious journey which has begun tonight. Sometimes wrong path leads us to the right destination.’ Silence fell everywhere. Mandodari who was grief stricken asked in bewilderment,

'  You had nobody else in the world to capture to achieve your so called destination'.

Ravula was silent and moreover speechless, he knew that he had already spoken a lot but he also knew that this word will run far across to others places and he will need his wife to stand with him as he needed her the most.

Looking at Mandodari he gathered all the courage to reveal that secret which will remain a secret for the entire humanity for the ages and his act will be a great blot on his entire generation. He gathered the courage to speak but something chocked his voice and suddenly he was reminded of his Lord his Guru Shiva, his words and his promise but he also knew that today he was standing in the middle of a life turning situation and first time in his life  he felt afraid as his chest bore a secret so heavy which was crushing him internally.

Mandodari who was trying to recollectwords to speak was looking blank and expression less somewhere she knew that something was hidden from her all those years. She had that feeling in her gut that something strange is going to happen. The Silence of the night was so deep that even Ravula felt the gravity and decided to resist a little more before he could speak those words which will change the course of his life. In the darkness of the night he was able to see his past present and future he was able to make out all that has passed with time and all that he had done to change his life. He was unable to understand what life has made out of him and what he was. Was this destiny his only fate to be followed or was there any other way by which he could have escaped it. There were lot of questions in his mind but the one which demanded his attention was the question asked by his beloved wife he stood silent, spoke of nothing but gazed into the darkness that was overpowering his Lanka, the darkness that surrounded him and his life.