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| Mandodari and Ravana by Gemini AI |
To remain virtuous in a palace darkened by the ego of
the king is a hard thing to do, especially if one is the queen there. Mandodari
remained not only virtuous till the end of her life in that palace, but also
wise and graceful. That’s what makes her a heroine, though an unsung one. Her
battlefield was an inner one: a moral war that she had to wage constantly while
being a wife of an individual who was driven by ego and lust.
Probably her only fault was that she
was the queen-wife of Ravana. Inside the golden towers of Ravana’s palace,
pride reigned and adharma festered. Mandodari must have had tremendous inner
goodness to be able to withstand the temptations offered by the opulence,
arrogance, and desires that overflowed from the palace. She refused to be
corrupted in spite of being the wife of an egotistic demon-king.
Mandodari was born of Mayasura and
Hema, an asura and an apsara, a demon and a nymph. She inherited the beauty and
grace of her mother. Her, father despite being a demon, was a good person: one
of the characters in the epic that challenges the usual binary of good and
evil.
She counsels Ravana against incurring
Rama’s wrath. She tries her best to avoid the war. In the end, when Ravana is
killed as his destiny unfolded in obedience to the cosmic vision in the epic,
Mandodari accepts the tragedy with grace and resilience.
There are certain South Indian folk
Ramayanas in which Mandodari questions Rama and the moral order of his divine
cosmos. In these versions, Mandodari doesn’t accept the law of karma. She
emerges as a philosopher of the absurd, as I wrote in an earlier post (Dharma and Destiny). Things happen randomly.
There is no spiritual power controlling anything. Bad things happen to good
people and vice-versa. All the neat patterns that are said to be there in the
human moral world are our own impositions.
She appreciates the fact that her
husband had his share of goodness: courage and knowledge. He loved her too. “I
never asked why I was lucky to be his wife,” Mandodari tells Rama. “So now I
have no right to ask why I have been widowed. Time throws its dice. We do not
know how it will roll. Whatever it is, I accept with grace.”
That grace is what makes Mandodari a
heroine. In addition to that, she was voice of reason in a world of ego.
I find myself comparing her with
Sita. Both are women caught in situations shaped by male choices. And both
uphold dharma in their own ways and with grace and dignity.
Let Mandodari enter the conscience of arrogant political power, I pray. Let her speak up in places where hubris silences or even incarcerates wisdom.
PS. I’m
participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. This
series looks at the Ramayana from various angles.
Tomorrow: Nala, Nila, and Ram Setu
Previous Posts in this
series:
Reading the post on Mandodari truly opened my eyes to her often-overlooked role in the Ramayana. I had always known her as Ravana's wife, but this piece highlighted her wisdom, strength, and moral compass. It's fascinating how she stood by her principles, even when surrounded by chaos and power struggles. The author's portrayal made me reflect on the silent resilience many women exhibit, often without recognition. Mandodari's attempts to counsel Ravana, urging him towards righteousness, showcase her courage and integrity. It's a reminder that true strength isn't always loud; sometimes, it's in the quiet persistence of doing what's right. This post has inspired me to delve deeper into the stories of such unsung heroines in our epics. They offer rich lessons in character and virtue that are still relevant today. I'm grateful for this fresh perspective on a character I had previously overlooked. It emphasizes the importance of revisiting and reinterpreting our mythological narratives.
ReplyDeleteThe more I study the epic, the more interesting do I find the minor characters like Mandodari and Jatayu. When I come to the letter Q in this series, The Quest for Sita will explore the feminine in the epic deeper. Do be with me.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteHear! Hear! to your closing plea. Accepting the flow of things, while still having the courage to speak truth to power is the example of Mandodari. Something that we indeed require much more of again... YAM xx
There is a lot of Mandodari in my own nature, you see.
DeleteGrace and resilience are the assets of only wise people/ women like Sita and Mandodhari. They are aware that everything passes - fortune or tragedy. Wise people remain poised in both circumstances. They are truly resilient, a quality ordinary humans lack and always suffer. Beautiful insights presented in this blog. Very good analysis of characters.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're taking time off to read me these days. You will definitely find some of the forthcoming posts even more striking, I promise.
DeleteGreat Piece on Mandodari. Celebrating her circumspection and her Quantum approach to ethics, including that of herself and her husband. Yes. Both Mahabharata and Ramayana, approach reality, kaleidoscopically, beyond the binaries. Hope you have taken note of the character of Ravana, in the film, Ravana. Not lustful, towards Sita, but respectful. In the Epics, like for Iraneus, evil is a by-product of the zigzag growth of humanity, from infancy to adulthood.
ReplyDeleteRavana had his share of greatness, no doubt. Valmiki didn't write the Ramayana as a story of victory of good over evil. These extrapolations came later, as you know I'm sure.
DeleteI have always admired Mandodari. I think when they say that you need darkness to shine brighter is actually applicable in this case. Following the right path, be it Mandodari or Sita or us in general ( in today's world too) has always been tough !
ReplyDeleteIt's getting tougher - following the right path.
DeleteMandodari was perhaps placed next to Ravan to show how even in the face of goodness and reason, evil can still choose pride and destruction over wisdom and righteousness. Mandodari, known for her wisdom and virtue, often counseled Ravan against his destructive path. Her presence highlights the tragedy of ignored counsel and the strength of a righteous woman amid chaos.
ReplyDeleteThis is where destiny becomes a problematic theme. Ravana was created/cursed to be evil. Did he have a choice at all?
DeleteI don't know, maybe he did. Because everyone kept telling him to ask for forgiveness, from vibhishan to kumbhkaran, from mandodari to sita, hanuman,angad and many others. Maybe it was a chance to change' his destiny
ReplyDeleteThat's true. But what I'm saying is that one's hubris can be also one's destiny, particularly when one was meant to die the way it happened.
DeleteI agree. That's the paradox of Ravan. He is both villain and victim — a man of brilliance undone by his inability to master the self
DeleteA woman trapped in the evil her husband did? Too bad that's a familiar refrain.
ReplyDeleteAnd all too human especially in patriarchal societies. Indian patriarchy was very rigid too in the 'good ol' days. (Even now!)
DeleteInteresting write up
ReplyDeleteI have an intrigue and interest to know more about Mandodari. Her character was overshadowed yet her silent presence was powerful in the epic. I enjoyed reading your post. - Swarnali Nath (The Blissful Storyteller)
ReplyDeleteI haven’t read much about her, just a few scattered references. This post offers one of the best insights I’ve come across.
ReplyDeleteI liked your comparison between Mandotari and Seeta.
Thank you, sir, for sharing yet another informative post.