IN PRAISE OF RAVANA.
Ten Heads. but not one on the shoulder.
To be fair, Ravana was scriptually a very knowledgeable man and brimming with prowess gained through devotion to Shiva.
Who cannot help admire his eloquent poetry in praise of his beloved Mahadev, in the Shiv tandav stotram?
So too, it is in praise of Ravana that he was undoubtedly a spiritual giant.
Ravana was hot headed, which he thought ,was in the Shiva Nature of His Lord. And to be fair again, a warrior does need a certain amount of ignition to propel him into the greatness of action. But while Shiva knew how to channel even his anger and destructive mode in a creative way, Ravana let his resentment take over the purpose.
He did not even realise that in the act of kidnapping Sita,he was actually kidnapped by his own ego!
The very lesson of #Dussera is,that to be powerful, is not in itself a goal, Divine gentleness (vinamrata) through true Self realisation, is.
No matter what station of life you are at, keep that head on your shoulder, before a Rama levels it for you, in a paradoxical act, of kindness.
This Dussera, instead of just burning someone else's effigy, learn from Ravana, what you shouldn't do even if you have the blessings of almighty Mahadev. And perhaps Ravana's life will have served the great purpose.
( Shail Gulhati is the author of the book SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller. )
To be fair, Ravana was scriptually a very knowledgeable man and brimming with prowess gained through devotion to Shiva.
Who cannot help admire his eloquent poetry in praise of his beloved Mahadev, in the Shiv tandav stotram?
So too, it is in praise of Ravana that he was undoubtedly a spiritual giant.
Ravana was hot headed, which he thought ,was in the Shiva Nature of His Lord. And to be fair again, a warrior does need a certain amount of ignition to propel him into the greatness of action. But while Shiva knew how to channel even his anger and destructive mode in a creative way, Ravana let his resentment take over the purpose.
He did not even realise that in the act of kidnapping Sita,he was actually kidnapped by his own ego!
The very lesson of #Dussera is,that to be powerful, is not in itself a goal, Divine gentleness (vinamrata) through true Self realisation, is.
No matter what station of life you are at, keep that head on your shoulder, before a Rama levels it for you, in a paradoxical act, of kindness.
This Dussera, instead of just burning someone else's effigy, learn from Ravana, what you shouldn't do even if you have the blessings of almighty Mahadev. And perhaps Ravana's life will have served the great purpose.
( Shail Gulhati is the author of the book SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller. )
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