Dec 27, 2006

Vishrava, Kaikasi and Ravana

Ravana, the epitome of evil, was one of the most infamous characters in Hindu mythology. His mother Kaikasi was from the race of Demons. His father was Vishrava, a powerful sage and the grandson of Brahma the Creator. Ravana, being born from the union of two races had the power and opportunity to unite the warring factions of the Demons and demi-Gods. But this was not to be, perhaps because his father married his mother for the wrong reason.

At that time the Demons ruled over Lanka. The demi-Gods defeated the Demons and installed Kuber as the ruler of Lanka and the custodian of the wealth of the demi-Gods. Kuber was the son of Vishrava and Ilavida. The deposed Demons were helpless. They knew that in order to win back their kingdom they needed a leader who had the meditative power of the sages and the wiles of the Demons. Hence the sultry siren Kaikasi was sent to Vishrava. Kaikasi told the sage that she did not want her children to be of the notorious Demon clan. She wished a better future for them. Hence she requested Vishrava to marry her. Vishrava was already married to Ilavida. He asked for her consent, stating that his marriage to Kaikasi would bring about a grand alliance between the demi-Gods and the Demons. Ilavida told her husband that there was no question of withholding her consent. But she wanted to know the truth. Was Vishrava sexually attracted towards Kaikasi? Was that the real reason for his second marriage? Vishrava sheepishly confessed that it was.

In an earlier blog I had quoted Eliot’s lines from Murder in the Cathedral.

To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”

Vishrava succumbed to the wrong reason and went down in history as the father of perhaps the most evil man ever. Mythology supplements scriptural wisdom with dramatic effect and one of the reasons for the flourishing of Hinduism is its vibrant mythology.