THE GRAND TORMENTOR (2)

The late winter with its light mist and cool wind proved uncomfortable to Ravana, who shouted at it the question, "What wretched season are you?"-whereupon the weather changed to early summer, a rather unwilling summer ushered in prematurely. One who found the wintry day too warm naturally found even the spring unbearable. Ravana cried out, "I do not want this weather. Let the monsoons come immediately." 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 seasonless 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 shrivelling 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 one at 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. 156/272 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." Mareecha already had an inkling as to who the human creature was, and when he heard the sound, "Rama," he immediately said, "Keep away from him." Ravana felt irritated and declared, "I won't. Are you suggesting that we should tremble before him?" "Let us not go near him." Ravana said, "Very well, I'll not go near him, but only snatch away his woman and keep her with me. For after all I do not wish to engage myself in a fight with a more human.But he must be taught a lesson for his presumptuousness and reckless arrogance. One sure way of hurting a human being is to deprive him of his female companion."