Ravana and Mandodari

Ravana, the formidable demon king, known by various titles such as Lankadhipati and Dashanan, was renowned for his scholarly intellect but equally infamous for his arrogance. His pride in his power, devotion to Lord Shankar, and the magnificent city of Lanka knew no bounds.

On the tenth day of Krishna Paksha in the Ashwin month, Lord Rama vanquished Ravana, liberating his wife Sita. This event marked Dussehra, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil, and is celebrated with effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran, and his son Meghnad being set ablaze across the nation.

However, amidst the Dussehra festivities, it’s worth exploring the lesser-known aspects of Ravana’s life. Besides Queen Mandodari, Ravana had two other wives, with Mandodari being held in high regard for her adherence to pativrata dharma.

During the abduction of Sita and the ensuing war with Lord Rama, only two members of Ravana’s family opposed his actions: his brother Vibhishan and his wife Mandodari. They forced Ravana to return Sita and avert the war, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. This ultimately led to the great war, in which Rama defeated and killed Ravana. Following his demise, Rama bestowed the kingdom of Lanka upon Ravana’s younger brother, Vibhishana.

Mandodari was considered the epitome of devotion and virtue, akin to Goddess Ahalya. Apart from Mandodari, Ravana had two other wives: Dhanyamalini and an unnamed third wife, whom Ravana had reportedly killed. Mandodari bore sons named Indrajit, Meghnad, Mahodar, Prahastha, Virupaksha, and Bhikam. Dhanyamalini was the mother of two sons, Atikya and Thrishirar, while the third wife had sons named Prahastha, Narantaka, and Devataka.

Mandodari’s life took a significant turn after Ravana’s demise. Initially refusing Lord Rama’s proposal to marry Vibhishana, she later realized the religious, logical, and moral correctness of the union and accepted the proposal.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Times Nows News English