The servant demons
ran wildly throughout Ravana's keep. Soldiers and messengers alike also
filled the halls with their loud and unrestrained brash behavior. Only
Ravana himself sat cool and collective, oblivious to those around him.
He had been waiting for this moment since he first heard about Sita -
Rama and his army had set up camp just outside the city. Ravana
was closer to the moment when he could slay Rama. Sita would then no
doubt realize
how much Ravana cared for her. He was almost excited about that
upcoming day.
Ravana's son, Indrajit, forced open the heavy doors leading to the throne room. "Father, we have found an intruder. Bring him in!" Ravana did not move as four guards led a monkey in bondage - a strange sight indeed.
"He says he will only speak to you personally, Lord Ravana," one of the demons said.
"Is that so?" Ravana began. "Who are you - other than one unfortunate prisoner?"
The monkey made himself stand tall, as if he were proud of being a captive. "I have come to deliver a message."
Ravana motioned towards Indrajit, who immediately struck the prisoner in the stomach. Indrajit shouted, "You answer the King's questions above all else!"
"Easy, son. You still haven't told me your name, monkey." Ravana's tone was almost comical.
The captive stood himself fully upright again. "And you won't hear it. At this moment I serve Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu. That is the most of my identity that you need to know."
Ravana, previously lounging on his throne, sat up slowly at the mention of Rama's name. He waved off Indrajit's desire to strike again. "So, you have come to surrender in Rama's name?"
"He lies, Father." Indrajit said. "He has another motive. He was sneaking around and no doubt spying when I caught him."
The messenger chuckled. "You mean when I let you catch me."
Indrajit looked aghast. "You lie further!"
Ravana waved his son away. "You are acting foolish, Indrajit. Let the monkey speak."
"War, as you already know, has already been declared - Rama is benevolent enough to give you a chance at living. Change your ways and there will be no bloodshed."
Ravana slammed his fist on the throne armrest. "Have this beast hanged."
The monkey messenger was unmoved as Vibishana, brother to Ravana, made his way to the court. "You cannot give that order, Lord Brother. This creature is but a messenger. Killing him would be improper."
Ravana snarled but nodded his head slowly. "You are right, Vibishana. But he will not go unpunished for what he's done." And with those words the messenger's tail was set aflame - a trick Ravana had learned from Shiva a long time ago. The monkey showed no fear, however, which only infuriated Ravana even more. "Take him to the dungeon!"
Indrajit and the guards took the messenger out and Vibishana drew closer to his brother. "Ravana, I will suggest once more that we stop this undoubtedly bloody war."
"You are dismissed, Brother." Ravana did not have time for Vibishana's reluctance. "See to it that the monkey causes no problems."
Author's Note: My original plan was to create a story about Sita's abduction - but the frametale worked so well that I had to focus on the encounter between Ravana and Hanuman. The original story was framed in a different time in the Ramayana - and the intent was slightly different as well. In the original story, Hanuman enters Lanka to find Sita - in my retelling, he acts as more of a mediator in regards to the battle hinted at in the previous story. Of course, Hanuman's venture into Lanka occurs earlier in the Ramayana as well - but the intent of the message changed the time frame slightly.
This story is great for Ravana because (in my storybook) it is his first major encounter with a creature that is not a god - though Hanuman is probably a close second. While in the earlier stories, Ravana is a schemer and manipulator, he gets to show off to his demons and just be himself - a cynical, evil demon lord. The exchange with Vibishana also has to happen earlier in the time frame according to the Ramayana - but his defection is not as integral to this story as it is in the original.
Image Information: Hanuman's Punishment, AllPosters.com
Bibliography Information: Buck, W. (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Narayan, R.K. (1972). The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics.
Ravana's son, Indrajit, forced open the heavy doors leading to the throne room. "Father, we have found an intruder. Bring him in!" Ravana did not move as four guards led a monkey in bondage - a strange sight indeed.
"He says he will only speak to you personally, Lord Ravana," one of the demons said.
"Is that so?" Ravana began. "Who are you - other than one unfortunate prisoner?"
The monkey made himself stand tall, as if he were proud of being a captive. "I have come to deliver a message."
Ravana motioned towards Indrajit, who immediately struck the prisoner in the stomach. Indrajit shouted, "You answer the King's questions above all else!"
"Easy, son. You still haven't told me your name, monkey." Ravana's tone was almost comical.
The captive stood himself fully upright again. "And you won't hear it. At this moment I serve Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu. That is the most of my identity that you need to know."
Ravana, previously lounging on his throne, sat up slowly at the mention of Rama's name. He waved off Indrajit's desire to strike again. "So, you have come to surrender in Rama's name?"
"He lies, Father." Indrajit said. "He has another motive. He was sneaking around and no doubt spying when I caught him."
The messenger chuckled. "You mean when I let you catch me."
Indrajit looked aghast. "You lie further!"
Ravana waved his son away. "You are acting foolish, Indrajit. Let the monkey speak."
"War, as you already know, has already been declared - Rama is benevolent enough to give you a chance at living. Change your ways and there will be no bloodshed."
Ravana slammed his fist on the throne armrest. "Have this beast hanged."
The monkey messenger was unmoved as Vibishana, brother to Ravana, made his way to the court. "You cannot give that order, Lord Brother. This creature is but a messenger. Killing him would be improper."
Ravana snarled but nodded his head slowly. "You are right, Vibishana. But he will not go unpunished for what he's done." And with those words the messenger's tail was set aflame - a trick Ravana had learned from Shiva a long time ago. The monkey showed no fear, however, which only infuriated Ravana even more. "Take him to the dungeon!"
Indrajit and the guards took the messenger out and Vibishana drew closer to his brother. "Ravana, I will suggest once more that we stop this undoubtedly bloody war."
"You are dismissed, Brother." Ravana did not have time for Vibishana's reluctance. "See to it that the monkey causes no problems."
Author's Note: My original plan was to create a story about Sita's abduction - but the frametale worked so well that I had to focus on the encounter between Ravana and Hanuman. The original story was framed in a different time in the Ramayana - and the intent was slightly different as well. In the original story, Hanuman enters Lanka to find Sita - in my retelling, he acts as more of a mediator in regards to the battle hinted at in the previous story. Of course, Hanuman's venture into Lanka occurs earlier in the Ramayana as well - but the intent of the message changed the time frame slightly.
This story is great for Ravana because (in my storybook) it is his first major encounter with a creature that is not a god - though Hanuman is probably a close second. While in the earlier stories, Ravana is a schemer and manipulator, he gets to show off to his demons and just be himself - a cynical, evil demon lord. The exchange with Vibishana also has to happen earlier in the time frame according to the Ramayana - but his defection is not as integral to this story as it is in the original.
Image Information: Hanuman's Punishment, AllPosters.com
Bibliography Information: Buck, W. (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Narayan, R.K. (1972). The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics.