chapter3

Ravana and Mandodari & Sita
by: April Trenary

Mandodari is offered in marriage to the young Demon King Ravana by her father Maya. She has great hope in their future together, and optimism for her husband’s reign as king. She tries to keep in on the path of Dharma, but he embarks on a reign of terror over the entire world. Blinded by lust, Ravana steals Sita from Rama. Mandodari uses her position as first wife to try to convince Ravana to return Sita.

Even though Ravana has many wives and Sita rejects his advances, Sita is the proverbial "other woman” in the relationship between Mandodari and her husband. Her presence creates a conflict between love and lust that does not otherwise appear in the polygamous marriage. Observations and analysis follow the story enhancement.

heartsline

The Other Woman:
A Contrast of Love and Lust

How could she possibly dislike this girl? Mandodari bit her lip as she turned away. Was she disappointed? Had she expected to find Sita so obnoxious that hating her would be easy? She admired Sita in her resolve to be faithful to her husband She looked at her own husband, wondering at his complicated nature.

The walk back to palace was longer than usual. The air was cold, filled with the tension of impending war. Normally Mandodari felt safe with Ravana’s many hands around her waist. But things were different ever since Sita arrived. This was the beginning of a new age. That meant the end of the one she presently enjoyed.

“Ravana, you are a fool!” Mandodari exclaimed. In the privacy of their bedroom she could speak freely. Unlike his other wives, he treated her like an equal. He listened to her and never rebuked her opinion. But, when it came to Sita, Ravana certainly was a fool. The Daughter of Illusion, Mandodari possessed great intuition. His lustful desire for another man’s wife would be the demise of their entire race.

Ravana stood over her for a moment, all ten heads staring down. Finally he shrugged his twenty shoulders, turned, and lurched over to the table, where he poured himself a cup of nectar. The sound of his wife’s voice, despite her harsh message, calmed him. Ravana was an enigma, deep and complicated. With almost everyone around him he was a pompous tyrant. But with Mandodari, Ravana displayed tender passion.

“You are a king. Invincible. Handsome. Any creature would throw themselves in your arms. Why waste time with this human? She could not possibly satisfy a passionate demon like you. Come with me, I can help you forget Sita.” She tenderly kissed each one of his ten lips, then led him to the comfort of their marriage bed. Mandodari recalled how Ravana always made her feel that she- and she only- was his true love.

Ravana did love Mandodari. She was his favorite wife and the mother of his favorite son. She was used to his promiscuous affairs, then eventually returning to her bed. What was there about her husband that enabled her to accept sharing of his affection, rather than demanding that it be given exclusively to her? She knew her place in his heart. Unfortunately, she also was aware of intense lust for control. He still felt the need to validate his masculinity. This time that meant Sita.

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In the most general definition, love is a deep emotional attachment. In the scope of this project, it is accompanied with romantic feelings. Lust, on the other hand, is an intense longing- a sexual desire that is rooted in the physical and not the emotional. These two unique emotions are easily confused. Ravana makes this mistake when asking his brother to fight Rama on his behalf. Kumbhakarna suggests giving Sita back. But Ravana replies, “I am in love with her” (Buck 300). Sita has a better grasp of the situation in her response to the tormenting rakshasis, “Fall in love? No, but he will truly fall!” (Buck 247).

Mandodari is only referenced once in Narayan’s version of the Ramayana, but she is mentioned several times in Buck’s version. In both versions Hanuman mistakes Mandodari for Sita. If they are so similar, it is no wonder Ravana is so passionately drawn to both of them. The Abdhut Ramayana explains the resemblance by describing part of Mandodari’s past. She becomes pregnant after drinking the blood of ascetics and abandons the baby girl in the same field where Janaka ploughs to find baby Sita. The implication that they are mother-daughter adds even more drama to the triangle.

In spite of his many wives, Sita is the “other women” for Mandodari and Ravana’s relationship. Polygamy was an accepted arrangement in the epic narrative tradition; however, Sita unwilling captures Ravana’s attention in a whole new way. An affair of the heart. Ravana, like many men, still needs to validate his masculinity through false images of virility. Money, sex, and power become the measuring sticks of strength. But this is a farce. It is possible to have all three of these and still be a very weak man.

Mandodari's relationship with Ravana is important in the scope of Ramayana as a struggle of good vs. evil and as a love story of Rama and Sita. It personifies Ravana, revealing good qualities in the bad guy. Something must appeal to all of those wives! Their marriage strikingly parallels that of Tara and Vali. Both husbands are aggressive kings who wrongfully steal another man’s wife. Both wives are extremely devoted to their husbands and try to keep them on the path of dharma. To their own peril, the husbands ignore the wisdom of the person who cares for them.