Ravana's previous birth

…contd….

Work as if there is no tomorrow.

Work as if your life depended on it.

Work with joy.

Work with love.

Work for the sake of work.

This is what Rama’s life teaches us. In fact, every character teaches us to fulfill our swadharma. It teaches us to play our role as and where we are stationed in life to the fullest of our abilities. It teaches us to do our ‘swadharma’. It teaches us karma-yoga. It teaches us to find freedom through work. It teaches us to live life to the fullest and yet to walk the path of liberation as we fulfill our duties and responsibilities.

Now coming to Ravana, Hindu mythology just doesn’t give out a story to start a ritual or a festival. In tells as to what happened that was the cause of an event and also the after effect of such event. We know by now that Ravana was a great Shiva Bhaktha but at the same great hater (if such a word can be used!) of Lord Vishnu. Only Vedantic Philosophy – yes, its philosophy and not a religion – gives reason as to why a person has certain feeling towards someone too. Nothing is left to ambiguity. We are not asked to blindly follow a set of rules breaking of which will lead us directly to hell (as in other religions). 

Lord Vishnu had two door-keepers called Jaya, Vijaya who were greatly in love with Lord Vishnu. But his proximity and their post went to their head and over the period they became very arrogant with ego. 

Jaya vijaya stopping Sanatkumaras from entering Vaikuntam

 

Once when Brahma’s manas putra (mind-born children) Sanat Kumaras came to visit Lord Vishnu, Jaya, Vijaya made them wait and did not allow them inside. This angered the devotees of Lord Vishnu and they cursed Jaya, Vijaya to be born on the earth as mortals. Hearing this they both came to their senses and pleaded them to forgive them. Sanat Kumaras mellowed down but said couldn’t take back the curse and asked Lord to do something. 

 

Then Lord Vishnu gave Jaya, Vijaya two options 1. That they be born as devotees of Lord but would have to take seven janmas or 2. Be born as powerful asuras hating Lord and to lead three of such lives but were promised death in his hands during all three janmas (birth). Being madly in love with Lord Vishnu, they thought of only time taken to come back to him and hence in the urgency of desire to serve the Lord again at close proximity decided and accepted second option.

They were born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashpa in their first life – both killed by Lord as Varaha and Narasimha Swamy respectively. 

In their second life they were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna and are killed by Lord as Rama. 

In their third life they die in the hands of Lord Krishna as Kamsa and Shishupala. First janma was in satya yug, next in tretayug and third in dwapara yug (These are time periods – like ice age, stone age etc).

Krishna killing Kamsa - his evil uncle

 Krishna killing Shishupala

 What do we understand from this?

...contd....