Ravana’s Final Lessons
After shooting the fatal arrow on the battlefield of Lanka, Lord Rama told his brother Lakshman: “Go to Ravana quickly before he dies and request him to share whatever knowledge he can. A brute he may be, but he is also a great scholar!”
The obedient Lakshman rushed across the battlefield to Ravana’s side and whispered in his ear: “Oh demon king, do not let your knowledge die with you. Share it with us and wash away your sins!”
Ravana responded by simply turning away his head. An angry Lakshman went back to Lord Rama and said: “He is arrogant as he always was, too proud to share anything!”
Rama consoled his brother and asked him softly: “Where did you sit while asking Ravana for knowledge?”
“Next to his head so that I hear what he had to say clearly!” replied Lakshman.
Lord Rama smiled, placed his bow on the ground, and walked to where Ravana lay. Lakshman watched in astonishment as his divine brother knelt at Ravana’s feet. With palms joined in extreme humility, Lord Rama said: “Lord of Lanka, you abducted my wife, a terrible crime for which I have been forced to punish you. Now, you are no more my enemy. I bow to you and request you to share your wisdom with me. Please do that, for if you die without doing so, all your wisdom will be lost forever to the world.”
To Lakshman’s surprise, Ravana opened his eyes and raised his arms to salute Lord Rama: “If only I had more time as your teacher than as your enemy. Standing at my feet as a student should, unlike your rude younger brother, you are a worthy recipient of my knowledge. I have very little time, so I cannot share much, but let me tell you the important lessons I have learned in my life.
- Things that are bad for you seduce you easily; you run towards them impatiently. So you must defer the bad actions as much as you can and avoid them.
- Things that are actually good for you fail to attract you; you shun them creatively, finding powerful excuses to justify your procrastination. So you must do good actions without any delay and as early as you can.
This is why I was impatient to abduct Sita but avoided meeting you. This is the wisdom of my life, Lord Rama. My last words. I give it to you!” said Ravana, and then he died.
Moral of the Story
This story illustrates the virtues of humility and respect in seeking wisdom, even from one’s adversaries. It also highlights the contrasting allure of harmful actions and the tendency to procrastinate on beneficial actions.
Lessons to Be Learned
- Humility in Learning Approach every opportunity to learn with humility, regardless of the source.
- Wisdom from Adversaries Valuable lessons can be learned even from those who oppose us.
- Procrastination and Action Recognize the tendency to be attracted to harmful actions and to procrastinate on beneficial actions. Act swiftly on good deeds and defer bad actions.
- Respectful Approach The manner in which we seek knowledge greatly influences the response we receive.
Prayer
“O Lord Krishna, please grant us the humility to seek wisdom with respect and devotion. Help us to recognize the value in learning from all experiences and individuals, regardless of their disposition towards us. May we always be mindful of our actions, deferring harmful ones and embracing beneficial deeds promptly.”
