Ravana’s Final Words to Lord Rama
Setting: After Lord Rama shot Ravana with arrows, Ravana fell to the ground, squirming in pain. Summoning his last strength, he called out to Lord Rama.
Ravana’s Message: Lord Rama approached Ravana and asked, “What is the matter?”
Ravana, with a mixture of pride and resignation, said, “O Rama, even though You have shot me, I am truly the victor. My whole life I did not let You enter my kingdom, Sri Lanka, and even after my death, it will remain mine because I sent my younger brother Vibhisana to You, and You appointed him to be king of my kingdom. Thus, I have saved the kingdom for the demons. If I hadn’t sent Vibhisana to You ahead of time, today You would be king of Sri Lanka.
My diplomacy was not detected by You. Please listen, I am departing before You to Your home, the spiritual world, and You cannot stop me from entering Your residence. O Rama, if You meditate upon all this seriously, You will see victory is mine!”
Lord Rama’s Response: Lord Rama, embodying divine grace and compassion, listened to Ravana’s words without anger or resentment. Instead, His actions spoke of His infinite mercy, sending Ravana to His eternal abode despite Ravana’s lifetime of enmity and arrogance.
Moral of the Story:
This example clearly illustrates that no one is more generous and merciful than the Lord. Ravana tortured the Lord and fought against Him, yet in the end, the Lord sent him to His eternal abode. Only an unintelligent person would leave such a merciful Lord aside and worship another. Serving the Lord and chanting His holy names can fulfill all of a person’s desires.
As stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam (2.3.10):
akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udaradhih tivrena bhakti-yogena yajeta purusam param
“If a person has no material desires, has unlimited material desires, or only desires liberation, if that person has good intelligence, they should please the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna by executing devotional service sincerely.”
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Divine Mercy: The Lord’s mercy extends even to those who oppose Him, demonstrating His boundless compassion and generosity.
- Futility of Material Ambitions: Material achievements and cunning strategies are ultimately insignificant in the face of divine will and grace.
- Sincerity in Devotion: True fulfillment comes from sincere devotional service to the Supreme Lord, who can fulfill all desires.
- Embrace Divine Grace: Recognize and embrace the Lord’s mercy and grace, which are available to all, regardless of past actions.
Prayer:
“O Lord Krishna, please grant us the wisdom to recognize Your boundless mercy and compassion. Help us to see beyond our material desires and ambitions and to embrace Your divine grace. May we always remember to serve You sincerely and chant Your holy names, knowing that You alone can fulfill all our desires and lead us to true fulfillment.”
