Ravan
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Nikasha, His mother
Oct 2, 2022: The Times of India
When they brought Ravana’s body home to the palace from the battlefield, a great wail went up in the women’s quarters. In the commotion, nobody noticed that Nikasha, the old queen, slipped out of the palace and began to make her way to the hills outside the city.
“Halt!” A troop of Vanara soldiers suddenly blocked Nikasha’s path. “Who are you and where are you running away to? Come with us to Rama,” they said and marched Nikasha off to the battlefield where Rama and Lakshmana sat with Ravana’s brother Vibhishana.
“Mother! What are you doing here?” exclaimed Vibhishana and went forward to bring her to Rama. Lakshmana looked at Nikasha in surprise. Dropping his voice, he said to Rama, “Look at this old woman. She has lost her sons and grandsons, but she’s running away because she wants to live longer even now. ”
“Lakshmana, be respectful. Let us hear what she has to say,” said Rama. The brothers stood up to receive Nikasha. Rama looked at Nikasha silently. She was of medium height and slender build. Her silky white hair was elegantly arranged and her clothes were in muted good taste. She had beautiful cheekbones and delicate hands and feet. So this was Ravana’s mother. Rama could not relate this proud, slim woman to bull-like Ravana and outsize Kumbhakarna. And then he looked at Nikasha’s eyes. They burned black with an inner fire.
“Queen Mother, I apologize for my soldiers. Please do not be afraid. You are perfectly safe and so are your daughters-inlaw andpalace women. I entrust you to Vibhishana’s care,” said Rama gently. Nikasha looked back at him and inclined her head regally.
“Queen Mother, what made you leave the palace and set off on your own?” asked Rama.
Nikasha hesitated at first but found her voice. “Rama, I marvel at you. Your wife stayed loyal to you despite every threat and every temptation. I wanted to live longer to see what else you would do. ”
Lakshmana could not help a snort of disbelief, but Rama flung up his hand to stop him. “Mother, we will stay in touch. Please return to the palace now and live peacefully in Vibhishana’s care. ” Nikasha almost hated herself for admiring Rama. But she could not deny that Rama was the better person. Nikasha’s grief was made worse by shame that she had failed to bring up Ravana correctly.
Mindful of Rama’s words, Vibhishana entrusted the palace women’s quarters to Nikasha’s care. Queen Mother held morning meetings every day with her daughters-in-law. She gave each one a project to undertake for the welfare of Lanka’s battered subjects. She made field trips to the countryside so that Vibhishana could take appropriate action where needed.
Unknown to anyone, she dedicated everything she did to Rama. This gave her charitable work an inner focus and a sense of reparation for the havoc wreaked by Ravana on his people. Years rolled by and Nikasha lived for the times when messengers would come to Lanka bearing greetings, news and gifts from faraway Ayodhya.
One day the shattering news arrived that Rama had taken jalasamadhi, death by drowning, in the River Sarayu. Nikasha went very quiet when told of it by a weeping Vibhishana. “O Rama, my life came out of its darkness because of you,” she mourned. “I have no wish to live now. Who will cure me of the grief of your death?”
Nikasha resolutely passed her remaining years in engagement, not seclusion, chanting Rama’s name daily. In this quiet way, she made peace with her existence and lived a life of dignity and service until she too died one day, taking Rama’s name with her last breath. Abridged from Learning from Loss Lessons from our Gurus.
