Lakshman Rao
Ravana, driven by his ambition for dominion, embarked on a grand military expedition across the realms governed by the sun and moon. As he journeyed toward the domain of the sun, he rested overnight upon the majestic Mount Meru, renowned for its beauty and excellence. From there, he continued his voyage aboard the splendid celestial craft, the Pushpaka Vimana. Upon reaching the realm of the sun, his forces were scorched by the intense rays, yet they endured, fortified by divine blessings and their rigorous training.
The Sun, adorned with gold and ruby-studded ornaments, draped in dark red garments, radiated a profound aura of magnificence. As the witness of the cosmos and the sustainer of all creation, his presence embodied the life force that energizes every being. His palace was heavily guarded by a host of brilliant and powerful warriors, led by Pingalaksha and Dandi.
Ravana, filled with pride, ordered his commander Prahastha to challenge the Sun, demanding either battle or submission. When Prahastha relayed Ravana’s message to Dandi, the latter conveyed it to the Sun. After hearing of Ravana’s lineage, his conquests, and the blessings of Brahma and Shiva, the Sun responded that it was too early to confront this demon and offered two choices: either fight and win or declare Ravana victorious. Dandi faithfully reported this counsel to Ravana, who promptly declared himself the victor and returned to Mount Meru to rest.
The next day, the Rakshasa forces advanced toward the realm of the Moon. Upon entering its borders, Ravana beheld a divine chariot carrying a radiant figure, accompanied by fairies dressed in luxurious silks and adorned with precious jewels. Puzzled by this sight, Ravana sought an explanation. At that moment, the celestial sage Parvatha appeared, and Ravana, offering his respects, inquired about the travellers. The sage revealed that these beings, having performed great deeds on earth, were now ascending to the heavenly realms.
As they journeyed further, they encountered another divine figure, accompanied by celestial musicians. Parvatha explained that this was the noble King Suparna, a paragon of righteousness, now rewarded with heavenly comforts by Indra. Ravana, eager for combat, implored the sage to direct him to a worthy opponent. The sage informed him that all these celestial beings sought salvation and had no interest in war, except for one—Mandhata, the mighty ruler of the seven islands, a land that was part of ancient Bharat. Known for his strength, generosity, and unparalleled valour, Mandhata would never shy away from a challenge.
Spurred by this news, Ravana advanced toward Mandhata’s domain. A fierce battle ensued between the two kings, each blessed with divine power. Sacred and potent weapons clashed, with Ravana’s Roudrastra being neutralized by Mandhata’s Varunastra, and the latter’s Agneyastra countered by Ravana’s Gandharvastra. Finally, Ravana summoned the invincible Pasupathastra, while Mandhata prepared the matchless Brahmastra. The tension between these two weapons of unimaginable destructive power caused the entire universe to tremble in fear.
At this crucial moment, the great sages Galava and Pulastya descended from the heavens and admonished both kings not to unleash such catastrophic weapons. Mandhata, heeding their advice, withdrew. The sages then brokered peace and friendship between the two mighty rulers, and they parted ways in mutual respect.
Ravana continued his journey, crossing the various realms of the atmosphere. In the first realm, he encountered soft-hearted devotees, and in the second, he found three mighty clouds—Agneya, Pushkara, and Brahmi—engaged in deep meditation to preserve the essence of rain and maintain the balance of weather. As he passed through the third realm, he witnessed ascetics and refined spirits, and in the fourth, the forces of Vinayaka resided.
In the fifth realm, Ravana beheld the cardinal elephants, whose constant bathing in the celestial Ganga sent droplets of water to earth through the sun’s rays, sustaining life. Continuing onward, he reached the sixth realm, where the spirits of ancestors and relatives resided. He then entered the seventh realm, home to the Saptarishis and their followers. In the eighth realm, the divine river Tripathaga flowed, nourishing the realms of gods, humans, and demons alike.
Finally, Ravana reached the ninth realm, where the sacred presence of Chandra, the moon god, shone brightly. The biting cold of the moon’s rays began to afflict Ravana’s forces, and Prahastha, distressed, implored Ravana to save them from freezing. Enraged, Ravana prepared to attack Chandra, but was stopped by Lord Brahma. Brahma explained that Chandra played an essential role in the cosmos, distilling and distributing the energy of the sun to sustain all life. He advised Ravana to abandon his assault and praised him for enduring the arduous journey through the powerful forces of the realms. As a token of appreciation, Brahma granted Ravana the boon of renewal, allowing him to recover from any strain.
Thus, Ravana returned to Lanka, strengthened by Brahma’s blessing. Though his journey was marked by great feats of endurance and conquest, destiny would ultimately take another course, as foretold in the tale recounted by the sage Agastya.
