Ravana, consumed by the weight of his own immortality, sought counsel from Brahma himself. Despite his countless boons, a shadow of fear always loomed over him—the fear of death, which gnawed at his soul and filled his heart with sorrow. In his restless quest to escape this inevitable fate, Ravana questioned sages and gods alike, phrasing the same inquiry in various forms. This, indeed, was the clearest sign that, regardless of divine blessings, those who walk in sin are ever haunted by fear. Ravana was no exception.
“Brahma!” he called. “Who shall be my slayer?”
Brahma, ever serene, replied, “O Ravana, king of Rakshasas, and beloved of Lord Shiva, hear me. In the ancient dynasty of Ishkavaku, there was a noble king named Dilip, whose son, Raghu, became famed for his valor and righteousness. He ruled over the land of Jambu Dweepa, which comprises nine realms: Illavrat Varsha, Ketumala Varsha, Ramyaka Varsha, Hiranyamayi Varsha, Bhadrasva Varsha, Hari Varsha, Kimpurusha Varsha, and Bharata Varsha. From Raghu arose the illustrious Raghuvamsa. His son, Aja, a man of wisdom and devotion, maintained peace across these varshas. Aja’s heir, Dasaratha, would marry Kaushalya, and from their union would be born Sri Rama, the incarnation of Hari himself. It is in Rama’s hands, O Ravana, that your fate is sealed.”
Ravana scoffed, “Impossible!”
But Brahma continued, “King Dasaratha of Kosala has already chosen Kaushalya, and their marriage is set to take place in five days.”
Bowing in reluctant acknowledgment, Ravana departed Brahma’s abode, his mind a storm of thoughts.
Dasaratha, meanwhile, ruled Jambu Dweepa from his capital Ayodhya, on the banks of the river Sarayu. The grand wedding ceremonies had begun, starting with the sacred ritual of floating on the river, worshipping nature in the ancient tradition of the Treta Yuga. Ravana, ever scheming, led his demon warriors to besiege Sarayu. A fierce battle ensued. Though Dasaratha fought valiantly, he could not withstand the demonic onslaught. In the chaos, Ravana believed he had drowned Dasaratha along with his people, and in his triumph, he kidnapped Kaushalya. Ravana placed her in a grand box, entrusting it to a whale, which he had enchanted to guard it. Deluded by his false victory, he returned to Lanka, reveling in the belief that he had conquered death itself.
The whale, vigilant over the box, one day engaged in battle with a rival whale, leaving the box upon an island. By fate’s design, Dasaratha and his loyal minister Sumanthra, who had survived Ravana’s attack by clinging to a log, were carried by favorable currents to that very island. There, they discovered the box, and upon opening it, found Kaushalya within. She, in turn, was amazed by the fateful reunion. Sumanthra, recognizing the divine hand in these events, conducted their marriage according to the Gandharva tradition, marking the sacred union in time with the earlier auspicious moment.
All three entered the box, awaiting their next fate. The whale, having vanquished its rival, returned, took the box into its mouth, and continued its duty.
Ravana, full of mockery, returned to Brahma, intent on ridiculing the god for what he believed was a failed prophecy. But Brahma, in his infinite wisdom, revealed the truth. “Ravana, their marriage has indeed taken place, in the Gandharva manner, which is a recognized and sacred tradition. Your fate has already begun to unfold.”
Enraged, Ravana commanded his demons to retrieve the box. When it was opened in Brahma’s presence, Ravana was shocked to see Dasaratha, Kaushalya, and Sumanthra alive before him. Furious and humiliated, he drew his sword, ready to slay them all on the spot. But Brahma interjected his voice stern, “O Ravana, no one can escape the fate I have written. Dasaratha and Kaushalya must live to bring forth a son who will one day rise to challenge you. If you dare kill them now, Vishnu himself may manifest and bring your end at this very moment.”
Thus warned, Ravana had no choice but to relent. With great reluctance, he escorted Dasaratha and Kaushalya back to Ayodhya, burdened by the weight of his failure and the ever-growing fear of death that haunted him.
Later, Vasista recounted this tale to Rama, revealing how Ravana had once sought to destroy his parents, knowing full well that Rama would be the cause of his doom. Yet, fate, as always, could not be altered. Rama and his brothers, astonished by the ancient story, retired for the night, awaiting the next day’s tale.
