RAVANA’S MOTHER

RENUKA NARAYANAN narrates the story of how Nikasha, Ravana's mother, overcame the grief of losing her son and became a Rama bhakt

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.”