Raavan's Curses

Last time we wrote about Raavan's boons by which he became so powerful. This time we are going to learn about his curses for which he was killed the way he was killed. Several of his curses were because of his pride of being powerful by those boons. You may read about these curses in Vaalmeeki Raamaayan from here

(1) First Curse of Shiv's Nandee
The very first curse he bagged was of Shiv's Gan Nandee. After becoming almost immortal by the grace of Brahmaa Jee, Raavan went on victory tour. Once he was returning from somewhere that he came to pass a forest on a mountain. His Pushpak Vimaan stopped there. He thought, "Why should it be stopped here?" That he saw Shiv's Nandee having very dark complexion, he said to Raavan - "Shankar and Paarvatee Jee sport here on this mountain that is why others are forbidden to come here. Hearing this Raavan got very angry and asked him - "Who is this Shankar?" Saying this he came down of his Vimaan and saw Nandee in Vaanar form. Raavan laughed at Nandee in his Vaanar form. Nandee said to him - "You have made a mockery of my Vaanar form that is why Vaanar like me will destroy your family. Nails and teeth will be their weapons, and these Vaanar's speed will be as fast as the speed of mind."
[That is why Raam had to build his army with Vaanar.]

(2) Second Curse of Vedvatee
Another time wandering around Raavan came to a forest in Himaalaya. There he saw a very beautiful girl doing Tap. A desire rose in his heart to have her. He came to her and proposed her to be his wife. She said - "I am the daughter of Maharshi Kushdhwaj. Many Devtaa, Yaksh etc came with the desire to marry me but my father wanted to marry me to Vishnu only. A Dambhu named Daitya got this news and he killed my father in sleep. My mother immolated herself. Now I am doing this Tap to fulfill my father's wish to get Vishnu as my husband."

Raavan got very angry hearing this and he tried to explain her that he himself was the Lord of Tri-Lok, so what she will do of Vishnu, but when she did not listen to him he tried to have her forcefully by holding her hair. Vedvatee cut her hair from her swords like hands, freed herself and said - "You have disturbed my Tap, you should be cursed, but by cursing you my Tap will be destroyed that is why I will not curse you, but I will enter this Agni (fire) and take a vow that I will be born again and be cause of your death." Saying this she jumped into the fire.
[The same Vedvatee was born as Seetaa and became the cause of Raavan's death.

(3) Third Curse of Raajaa Anranya
Once Raavan was coming after winning Raajaa Marut, he came to Ayodhyaa. At that time Raajaa Anranya was ruling there. When Raavan saw him, he was busy doing a Yagya. Because of being invincible, Raavan used to say to everybody - "Either fight with me or accept your defeat." Raavan said the same to Anranya too. Anranya fought with him, but because of the boon he could not win him. Raavan slapped on his head and he fell down. Raavan said - "You have not heard my boon that is why you have not said "I am defeated" that is why you are suffering like this." Anranya said - "I am not defeated, I have not run away from the battlefield, I have not defamed Ikshwaaku Vansh. My Kaal (Time of Death) has come that is why I am going and curse you that "Raam will be born to Dasharath in Ikshwaaku Vansh to kill you." If I have done some Punya my words will be true."
[That is why Raam was  born to Dasharath and killed Raavan.]

(4) Fourth Curse of Nal-Koobar
Once Raavan went to his sister's house to get help of her husband Madhu in his victory tour. Raavan took Madhu and his army and came to Kailaash Parvat for night stay. Everybody slept but Raavan was awake. He was enjoying the night, stars, cool, slow, fragrant air etc. Singing and dancing sounds were coming from Kuber's palace. At the same time Rambhaa Apsaraa passed through that way. A desire rose in his heart to have her so he caught her and said - "Nobody in the world is comparable to me at this time. Your duty is to please Devtaa, today you please me instead of Devtaa."

Rambhaa got scared and said - "You are like my father-in-law. I am going to Nal-Koobar, your brother Kuber's son. It is not good to rape your son's wife." Raavan said - "You are not my son's wife, you are an Apsaraa." And Raavan had her there only. When Rambhaa came to Nal-Koobar, she told him the whole story. Nal-Koobar got so angry hearing this that he cursed Raavan - "In future, if he will have any woman without her wish his head will break into seven pieces." Hearing this Devtaa got very happy and started beating drums.
[That is why Raavan could not have even touch any woman without her wish.]
[How he took Seetaa to Lankaa, this is questionable]

(5) Fifth Curse of Many Women
Once Raavan went to fight with Raajaa Bali and when he was coming back to Lankaa, he fought many other Devtaa, Daanav, Asur etc and abducted many of their women. Those women were crying loudly - "We don't know what will happen to us now? How this Raavan will treat us? How will our family members survive without us? This evil Raakshas has made us widow after killing our husbands. We curse him that, because you looked at others' wives, that is why you will die because of a woman only". Hearing this curse, Raavan got sad and thought - "Their curse cannot fail."
[That is why Raavan was killed only because of a woman - Seetaa]

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com