Mandodari in the Ramayana: Ravan's Wife and Counsel
Mandodari is Ravan's wife and the queen of Lanka in Goswami Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. She urges Ravan to cease hostility with Shri Ram, but he dismisses her counsel. Her appearances in Lanka Kand show the suffering within Ravan's household as he persists in opposition to the Lord, followed by her grief and recognition of Shri Ram's virtues.
Mandodari asks Ravan to end his hostility
Wise counsel asks us to recognise a warning and change our conduct. In Lanka Kand, Doha 13b, Mandodari sits beside Ravan at a music and dancing concert. Shri Ram's single arrow brings down Ravan's umbrella and crowns, along with her earrings. The assembly takes fright, while Ravan laughs away its alarm.
In Lanka Kand, Doha 14, Mandodari responds differently. With tears in her eyes and folded hands, she asks her husband to cease hostility with Shri Ram. Her concern takes the form of a clear appeal. Ravan's response in Lanka Kand, Doha 16b, is to ridicule her counsel and turn her account of the Lord's greatness into praise of himself.
Her repeated counsel and grief
Mandodari's counsel does not end with Ravan's dismissal. In Lanka Kand, Doha 35b, he returns to his palace disconsolate after Angad's encounter with him. She again speaks to advise him. Her persistence shows that concern for a loved one can require us to repeat an unwelcome truth.
The later passages reveal her suffering as the war continues. In Lanka Kand, Doha 77, Ravan falls unconscious on hearing of his son's death, and Mandodari laments bitterly. In Lanka Kand, Doha 91, her heart trembles at the sound of Shri Ram's bow. These scenes bring the consequences of Ravan's hostility into his own household.
Mandodari after Ravan's death
Mandodari's final appearance in these Lanka Kand passages joins mourning with recognition of Shri Ram's virtues. In Lanka Kand, Doha 105, she and the other queens offer water and sesame seeds for the deceased. They then return to the palace, recalling the Lord's excellences. Grief remains, yet their attention also turns towards His greatness.
Her sorrow is remembered again in Uttar Kand, Doha 68b. As Kakbhushundi recounts the story, he includes Ravan's death and Mandodari's lament before Vibhishan's enthronement. Her place in this account asks us to attend to the suffering that accompanies rejected counsel. When sincere advice reveals our error, the practice is to listen before defending ourselves.
Verses
कंप न भूमि न मरुत बिसेषा। अस्त्र सस्त्र कछु नयन न देखा॥ सोचहिं सब निज हृदय मझारी। असगुन भयउ भयंकर भारी॥ १ ॥
There was no earthquake nor any strong gust of wind. Nor did they see any weapon or missile. All, however, pondered within themselves that it was a most alarming ill-omen.(1)
Lanka Kand, Doha 14रिपु बल धरषि हरषि कपि बालितनय बल पुंज। पुलक सरीर नयन जल गहे राम पद कंज॥३५ (क)॥
Setting at naught Rāvaṇa’s power, the mighty Aṅgada, Bāli’s son, his body thrilling over with emotion and eyes full of tears, clasped in delight Śrī Rāma’s lotus-feet. (35 A) Perceiving that it was evening, the ten-headed monster returned disconsolate to his palace, where Mandodarī again spoke and advised him: (35 B)
Lanka Kand, Doha 35bबिनु प्रयास हनुमान उठायो। लंका द्वार राखि पुनि आयो॥ तासु मरन सुनि सुर गंधर्बा। चढ़ि बिमान आए नभ सर्बा॥१॥
Hanumān lifted him without any exertion and after placing him at the main gate of Laṅkā, returned. Hearing of his death, the gods as well as the Gandharvas all appeared in the heavens in their aerial cars. (1)
Lanka Kand, Doha 77मंदोदरी आदि सब देइ तिलांजलि ताहि। भवन गईं रघुपति गुन गन बरनत मन माहि॥१०५॥
After offering to the deceased handfuls of water and sesamum seeds (for the propitiation of his soul) Mandodarī and all the other queens returned to their palace, recounting to themselves the host of excellences of Śrī Raghunātha. (105)
Lanka Kand, Doha 105
Ramayan appFree. No ads. Works offline.InstallQuestions people ask
Who is Mandodari in the Ramayana?
Mandodari is Ravan's wife and the queen of Lanka. In Goswami Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, she appears as a concerned adviser who asks her husband to cease hostility with Shri Ram. Lanka Kand, Doha 14, shows her making this appeal with tears and folded hands. Later passages describe her grief during the war.
Did Ravan listen to Mandodari?
Ravan dismisses Mandodari's counsel in Lanka Kand, Doha 16b. He laughs at her words and interprets her description of Shri Ram's greatness as evidence of his own power. She nevertheless advises him again when he returns disconsolate to the palace in Lanka Kand, Doha 35b.
What happens to Mandodari after Ravan dies?
Lanka Kand, Doha 105, describes Mandodari and the other queens offering water and sesame seeds for the deceased, then returning to their palace while recalling Shri Ram's virtues. Uttar Kand, Doha 68b, also remembers her lament over Ravan's death. These passages do not describe her later life.