When the armies of Ram and Hanuman landed on Lanka, Ram is said to have sent Angad, Bali’s son to Ravan’s court as an emissary and as a last ditch effort to let Ravan agree to return Sita and avert the war. Ravan in his arrogance is said to have attempted to seduce Angad with promises of power if he agrees not to fight for Ram’s cause. Once that failed, Ravan’s legendary temper is known to have claimed that Ram was but a puny mendicant who only had animals as an army and how he was going to annihilate them all. At this Angad is said to have planted is foot firmly on the floor and challenged the strength of all of Ravan’s generals and courtiers to try and move his foot – many tried and all failed!
Some stories also add that Angad also said that while Ram only had animals in his army but had the power to infuse them with the strength of character and courage enough for a monkey to jump across an ocean whereas Ravan himself could not even cross an imaginary line drawn around Sita by Laxman.
No cause is small and not every cause requires superhuman strength to fulfil – whatever our cause may be, let us make sure it is aligned to our moral code of conduct, maryada, and our belief in it is solid and unshakable. Once this is achieved, we will find the strength within us to stand our ground, look adversity in the eye and challenge adverse circumstances with grace and determination. May the Ram in us inspire our value system and may our determination be an ‘angadkapaer’ every time.
| SHIVANI GIRI
Shivani Giri is a teaching professional, who likes to write, is a prolific reader of different genres of mythological texts. She is based out of Hyderabad.
