The universal network of karma

Life on earth can never really be a simple affair. We are always weaving a web of relationships. Our equations with each individual whom we come across in life are varied. The plethora of mixed experiences that we go through is nothing but a result of our Karmas. 

An Upakatha in the Ramayana speaks about the wheels within wheels which directs the actions and behaviour of Ravana. He was a great devotee of Shiva, very brave learned and accomplished. These very blessings made him supremely arrogant. Once when Ravana was flying about the Himalayas in his Pushpaka Vimana, he sighted the beautiful nymph Rambha. He desired for her company and hounded her. The damsel ran hard to save herself from the lecherous Ravana. Fortuitously, she happened to bump into Kubera, her consort. She promptly apprised her partner of the recent happenings. Kubera and his son Nalkoobara were livid with rage when he learnt about the unpardonable offence. The young Yaksha never really cared for Ravana because, the demon king had stripped his father of all his wealth and usurped Lanka and all his worldly wealth. Yet Kubera never went out of his way to confront Ravana because his father had let go of the matter and had established Alakapuri. However, when Ravana dared to violate the modesty of his lady love, he could not remain complacent. Kubera cursed Ravana, saying, “If you ever try to force any woman against her will to satisfy your lust, your head will shatter into a thousand pieces.

 Ravana was guilty of an overbearing nature and a lot of violence ever since he was granted a boon that he would meet death only at the hands of a man. His might had become multifold. Ravana’s divine boon had insured him against Yakshas. All the same, he refrained from confronting Kubera because he knew that he had overstepped his limits.    Ravana was aware of the power of Yakshas made a mental note never ever to transgress on those counts because he valued his life. It was this self-imposed constraint that protected Sita, whom he had abducted and kept in captive for almost a year.

Truly, the universal network of our Karmas have strange ways of surfacing when we least expect them to and save us from a mess or put us in a soup across space and time!