As Ravana and Kumbakarna are also devotees in disguise, why do scriptures not glorify them?
From: Manikanta
The devotees of Lord, Jaya and Vijaya came to this world to be a role in the Lords leela as Ravana and Khumbhakarna. And Hanuman also came to this world to be a role in the Lords leela. Then why Hanuman only glorified through out the scriptures and by Acharyas as a great devotee of the Lord……Why Acharyas and scriptures criticize Ravana and Khumbakarna?
Thank you.
Question from Manikant, Lord Jai and Vijay. Came to this world to be a role in the Lord’s Leela as Ravana and Kumbhakarna. And Hanuman also came to this world to be a role in the Lord’s Leela.
Then why only Hanuman is glorified throughout the scriptures and by Acharyas as great devotee of the Lord? Why do Acharyas’ scriptures criticize Ravana and Kumbhakarna? Answer. Firstly, it is not always that the demons in Lord Ram’s Leela or Lord Krishna’s Leela are devotees in disguise. In the past time of Jai-Vijay being cursed, happened once.
And when that happened, responding to that, the demons who came in the Lord’s pastimes were the devotees in disguise. But in other kalpas, other days of Brahma, when there are inimical pastimes, they are actually inimical. They are not devotees in disguise.
This is what Sri Prabhupada explained in the Chaitanya-charitamrta. So that’s the first point. That not all the time the demons, like Ravana and Kumbhakarna, not that Lord Ram’s pastimes happen in every kalpa.
So whenever it comes, it’s not that all the time the demons are devotees. Secondly, even when they are devotees, the roles that they are playing are inimical to the Lord. Whereas the role that Hanuman is playing is favorable to the Lord.
Because Hanuman is serving the Lord, and Ravana and Kumbhakarna are opposing the Lord, therefore, for us, the model to serve is, we in this world need to learn how to serve the Lord, and we need models who will inspire us to serve the Lord. So for us, Hanuman is the model to be followed. And Ravana and Kumbhakarna are the examples to be avoided.
So therefore, naturally the focus of the qualification is on Hanuman, and not on the demons. Thirdly, Hanuman has an eternal position in the spiritual world, where he is performing Leela as an eternal associate to the Lord. Jaya and Vijaya are eternal associates, but Ravana and Kumbhakarna are not eternal associates in the spiritual world.
They are eternal associates as in their original forms in Jaya and Vijaya. So Jaya and Vijaya are surely worthy of our respect and our glorification, but not Ravana and Kumbhakarna. These three reasons, the Acharyas focus on glorifying Hanumanji and the devotees, and not Ravana and Kumbhakarna like the demons.
Now of course, we still recognize that the demons also play a role in precipitating the Lord’s advent. And therefore, every time when we have the Narsimha Aarti, we actually take the name of Hiranyakashipu also, but it is not his independent glory, it is his independent glory, and it is not because of his devotion that he has invoked the Lord as Prahlada, it is because of his demoniac nature. So there may be an indirect appreciation of even the demons, because they cause, they precipitate, they are not the cause, the cause is the devotee, the devotee and the devotee’s devotion, but the manifestation at a particular time, Lord Narsimhadeva came because of Kulamala’s devotion, but the precipitation of his descent, the immediate cause of his descent was Hiranyakashipu’s threat, He says, who is that Ishwara you think that is apart from me? I will cut off your head, let us see if he comes and protects you.
So, in that sense, there may be an indirect appreciation of the role that they are playing in allowing us to see, to hear about, relish the Lord’s pastimes, but they are not the models for our devotion, they are not always divine, they are eternal, sorrow, kindness, virtue, that’s why they are not glorified primarily.