RAHWANA

The ogue giant king of Alengkadiraja, his other name was Dasamuka, a scary giant with ten faces. (see Ramayana and the Kingdom of Alengka). Since his youth, he had a bad behavior, a real giant (giant in Javanese is Buto means blind, a "blind" man can’t differentiate the goods and the bads). He thought only for himself, his own pleasure. He was not interested, the feeling or the fate of others. He would crush everyone who was against his wish.

All his whole life, since a boy until his death, he was unbearable. He was the worst of the worst, pursuing only his interests. He could not be a good person since the very beginning. He was a fruit of Kama salah (bad sperm) according to Javanese traditional teachings (Kejawen).

The lusty Begawan Wisrawa had committed a shameful mistake as a saint/Begawan. He, as a wise Begawan had to abandon the material world and lust, was tempted to the beauty of Sukesi, the fiancée of his son Danaraja. He was not able to control his evil desires.

The love making of a man and a woman, with their minds loaded with lusts would produce Kama Salah (bad sperm). In the process, it should be a person with bad character. The moral education from their parents or teachers would not affect much. That was the case with Dasamuka.

Gunawan Wibisono, the fourth son of Wisrawa and Sukesi was a wise person seeking for the truth. How could it be?. He was a fruit of good Kama/sperm. The parents, especially Wisrawa, he had gain back his true consciousness when he made love with his wife. Of course as a normal human-being, he was sexually aroused, but he had a clear and peaceful mind (lejar in Javanese). A child behavior and fate was mostly pre-determined by the parents’ mind (notably the father) during intercourse, not the parents occupation or position in the society.

Rahwana had made many mistakes, among other:

He thought that he was more powerful than anybody. As a youth, he had attacked Subali. He was sure that he could defeat the monkey-Subali easily. He did not know that Subali had a powerful mantra-Pancasona. At a short fight, Rahwana surrendered. He ‘apologized’ sincerely, and asked Subali to teach him the mantra. He promised Subali that from now on he would behave in a good manner. He would use the mantra for slef-defence only, if necessary. He got what he wished.

He can not see beautiful women, even those ones belong to others. One day, he peeped at the wives of king Arjuna Sasrabahu when they were swimming in the court lake of Maespati. He ignored the guards warning. He fought with Suwanda, the Patih/Prime Minister of Maespati. He could kill Patih Suwanda due to his mantra Pancasona. But he was defeated by Arjuna Sasrabahu, he would almost dead. He apologized ‘ wholeheartedly ‘ and promised would behave accordingly and would never disturb Maespati again. At the time he was saved by his uncle Puksara, the king of Alengka. Arjuna Sasrabahu apologized Rahwana but Alengka became a colony of Maespati.

The legitimate heir of Alengka kingdom was Prahasta, an uncle of Rahwana. But he did not want to be a king. He assigned Rahwana, his nephew to be a new king of Alengka, Prahasta himself was the Patih/first minister. Prahasta wished Rahwana could be a good and just ruler. But his wish was ignored after Rahwana’s coronation.

The abduction of Sinta, the wife of powerful Rama, the incarnation of Wisnu. It was a fatal mistake! He had to pay with his own life.

The spirit of Rahwana

In his life after death as a spirit, he continued to be a bad spirit. He tried to tempt people to accomplish bad, wrong and harmful things toward others. He did not repent his sins.

As long as the Universe with all its contents including mankind did exist, there would be the goods and the bads. But one had to firmly believe that the goods should win. (sometimes in the last moment).

Suryo S. Negoro