The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (148)
Prabu Arjunasasrabahu ordered his soldiers to send his chariot and tie Rahwana to the back of the chariot. He drove the chariot himself and sped back to Maespati.
Prabu Arjunasasrabahu approached Rahwana. He could have easily killed Rahwana at will. But he did not want Rahwana to die too easily. So, he ordered his soldiers to send his chariot and tie Rahwana to the back of the chariot. He drove the chariot himself and sped back to Maespati.
In disarray, the soldiers of Alengka dispersed. Having lost the war, they now saw their king was despised as a prisoner. The remaining legions of the Maespati army hailed their victory while watching Rahwana’s helplessness as a prisoner of war with amusement. The chariot drove fast, dragging Rahwana along behind it like a weight. The giant king screamed in pain. When the chariot leapt over rocks, Rahwana swung up to hit them. He bounced up and down behind the chariot all the way, which included a river crossing. He continued to scream. His body was bleeding badly. He was tortured by the sheer pain, which was more painful than the injuries he had suffered in the battle from the weapons. He also suffered inner pain from the humiliation that hurt his dignity and pride.
Rahwana was tied to a banyan tree in the Maespati palace square. People thronged to look at Rahwana, who became the target of ridicule and insults. The women whose husbands had died on the battlefield vented their frustration by pelting him with their harsh words. They couldn't help but harass and spit at him. The children joined in, sticking out their tongues, squinting their eyes and mocking Rahwana. Some feigned fright to ridicule him. They saw the giant as a demon that had been caught out. If they had not been held back, the men would have beaten Rahwana to death. The King of Alengka was deemed as the cause of the tragedy that had killed so many Maespati soldiers. The majestic Maespati had been on the brink of destruction because of his evil actions. They thought Rahwana deserved more than the punishment he was enduring.
Also read:
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (147)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (146)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (145)
"O Gods, instead of suffering like this, let me die," Rahwana groaned in despair. Feeling immense humiliation, he had completely lost his sense of dignity. Rahwana’s uncle Patih Prahasta watched the event from afar. He could not bear to see his nephew’s suffering and humiliation. The elder patih (senior royal advisor), who was known for his sincerity, ventured to see the Maespati king.
"Your Highness, please pardon Rahwana. I reminded him many times not to engage in evil acts. It seemed that the time has not yet come for him to realize what he has done. Give him time to repent. Let him be punished, but not in such disgrace,” Patih Prahasta prostrated, begging the king as he shed tears.
Prabu Arjunasasrabahu maintained his silence while listening to the request. Patih Prahasta felt resigned and downhearted. He left Maespati and traveled far to Mount Girimukti to see Begawan Pulastya in his reclusive hermitage.
Begawan Pulastya was great-grandfather to Rahwana. He had long renounced all worldly life and exiled himself to Girimukti. He was known as a holy ascetic and was deemed to be approaching the perfection of a celestial figure in the realm of the gods. Before Begawan Pulastya, Patih Prahasta spoke about Rahwana until he had become a prisoner of Maespati.
"Begawan, please help Rahwana, your great-grandson, who is currently suffering," said Patih Prahasta.
“I have often heard the story of my prodigal great-grandson, Prahasta. I cannot promise that I can help him. His fate depends on the mercy of King Arjunasasrabahu. But I am sure that if it is not the time for him to die, he will certainly be freed, in whatever way it shall be. I will beg for mercy for my great-grandson as part of my priestly duties,” said Begawan Pulastya. Accompanied by Patih Prahasta, Begawan Pulastya went to Maespati.
Prabu Arjunasasrabahu received Begawan Pulastya with great respect. Meeting him, the Maespati king felt a strong and pure power radiate from the ascetic.
"Your Highness, the noble king, please allow me to beg for your mercy for my great-grandson, Rahwana," Begawan Pulastya said, revealing the purpose of his visit.
“Begawan, is it proper to have mercy on your great-grandson, Rahwana?” asked the King of Maespati.
"I know Rahwana is a reckless and wrathful giant. However, should mercy be defeated by abomination and wrath? Who knows that mercifulness can make him change?”
Also read:
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (144)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (143)
> The Bajang Child Swinging the Moon (142)
King Arjunasasrabahu contemplated in silence. He was the incarnation of Batara Vishnu, who oversaw the universe and showered his endless compassion to protect nature. Humankind may have wreaked destruction, but nature never stopped giving. Nature knew good existed side by side with evil. Nature did not distinguish them; both were given equal chance to thrive. Nature would never give up just because the world was inhabited by evil humans. Could it be that Rahwana was deliberately pushed into a confrontation with Prabu Arjunasasrabahu so he could show nature's compassion, which was far greater than Rahwana’s hatred? With compassion, nature always provided disobedient humans with an opportunity for rectification. Otherwise, nature could have destroyed humans without waiting so long. What did it mean for him to be an incarnation of Vishnu if he was not willing to give a chance for even the most evil person like Rahwana to change?
"Your Highness, please give this ungodly great-grandson a chance to live. Let him be a dog keeper, goat herder, horse carer or Your Highness' charioteer, as long as he is spared his life to feel your compassion," Begawan Pulastya asked again.
This article was translated by Musthofid.
