Mandodari

Originally posted by: mnx12

Check this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandodari

Originally posted by: Maverick_me

Angad dragging Mandodari by her hair is a late addition in khmer version of Ramayana known as "Raemker" and this addition is as late as 18th century CE, according to the asiatic society research.

In Valmiki Ramayana, Hanuman wanted to punish the rakshisis of Ashok vatika for the trouble they had caused to Sita but she forbids him saying that the rakshisis were just obeying Ravana's orders just like Hanuman obeyed Rama and now that Ravana was dead all enmity had also ended . So its pretty clear that the losing side was not punished/ humiliated.

The ' Why' of panchakanya is a good question and difficult too.

Being a 'Kanya' has to do with the mind and not body and what do we mean when we call somebody , for example a movie star, a singer as evergreen?

Every time we see them perform or sing they surprise us with something new.

Being a 'kanya' means to re invent oneself every time , constantly evolving, being dynamic like nature which constantly evolves / changes , like the tick of the clock where ther is no looking /going back.

Panchakanyas are a part of Goddess Parvati and they represent five elements of nature

Ahalya- earth

Draupadi- fire

Kunti- ether/space

Tara- water

Mandodari- air

If you study the lives of the above mentioned women , they being called as kanya is not surprising, they 're called so because of the strength of their character ; all of them are mentioned to be very beautiful , learned women and they re invented themselves putting their past behind them and starting anew

Put the lives of Tara and Mandodari in parallel , they both are a confidante to their respective husbands and always advise them to tread on path of good , always wishing their welfare . Tara is wife to both vali and sugriv on and off and while being that she is not preferring one over the other , she is equally devoted to them when vali dies , she has sugriv as husband and sees that her son Angad is the crown prince and advises sugriv in political matters so basically she moves on with life.

Mandodari also all her life remaining devoted to Ravana advises to tread on path of good, advises him to return Sita with honor to Rama and in war mandodari loses all her sons and husband and she marries Vibhishan , isnt she moving on with life? Putting all her past behind and starting anew?! That definitely makes her a Kanya!!

Marrying Vibhishan also has to do with the tradition among rakshasas though ; women were free to get married after the death of their husband.

If you want to know more on what Kanya means , you have to read Carl jungian philosophy and the work of Mary esther Harding , she mentions similar things in her book :Women's mysteries

There are also many stories on Mandodari's birth and how she was ansha of Parvati, one among them is:

Ravana prayed to Shiva to give him the most beautiful woman to marry and Lord Shiva said that his wife Parvati was the most beautiful woman in the world, goddess Parvati herself created Mandodari as her equal ( in beauty). Mayasura who longed for a daughter adopted Mandodari and gave her in marrriage to Ravana. Mandodari also had martial instincts and wanted to fight in war against Rama but is stopped by ravana and btw Sita being the daughter of Mandodari, also had martial insticts , according to few jaina texts , it is she who kills viradha and not rama

Originally posted by: DelusionalMe

Would like to learn more about it.
Maverick_me You mentioned the panchkanyas to be:
Ahalya- earth
Draupadi- fire
Kunti- ether/space
Tara- water
Mandodari- air
As per my knowledge, it should be Sita in place of Kunti I guess. Correct me if I am wrong. I remember this small poem fondly as my grandma uses to tell me to recite it before going to bed as it would help me of nightmares. That poem mentioned the panchkanyas, Ahilya, Tara, Sita, Droupdi and Mandodri.

Originally posted by: ..RamKiJanaki..

Sita is included in the Pancha Maha Sati (five great wives) list.

Pancha Maha Sati:

1) Sita (Ram's wife)

2) Sati (Shiva's wife)

3) Savitri (Satyavan's wife)

4) Arundhati (Vasishta's wife)

5) Anasuya (Atri's wife)

Pancha Maha Kanya:

1) Ahalya

2) Draupadi

3) Tara (Brihaspati's wife, not Vali's)

4) Kunti

5) Mandodari

Vali's wife Tara is not a significant character in Ramayana, no offense to her. The Tara of this list is Brihaspati's wife.