||Bhakti And Bhakt||

Bhakti I believe is the most divine form of relationship and to define Bhakti is not something I am capable of, there might be various definitions and explanations for Bhakti but what I believe of Bhakti is something that can't be defined, it's something which can be felt, a feeling that connects the Bhakt and his Lord.

In Ramayana we come across different hues of Bhakti, underneath every relationship dealt in this epic we find the bond of Bhakt and his devotee, be it the very well seen relationship of Hanuman Ram or be it that of Ram Lakshman.

Much can be written and talked about every individual in this epic but here I am stuck with a unique Bhakt, Raavan.

Today the dialogue between Shivji and mata Parvati made me ponder on Raavan as a Bhakt.

As I said before Bhakti is that bond that connects the Bhakt and his Lord, for Raavan is been said or portrayed as the greatest Bhakt of Shiv. The slippery ground on which Raavan the Bhakt stands was clearly shown during Sita Swayamwar, where the pride of being the greatest devotee overtook his devotion and he has always been the one who prides over being a Bhakt than one who delved deep into his devotion. This is the image of Raavan that we get on the surface but I believe there is more to Raavan the Bhakt than what is shown and it is more complex and tangled.

The question that made me think of this is what would have happened had Raavan heard or understood his lord (Shivji) who was under the guise of Hanuman. The obvious answer would be Raavan is too arrogant and proud to even consider that warning of Shivji. True, very much true, had Raavan agreed to let Sita go, then that would have been so unlikely of his character. So here the facade of devotee in Raavan fails but if he actually did like that then?

If Shri Ram forgives Raavan then what would happen to the Bhakt of Lord Vishnu Jaya? When their sole purpose is to get killed by their lord in three births and return back to his abode serving him. This question troubled me a lot as I watched the episode and thus the dynamics of Raavan the Bhakt.

I know it's easy to say Jaya- Vijaya were Bhakts and not Raavan or Kumbakaran but what resides in them is the same soul of Jaya and Vijaya.

Raavan is portrayed as the Bhakt of Shiva (who Bhakt of Vishnu). And so Raavan in his unconscious is Lord Vishnu's Bhakt.

So when Raavan fails to hear or understand his Lord's warning, his conscious as a Bhakt gets weakened. When Raavan's consciousness fails his unconscious self-triumphs and there waits the Bhakt for the arrival of his Lord.

This is purely my view and no offence to anyone. I hope this makes some sense at least or what am blabbering sounds stupid? 🤔