Ravana Takes Lanka and the Pushpaka
Bala Kanda, Chaupai 179
Doha 179 · Movement 1 of 2
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Mighty demons once inhabited Lanka before the gods destroyed them in battle. In their place, millions of guardians belonging to Kubera now keep the fortress under Indra's arrangement. Ravana hears of the city and marches with a vast, fierce army.
The Yakshas see the approaching warriors and flee for their lives to distant lands. Ravana enters, surveys the naturally defended city, and feels former sorrow disappear. Lanka becomes his capital, and homes are distributed according to the merit of each demon follower.
The ten headed ruler then attacks Kubera himself. Victory brings back the Pushpaka chariot, a royal vehicle taken from the lord of wealth. Fortress, subjects, and flying splendour gather beneath Ravana's command.
The Pushpaka descends over golden Lanka, bearing the first trophies of Ravana's empire.
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AI-created devotional illustration · Chaupai 179
Pushpaka aerial vehicle won and brought back by Ravana from Kubera; object-only illustration
Source reference and artistic choices
Gita Press code81 undated · PDF pages 182 · printed pages 180. Reader passage: bala-kanda-chaupai-179. Printed numbering may differ.
Source facts
- All eight parts retained: earlier mighty Rakshasa warriors were slain by gods; now Kubera's guardians reside there at Indra's direction, not Indra's own guards. Ravana hears, mobilizes an army and besieges the fort. Seeing fierce warriors and vast army, the Yakshas flee with their lives, not killed in this scene.
- Ravana surveys the city delighted and chooses it as capital for its natural beauty and inaccessibility, not beyond imagination; he allots suitable homes and makes all Rakshasas happy.
- Selected eighth: once he raids Kubera, wins Pushpaka vehicle and brings it back. पुष्पक जान is vehicle, not a flying blade. Ravana's victory is retained in context; named vehicle alone is selected here.
Artistic choices
- New imagined Pushpaka object design: unoccupied golden floating pavilion vehicle, coherent rectangular deck and balcony, low rails, four support posts, cream/gold canopy, red/green/blue jewels and small ornamental under-deck finial. Precise construction, material, flight appearance and ornaments are conventions, not engineering verified by verse.
- E10 cream arch/deep rust field, tiny white flowers and object-only framing are artistic. No Ravana/Kubera portrait or actual raid/battle depicted; no blades, aircraft engine, horses or flight-mechanism claim. No full named-character identity established.
An imaginative interpretation, not a historical portrait or documentary evidence.
रहे तहाँ निसिचर भट भारे। ते सब सुरन्ह समर संघारे।। अब तहँ रहहिं सक्र के प्रेरे। रच्छक कोटि जच्छपति केरे।। दसमुख कतहुँ खबरि असि पाई। सेन साजि गढ़ घेरेसि जाई।। देखि बिकट भट बड़ि कटकाई। जच्छ जीव लै गए पराई।। फिरि सब नगर दसानन देखा। गयउ सोच सुख भयउ बिसेषा।। सुंदर सहज अगम अनुमानी। कीन्हि तहाँ रावन रजधानी।। जेहि जस जोग बाँटि गृह दीन्हे। सुखी सकल रजनीचर कीन्हे।। एक बार कुबेर पर धावा। पुष्पक जान जीति लै आवा।।
Mighty rakshasa warriors once dwelt in that city, all of them slain by the gods in battle. Now, by Indra's command, crores of Kubera's guardians keep watch over it.