Ravana as Ramas Priest

Dadi: "Guddu, what if I told you that Ravana - the demon king who kidnapped Sita - once blessed Lord Rama himself?"

Guddu: "What?! Ravana blessed Rama? That's impossible! They were enemies!"

Dadi: "I know it sounds strange. But this is one of the most remarkable stories in our tradition. It teaches us that duty and dharma sometimes create unexpected situations."

Guddu: "Tell me what happened!"

Dadi: "After winning the war and rescuing Sita, Rama wanted to perform a special puja to Lord Shiva before returning to Ayodhya. He was at Rameshwaram, at the very southern tip of India, ready to begin the ceremony."

Guddu: "So what was the problem?"

Dadi: "For such an important ritual, Rama needed a priest - not just any priest, but someone who was a master of the Vedas, skilled in both Vaishnava and Shaiva traditions, and capable of performing the complex rituals perfectly."

Guddu: "Couldn't one of the sages help?"

Dadi: "Jambavan, the wise bear, raised a difficult truth. They were in the wilderness, far from any temple or scholarly community. Where would they find such a qualified priest?"

Guddu: "Then what?"

Dadi: "Then Jambavan said something shocking: "The only person in this entire region who meets all these requirements... is Ravana.""

Guddu: "RAVANA? But he was the enemy!"

Dadi: "Yes! But think about it, Guddu. Ravana was the grandson of the great sage Pulastya. He was a Brahmin by birth. He had mastered all four Vedas. He was an incredible devotee of Lord Shiva. Despite being a demon king, he was also one of the most learned scholars in the three worlds."

Guddu: "So knowledge matters more than... being good or bad?"

Dadi: "In ritual matters, the qualification of the priest matters enormously. Rama, bound by dharma, sent an invitation to Ravana."

Guddu: "Did Ravana come?"

Dadi: "Here's what's amazing - he did! Ravana was also bound by his Brahminical duties. When asked to perform a sacred ceremony, he couldn't refuse. The religious code demanded it."

Guddu: "Even for his enemy?"

Dadi: "Even for his enemy. Ravana accepted the responsibility. He even made sure all the proper items were arranged for the ritual, telling Rama to be bathed and ready at daybreak."

Guddu: "This is so weird, Dadi!"

Dadi: "It gets more complicated. In Vedic tradition, a married man cannot perform certain rituals without his wife present. But Sita... was in Ravana's custody in Lanka!"

Guddu: "Oh! So Rama couldn't even do the puja?"

Dadi: "Ravana solved this himself. He brought Sita from Lanka in his flying chariot so she could sit beside Rama during the ceremony. After it was complete, she was taken back to Lanka."

Guddu: "So Ravana helped Rama worship properly?"

Dadi: "Yes. And when the puja was complete, there came the moment when the person being served must receive the priest's blessing. Rama and Sita bowed to Ravana - their enemy in war, but their priest in this sacred moment."

Guddu: "Did Ravana bless them?"

Dadi: "He did. He said "Vijayi Bhava" - "May you be victorious.""

Guddu: "But... but that meant Rama would be victorious in the war against HIM!"

Dadi: "Exactly, beta. The demon king blessed his own enemy with victory. In that moment, he was not Ravana the kidnapper. He was a Brahmin priest performing his dharma."

Guddu: "Did Ravana know what he was saying?"

Dadi: "He must have. But a true priest gives blessings according to the ritual, not according to his personal feelings. The role he had accepted required that blessing."

Guddu: "This is making my brain hurt, Dadi. So was Ravana good or bad?"

Dadi: "That's the lesson, beta. Ravana was both! He was a great scholar AND a cruel kidnapper. He was a supreme devotee of Shiva AND an arrogant demon. Real people - real beings - are complicated. We all have light and shadow within us."

Guddu: "So even our enemies might have something good about them?"

Dadi: "Yes. And even our heroes have flaws. This story teaches us to respect knowledge and duty wherever we find them, even in unexpected places. It also shows that dharma creates bonds that transcend personal conflicts. When Ravana acted as priest, he and Rama were not enemies - they were fulfilling roles as old as creation itself."

Guddu: "I'll remember this story, Dadi."

Dadi: "Good, beta. And remember - the blessing Ravana gave came true. Sometimes our duty requires us to contribute to our own defeat. That's the price of honor."