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Who Was Mandodari? Unknown Facts About King Of Lanka, Ravana's Wife

Mandodari, which means one of the slender waists, was the famous queen consort of King Ravana, the King of Lanka. Gratefully remembered by the ardent readers of Indinan mythological text Ramayana for her magnanimous gestures and for dealing with Ravana's situation in a staunchly virtuous and fair manner.

Who Was Mandodari?Unknown Facts

Before the final battle between Lord Ram and Ravana just began, she proposed to Ravana that she will help him by returning Sita to Lord Ram. Highly distressed by Ravana's nefarious intentions towards Goddess Sita, she tried to pressurize Ravana to relinquish Sita and return her to safety, to her abode. She also reminds him of a curse that he had upon him that he would lose all his supernatural powers once he touched a virtuous woman against her wish.

She did everything in her power to help her husband turn into a merciful person although she could not win in her attempts. As per Kashmiri Ramayana, when Rama killed Ravana, it was Mandodari who decides to return Goddess Sita safely to Lord Rama.

As she is handing Goddess Sita to Rama, she is suddenly overpowered by a deeply human emotion that makes her curse Goddess Sita that even Sita's marital happiness should be abruptly snatched away from her at the most opportune time. Let us go through some unknown facts, kegends and stories about the the King of Lanka, Ravana's wife, Mandodari.

Who Was Mandodari?Unknown Facts
  • Mandodari was a celestial nymph by the name Madhura, who lived in the city of Devas. Once upon a time, Mandodari visited Kailasa (the abode of Lord Shiva) to have a darshan of Him at a time, when Goddess Parvati had gone on a visit to her son's place. Smitten with lord Shiva's looks, Mandodari threw an amorous gaze at Shiva which was noticed by Goddess Parvati who had just then entered Kailasa.
  • Furious about the misdeeds of Mandodari, Goddess Parvati chose to curse her and soon Madhura lost all her celestial beauty and turned into an ugly toad whom Goddess Parvati threw in a well. Lord Mahadeva, out of pity for Madhura, informed her that she would be freed of the curse after 12 years. Madhura stayed within the well for 12 years calling out to someone to pick her up from the well.
  • In the meanwhile, Mayasura and his wife Hema who was also a nymph had done strict penance to beget a female child, as they had two sons (Mayavi and Dundubhi) and no daughters. As they were passing through this area of the well, they heard a female voice that croaked from underneath. They helped her out and pleased that they finally received a female child, and that god heard them at last, they carried her home and named her as Mandodari.
  • Once King Ravana visited Mayasura's palace where he saw Mandodari and evinces an interest to marry her. Ravana was too powerful for Mayasura to say a firm no. So Mayasura married his daughter Mandodari with Ravana.
  • Although many Puranas mention that Mandodari was the mother of Sita, there is no mention of it in the Valmiki Ramayana. Goddess Sita mentions to Sati Anasuya that she was not born out of human womb.
  • Mandodari was the much doted queen who was an indispensable part of Ravanas existence. That is why she was named queen of Lanka.
  • Mandore, a town located 9 kms away from Jodhpur, is believed to be the birthplace of Mandodari. Some local Brahmins have a temple for Ravana erected there, as they feel Ravana is actually a son in law of Mandore.
  • Queen Mandodari was very much aware of Lord Vishnu's powers and advised Ravana not to indulge in sinful acts and certainly not violate women against their wishes as he was cursed to lose his superpowers once he touched a chaste woman.
  • Mandodari was a very virtuous woman known for her humility.
Who Was Mandodari?Unknown Facts
  • It was Ravana who wanted to kill Goddess Sita but it was Mandodari who prevented this from happening.
  • Lord Hanuman, as he was roaming in Lanka, in search of Goddess Sita, found a lovely woman in the palace of Ravana who was resting peacefully. He mistook her to be Goddess Sita initially. Later he realized that it was not so, because Goddess Sita can never be resting happily without Lord Ram by her side. However, the lady he saw was Mandodari who was equally devoted to Ravana just like Sita was attached to Lord Ram.
  • She was the one who advised Ravana to treat Sita respectfully and return her duly to her lawfully wedded husband Lord Rama. Both Mandodari and Vibheeshana tried convincing Ravana that Lord Ramanad Goddess Sita were incarnations of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi.
  • When she wanted to end her life in the pyre lit for Ravana, it was Lord Rama who stopped her from doing so and instead, encouraged her to marry VIbheeshana as she had duties towards people of Lanka and that she was the queen of Lanka. In response, Mandodari married Vibheeshana.
  • Mandodari was the one who discovered the game of Chess in order to keep Ravana engaged. She had six sons by name Akshay Kumar, Meghnad, Atikaya, Mahodar, Prahasta, Virupaksha. She is considered to be one of the pancha maha pativratas uttering whose name, dispels one's sins.

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