Whenever we speak of the Ramayana, one question always arises—Who killed Ravana? The simple answer is that Lord Rama vanquished him. However, if we look into the final chapter of the epic, where his wife Mandodari laments over his fallen body, we find a "philosophical truth" that remains profoundly relevant in today’s world.
As Ravana took his final breaths on the battlefield, Mandodari cried out upon seeing his mortal remains. Her eyes were filled with tears, but her voice carried the ultimate wisdom of life. She asked:
"What did you see in Sita? What is it that I do not possess, that you craved and sought in her?"
Mandodari’s question was a direct strike at the ego that had blinded Ravana. She continued, "Vibhishana is still alive to perform your final rites. But my son has perished at the altar of your desires. Who will perform my funeral rites? You have left me with none!"
The most powerful part of this narrative is Mandodari’s final declaration—a warning to modern society. She said:
"The world says Rama has killed you. But today, I declare unto you, it was your enslavement to your senses that killed you."
In today’s age of sensory overload, these words act as a mirror. Ravana, a master of the four Vedas and a supreme scholar, failed to control his own senses. His unrighteous, immoral desires and his deviation from Dharma were the actual causes of his demise.
The end of Ravana teaches us that no matter how powerful or learned you are, if your desires violate the boundaries of morality and righteousness, your downfall is inevitable. Rama was merely the instrument that released the arrow; Ravana had spiritually perished the very day he surrendered to his untamed senses.