Most Evil Women in History

[the_kaur]

Re: Most Evil Women in History

Most evil woman must be Begum Zeenat Mahal wife of Zafar who was connected with the british through out the siege of Delhi 1857, wanted to see death of Mirza Mughal so that her son Mirza Jawan Bakht can become shenshah, just for personal lust of power she gave information to british and destroyed the mughal capital and her career.

@Southie

No - for a change, she is from Ramayana. If I recall, she was the Rakshasi who tried to stop Hanuman from flying to Lanka to find out Sita’s whereabouts. But the good guy won.

Soorpnakha tried to kill Sita while they were in vanvaas, Hanuman was stopped by Sihinka and Sursa while crossing ocean

@ninja_hattori

some say, ravana was brahmin…

it is said that he gave sermon to ram before his death…

Ravan was a brahmin, in north their is a community of brahmin called Saryupareen who cursed Ram of Brhmhatya, he gave sermon to the Lakshman

@Southie

Good question. Will try to reply from faint memory

Mandira - I believe she was the hunch back lady in Ramayana, who poisoned Dasaratha’s youngest wife Kaikeyi’s mind. Years ago, while Dasaratha was atwar, his chariot had a leak of some sort. kaikeyi plugged that leak with her hands (dont ask what Kaikeyi was doing on that chariot and what I mean by chariot leaking - as kids we just accepted things)
After the battle was won, Dasaratha told Kaikeyi - you aske me any boon, and I will grant it.

years passed by. Kaikeyi forgot all abt it. She loved the elder wives Kausalya (Rama’s mother) and sumitra (Laxman, Shatrughna’s mother) and loved all 4 boys as her own.

Madri reminded her of her boon amd told her to demand of the king that Kaikeyi’s son Bharatha be crowned king, and Ram sent to vanvaas.

The restis history (or mythology!)

this is Manthra, Mandira is vedic goddess who is governess of worshipping places hence name Mandir comes from her.

@Southie

Now let me try to answer who Menaka was.

During the old days, Maharishis would go to tapasya for tens and thousands of years. They would invoke Shiva or Vishnu or Brahma - and after thousands of years, one of the big three would appear before them and grant them special powers. Indradev always used to get threateneed by the powers these Maharishis would get. Once, when Durvasa Maharishi (I think it was Durvasa Maharishi) was deep into penance, Indradev sent some upsaras - one of them being Menaka I think - to disrupt and distract Durvasa. The plan worked. Once Durvasa realized what happened, he cursed Menaka.

even when Vishwamitra was in tapsya, Indra sent Maneka to disrupt as he was a Kshtriya, she succeds and starts living with vishwamitra and gave birth to Shakuntala who was mother of Bharat and hence name of this country becomes bhaarat

@Southie

Durvasa had a reputation for a very hot temper. I dont recall exactly what the curse was. But Menaka trembled with fear and asked for forgiveness - and Durvasa took the curse back. So all was well at the end! Except the 10,000 years of penance went to vain, and he had to start all over again!

Durvasa was son of Sati ansuya and maharishi Atri, he was incarnation of lord shiva’s anger.

@muqawwee123

This means polygamy was allowed at that time. Southie uncle, can you briefly tell us when and why polygamy was abondoned in Hinduism?

Because religion is sanatan, it would change, 30 years hence, Hinduism would be different from what it is today.

@Southie

^ just to add, I remember in Chennai, there are some who worship Ravana.

Ravana was not a bad person. He never did “molest” Sita. Treated her with respect. He wore his emotions on his sleeve. He had two brothers. Vibheeshana abandoned him and crossed over to enemy ranks after advising Ravana to give up Sita. His other brother Kumbhakarna - the guy who loved to sleep, stood by him. He reprimanded Ravana for his acts. Ravana asked him - so are you abandoning me. To which the sleeping giant responded - of course not, I wil die for you.

So Kumbhakarna is my favorite character in Ramayana. But I digress - and will stop!

Good one:k: