The Story of Lankini Rakshasi (Sarga 3)

In this third chapter of the Sundara Kanda, the demoness here is not called Lankini but simply Lanka. This small incident related to the demoness named Lanka may appear brief, but it is extremely important. So let us try to understand what is being indicated through it.

First, let us briefly recall what the story says. The story says that after crossing the hundred-yojana ocean, when Hanuman was about to enter Lanka, the presiding deity of Lanka, the demoness named Lanka, stopped him. When Hanuman insisted on entering the city, she even slapped him. In response, Hanuman struck her with a punch, causing her great distress. Then the distressed demoness said to Hanuman, “Please enter Lanka. The time for the destruction of the Rakshasas has now arrived because Brahma had granted me a boon that when a monkey overpowers you with his strength, you should understand that great danger has come upon the Rakshasas.”

This is a very small story, but since the entire narrative is symbolic, we must understand seven symbols hidden within it in order to grasp its deeper meaning.

The first symbol is Hanuman. We all understand that Hanuman represents human wisdom or awakened intelligence.

The second symbol is Lanka. Lanka here represents the ego-based personality of a human being — the personality rooted in body-consciousness. This is a very important point because the entire further description of Lanka depends on this understanding.

Why is Lanka interpreted this way? It is based on the word “Lanka” itself. According to an old lexicon called the Unadi Kosha, the word “Lanka” is derived from a root carrying the meaning of something low or inferior. The word “Puri” means a city or personality. Therefore, “Lankapuri” symbolizes an inferior or body-identified personality.

To simplify it further, our current personality is rooted in identification with the body. That body-conscious personality is Lanka. And who lives in this Lanka? Ravana — meaning ego or body-consciousness itself. We already know what body-consciousness means: when we begin to think that our roles are our real identity.

For example, if I am a mother, motherhood is only a role. But if I begin to believe that this role itself is my true identity, then if my child says something unpleasant, I become hurt. That hurt itself indicates that I do not know myself as pure consciousness or the Self. Instead, I identify myself merely as a mother. This is body-consciousness, symbolized here by Ravana.

Along with Ravana live countless inner defects such as anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy, attraction, and hatred. In the conscious mind these exist as active emotions, while in the subconscious mind they become deeply rooted impressions or habits. For example, if anger is repeatedly expressed, it gradually becomes a deep subconscious tendency. Then whenever anger arises again in the conscious mind, the old impression from the subconscious immediately strengthens it further.

So Lanka represents our body-identified personality, while Ravana and his companions symbolize the many inner defects stored within us as impressions.

The third symbol is the demoness named Lanka. She represents that inner tendency within the ego-based personality which constantly justifies itself and blames others or circumstances for its suffering. In simple language, this can be called the tendency of blame or the blaming attitude.

The demoness Lanka symbolizes this blame-oriented mentality deeply rooted within the subconscious mind. Since this demoness exists within Lanka, it means that within our ego-based personality there exists a deeply ingrained tendency to blame others.

This blaming tendency is present in all of us. Because we are identified with the body, our personality becomes filled with this impure attitude. That is why this tendency is symbolized as the demoness Lanka.

The fourth symbol is the slap given by the demoness Lanka to Hanuman. This indicates that the tendency of blame does not merely overpower ordinary intellect but even attempts to overpower wisdom itself and trouble it as much as possible.

Hanuman symbolizes wisdom, while the demoness Lanka symbolizes the blaming tendency within us. This blaming attitude says, “I am not responsible for my suffering. Other people or situations are responsible. I am completely right.”

This blaming tendency stands right at the entrance of our ego-based personality. Because of it, we are unable to enter deeply into ourselves and see the defects hidden within us. Although we know we possess anger, greed, jealousy, and other defects, we still fail to truly see and remove them because we blame situations and people instead.

For example, instead of understanding that anger within us is causing suffering, we blame another person or circumstance. We say, “Because of that person, I am unhappy.” Thus, this blaming tendency prevents us from recognizing our own defects.

The fifth symbol is Hanuman striking the demoness Lanka with a punch. This indicates that wisdom never comes under the control of the blaming tendency.

Ordinary people remain trapped in blame, but a wise person understands deeply that no circumstance or person can truly create suffering within us. Others may become triggers, but they are not the creators of our suffering.

Suppose someone says something unpleasant to me. A wise person understands that the other person may have acted as a trigger, but the actual suffering is created by one’s own thoughts. Suffering arises because we internally create thoughts such as, “Why did they say this to me? They should not have treated me like this.”

These self-created thoughts generate pain within us. Therefore, Hanuman punching the demoness symbolizes wisdom refusing to submit to the blaming mentality. Wisdom remains established in the understanding that suffering is created by one’s own inner reactions, not by others.

Another important point mentioned is Brahma’s boon. The demoness Lanka says that Brahma had granted her a boon that when a monkey defeats her, it would mean that danger has come for the Rakshasas.

In the Puranic texts, whenever boons or curses are mentioned, they symbolize inevitability — something destined to happen. Thus, the statement means that once wisdom overcomes the blaming tendency, the destruction of the inner demons becomes inevitable.

This leads to another symbol — the fear of the Rakshasas. What does this mean?

When an ordinary person blames others for suffering, they never truly see their own defects. But when a wise person takes responsibility for their suffering instead of blaming others, they begin to recognize the defects hidden within their subconscious mind. Once those defects are seen clearly, the process of destroying them naturally begins.

The Rakshasas symbolize these inner defects. As long as we say, “I am right and others are wrong,” we never attempt to examine ourselves. But wisdom sees the defects within and moves toward eliminating them. This is what is meant by “fear arising among the Rakshasas.” It means the inner defects now realize that their existence is threatened because wisdom has become aware of them.

Thus, through this small story, seven important symbols are explained.

The deeper meaning of the story is this: as a human being moves through countless births and experiences, many beliefs are formed. These beliefs gradually become impressions stored in the subconscious mind, continuously influencing the conscious mind.

Some beliefs are noble, but many are harmful and limiting. Therefore, it is essential to observe our beliefs carefully for spiritual growth.

The very first belief human beings create is: “I am the body.” Once this belief is accepted, another powerful belief follows — that others or circumstances are responsible for our suffering.

When we believe that others are responsible for our pain, we also believe that suffering will end only if circumstances change or people change. But neither situations nor people truly change according to our expectations, and therefore suffering continues endlessly.

Through this story, it is being indicated that because of the deeply rooted body-consciousness within us, the blaming tendency constantly attempts to dominate even wisdom itself. But a truly wise person never becomes controlled by it.

Instead, such a person begins to look within and examine their own personality deeply. When a person truly looks within, they push aside the blaming tendency completely. This is what the story symbolizes through Hanuman striking the demoness Lanka standing at the gate and then entering Lanka.

The incident appears very small outwardly, but it carries immense significance because much of human suffering exists only due to this blaming tendency. By constantly considering ourselves right and blaming others, we fail to recognize and destroy the inner demons hidden within us.

If wisdom develops within us, it pushes away this blaming tendency. Then we can enter within ourselves and begin destroying the defects hidden inside us — just as Hanuman entered Lanka after overcoming the demoness at the gate.

At present, most people have not yet entered their own inner Lanka because wisdom has not fully developed. We remain trapped in blame and justification. Therefore, we must push aside this blaming tendency. Once we do so, we become capable of seeing the inner demons within ourselves and naturally begin moving toward their destruction.

This is the profound message conveyed through this small but important story.