Shri Rama, Ram-Rajya, and Ravana

In Indian tradition, the four cosmic ages—Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali Yuga—follow a cyclical pattern. At the end of each age, destructive forces rise and divine forces descend to restore balance. In Satya Yuga this happened through Vamana, in Treta Yuga through Rama, and in Dvapara Yuga through Krishna.

Before Kali Yuga began, at the end of Dvapara, someone asked Duryodhana, “You and Yudhishthira grew up together, learned from the same teachers, and lived in the same environment—then why are you so different?” Duryodhana answered with striking honesty: “I know what is right, but I am not inclined to follow it. I know what is wrong, but I cannot stop myself from doing it. Some inner force drives me, and I act exactly as that inner force commands.”

The Ramayana concludes with the great war between Rama and Ravana. Society often portrays Ravana as the embodiment of negative qualities and Rama as the ideal human, yet Ravana was one of the most knowledgeable beings ever described. He was a master of scripture, a great devotee of Shiva, a knower of past, present and future, author of the *Ravan Samhita*, and an expert strategist and occult practitioner.

Despite his power, Ravana understood a profound truth when the war approached. He knew his powers and empire had become dangerous for the world and that the age required their destruction. Shiva had granted him boons, and therefore Shiva would not destroy him. Only Rama, as the embodiment of Dharma, could end his misuse of divine knowledge.

Ravana approached Lord Shiva and said, “I have always received everything through Your grace. But now, before I fight Rama, I ask one final blessing: allow me to worship the feet of Your Guru, Shri Rama, and receive His permission to die at His hands.” Ravana wanted Rama Himself to destroy all his weapons, occult powers, and the empire built on ego and domination. Shiva consented, and Ravana performed Rama’s ceremonial foot-worship before the war. This shows the depth of Ravana’s inner awareness: he desired the destruction of his own darkness, not merely physical defeat.

According to ancient texts, Treta Yuga lasted around 1.296 million years. People of that era naturally possessed the Agni-tattva, the elemental quality of fire, whose essence is character (śīla). Treta Yuga was marked by moral discipline, truth, austerity and knowledge. The zodiac signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius predominated, and the ruling temperaments were protective, principled and disciplined. The presiding deities were Rama and Lord Dattatreya.

Even Ravana, despite his ego, possessed inner śīla. This is why he approached Rama with complete clarity, saying, “Destroy me only after destroying all destructive forces I carry.” Only someone shaped by Treta Yuga’s emphasis on character and honesty could speak in this manner.

Consider the remarkable contrast. Duryodhana admitted his inner nature with honesty. Ravana admitted the necessity of his own destruction. Both understood their minds clearly and spoke truthfully about themselves. In Kali Yuga, however, such honesty is rare. The dominant tendencies now are deception, hypocrisy, betrayal, cruelty and destruction without moral reasoning. These qualities intensify as Kali Yuga progresses.

Ancient scriptures describe the end of Kali Yuga as chaotic and difficult. Yet for those who remain virtuous, sincere and devotional, one refuge is unfailing: the Name of Rama. In Treta Yuga, Rama ruled the world; in Kali Yuga, Rama rules the human heart. His Name becomes the simplest and strongest protection for all who remember Him with faith.