Angada

Angada ( _sa. अंगद), in the Hindu epic "Ramayana", is a vanara who helped Rama find his wife Sita and fight her abductor, Ravana. He was the son of Vali and Tara and the nephew of Sugriva.

In his efforts to seek a peaceful solution, Rama sent several messengers to Ravana; Angada was one of them. Angada explained to Ravana that Rama had sent him as messenger to seek the release of Sita and that Ravana ought to heed this last appeal so that war could be averted. Angada tried every means to convince Ravana, but the ruler was dogged and firm to face a battle instead of returning Sita to Rama peacefully.

At Ravana's court, after Angada explained the divinity of lord Rama and the message he carried, Ravana paid no heed to it. Angada then planted his foot firmly on the ground and challenged anybody in the courtroom to uproot his foot. If anybody were to accept the challenge and was successful, Rama would concede defeat and return without Sita. All the rakshasa commanders of Ravana's army and even his son Indrajit tried to lift Angada's leg but none succeeded. Feeling humiliated by this failure, an infuriated Ravana slowly walked towards Angada's planted foot and just as he was about to hold Angada's leg to attempt the challenge, Angada moved away and Ravana fell down. Angada explained that the challenge was for Ravana's commanders and not for Ravana. He told that Ravana was prepared to fall on his feet but instead he should choose to fall on the lord Rama's feet, for those are the ones that remove fear of cycle of life and death. He then picked up Ravana's throne which fell down on the ground and threw it out of the palace. Ravana ordered his men to kill Angada but then Angada took a jump and flew back to the place where the army was congregating.

When the vanaras saw the flying crowns approaching, they got frightened. But Rama knew that it was the crown of Ravana. Hanuman caught the flying crown in the air and placed it at Rama's feet.

In the war that followed, he killed Ravana's son Devantaka.

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External links

*http://mythfolklore.net/india/encyclopedia/angada.htm

The meaning of Angada is "aabharaana" meaning "jewel"