Ravana’s Past Life: The Yaksha with the Magic Finger

There was once a yaksha called Nandaka, who was a doorman at Lord Shiva’s palace on Mount Kailāsa. Nandaka was a simple and humble yaksha with no particular power or skill. Nandaka was also an ugly yaksha. Even worse, he was nearly bald but for a few tufts of hair at the sides of his head. Everyday, Nandaka found himself the butt of jokes from angels, nagas and yakshas, who were seeking audience with Lord Shiva. These various beings would bully him, tap his bald head and mock his appearance.

'That was how it was every single time!' Nandaka thought in anger after another bully scuttled into the palace after she mocked his look. He had enough of these bullies. Nandaka thought they bullied him because he had no power to retaliate. He then decided to seek his Lord for help.

Nandaka prostrated himself in front of Lord Shiva, bemoaning all the bullies he had to endure to his Lord. Lord Shiva took pity on Nandaka and granted him a boon. Nandaka left Lord Shiva with a powerful magic index finger on his right hand. Nandaka took to his power right away. With his magic finger, Nandaka terrorized every angel, naga and yaksha. Not a single one escaped his punishment. He would point his magic finger and repel them all into far-flung chakravala (domain/realm). Before long, Lord Shiva’s palace became deserted. No visitor would dare grace its hall.

Eventually the matter reached Lord Shiva. The Lord, quite understandably, became very anxious.

'Suppose Nandaka went beyond expelling those approaching, suppose he harmed them? Suppose he turned his finger toward me.' thought Lord Shiva. He gave Nandaka too great a power. Lord Shiva then sought counsel with Lord Narayana.

“You cannot take it back. The matter has already gone too far.” Lord Narayana scolded Shiva “the only thing to do now is to kill him off.”

“Leave the matter to me.” Narayana told Shiva.

Lord Narayana transformed himself into a beautiful young woman as he walked toward Nandaka’s home. When Nandaka saw the beautiful woman, he thought she was one of the apsaras (celestial dancers) from the visiting dance troupe. He was so enchanted by her beauty. He walked to her and broke into a song.

Nandaka:

Come, O dearest treasure! Approach beloved.

I would like a talk with you.

Where are you going? And where have you come from?

I look at you and I want us to be friends.

Female Narayana:

You have asked me a question;

I must reply - with warmth, with eagerness, with desire.

I am here to look for a husband. If one pleases me, I will take him on.

Nandaka:

Dear lady, blessed with beauty, you are here looking for a husband, to live together in harmony.

What kind of a man are you looking for, precious love?

Does a man like me please you?

Female Narayana:

O handsome young man, I am searching for a husband who can dance.

If you can dance well, I can like you, love you and take you as my husband.

Nandaka:

My treasure, your beauty excels that of all others.

As for dancing the Rae dance, whatever the measure, I can perform it.

What’s the difficulty? Dance on my lady.

I shall then follow you and so dance correctly.

Being a man of intelligence, I shall learn all the rules from you, my dear teacher.

Please dance, beautiful lady!

After hearing Nandaka’s willingness to follow the dance, the female Narayana swayed her body, performing the steps and she twisted her right index finger around so that it pointed down toward her tight. Nandaka imitated the movement and pointed his right index finger the same way and promptly fell down on the spot.

The female Narayana turned herself back into the splendid and all powerful four-armed Narayana, holding the disc. Narayana grabbed Nandaka’s head, pressed him down, ready to behead him.

Nandaka was full of gloom and dismay. 'I am beaten by Narayana’s trickery. I lost my senses' he thought.

In anger, Nandaka spoke "So I have slipped up and let you get the better of me! What can I do, my Lord, with my two arms? How can I fight you, with your four arms? If we both had two, I would not accept defeat by you!”

Lord Narayana said “You lose because you have only two arms. Then off you go and be born with many faces and many arms. I shall then descend and be born as a man. We shall fight each other again.”

And with those words Lord Narayana killed Nandaka.

In one of his later reincarnations, Nandaka was born as Ravana, the ten-headed and twenty-armed king of rakshasas (demons), and the lord of Lanka. Ravana would later abduct Sita, consort of Rama, the seventh incarnation (avatar) of Lord Narayana. The two would have their rematch in the Battle of Lanka which you can read in the Sanskrit epic Ramayana or the Khmer versions, Ramakerti I and II, or view it on the bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat, one of Cambodia’s temples.

O Nandaka, you have your Lord dip your finger so that it became a weapon. With the power thus achieved, you pointed your finger at the heavenly throngs and dispersed them.

You confidently used your finger, without forethought, until all the heavenly body felt angry with your Lord. Through him, you were consumed with lusty power. And you lost your life due to that power.

Note:

There are two versions of Khmer Ramayana. The first one, known as Ramakerti, was composed in the 15th and 16th centuries. This early version included the story of Hanuman and Sovann Macha, which is a purely Khmer creation. You won’t find it in the Valmiki’s epic. Ramakerti II, better known as Reamker, was composed between the late 17th and 18th centuries. This second version included the above story, The Yaksha with the Magic Finger.
Here's my attempt of reading out the duet