In Ramayan, Shri Ram is the greatest karmaveer who teaches the entire mankind to follow destiny in adherence to Dharma. But, karma has two sides and there are few people who also suffered from their own deeds giving us a valuable lesson that Dharma is always protected by the Almighty in the form of karma.
It is very difficult to judge the stance of Queen Kaikeyi, yet she is one among those who suffered for her deeds. She was the most pampered queen in the palace and dear to Maharaj Dasarath. What was even more special was that she loved Shri Ram very dearly. But, her karma turned wrong when she fell into the wicked influence of Manthara and destroyed the peace of her life with her own hands. Her suffering came in the form of her own son Bharat. He admonished her for becoming a prey to greed and forgetting her duty as a mother. Kaikeyi suffered from her own deeds with Bharat leaving her and vowing never to talk to her again. Kaikeyi repented her actions, but it was too late and she was left with a taint so strong that even today no girl is named after her for the fear of turning bad in life.
Marich, Khar and Dushan – In Janasthan, Khar and Dushan were troubling the pious sages and making life miserable for them. There was no end to their atrocities till Shri Ram arrived at Panchavati. Karma came in form of Shurpanakha who instigated Khar and Dushan to fight Shri Ram for wrong reasons. Shri Ram teaches them the priceless lesson that when Dharma is hindered, even one warrior is enough to punish them with their karma and not only Khar and Dushan , but their entire army of fourteen thousand demons were single handedly killed by Shri Ram.
Luck was on Marich’s side during his first encounter with Shri Ram wherein although he got shot by Shri Ram’s arrow did not die and was flung faraway to Lanka. But karma always returns. It followed in the form of Ravan to Marich in Dandak forest where he was leading a calm life. When Ravan threatens him with life to play the role of the golden deer for abducting Mata Sita, Marich realises that his end was near. Agreeing to his karma, he chooses to die in the hands of Shri Ram, rather than Ravan as he wanted to get rid of his sins through Shri Ram.
Ravan was the cause of misery not only to Mata Sita, but to many women who succumbed to his lust. It was the powerful curse of Vedavathi which worked as Ravan’s bad karma and in the form of Mata Sita comes to Lanka as his doom. In spite of being an intellectual scholar and a great warrior, his karma fails him in his ego and false pride. His devoted wife Mandodari and rightful brother Vibhishna try to change him in many ways, but Ravan invites his bad luck in the form of battle with Shri Ram. Karma returns it’s due to Ravan by ending his life in the hands of Shri Ram.
In the Gita, Krishna mentions to Arjun to focus on his karma and not worry about the result. A righteous and a wise person takes inspiration from these words and does good karma through noble deeds. As for bad deeds, the Almighty himself comes in the form of bad karma. Hence the popular saying goes that what we give is what we receive.