ot the inner, he refused to open the door of
heaven when Sanat Kumara came and demanded entrance. In order that that
which was lacking might be filled, in order that that which was wanting
might be earned, that which was called a curse was pronounced, a curse
which was the natural reaction from the mistake. He was asked: "Will you
have seven incarnations friendly to Vishnu, or three in which you
will be His enemy and oppose Him?" And because he was a true bhakta, and
because every moment of absence from his Lord meant to him hell of
torture, he chose three of enmity, which would let him go back sooner
to the Feet of the Beloved, rather than the seven of happiness, of
friendliness. Better a short time of utter enmity than a longer
remaining away with apparent happiness. It was love not hatred that made
him choose the form of a Rakshasa rather than the form of a Rishi.
There is the first note of explanation.

Then, coming into the form of Rakshasa, he must do his duty as Rakshasa.
This was no weak man to be swayed by momentary thought, by transient
objects. He had all the learning of the Vedas. With him, it was said,
passed away Vaidic learning, with him it disappeared from earth. He knew
his duty. What was his duty? To put forward every force which was in his
mighty nature in order to check evolution, and so call out every force
in man which could be called out by opposing energy which had to be
overcome; to gather round him all the forces which were opposing
evolution; to make himself king of the whole, centre and law-giver to
every force that was setting itself against the will of the Lord; to
gather them together as it were into one head, to call them together
into one arm; so that when their apparent triumph made the cry of the
earth go up to Vishnu, the answer might come in Rama's Avatara and
they be destroyed, that the life-wave might go on.

Nobly he did the work, thoroughly he discharged his duty. It is said
that even sages are confused about Dharma, and truly it is subtle and
hard to grasp in its entirety, though the fragment the plain man sees be
simple enough. His Dharma was the Dharma of a Rakshasa, to lead the
whole forces of evil against One whom in his inner soul, then clouded,
he loved. When Shri Rama came, when He was wandering in the forest, how
could he sting Him into leaving the life of His life, His beloved Sita,
and into coming out into the world to do His work? By taking away from
Him the one thin