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of Lanka]] In Rāvaṇa; sometimes transliterated '''Raavana''' and as '''Ravan''') is the principal antagonist of the Hindu Epic , the '' Ramayana ''. According to Ramayana, he was a king of Lanka many thousands of years ago. Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying that he had knowledge spanning all the ten directions. BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE Ravana was born ''Dasagriva'' (''One with Ten Heads'') the son of the sage Visrawasa by his wife Kaikasi , a Rakshasa princess. Thus he is thought to have been either a Brahmin or a mix of the Brahmin and Kshatriya castes. The name ''Ravana'' (''One of Terrifying Roar'') was given to him by Lord Shiva . While it is impossible to corellate the names of places mentioned in the ancient legends of India with modern-day towns and villages, the entirely obscure village of 'Bisrakh' in northern India claims to be the birth-place of Dasagriva. Despite possessing aggressive tendencies as a young man, Dasagriva becomes an exemplary scholar of the Vedas and religious knowledge under the coaching of his pious father. TAPASYA According to the Ramayana , as a young man Ravana undertakes a terrible penance, lasting over 1,000 years to please Lord Shiva . When Shiva does not appear before him, Ravana begins to cut off his ten heads one by one - cutting one head off and meditating again for a thousand years, then cutting another. When he is about to cut off his last and base head, Shiva appears. He grants Ravana's request for immeasurable strength and knowledge of weapons. Ravana then undertakes another penance for 10,000 years, endeavoring to please Lord Brahma . Brahma tells Ravana that he cannot grant him the immortality he desires, for none of the created are immortal. But Ravana obtains invulnerability against Devas (divinities), Asura s (enemies of the Devas), Rakshasa s ( Demon s), Gandharva s (celestial musicians), Yaksha s (demigods), and other celestial and magical beings. In his arrogance, Ravana forgot to ask for protection from Man . EMPEROR OF THE WORLD, AND EVIL After winning his boons, Ravana is sought out by the leaders of the Rakshasa s, who desire him to lead their race to power. Conquest of Lanka Lanka originally belonged to Ravana's half-brother Kuvera , the Lord of the Treasures of Swarga . Ravana and his rakshasa allies demand Lanka from him, and Ravana and Kuvera's father Visrawas advises Kuvera to give it up as Ravana cannot be killed by any celestial being. Ravana is thus made king of Lanka. Emperor of the Three Worlds Using his invulnerability and awesome strength, Ravana conquers and humiliates thousands of kings across India, building Lanka's empire and dominion over the rest of the world. Ravana also conquers the Yaksha s led by Yama and his half brother Kuvera . Ravana invades the netherworlds, conquering many Daitya , Danava and Asura races and making an alliance with the powerful Nivatakavachas . He then takes an army of millions of rakshasas to conquer Swarga . Even the Devas , headed by Indra , Agni , Vayu and Surya are forced to submit to the power of Ravana's army. VIOLATIONS OF WOMEN Ravana's sexual prowess is important to note as it plays a critical part in his legacy and downfall. Even as a young man he shamelessly violates women, and blessed with awesome strength, becomes an immensely virile rakshasa. He is a master of ''tantric vidya'', or magical sexual arts. Although Ravana is married to ''Mandodari'', the daughter of Asura Maya, he captures thousands of women from his conquests and maintains a Harem of unparalleled size. Ravana also violates Rambha , the queen of the Apsaras . He is thereby cursed that if he ever forces himself on a woman again, his heads will burst. This curse protects the chastity of Sita when she is his captive. There is also a discussed prophesy in the Ramayana that Ravana had violated Vedavati , a young ascetic who was performing Tapasya to win Vishnu as her husband. Ravana's actions cause Vedavati to immolate herself, but she pledges to return in another age to be his destruction. The Rishi Agastya explains that Vedavati was born as Sita , and she is the wife of Vishnu 's Avatara , Rama , and the cause of Ravana's death. DOWNFALL After gaining such immense powers Ravana became corrupt and selfish; it was soon deemed necessary to rid the world of his tyranny. Since the boon granted by Brahma prevented him from being slayed by anyone but a human being, it became necessary for the God Vishnu to assume human form. He Incarnated himself in his seventh Avatar , Rama , a prince of Ayodhya . The story of the life and exploits of Rama (and indeed of Ravana) forms the operative part of the Ramayana . The story is too complex to be detailed in full here. Suffice it to say that Ravana was slain by Rama , an event celebrated as the triumph of good over evil, and commemorated in north India by the Dussehra festival. ASSESSMENT Some, however, regard Ravana as having been a wise and benevolent ruler. Another opposing argument can also state that even tyrants may have some good qualities but their overall character is bad. The notion of Ravana as good is a contested argument. In fact, the view of him as good may only be a recent movement, for political reasons. Nevertheless, from puranic sources, Ravana was a great devotee of Shiva and is supposed to have composed the Shiva Tandava Stotra . His actions and behaviour, as told in the Ramayana, though, show that "piety without virtue is useless". The poem's characterisation of Ravana serves as an example of the dangers of lust and ego. IN SCRIPTURES The Ramayana is not the only religious scripture that views Ravana as evil. In the Bhagavata Purana , Ravana and his brother, Kumbakarna were said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, gatekeepers at Vaikunta , the abode of Vishnu and were cursed to be born in Earth for their insolence. These gatekeepers refused entry to the Sanatha Kumara monks, who, because of their powers and austerity appeared as young children. For their insolence, the monks cursed them to be expelled from Vaikunta and to be born in Earth. The all-merciful Vishnu agreed that they should be punished but agreed to mitigate their curse. He asked them whether they would want to be undergo seven births as devotees of Vishnu or three births as enemies of the Lord. Since they wanted to get back as soon as possible, they agreed to be born in three births as enemies of God. In the first birth, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha . Vishnu incarnated as Varaha and Narasimha and killed them both. In Treta Yuga they were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna and were killed by Rama. Then in Dwapara yuga, and in their final birth, Jaya and Vijaya they were born as Shishupala and Dantavakra and killed by Sri Krishna . After the end of three births, they returned to Vaikunta. IN AYYA VAZHI The Ayya Vazhi religion, a sect of Hinduism in Tamil Nadu believes that Ravana is indeed a manifestation of evil and goes even further. First, the followers of Ayyavazhi differ from other Hindus in that they recognise a Satan -like figure, Kroni , who is the primordial manifestation of evil in this world. This same Kroni manifests in various forms, for example, Ravana and Duryodhana , in different ages or Yuga s. In response to such manifestations of evil, God as Vishnu incarnates in his Avatars , Rama , Krishna , etc., to destroy this evil. Kroni, the spirit of Kali Yuga is said to be omnipresent in this age and that is why one of the reasons, followers of Ayya Vazhi, like other Hindus, believe that the current yuga, Kali Yuga is so degraded. RAVANA'S FAMILY This section deals with many members of Ravana's family. Since they are hardly mentioned outside the Ramayana, not much can be said about them. They are presented here as they are in the Ramayana, which is viewed by some as being only the point of view of Rama devotees, but is the most complete account of the story that is known. Ravana was married to Mandodari , the daughter of the celestial architect Maya . He had seven sons: # Indrajit # Prahasta # Atikaya # Akshayakumara # Devantaka # Narantaka # Trishira Ravana's paternal grandfather was Pulastya , son of Brahma . Ravana's maternal grandfather was Malyavan , who was against the war with Rama , and his maternal grandmother was Tataka . Ravana also had a maternal uncle, Maricha . Ravana had six brothers and two sisters: # Kubera - the King of Uttaradisha and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older step-brother of Ravana: they were born to the same father by different mothers. He gave a curse to Ravana, that if he raped another women, he would die that instant. # Vibhishana - A great follower of Rama and one of the most important characters in the Ramayan. He was exiled by his brother, Ravana for supporting Rama and opposing the abduction of Sita. During the battle, he sided with Rama and provided him with insights which ultimately led Rama win the war. # Kumbhakarna - one of the most jovial demons in Hindu mythology. When offered a boon by Brahma , he was tricked into asking for unending sleep! A horrified Ravana, who wanted to be able to avail of Kumbakarna's immense strength, persuaded Brahma to amend the so-called boon and grant that Kumbhakarna be granted a day of wakefulness every six months. # Khara - King of Janasthan . He protected the southern kingdom of Lanka in the mainland and his kingdom bordered with the Kosala Kingdom, the kingdom of Rama . He was well-known for his superior skills in warfare. # Dushana - co-King of Janasthan. # Ahiravan - made king of the Underworld ruled by the Rakshasa s by Ravana and Demon King Maya. # Kumbhini - the sister of Ravana and the wife of the demon Madhu , King of Mathura , she was the mother of Lavanasura . She was renowned for her beauty and later retired to the sea for penance. # Surpanakha - the evil sister of Ravana. She was the ultimate root of the kidnapping of Sita Devi . She was the one who instigated her brothers to wage a war against Rama. |
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