Ravana was a king of demons in the Hindu mythology. Here are some interesting tit bits about Ravanas life and his defeat by Rama. In this articleHow Ravana got his name...Intellectual and scholar demonDevotee of lord ShivaThe gruesome side of RavanaThe king of demonsRavana kidnaps SitaDecline of Ravana The pages of Hindu epic Ramayana introduce us to the notorious being called Ravana. The king of the demons with ten heads and twenty hands makes Hindu mythology really interesting. Ravana was born to parents by name Visrawasa and Kaikasi. He had two brothers with names Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana. It is believed that Ravana was the most dreadful creature ever born. His childhood was responsible to make him whatever he was. When he was a child, people were terrified of a child having ten heads and dark complexion. Let us once again go back in time of mythology and supernatural powers to get the glimpse of the life of deadly demon and incredibly scholar persona known as Ravana. How Ravana got his name... Ravanas real name was Dasamukha which literally means one who carries ten heads. Valmikis Ramayana narrates the story about how Dasamukha got the name Ravana. Once Ravana infuriated the great monkey king Vaali who was praying on the mountain. Agitated Vaali trapped Ravana. Ravana kept howling until Vaali released him from the trapping. Since then people forgot Dasamukha and remembered Ravana. Intellectual and scholar demon Though Ravana is looked upon as a cruel demon who annoyed the innocent, he is also known as a great intellectual in the history of Hindu mythology. Under the guidance of his father, Ravana grasped vast knowledge. He learned sacred texts like Vedas. He mastered holy scripts. Ravana himself was a Brahmin but he learned the skills and techniques of Kshatriyas. Devotee of lord Shiva The demon that was well known for his evil powers had great faith in almighty. He was a believer of the supernatural beings. Ravana was a faithful devotee of lord Shiva, one of the incarnations of lord Vishnu. While possessed with obsession to manifest Lanka, Ravana confronted Shiva. Ravana tried to move on the mountain Kailash, the home of the lord Shiva. In anger Lord Shiva punished Ravana by pressing him under his little toe. Ravana howled and danced to please lord Shiva. Then on Ravana worshipped lord Shiva with unconditional devotion. During this chance meeting with Shiva, Ravana composed Shiva tandava stotram. The gruesome side of Ravana Ravana had many wives but Mandodari is renowned as she was famous for her elegance and beauty. She was intelligent. Apart from legal wives Ravana was believed to have physical relations with many other women whom he had captured in the battles. There is a mention of the episodes in the Ramayana that he forced several women; amongst them was a sage-woman Vedavati. Vedavati who was infatuated with the charisma of lord Vishnu, ended her life after losing her chastity. Ravana also tried to abuse Rambha, an apasara engaged to Kuberas (the god of wealth) son. After learning Ravanas advances, Kubera cursed him that if he tried to force himself upon any women, all his heads would fall off. This is one of the reasons why he did not touch Sita when she was in his abduction. The king of demons Ravana was obsessed with the thought of conquering Lanka. Ravana performed tapas for many years to please Brahma, the god of creation. Seeing his dedication Brahma bestowed him boons. Brahma granted his wishes to be unbeatable by gods and other powers. After getting the control of divine power, he conquered Lanka. In his tenure, Lanka was a prosperous and wealthy kingdom. He leaded Lanka with his skills and he was considered one of the great monarchs. Under his ruling people in Lanka were living affluent lives. It is said that they actually owned gold vessels to consume their food. Ravana was admired for his huge knowledge of weapons and sorcery. Ravana kidnaps Sita Ravanas sister Shurpanakha was fascinated by Rama and she proposed him for marriage. Rama refused her proposal as he was already married to Sita. Then Shurpanakha pleaded Laxman, Ramas brother to marry her. In a fit of rage Laxman chopped off her nose. Ravana got angry and to take revenge he kidnapped Sita. Sita was in his captive for nearly a year. Later she had to go through Agnipariksha to prove her chastity. Some facts in the mythology say that during her abduction, Ravana persuaded her to be his wife but never touched her. Other facts say that he kidnapped Sita only to take revenge of Laxmans behavior towards his sister. When Hanuman (Ramas great devotee) was on his way back from Lanka to inform Rama about Sitas whereabouts, the demons in the Lanka set his tail on fire. But with his powers Hanuman increased the size of his tail and Lanka was burnt. Rama with the help of Hanuman set off to Lanka once he got to know about the Sitas kidnap. Decline of Ravana As Ravana was unbeatable, Rama had to acquire a special weapon to kill Ravana. Laxman got severely injured in the battle but he was saved by the magical herbs from the Himalayas. Finally Rama defeated Ravana and that was the end of the empire of Ravana. Ravana lost his life and his virtues because of his Karmas. His ego was solely responsible for his devastation. On the day of Dassera Ravanas effigies are burnt to signify the power of the good over evil. But on contrary in some parts of India Ravana is worshipped on Vijay Dashmi. Ravana is the symbol of wickedness as well as wisdom. Ravana is burnt and worshipped for ages and will be burnt and worshipped for ages.
Ravana was a king of demons in the Hindu mythology. Here are some interesting tit bits about Ravana's life and his defeat by Rama. The pages of
Hindu epic
Ramayana introduce us to the notorious being called
Ravana. The king of the demons with ten heads and twenty hands makes
Hindu mythology really interesting.
Ravana was born to parents by name
Visrawasa and
Kaikasi. He had two brothers with names
Kumbhakarna and
Vibhishana.
It is believed that
Ravana was the most dreadful creature ever born. His childhood was responsible to make him whatever he was. When he was a child, people were terrified of a child having ten heads and dark complexion. Let us once again go back in time of mythology and supernatural powers to get the glimpse of the life of deadly demon and incredibly scholar persona known as
Ravana.
How Ravana got his name...
Ravana's real name was
Dasamukha which literally means one who carries ten heads.
Valmiki's Ramayana narrates the story about how
Dasamukha got the name
Ravana. Once
Ravana infuriated the great monkey king
Vaali who was praying on the mountain. Agitated
Vaali trapped
Ravana.
Ravana kept howling until
Vaali released him from the trapping. Since then people forgot
Dasamukha and remembered
Ravana.
Intellectual and scholar demon
Though
Ravana is looked upon as a cruel demon who annoyed the innocent, he is also known as a great intellectual in the history of
Hindu mythology. Under the guidance of his father,
Ravana grasped vast knowledge. He learned sacred texts like
Vedas. He mastered holy scripts.
Ravana himself was a
Brahmin but he learned the skills and techniques of
Kshatriyas.
Devotee of lord Shiva
The demon that was well known for his evil powers had great faith in almighty. He was a believer of the supernatural beings.
Ravana was a faithful devotee of lord
Shiva, one of the incarnations of lord
Vishnu. While possessed with obsession to manifest
Lanka, Ravana confronted
Shiva. Ravana tried to move on the mountain
Kailash, the home of the lord
Shiva.
In anger Lord
Shiva punished
Ravana by pressing him under his little toe.
Ravana howled and danced to please lord
Shiva. Then on
Ravana worshipped lord
Shiva with unconditional devotion. During this chance meeting with
Shiva, Ravana composed
Shiva tandava stotram.
The gruesome side of Ravana
Ravana had many wives but
Mandodari is renowned as she was famous for her elegance and beauty. She was intelligent. Apart from legal wives
Ravana was believed to have physical relations with many other women whom he had captured in the battles. There is a mention of the episodes in the
Ramayana that he forced several women; amongst them was a sage-woman
Vedavati.
Vedavati who was infatuated with the charisma of lord
Vishnu, ended her life after losing her chastity.
Ravana also tried to abuse
Rambha, an
apasara engaged to
Kubera's (the god of wealth) son. After learning
Ravana's advances,
Kubera cursed him that if he tried to force himself upon any women, all his heads would fall off. This is one of the reasons why he did not touch
Sita when she was in his abduction.
The king of demons
Ravana was obsessed with the thought of conquering
Lanka. Ravana performed tapas for many years to please
Brahma, the god of creation. Seeing his dedication
Brahma bestowed him boons.
Brahma granted his wishes to be unbeatable by gods and other powers. After getting the control of divine power, he conquered
Lanka.
In his tenure,
Lanka was a prosperous and wealthy kingdom. He leaded
Lanka with his skills and he was considered one of the great monarchs. Under his ruling people in Lanka were living affluent lives. It is said that they actually owned gold vessels to consume their food.
Ravana was admired for his huge knowledge of weapons and sorcery.
Ravana kidnaps Sita
Ravana's sister
Shurpanakha was fascinated by
Rama and she proposed him for marriage.
Rama refused her proposal as he was already married to
Sita. Then Shurpanakha pleaded
Laxman, Rama's brother to marry her. In a fit of rage
Laxman chopped off her nose.
Ravana got angry and to take revenge he kidnapped
Sita.
Sita was in his captive for nearly a year. Later she had to go through
Agnipariksha to prove her chastity. Some facts in the mythology say that during her abduction,
Ravana persuaded her to be his wife but never touched her. Other facts say that he kidnapped
Sita only to take revenge of
Laxman's behavior towards his sister.
When
Hanuman (
Rama's great devotee) was on his way back from
Lanka to inform
Rama about
Sita's whereabouts, the demons in the
Lanka set his tail on fire. But with his powers Hanuman increased the size of his tail and
Lanka was burnt.
Rama with the help of
Hanuman set off to
Lanka once he got to know about the
Sita's kidnap.
Decline of Ravana
As
Ravana was unbeatable,
Rama had to acquire a special weapon to kill
Ravana.
Laxman got severely injured in the battle but he was saved by the magical herbs from the Himalayas. Finally Rama defeated
Ravana and that was the end of the empire of
Ravana. Ravana lost his life and his virtues because of his
Karmas. His ego was solely responsible for his devastation.
On the day of
Dassera Ravana's effigies are burnt to signify the power of the good over evil. But on contrary in some parts of India
Ravana is worshipped on
Vijay Dashmi.
Ravana is the symbol of wickedness as well as wisdom.
Ravana is burnt and worshipped for ages and will be burnt and worshipped for ages.
