Ravana

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For the South Indian film, see Ravana (film).

Ravanaa, also transliterated as Raavana, Ravan or Revana, (Devanagari: रावण Rāvaṇa; Khmer: Krong Reap; Malay: Rawana; Lao: Hapkhanasouane; Thai: ทศกัณฐ์ Thotsakan, lit. the person with ten necks) was a mythical king of rakshasas (demons), with great supernatural power, who is said to have ruled Sri Lanka about 6000 years ago.

The term Ravanaa' is a derogatory reference to him. His original name was Dasamukha which means bearer of ten heads. Dasamukha annoyed Shiva by lifting the mountain on which Shiva was mediating and Shiva, annoyed by Ravana's arrogance, pressed his little toe on Kailash, pinning him firmly and painfully under it.Dasamukha howled for ten days after which he was freed by Shiva. The term Ravana means Howler. Since Dasamukha howled for ten days when trapped, he began to be referred to as Ravana meaning the howler.

He plays a major role in Hindu mythology, especially in the Ramayana, where he is mainly depicted negatively as a brute and rapist, and most infamously as having kidnapped Rama's wife Sita and being killed by her husband.

This depiction is, however, open to other interpreations; Ravana is also mentioned as a great scholar, a capable ruler and a devoted follwer of Shiva, and he has his apologists and staunch devotees within the Hindu tradions.

Contents 1 Tapas to Brahma 2 King of Lanka 3 Devotee of Lord Shiva 4 Emperor of the Three Worlds 5 Women 6 Assessment 7 Depiction in other Scriptures, as Vishnu's cursed doorkeeper 8 Ravana's family 9 Arguments in favor of Ravana 9.1 Pro-Ravana interpretation of the Sita kidnapping 10 Ravana Temples 11 References

Tapas to Brahma

Following his initial training, Ravana performed an intense penance to Brahma (the creator god), lasting several years. Pleased with his austerity, Brahma offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Brahma refused saying everyone has to die someday. Ravana then asked for absolute invulnerability and supremacy before gods and heavenly spirits, other demons, serpents and wild beasts. Contemptuous of mortal men, he did not ask for protection from them. Brahma granted him these boons, and additionally great strength by way of knowledge of divine weapons and sorcery.

King of Lanka

After winning these boons, Ravana sought out his grandfather, Sumali, and assumed leadership over his army. He then set his sights on Lanka.

Lanka was an idyllic city, created by the celestial architect Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the gods. Kubera had generously shared all that he owned with Kaikesi's children - his stepbrothers and sister. However, Ravana demanded Lanka wholly from him, threatening to take it by force. Vishrava advised Kubera to give it up to him, as Ravana was now undefeatable.

While Ravana usurped Lanka to begin with, he was nevertheless regarded as a benevolent and effective ruler. Lanka flourished under his rule - it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off, and hunger was unknown in the kingdom.

Devotee of Lord Shiva

Following his conquest of Lanka, Ravana encountered Lord Shiva at his abode in Kailash. Unknowingly, Ravana attempted to uproot and move the mountain on a whim.

Shiva, annoyed by Ravana's arrogance, pressed his little toe on Kailash, pinning him firmly and painfully under it. His ganas informed Ravana of whom he had crossed, upon which Ravana became penitent.

He sang songs praising Shiva, and is said to have done so for years, until Shiva released him from his bondage.

Pleased with his resilience and devotion, Shiva gave to him the divine sword Chandrahas ("Moon-blade"). It was during this incident that he acquires the name 'Ravana', meaning "(He) Of the terrifying roar", given to him by Shiva - the earth is said to have quaked at Ravana's cry of pain when the mountain was pinned on him.

Ravana in turn became a lifelong devotee of Lord Shiva and is said to have composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram, a hymn to Lord Shiva.

Emperor of the Three Worlds

His abilities now truly awe-inspiring, Ravana proceeded on a series of campaigns, conquering humans, celestials and other demons. Conquering the netherworld completely, he left his brother Ahiravana as king. He became supreme overlord of all asuras in the three worlds, making an alliance with the Nivatakavachas and Kalakeyas, two clans he was unable to subdue. Conquering several kingdoms of the human world, he performed the suitable sacrifices and was crowned Emperor.

Kubera at one point chastised Ravana for his cruelty and greed, greatly angering him. Proceeding to the heavens, Ravana fought and defeated the devas, singling out his brother for particular humiliation. By force he gained command over the gods, celestials and the serpent races.

At the time of the Ramayana, set several hundred years later, Ravana is shown as dominating all human and divine races - so much so that he can command the Sun as to his rising and setting.

Women

Ravana was known for his virility and his aggressive conquests of women. Ravana had several wives, foremost of whom was Mandodari - daughter of Mayasura and an apsara named Hema.

Mandodari was renowned for her wisdom and grace as well as beauty and chastity. She is often compared to Sita, one of the most beautiful woman described in Indian mythology, for her beauty.

In addition to his wives, Ravana maintained a harem of incredible size, populated with women whom he captured in his many conquests, many of them accepted and lived happily in his harem for his great manhood, power and knowledge of different subjects.

Ravana originally used to force himself upon any woman who rejected his advances. Two significant encounters occurred that would shape the course of the Ramayana.

The first was the encounter with the sage-woman Vedavati. Vedavati had been performing penance with the intention of winning Lord Vishnu as her husband. Ravana met her at her hermitage, her beauty enhanced by the austerities she had performed. She, however, rejected his advances. After mocking her dedication to Vishnu and her penance, he attacks her, viciously, by pulling her hair.

Her chastity and reputation destroyed, Vedavati immolates herself by building a pyre, while Ravana is watching.

The second was his encounter with the apsara Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Rambha was betrothed to Kubera's son, but her plea that she was like a daughter to him did not deter Ravana.

Angered at this, Kubera's son cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off his head if he forced himself upon any woman from that point. This curse is said to have protected Sita's chastity while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year.

For seizing Sita, Ravana used his ancient glider called Dhadu Monara. This was hoist from a Rock called Lakegala in Sri Lanka.

Assessment

Ravana serves mainly as an antagonist and villain in the Ramayana, though sometimes he was shown as a great noble man. Nevertheless, he is considered to have possessed several virtues, the foremost being his knowledge of the sacred books, medicines and sorcery. Ravana was a great devotee of Shiva and is supposed to have composed the Shiva Tandava Stotra.

Legend says that being a Brahmin, Ravana performed the necessary vedic rituals (pujas) for Rama a Kshatriya before the war between himself and Rama. This was done as no other Brahmin was available at that time in Lanka.

There were occasions where Ravana has been humbled. For example, the encounter with Lord Shiva Himself as mentioned earlier.

Another incident was when the king Kartavirya Arjuna (who had 1000 arms) was bathing in the river Narmada (where Ravana was also bathing). Arjuna's wives challenged him if he could hold the waters of Narmada, and he did it.

Hence, the flow of water stopped at the place where Ravana was bathing and this made him angry. So he challenged Arjuna to battle and lost it. Arjuna then took him prisoner, until Ravana's grandfather came and asked Arjuna to release him. It is to Ravana's luck's credit, though, that he came out of all these three incidents much richer in alliances and friendship.

Ravana also met his match when he encountered the mighty Vali, king of the Vanara (roughly, "monkey men". ("Vanara" has two meanings in Sanskrit - a black faced monkey, and a person; the name is composed of "Nara" (man) and "Vana" (forest) - i.e. "forest-living men".)

By one version, Ravana is said to have got himself tied into the tail of Vali when the latter was performing his meditation, (or in another version, his regular Shiva puja). Vali flew in all four directions, around all worlds, completely unaware that Ravana was stuck in his tail. When he reached his palace, he realized that Ravana was stuck there and released him.

Another version holds that Ravana had in fact challenged Vali for a fight. Since Vali had the boon that anyone who came before him in a fight lost half his/her strength to Vali, he accepted the offer from Ravana in spite of Ravana being the enemy of his father Indra.

Ravana, having known of this special characteristic of his opponent, caught hold of Vali from behind, at a time that Vali was performing his sacred ablution. Such was the might of Vali that he thereupon clasped his arms around Ravana's. Vali, holding Ravana, thereupon completed his sacred bath in all the seven oceans.

Depiction in other Scriptures, as Vishnu's cursed doorkeeper

In the Bhagavata Purana, Ravana and his brother, Kumbakarna were said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, gatekeepers at Vaikuntha, 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.

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 from his three wives:

1. Indrajit
2. Prahasta
3. Atikaya
4. Akshayakumara
5. Devantaka
6. Narantaka
7. 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 Tataki. Ravana also had a maternal uncle, Maricha.

Ravana had six brothers and two sisters:

1. Kubera - the King of North direction and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older half-brother of Ravana: they were born to the same father by different mothers.
2. Vibhishana - A great follower of Sri Rama and one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. As a minister and brother of Ravana, he spoke the Truth without fear and advised Ravana to return Kidnapped Sita and uphold Dharma. Ravana not only rejected this sane advice, but also banished him from his kingdom. Vibhishana sought protection from Sri Rama, which was granted without hesitation. He is known as a great devotee of Sri Rama.
3. 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, out of brotherly love, persuaded Brahma to amend the boon. Brahma mitigated the power of the boon by making Kumbhakarna sleep for six months and being awake for rest six months of a year (in some versions, he is awake for one day out of the year). During the war with Sri Rama, Kumbhakarna was awakened from his sleep. He tried to persuade Ravana to follow Dharmic path and return Sita; seek mercy of Sri Rama. But he too failed to mend the ways of Ravana. However, he fought on the side of Ravana and was killed in the battlefield. Before dying he met Vibhishana and blessed him for following path of righteousness.
4. Khara - King of Janasthan. He protected the northern 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.
5. Dushana - Viceroy of Janasthan.
6. Mahiravan - King of the Underworld ruled by the rakshasas by Ravana and Demon King Maya.
7. Kumbhini - 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.
8. 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.

Arguments in favor of Ravana

While often thought of mainly as the infamous 10-headed demon, Ravana was also a notable scholar of the Vedas.

A not widely known metaphorical interpreation of Rvan's having ten heads is that the heads are a symbolic way to show the world about his knowledge. He was fully aware of the contents of the six Shastras. His knowledge of the six shastras as well as his knowledge of the four Vedas, ten holy scriptures in all, is by this interpretation considered the inner meaning of the belief that Ravana had ten heads. He even knew that Ram was Narayana himself, who had come in human form.

However, since there was no other way for him to reach to Narayana, he had to cultivate wanton wickedness, violence and hatred, and invite Ram to kill him. Of course, this might be called a type of devotion that is stupid and infamous. But his inner aim was to cross the ocean of birth and death, through that act of self abnegation and surrender to Narayana.

Pro-Ravana interpretation of the Sita kidnapping

Even though Ravan is portrayed as a vile villain in Ramayan, this view is open to question due to lack of any overt instances, and is so questioned by a considerable number of believers.

It can argued, for example, that Ravan's abduction of Sita was not driven by lust for her, but instead it was done to punish Ram for attacking his sister Shoorpanaka.

While Ram and Laxman were living in the woods, Shoorpanaka saw Ram and fell in love with him. Smitten by Ram's beauty, Shoorpanaka proposed to Ram, who however turned her away saying he is married.

Shoorpanaka then approached Laxman (Ram's brother) - but he, too, turned her away. The enraged Shoorpanaka tried to attack Sita as she was convinced that Ram discouraged her proposal because of Sita. At this point Laxman cut off Shoorpanaka's nose and ears.

Though Laxman did this for fear of Sita's safety, the extremity of the act upon his unarmed sister enraged Ravan and he abducted Sita to avenge the insult.

Nevertheless Ravan never even touched Sita while she was being held as his hostage. He visited her regularly and asked her consent to marry him. Every time Sita declined, but there is not a single instance when Ravan misbehaves with Sita.

He plays the role of a gentleman to the hilt, only because he was cursed by Kubera's son that he would lose all his 10 heads if he forced himself on any woman.

Ravana Temples

Despite Valmiki's portrayal of Ravana as a villain, there are people who not only adore Ravana but also worship him.

Ravana is considered most revered devotee of Lord Shiva. The images of Ravana are seen associated with lord Shiva at some places.

There is a huge Shivalinga in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, supposedly installed by Ravana himself, with a statue of Ravana near by. Both Shivalinga and Ravana are worshiped by the fishermen community there.

In Sri Lanka, a thousand years ago, King Walagamba is said to have constructed cave temples for Ravana in the Ella Valley.

Thousands of Kanyakubja Brahmins of the village Ravangram of Netaran, in the Vidisha District of Madhya Pradesh, perform daily puja (worship) in the Ravan temple and offer naivedyam / bhog (a ritual of sacrifice to the Gods. [1][2][3]). .

Centuries ago King Shiv Shankar built a Ravana temple at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The Ravana temple is opened once in a year, on Dashehra Day, to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana.

A Jain temple in Alvar, Rajasthan is called the Ravan Parsvanath Temple. The legend says that Ravana used to worship Parsvanath daily. While Ravana was on tour to Alvar he realized that he forgot to bring the image of Parsvanath. Mandodari, Ravana's wife, is said to have made an image of Parsvanath immediately. And hence the Ravan Parsvanath temple at Alvar.

Ravana is said to have married Princess Mandodari at a place about 32 kilometers away from Jodhpur, which is now called Mandor. There is a mandap (altar or pavilion) where Ravana is said to have married Mandodari, and which the local people call Ravan Jee Ki Chanwari.

At the altar can also be found the images of Saptamatri (Seven Mothers) flanked by Ganesha and Veera Bhadra. The Saptamatri images are said to precede the time of the Pratihara Dynasty (founded in the 6th Century AD) and are in fact reminscent of the images of seven female deities of Harappa - the oldest civilization in India. In the nearby stepwell, a stone bears a script that resembles the Harappan script.

The Dave Brahmins of Mudgal Gotra, Jodhpur/Mandor, said to be Dravida Brahmins who were originally from Gujarat, claim to be the descendants of Ravana. The say that since time immemorial they are performing the shraddh (death anniversary) of Ravana on Dashehra Day every year. They offer pind daan and take a bath after that ritual. They recently erected a Ravan temple in Jodhpur, where daily puja is performed.

References

[1] The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum, 21/Oct./2007. http://www.tribuneindia.com [then search] /2007/20071021/spectrum/society1.html

[2] Navhind Times, 6/Oct./2007 http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=100646

[3] Sri Alvar Tirth http://www.jaintirths.com/rajasthan/alvar.htm

[4]Vachaspati.S,Ravana Brahma [in English],2005,Rudrakavi Sahitya Peetham,Gandhi Nagar,Tenali,India.

[5]Kamalesh Kumar Dave,Dashanan [in Hindi],2008,Akshaya Jyotish Anusandan Kendra,Quila Road,Jodhpur, India.

"Ramlila in Delhi (Lav Kush Ramlila Committee, Redfort)," http://www.lavkush.com

Preceded by Kubera

Emperor of Lanka

Succeeded by Vibishana

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