Ravana

About Ravana in brief

Ravana is a king of Lanka and the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana and its adaptations. He abducted Rama’s wife Sita and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her as a prisoner in Ashok Vatika. Later, Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanars, attacked Ravana in Lanka and killed him. Ravana is widely considered to be symbol of evil. In Sri Lankan mythology, however, he is considered as a great ruler. He is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler and a maestro of the Veena. He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, in Buddhist Ramayanas and Jatakas, as well as in Jain Ramayans. He has many other popular names, such as Dasis Ravana, Dasis Sakvithi Maha Ravana,. Dashaanan, Ravula, Lankeshwar, Ravanasura, Ravanaeshwaran, and Eela Vendhar. He was also depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita, a book on Hindu astrology, and the Arka Prakasham,. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science.

He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored inside his belly, thanks to a celestial boon by Brahma. He won 11,000 boons from Brahma, except for the creation of humans. He received chariot from Gokarna, and performed penances on Mt. Gokarakarna. He and his two brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana were born to the father of Kubera, the king of the Rakshasa princess Kaikesi. His maternal grandfather was Sumali ; the king and the son of Sukesha. His grandfather on his father’s side, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind-born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi in the first Manvantara. He had ten sons and four daughters, so to produce an heir of the world, so as to produce exceptional children. He finally chose Kaikeshi, who was the most powerful being in the mortal world, and finally chose Ravana as his heir. He later became king.