Ravana

Ravana, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.

Giving a fitting to Mr Ravana at Home..

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rāvaṇa ( IPA: [ˈrɑːʋəɳə], Sanskrit: रावण, Tamil:ராவணன், was a king of ancient Lanka and the primary antagonist in the Ramayana. In the classic text, Ravana kidnaps Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister Surpanakha.[1]

This depiction is, however, open to other interpretations. Ravana is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler and a maestro of the Veena. He has his apologists and staunch devotees within the Hindu traditions, some of whom believe that his description as a ten-headed person (Daśagrīva) is a reference to him possessing a very thorough knowledge over the 4 Vedas and 6 Upanishads, which made him as powerful as 10 scholars. An alternative interpretation[by whom?] is that he is guided by and does not have control over the five senses and five bodily instruments of action[citation needed]. His counterpart, Rama, on the contrary, is always in full control of these ten. However, there is mention in Atharvaveda of demonic Brahmans called Dasagva (ten-headed) and Navagva (nine-headed). These early beings may be the actual forerunners of the later character in the Ramayana[original research?].

Ravana also authored Ravana Samhita, a powerful book on the Hindu astrology. Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Ayurveda and political science. He is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored under his navel, thanks to a celestial boon by Brahma.[2] According to some theories, he was a historical emperor who reigned over Sri Lanka roughly between 1800-1600 BC.[3]

The name 'Ravana' is obtained from the root 'ru' and connected to the expression 'rāvayati iti rāvaṇaḥ' ('one who makes god love by his compassion actions.')[4] The name Ravana obtains from the root 'Ra' signifies the sun and 'vaṇa' signifies generation according to a nationalist Sinhala scholar, Arisen.[5] Ravana had many other popular names such as Dasis Ravana, Ravan, Raavan, Ravula, Lankeshwar, Ravanaeshwaran all signifying the qualities of life. Ravana was a cross of Brahmin and Daitya thus attaining a status of Brahma-Rakshasa.

Variations of the name include the following:

Assamese: ৰাৱণ(Rāvan)
Odiya: ରାବଣ (Rāvaṇa)
Bengali: রাবণ(Rabon)
Burmese: ရာဝဏ, [jàwəna̰]
Indonesian: Rahwana, Rahwono
Javanese: Rahwana, Rahwono or Dasamuka (from Sanskrit Daśamukha or 'ten faced')
Kannada:ರಾವಣ, Rāvaṇa
Khmer: Rabana or Rab, Krong Reap
Lao: Raphanasuan
Malay (Malaysian): Rawana or Wana
Malayalam: രാവണന്‍ (Rāvaṇan)
Maranao: Lawana
Marathi: रावण (Rāvaṇ)
Sinhalese: රාවණා (Rāvaṇa)
Tamil: இராவணன் (Rāvaṇan)
Thai: ทศกัณฐ์, Thosakan (from Daśakanṭha or 'ten necked')
Telugu: రావణాసురుడు(Rāvaṇasurdu)
Yuan: Rahbanasun
Sinhala: රාවනා(Ravana)


Ravana was born to a great sage Vishrava (or Vesamuni), and his wife, the daitya princess Kaikesi. He was born in the Sandilya gotra, as his grandfather, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis or mind-born sons of Brahma and one of the Saptarishi (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the first Manvantara. Kaikesi's father, Sumali (or Sumalaya), king of the Daityas, wished her to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages and finally chose Vishrava, the father of Kubera. Ravana was thus partly Brahmin and partly Daitya.

Even though he was partly Brahmin and partly Rakshas, Rama praised Ravan as Mahabrahmin. Rama had to do Ashwamedha yagna as penance for killing a Brahmin (Brahmahatyadosha).

His brothers were Vibhishana, Kumbhakarna and Ahiravana. Through his mother, he was related to the daityas Maricha and Subahu. Kaikesi also gave birth to a daughter, Meenakshi ("girl with fish like eyes"), although later she was dubbed the infamous Shoorpanakha "winnow-like nails".

Father Vishrava noted that while Ravana was aggressive and arrogant, he was also an exemplary scholar. Under Vishrava's tutelage, Ravana mastered the Vedas, the holy books, and also the arts and ways of Kshatriyas (warriors). Ravana was also an excellent veena player and the sign of his flag had a picture of veena on it.[citation needed] Sumali, his mother's father, worked hard in secret to ensure that Ravana retained the ethics of the Daityas.

The Ramayana tells that Ravana had close connections with region of the Yadus, which included Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan up to Mathura south of Delhi. Ravana is believed to be related to Lavanasura, also regarded as a Rakshasa, of Madhupura (Mathura) in the region of the Surasenas, who was conquered & killed by Shatrughna, youngest brother of Rama.

After worshipping a Shiva Linga on the banks of the Narmada, in the more central Yadu region, Ravana was captured and held under the control of King Kartavirya Arjuna, one of the greatest Yadu kings. It is very clear from the references in the Ramayana that Ravana was no commoner among the Humans or Asuras, a great chanter of the Sama Veda.

Following his initial training, Ravana performed an intense penance (or tapasya) to Brahma (the Creator God), lasting several years. During his penance, Ravana chopped off his head 10 times as a sacrifice to appease brahma. Each time he sliced his head off a new head arose, thus enabling him to continue his penance. At last, Brahama, pleased with his austerity, appeared after his 10th decapitation and offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Brahma refused to give, but gave him the celestial nectar of immortality. The nectar of immortality, stored under his navel, dictated that he could not be vanquished for as long as it lasted.

Ravana also asked for absolute invulnerability from and supremacy over gods, heavenly spirits, other rakshas, serpents, and wild beasts. Contemptuous of mortal men, he did not ask for protection from these. Brahma granted him these boons in addition to his 10 severed heads and great strength by way of knowledge of divine weapons and magic. Thus ravana known as 'Dasamukha' (Dasa = ten, mukha =face). According to the serials made on the Ravana, in his childhood he was the first person who prohibited the cow slaughtering.

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 known as "Ayonija" where "Yoni" means "Mother's Womb" & "Ja" means "Janma" - incarnation, a divine term, normally we say "Life/Birth" of a person . Hence "Ayonija" means "A" before "Yonija" means who didn't take birth from a normal mother. so cannot say about her "Mother" as Hema. and she had a great boon that until she leaves her life as per her "Karma", she will remain as "Sumnagali". That is why, though when Ravana was hit by "Rama's" powerful arrow, Ravana didn't lose his life. the "Jyothi" at Mandodari's "Puja Mandir" has to become "Unchastic" and when that happened, Ravana fell down. and Ravana Kashtam, the term which people use today, has happened when Ravana fell down i.e., when his body was burnt, the "Moksha" didn't happen till Mandodari was on earth with life. and thus, she can be called as "Sumangali", which satisfies her boon. Ravana did not have any special in women. 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. He proposes to her and is rejected. Ravana mocks her austerities and her devotion to Vishnu; finding himself firmly rejected at every turn, he tries to molest Vedavati, pulling her hair. This greatly incensed her, and she forthwith cut off her hair, and said she would enter into the fire before his eyes, adding, "Since I have been insulted in the forest by thee who art wicked-hearted, I shall be born again for thy destruction." So she entered the blazing fire, and celestial flowers fell all around. It was she who was born again as Sita, and was the moving cause of Ravana's death, though Rama was the agent.

Vedavati is said to have been reborn as Sita, causing Ravana's death and winning Vishnu (as Rama) as her husband.

As reincarnation of Vishnu's dwaarpaal

In the Bhagavata Purana, Ravana and his brother, Kumbhakarna 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 Vaikuntha and to be born on Earth.

God Vishnu agreed that they should be punished. They were given two choices, that they could be born about 7 times as normal mortals and devotees of Vishnu, or 3 times as powerful and strong people, but as enemies of Vishnu, for which they chose the second one. Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna were born to fulfill the curse on the second birth as enemies of Vishnu in the Treta Yuga. The curse of first birth was fulfilled by Hiranyakashipu and his brother Hiranyaksha in Satya Yuga when they were both vanquished by earlier avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu and the curse of third birth was fulfilled by Dantavakra and Shishupala in the Dwapar Yuga when they were both vanquished by Lord Krishna.

Tattva interpretation

Ravana has ten heads. These are indicative of ten indriyas (sensory and material faculties). Ravana is an indicative of every person who defies death (demon), who goes around in this world only for sensory pleasures. Ravana lives in south (of India) - direction of death, indicating that some day this body is bound to die. Ravana wishes to procure Sita avoiding Rama. Everything in this world is a combination of the Truth (The only Brahman or Consciousness) and what it looks and feels like, to us (Maya). One who tries to see or procure things in this world, only based on his indriyas will have a life of Ravana.