Ravan is one of the most famous mythological characters mentioned in Hindu Scripture. He is known as the demon king who kidnapped Sita. Later he was defeated by Lord Ram in the battle fought at Ravan’s Lanka. Ravan is treated as a villain but he brought balance to the world and is still worshipped by many people around the world. Here are some interesting facts about Ravana, which you may not know.
Interesting Facts About Ravana
Though Ravan is just known as a villain who kidnapped Sita, there is more to him than anyone else in Indian Mythology. Check out these interesting facts about Ravana.
1. Ravana as a good ruler
It is believed that Ravana was a cruel ruler but the facts say that he was not. He did take Sri Lanka by force from his stepbrother but he came out as the most influential king of Sri Lanka. The Lanka era when Ravana ruled Sri Lanka is considered to be the most prosperous one.
2. Ravana is worshipped by many
In many parts of Sri Lanka and India, Ravana is worshipped like a god. In Kakinada, a huge Shivlinga was installed by Ravana and now, both the Shivlinga and Ravana are worshipped by the fishermen community. There is a temple of Ravana in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and Alvar, Rajasthan. Many Kanyakubja Brahmins of Ravagram village in Madhya Pradesh worship Ravana on a daily basis in the temple and offer bhog to the Gods.
3. Ravana was Brahma’s Great Grandson
Ravana was the child of Rishi Vishrava who was the son of Prajapati Pulastya. Rishi Vishrava was one of the ten mind-born sons of Brahma. Ravana was born to Rishi Vishravaand daitya princess Kaikeshi and thus Ravana was half Brahmin and half daitya. Ravana was considered as Mahabrahmin by Lord Rama himself and that is the reason why he had to perform Ashwamedha Yagna to defeat Ravana.
4. Ravana and his ten heads
Some versions of Ramayan tell that Ravana never had ten heads, instead, it was an optical illusion created by the necklace of nine pearls given to him by his mother. In other versions it is stated that to please Lord Shiva, Ravana hacked his head into pieces that converted into one head each due to the power of his devotion.
5. Ravana imparting knowledge to Lakshmana
Ravana was one of the most learned scholars and he is still considered to be the only one having great knowledge. Since he was such a great scholar, Lord Ram asked his brother Lakshman to sit beside Ravana during his final times and learn important lessons in statecraft and diplomacy.
While on a deathbed, Ravana taught Lakshman about politics. He taught him how he should always keep good relations with charioteers, cooks, gatekeepers and his brothers, he said so by believing that these people are the ones who can hurt an individual the most. He advised Lakshman to never underestimate the power of the enemy and he asked him to always believe in the sayings of astrology and movements of stars. He also advised him to trust the minister who criticizes the work done by you.
6. Ravana as a Veena Player
Many of you must have seen pictures of Ravana carrying a Veena, this is because Ravana was very keen on music and he was a highly accomplished Veena player. Ravana was a great musician and also designed a string instrument called Ravana Veena, it was Ravana who invented the bow of the violin and he is the first one to narrate the very first Raga.
Have you ever wondered who composed Shiva Tandava? It was Ravana who composed it and the Shiva Tandava remains as one of the valuable works. Isn’t this one of the interesting facts about Ravana?
7. Ravana as a doctor
Ravana was indeed a multi knowledge individual. He was a great Ayurvedic physician and Vaidya Shiromani. He wrote very valuable books like Nandi Pariksha that talks about the plus examination, Arka Shastra that deals with compiling usage and dosage and cure of every herd for complex diseases, Arka Tantra dealing with Gynecology and Pediatric Medicine, Odisha Chiktsaya, Oddiya Chiktsaya and Vatina Prakarnaya. Sindhruman medicine that is known for curing wounds instantly was founded by Ravana.
8. Ravana as a Scholar
Ravana was not only a great warrior but also a very learned scholar. He was the most brilliant demon who knew all the four Vedas and six Upanishads. He was known as Dahanana meaning a ten-headed demon but later was crowned with the name Ravana after he tried to destroy Mount Kailash where Lord Shiva was meditating.
Ravana means the one who screams with pain, when he was trying to destroy Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva forced the whole mountain with his toe and crushed Ravana’s forearm and he began to scream in agony. After that incident, he became a devotee of Lord Shiva and wrote Shiva Stotram.
Also Read- What Is Dussehra And Why Is It Celebrated – Know When Is Dussehra, Puja, And Ravan Dahan Time
Master Of Many Sciences
One of the interesting facts about Ravana is that he was a master of many sciences. He knew Astrology and authored Ravana Samhita. He was also aware of esoteric practices that are similar to black magic and was also considered to be one of the greatest Astrologers of his times. Ravana knew sixty-four different kinds of arts and understood every word of the Vedas.
Few Final Words
We might know Ravana as a villain but he was futuristic and knew the purpose of his life on this planet. He knew getting killed by Lord Ram is the only way to reach salvation, he was more than a demon. He was an artist, a devotee, a musician, a great leader, a great brother and much more. His qualities can not succumb to limited words.
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