10 Amazing Facts About Ravana

Ravana is the main antagonist character or the character who is actively opposing in the epic tale of Ramayana. Ravana had six brothers and two more sisters. The name of the brothers was - Lord Kubera, Vibhishana, Kumbhakarna, King Khara, Dushana, King Ahiravan. The name of the two sisters is - Kumbhini and Surpanakha.

This is narrated in the Ramayana that Ravana had lost the battle which he had fought with Lord Rama. This battle between Ravana and Lord Rama was fought because Ravana previously had kidnapped Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. The main role of Ravana in the Ramayana starts from this incident. Let us know some amazing facts about this character called – Ravana.

List of Facts of Ravana

In this section, we will know 10 amazing facts about Ravana which will leave you in awe of this character. Without further ado let us number down the facts. 

The facts are: 

1. Ravana got his name from Lord Shiva later in his life.

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This incident happened when Ravana aspired Lord Shiva to relocate him from Kailash to his own place – Lanka. This is said that Ravana loved and honoured Shiva so much that he had lifted the Kailash Mountain to bring Shiva to Lanka. 

It is said that, while Ravana was carrying the mountain, Shiva put his foot down and crushed Ravana’s finger with his one toe in order to stop him, at this Ravana roared with pain but he knew exactly the power of Shiva and thus he started to perform Shiva Tandav Strotam. 

Also, this is said that Ravana designed the lute which is known as Rudra-Veena using one of his 10 heads as the lute’s gourd, and from one of his arms he designed the beam while his nerves being the string. By seeing this Shiva was highly impressed and thus named him Ravana, meaning the person who roars loud.

2.Ravana had performed a Yagya for Rama and while he was dying, he also imparted valuable knowledge to Lakshmana, Rama’s brother

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In the tale of Ramayana, it is narrated that Rama’s army of monkeys created the bridge to Lanka. To do this, they had to set up a Yagya for the blessings of Shiva. While Ravana was the biggest bhakt of Lord Shiva in this entire world. It is said, Ravana was half Brahman also. Thus, he was the suitable person to perform this yagya. In this way, Ravana performed the yagya. 

Also, this is known that Ravana was the most learned scholar to have ever lived. For this reason, Ram suggested his brother, Lakshmana to sit beside dying Ravana and learn important lessons in statecraft and in diplomacy.

3. Pushpak Vimana 

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Pushpak Vimana was a special aircraft that could only be mastered by a few and Ravana learned to control this on its own. It is said - Ravana had a number of these airplanes and also airports to land.

Ravana could also play the veena, this is believed that he had a fine interest in music.

4.Ravana had Immense Speed Potentiality 

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Ravana at his time mastered the technique of being the fastest. He was faster than anyone, for this technique he could escape all the attempts during the capture. Ravana was so powerful that he could change the alignments of planets.

During the birth of his own son, named Meghnad, Ravana instructed the planets to stay in the 11th house of the child but to this Shani or the planet Saturn refused and it remained in the 12th house. Due to this behaviour of Shani Dev, Ravana imprisoned Saturn. 

5.Kumbhakarna and Ravana were the Avatars of Gatekeepers at Vishnu’s 

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The name of the gatekeepers of the Vishnu’s place or heavenly abode, (Vaikuntha) were - Jaya and Vijaya. Four Kumaras of Lord Brahma visited Lord Vishnu at his abode, Vaikuntha. These four kumaras chose to follow Brahmacharya, thus they requested their divine father to bless them with the boon that they could eternally remain five years old babies.

Jaya and Vijaya who were actually the avatars of Kumbhakarna and Ravana stopped them from entering Vaikuntha, saying Lord Vishnu is resting at the moment. 

For this, the five Kumaras got angry and cursed Jaya and Vijaya by saying that they will be parted from their Lord Vishnu. When Jaya and Vijaya asked for forgiveness, then the Kumaras said that they could either spent their seven lifetimes on earth as the avatars of Vishnu or they can spend three lifetimes as the enemy of Lord Vishnu. Jaya and Ravana chose the latter option. Hence, in one of their three lifetimes, they were born as Ravana and Kumbhakaran being the enemies of Lord Vishnu.

6.Ravana was the Father of Sita

For the tale of Ramayana, we know that Ravana kidnapped Sita. But in the Jain version of Ramayana, Ravana was actually the father of Sita.

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Rama and Ravana also accepted the Jains. In Jainism, they study that Ravana was a king named - Vidyadhara who have magical powers. Also, according to the Jain accounts, it is said - Ravana was killed by Lakshmana and not by Rama. 

7.Grow Rich with this Mantra from Ravana

We all accept that Ravana is a symbol of evil, but there are few things to learn from him as well. Ravana had given many Tantrik Upayas which have the power to suddenly make you richer.

On any auspicious day, wake up early in the morning, do all the morning routines and after completing, visit the sacred river. Then, look for a quiet spot, it should be under a tree, and then spread a leather seat. Sitting on that seat or pedestal chant the wealth mantra for 21 days. It is claimed that chanting this would with Rudraksha beads would make you grow richer.

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8.Know the real Story behind the Death of Ravana

Anarnay was a king in Raghuvansh. Ravana faced Anarnay in a fierce battle fought between them. King Anarnay lost against Ravana, while dying he had cursed him that he will be killed by a man who will be born in Anarnay’s lineage itself. Lord Rama took birth in the Anarnay’s lineage and then killed Ravana.

9.Ravana knew when he is going to die and who is going to kill him

Ravana knew his own doomed fate that he will be dying by the hands of an avatar of Lord Vishnu, and this will help him to attain moksha and thereby give up his demon form.

10.Ravana’s 10 Heads 

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According to other versions of Ramayana, Ravana initially did not have ten heads but later it appeared so because of his mother’s nine pearls necklace which was given by her to the Ravana, which caused an optical illusion for any observer.

While, in other versions, this is said that in order to please Shiva, Ravana had chopped his own head into millions of pieces, after seeing his devotion for Lord Shiva, he made each piece spawn into another head.

His ten heads represent:

• Kama (meaning lust)

• Krodha (meaning anger)

• Moha (meaning delusion)

• Lobha (which means greed)

• Mada (meaning pride)

• Maatsyasya (meaning envy)

• Manas (meaning the mind)

• Buddhi (which means intellect)

• Chitta (meaning the will)

• Ahamkara (which means ego) – all of these constitute the ten heads of Ravana.  

Did You Know?

• Ravana, in Hindu Literature, is known as the 10-headed king of the demons (or the rakshasas). He abducted Sita and was later defeated by her husband Rama. These were the central incidents of the epic tale named Ramayana, meaning Rama’s Journey.

• Ravana had expelled his own brother named Kubera from his own kingdom.  

• The Ram Lila is a festival, which is celebrated as an annual pageant for popularity which is particularly shown in the northern part of India. This festival is being climaxed with the defeat of Ravana and then burning huge effigies of this demon.

• He was well versed with full knowledge in architecture, scriptures, and astrology, for this reason, Ravana have 10 had ten heads.

• Ravana had written books on - Tantra Shashtra, this is an astrology book named Ravana Sanhita, this is the best-known book in astrology. Due to this, he was very over-confident and too egoistic.