43 Facts About Ravana

Ravana abducted Prince Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika.

Ravana was slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.

Ravana is widely portrayed as being an evil character, though he is a learned scholar.

Ravana was well-versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas.

Ravana is considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva.

Images of Ravana are often seen associated with Shiva at temples.

The word Ravana means "roaring", the opposite of Vaisravana which means to "hear distinctly".

Ravana was a title later taken on by Dashanana, and it means "the one with ten faces ".

Ravana is depicted and described as having ten heads, although he is sometimes shown with only nine heads since he cut one off to convince Shiva.

Ravana is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler, and a maestro of the Veena.

Ravana is depicted as the author of the Ravana Samhita, a book on Hindu astrology, and the Arka Prakasham, a book on Siddha medicine and treatment.

Ravana possessed a thorough knowledge of Siddha and political science.

Ravana is said to have possessed the nectar of immortality, which was stored inside his belly thanks to a celestial boon from Brahma.

Ravana was born to the sage Vishrava and the Rakshasa princess Kaikesi in Treta Yuga.

Villagers from Bisrakh in Uttar Pradesh claim that Bisrakh was named after Vishrava, and that Ravana was born there.

However, according to Hela historical sources and folklore, Ravana was born in Lanka, where he later became king.

Ravana's paternal grandfather, the sage Pulastya, was one of the ten Prajapatis, or mind-born sons of Brahma, and one of the Saptarishi in the first Manvantara.

Ravana rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him.

Ravana and his siblings were born to the couple and they completed their education from their father, with Ravana being a great scholar of the Vedas.

Ravana was blessed with a boon that would make him invincible to all the creations of Brahma, except for humans.

Ravana received weapons, a chariot, as well as the ability to shapeshift from Brahma.

Ravana's parents were the sage Vishrava and Kaikesi.

Ravana's granduncle was Malyavan, who opposed the war with Rama and Lakshmana.

Ravana had another granduncle named Mali who was killed by Vishnu.

Ravana had seven brothers and two sisters, named Kubera, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, Khara, Dushana, Ahiravan, Kumbhini, Sahastra Ravana, and Shurpanakha.

In some accounts, Ravana is said to have had Shukracharya, the priest of the Asuras, as his minister, and in other accounts, Brihaspati, the priest of the Devas.

One account narrates how Ravana ordered Brihaspati to recite the Chandi stava, more specifically the Devi Mahatmya, in order to stave off defeat.

Ravana and his brother Kumbhakarna were born to fulfill the curse in their second birth as enemies of Vishnu in Treta Yuga.

Ravana was vanquished by the Ikshvaku King Mandhata, an ancestor of Rama, as well as by the sage Kapila.

Ravana fought with the Nivatakavachas, descendants of Prahlada, but struck an alliance with them after being unable to defeat them.

Once, upon hearing a discourse from Sage Sanatkumara, Ravana attempted to invade Vaikuntha.

Only Ravana managed to enter Vaikuntha's capital, Shwetadwipa, where he was hopelessly outmatched by the inhabitants and was forced to retreat.

Ravana killed Anaranya, the king of Ayodhya, although he cursed Ravana to be slain by Rama.

Ravana had wrestled his brother Kubera for the Pushpaka Vimana.

Ravana fought Marutta, Gadhi, Dushyanta, Suratha, Gaya, and Paurava.

Ravana is worshipped as one of Shiva's most revered followers, and he is even worshipped in some Shiva temples.

Ravana is worshiped by the Kanyakubja Brahmins of the Vidisha region, who see him as a savior and a sign of prosperity, claiming Ravana was a Kanyakubja Brahmin.

The Ravana temple is open once a year, on the day of Dashera, to perform puja for the welfare of Ravana.

Ravana is worshiped by Hindus of Bisrakh, who claim their town to be his birthplace.

The Gondi people of central India claim to be descendants of Ravana, and have temples for him, his wife Mandodari, and their son Meghnad.

Annually on Dussehra, the Gondis from the village of Paraswadi carry an image of Ravana riding on an elephant in a procession.

Effigies of Ravana are burned on Vijayadashami in many places throughout India to symbolize Rama's triumph over evil.

Ravana was a Vidyadhara king who had magical powers, and Lakshmana, not Rama, was the one who ultimately killed Ravana.