SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(Little known facts about Ravana, which is essential for a clear understanding and appreciation of Sri Ramayana. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Kaikasi, the aunt of Kubera, could not digest the progress and prosperity of Kubera. She summoned her two sons and showed them the pomp, glory and prosperity of Kubera. Both of them performed penance for 10,000 years as calculated in the heavens. Ravana, who was fasting while doing the penance, used to cut one of his heads at the end of every thousand years, as an offering to appease the Lord. He was offering his head through Agni, the Fire God. At the end of 10,000^th year, he was preparing to offer his tenth head too. Lord Brahma stopped him from doing so and offered to present any boon that Ravana wanted. Lord Brahma also restored all the nine heads that Ravana had offered till then. Ravana asked that he should never die or in other words Ravana demanded immortality. However, instead of putting forth a direct demand, Ravana said that none of the demons, gods, animals, Yakshas, celestial beings, serpents should be able to kill him. He ignored the human beings in that list. Lord Brahma granted the boon. With the pride of being indefatigable and invincible, Ravana took an oath to torture and kill Cows, Brahmins and sages.

Ravana killed lakhs of Yakshas and vanquished Kubera. He usurped the Pushpak Plane from Kubera. With all the pride and vanity, high-headedness, he tried to pull out the Mount Kailas, the residence of Lord Rudra, and throw it away. Then, Goddess Parvati smiled and just pressed the mountain with her toe. Ravana got stuck below the mountain. Unable to get out of it, he cried for one thousand years, struggling still under the weight of Mount Kailas. Having been prayed and pleaded hy him, Lord Rudra released Ravana. He, however, renewed his customary activities of torturing and killing Cows, sages, saints, Brahmins. Since he cried aloud and horribly for a thousand years under Mount Kailas, he came to be known as Ravana, Rauti iti RavaNaha or RAvayati iti RAvaNaha. Lord Rudra conferred this title of Ravana on him.