Ravanayana: Ramayana Story from Ravana's Point of View

KS

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For all his alleged wrong doings Ravana was regarded as the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva and the most knowledgeable in all the 64 forms of art/science and a hugely respected and just ruler among his people.

I can only think of one line I read in the superb book "Immortals of Meluha" to describe Ravana - Just because they are different does not mean they are evil.. Ravana was different, not necessarily evil.
 
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pankaj nema

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Ravana was evil and brutal both . He despised human beings and sadhus . Just because he was a devotee of Lord Shiva he achieved many powers

And then just as it always happened with other demons he abused his strengths and powers and harassed innocents and brought his own destruction
 

ashdoc

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Ravana was evil and brutal both . He despised human beings and sadhus . Just because he was a devotee of Lord Shiva he achieved many powers

And then just as it always happened with other demons he abused his strengths and powers and harassed innocents and brought his own destruction
for some tamils , he was a dravidian being attacked by the arya--rama
 

A.V.

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for some tamils , he was a dravidian being attacked by the arya--rama
I think that is due to the political tarnishing of factual history , if might be wrong as i am not much experienced in this details
 

A.V.

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for some tamils , he was a dravidian being attacked by the arya--rama
I think that is due to the political tarnishing of factual history , if might be wrong as i am not much experienced in this details
 

A chauhan

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Ravana was a scholar in all the fields , the thing which killed him is his "Ahankaar".
 

mayankkrishna

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Ravana was evil and brutal both . He despised human beings and sadhus . Just because he was a devotee of Lord Shiva he achieved many powers

And then just as it always happened with other demons he abused his strengths and powers and harassed innocents and brought his own destruction

'destruction' Errrr... he attained salvation which even GODS yearn for..
 

johnee

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for some tamils , he was a dravidian being attacked by the arya--rama
Ravana was arya, His lineage is, according to the Ramayana, is directly traced from Lord Brahma(the creator). Rakshasa(demons) are the brothers of Devas(Gods). Human Beings come much down the hierarchy. Rakshasas spoke sanskrit. Human beings had other prakrit languages apart from sanskrit.

For most Hindu Tamils, Rama is the incarnation(Avatar) of Lord Vishnu. Ravana's portrayal as Dravidian is based on political motivations.
 

KS

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Ravana was evil and brutal both . He despised human beings and sadhus . Just because he was a devotee of Lord Shiva he achieved many powers

And then just as it always happened with other demons he abused his strengths and powers and harassed innocents and brought his own destruction
That is just one side of the story !

for some tamils , he was a dravidian being attacked by the arya--rama
Yeah there is also that theory.

Ravana was arya, His lineage is, according to the Ramayana, is directly traced from Lord Brahma(the creator). Rakshasa(demons) are the brothers of Devas(Gods). Human Beings come much down the hierarchy. Rakshasas spoke sanskrit. Human beings had other prakrit languages apart from sanskrit.

For most Hindu Tamils, Rama is the incarnation(Avatar) of Lord Vishnu. Ravana's portrayal as Dravidian is based on political motivations.
That is on the assumption Lord Brahma himself is Arya...:becky:

Again this is the Aryan-Dravidian divide that has some currency in both parts of India. The good people (Devas) were said to be Aryas and the demons (Rakshas) were said to be dravidians.

p.s: As a fun fact our mythologies bare the fact that the Devas were no less indulgent in various carnal pleasures than the Asuras. The only thing they did regularly was surrender to the Gods after doing everything and saving their skin.
 
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johnee

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For all his alleged wrong doings Ravana was regarded as the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva and the most knowledgeable in all the 64 forms of art/science and a hugely respected and just ruler among his people.

I can only think of one line I read in the superb book "Immortals of Meluha" to describe Ravana - Just because they are different does not mean they are evil.. Ravana was different, not necessarily evil.
Ravana, was indeed, a scholar of sciences, well-versed in Vedas, highly intelligent, mighty and formidable. He was feared by Gods, sages, humans and many other races. He followed, rigorously, rituals pertaining to deities. He had performed a tremendous tapasya for a 10,000 years sacrificing his 10 heads every 1000 years. He obtained a boon of invincibility from all races, excluding Humans and half-humans(Vanaras), granting him a virtual immortality.

However, despite his majestic qualities, it is also true that he had several despicable traits. The chief flaw in his character was his fatal attraction to other women. Even though he was married more than once, he never failed in pursuing other damsels. He waged many wars and forcibly abducted innocent women and enjoyed them. He even raped the wife of his step-brother's son.
Ravana, was already cursed by Nandi(the vehicle of Lord Shiva) and Goddess Parvati(consort of Lord Shiva).

Ravana was, infact, punished by Lord Shiva himself for the impropriety. Ravana was so full of himself that he disregarded Lord Shiva and tried to lift Mount Kailasa on his 10 heads. Lord Shiva punished the insolence by crushing the 10 heads of Ravana under the Kailasa. He remained in this pathetic position for several years and ultimately on the advice of his ministers he composed a poem in extolling Lord Shiva. It was, then, that he was freed by the Lord. Lord Shiva also gave a title 'Ravana' to him on that occassion. Ravana means one who makes terrible laments. Ravana made terrible lamentations when he was crushed under the Mount and hence he was bestowed with this title. His original name, given by his father, was Dashkantha(ten-headed one).

Ravana sorrounded himself by sycophants and never listened to wise counsel. His nature was cruel and he was extremely selfish. He did not mind trampling on other's wishes to fulfill his own narrow ambitions.

Boons blinded him and he became arrogant. He suffered several setbacks also due to his smugness. He was famously defeated by Vali(brother of Sugreeva and King of Vanaras). He was losing the battle with Gods, when his son Meghanath saved the day by capturing Indra(King of Gods). As a consequence, Meghanath earned the title of 'Indrajith' and a boon that granted him great invincibility.

Ravana desired others' properties and did not hesitate from snatching them on the strength of his might. He looted the world and enriched himself. Pushpaka Vimana was looted from his step-brother. Infact, Lanka itself was earlier ruled by Kubera(Ravana's step-brother) but he was driven out by Ravana and Lanka came under the sway of demons.

Ravana ruled for long. He was beneficial to his subjects, though he did not tolerate dissent or even diverse views. Lanka flourished under his regime and became the hub of all riches. Various kinds of wicked and perverted demons gained great power under his rein. They extracted sadistic pleasure from injuring and harming the innocent, weak and virtous.

Ultimately, he abducted the virtuous Sita Devi and harassed her. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
 

johnee

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That is on the assumption Lord Brahma himself is Arya...:becky:

Again this is the Aryan-Dravidian divide that has some currency in both parts of India. The good people (Devas) were said to be Aryas and the demons (Rakshas) were said to be dravidians.
Even dravidians are arya. Arya means the gentleman. Demons believed they were arya.

The modern definitions vary depending on convenience:
white arya and black dravidian or
north-indian arya and south-indian dravidian or
upper-class arya and lower-class dravidian.

Ultimately, Ravana cannot be dravidian on any of these basis. Ravana was dark, so was Rama. Rama was a brahminist, so was Ravana. Ravana followed brahminism rigorously. Ravana learnt Vedas, so did Rama. Ravana performed more tapasya than Rama.

Ravana defeated Gods on the tradition of his predecessor demons. Originally, both demons and Devas are brothers and there is no difference of lineage.

p.s: As a fun fact our mythologies bare the fact that the Devas were no less indulgent in various carnal pleasures than the Asuras. The only thing they did regularly was surrender to the Gods after doing everything and saving their skin.
Not really. There is a vast difference. One gets to enjoy what one earns. Devas earned their karma and get to enjoy their pleasures. Thats their privilege, they also have duties. Demons get to enjoy their pleasures. However, when they cross the limits of Dharma and harass others, they are punished.
 

Sabir

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Johnee....he mollested wife of Kubera's son who cursed him that if he force any woman again he will die. That is why Ravana did not dare to touch Sita even when she was in his captivity. Even if rmove the mythological aspects, he turned out to be something like Nadir Shash or Mahmood Ghazni who used to slaughter others for prosperity of their own kingdoms.
 

Sabir

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Ravana was not a dravidian. He was originated from north India ...he captured Lanka later.
 

KS

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Ravana was not a dravidian. He was originated from north India ...he captured Lanka later.
Northies all are not Aryan and Southies are all not Dravidian.

Aryan-Dravidian is more of a linguistic divide rather than a genetic disconnect.
 

pankaj nema

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Portraying Ravana as a Tamil warrior taking on the North Indian Aryan Ram is purely a POLITICAL tool and game which was used in the early days after independence

Therefore Ram was bunched ALONG with those SUPER IDIOTS who tried TO IMPOSE HINDI on the south

Ram became the North Indian INVADER and Ravana was the Heroic Tamil / Dravidian warrior
 

johnee

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Johnee....he mollested wife of Kubera's son who cursed him that if he force any woman again he will die. That is why Ravana did not dare to touch Sita even when she was in his captivity. Even if rmove the mythological aspects, he turned out to be something like Nadir Shash or Mahmood Ghazni who used to slaughter others for prosperity of their own kingdoms.
Exactly. He was evil, no doubt.
 

johnee

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Northies all are not Aryan and Southies are all not Dravidian.

Aryan-Dravidian is more of a linguistic divide rather than a genetic disconnect.
Ravana has the same father as Kubera. Their father was Vishrava. Vishrava's father was Pulatsya. And Pulatsya was created by Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma was born in the lotus that originated from the navel of Lord Vishnu.

As for language, demons spoke sanskrit. Gods spoke sanskrit. Educated human beings spoke sanskrit. The general human folk spoke prakrit languages. Hanuman goes scouting for Sita Devi and located her at Ashoka garden in Lanka. He specifically rules out sanskrit as medium of conversing with Sita because that language would be understood by demons and also because if he spoke in sanskrit, Sita would suspect Hanuman to be Ravana. So, Hanuman speaks in a prakrit language with Sita.
 

Sabir

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It may be little off topic but there are lot of similarities between different epics and religious books. Some examples-

Ramsetu or Adam's bridge- According to Rmayana it was built by the banaras and it enabled Lord Rama and his army to reach Lanka to rescue Sita. According to Bible and Quran , Eve was sent to Cylon direct for heaven and Adam used that bridge to reach there. The common thing is that both the persons (Rama and Adam) had their wives in Cylon or Sri Lanka.

Again like Ravana's elopment of Sita, Paris of Troy too eloped Helen which led to a great war and destruction of Troy. It is possible both the epics were based on some real event.

The story of great deluge and Noa's arc mentioned in Quran and Bible is similar to that in Matsyabatara. Where Manu was asked by Vishnu to build large boat and collect a pair of all living things so that life on earth could survive after the flood.

I think scholars who have good knowledge in all these religious books and epics can find more similarities.
 

johnee

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It may be little off topic but there are lot of similarities between different epics and religious books. Some examples-

Ramsetu or Adam's bridge- According to Rmayana it was built by the banaras and it enabled Lord Rama and his army to reach Lanka to rescue Sita. According to Bible and Quran , Eve was sent to Cylon direct for heaven and Adam used that bridge to reach there. The common thing is that both the persons (Rama and Adam) had their wives in Cylon or Sri Lanka.

Again like Ravana's elopment of Sita, Paris of Troy too eloped Helen which led to a great war and destruction of Troy. It is possible both the epics were based on some real event.

The story of great deluge and Noa's arc mentioned in Quran and Bible is similar to that in Matsyabatara. Where Manu was asked by Vishnu to build large boat and collect a pair of all living things so that life on earth could survive after the flood.

I think scholars who have good knowledge in all these religious books and epics can find more similarities.
The conclusions are important. What conclusion does one draw ultimately based on these similarities, if they do exist?
a)A large-hearted conclusion can be that all religions teach the same truth or are based on same facts or are pointing towards a certain even in history...etc
b)A sceptical conclusion can be that one religion was influenced by another religion.

If the conclusion is b), then there will be next question who borrowed from whom? Again, based on the bias of the scholar, one can prove either way.
 

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