When the great sages Sanaka,
Sananandana, and others wanted an
audience with Lord Vishnu, they were prevented by the guards or dwarapalakas
jaya and Vijaya. Incensed at this the sages cursed them to be born on earth
seven times before returning to Vakunta! Lord Vishnu intervened and gave them
the choice according to which they agreed to be the inveterate enemies of Lord
Vishnu in three births and return to Vaikunta! Their first birth was that of
Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu. The second birth was that of Sisupala and Dantavaktra
and the last one was that of Ravana & Kumbhakarna! Lord Vishnu Killed
Hiranyaksha in his Varahavatar and Hiranya kasipu during the terrible
Narasimhavatar! Ravana and Kumbhakarna were killed during his Ramavatar! As
such, there was no expectation that Ravana would follow the righteous
path! Thus to Kill Ravana the Lord had
to take avatar as an ordinary mortal!
Ravana was not
an ordinary person! He was the grandson of Brahmarshi PULASTHYA and the son of
VISRAVASU who was equally great and spiritual as his father. Visravasu had a
son by his first wife. He was called as VAISRAVANA. He performed tapas for a
thousand years and later became KUBERA the lord of WEALTH and the NORTH! Ravana
was born to Visravasu and Kaikasi the daughter of Sumali the chief of rakshasas
or demons. Thus Ravana is the brother of Kubera! Because of the prohibited time
of their union, Visravasu told Kaikasi that she would bring forth rakshasas capable
of terrible deeds, violent and criuel in nature. Thus Ravana with ten heads,
twenty shoulders, terrible teeth, jet black color, and reddish lips and
Kumbhakarna, and Surpanakha were born! The last son Vibhishana was righteous,
gentle and pious! When Ravana was born
the clouds rained blood; comets hurtled down, cyclone winds blew and the earth rocked! Visravasu called
him “ Dasagriva” as he had ten heads! Kaikasi, Ravana’s mother sowed the seeds
of envy and jealousy in him! Looking at Kubera moving freely in his Pushpaka
vimana with all his glory, she instigated Ravana to excel Kubera soon!
UTTARA
RAMAYANA describes the amazing and incredible penance or tapas of Ravana to
achieve his ends. He performed tapas for ten thousand years fasting! For every thousand years of Penance he
sacrificed one of his heads in the sacred fire! When he was about to cut off
the last head at the end of tapas, Lord Brahma appeared
and granted him boons that made him invincible! Nothing on earth and
heaven could kill him. Ravana considered man too small and worthless to seek
protection from! Ravana took over from Kubera the grand city of Lanka built by
the heavenly sculptor Viswakarma and established himself. Later he fought against
his own brother Kubera and confiscated the heavenly Pushpaka vimana! While traveling in Pushpaka near
Kailas, the vehicle stopped suddenly! Nandiswara came to Ravana and warned him
not to proceed further as it is forbidden. In his anger Ravana made fun of his
monkey face! Stung by this humiliation Nandi cursed Ravana that his clan will
be destroyed by strong and warrior like monkeys! Later, in his arrogance,
Ravana attempted to lift Kailash! When the mountain shook, Lord Siva pressed it
with his toe and Ravana’s finger was crushed under the mountain! With terrible
pain he bellowed so loudly that the three worlds shook with fear! Ravana then
praised Lord Siva with Sama Veda and other sthothras.The lord , again gave him many boons and called
him ‘RAVANA” because of his terrible cry
that shook all the three worlds!
Moving
around the sylvan surroundings of the Himalayan region, Ravana saw a beautiful
damsel, Vedavathi, performing tapas. He fell in love with her instantaneously
and extended his amorous hand! When she refused his advances, he caught hold of
her locks of hair. She cut the hair
in his hold with her hand and said that she will be born again to a righteous
person to kill him and remain chaste! Then she immolated herself in a fire! Ravana
continued his onslaughts and fought with Indra, Yama, varuna and kalakeyas and
many others. His lust and weakness for women led the way for his doom! He would
imprison any beautiful woman that he saw, kill her relations and take her away
in his Pushpaka! The chaste women grew wild and cursed him that he would die
when he kidnaps some other woman finally! While camping in the Himalayan
regions, Ravana saw the divine damsel
Ranbha on her way to her paramour, Nalakubara, tha son of Kubera! Amazed at her
bewitching beauty he sought her hand boasting that he is the best person to
have her as his wife! In spite of her
appeals and refusal he forcibly outraged
her modesty! When Rambha narrated the matter to her lover, Nalakubara, he
cursed Ravana that if ever he tries to
force an unwilling woman his head will break into thousand pieces!
( continued )
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