Ravana
| Ravana | |
|---|---|
Ravana, South India, 18th century CE | |
| Devanagari | रावण |
| Sanskrit transliteration | Rāvaṇa |
| Affiliation | Lanka, Rakshasa |
| Predecessor | Kubera (King of Lanka) |
| Successor | Vibhishana (King of Lanka) |
| Abode | Lanka |
| Mount | Pushpaka Vimana |
| Texts | Ramayana and its versions |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | |
| Siblings | Kumbhakarna Vibhishana Shurpanakha half-brother - Kubera Kumbhini |
| Spouse | and Chitrangada |
| Children | Indrajita and Akshayakumara (by Mandodari) Narantaka, Devantaka, Atikaya and Trishira (by Dhanyamalini) Veerbahu (by Chitrangada) Mahiravana(spiritual sons) |
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| Hinduism |
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According to the Hindu epic, Ramayana, Ravana was a king of the island of Lanka, in which he is the chief antagonist and is considered to be a Rakshasa (demon). In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikasi. He abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika. Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras, launched a rescue operation for Sita against Ravana in Lanka. Ravana was subsequently slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.
Ravana was well-versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas, including the Shiva Tandava Stotra. Ravana is also considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva. Images of Ravana are often seen associated with Shiva at temples. He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, in Buddhist Jatakas, as well as in Jain Ramayanas. In Vaishnava scriptures, he is depicted as one of Vishnu's cursed doorkeepers.