Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Next

1. Who was Raavan and Preamble to Raavan's Birth
2. Birth of Raavan and The Three Brothers Get Var
3. Raavan's Victory Over Tri-Lok-1
4. Raavan's Victory Over Tri-Lok-2
5. Raavan's Victory Over Tri-Lok-3
6. Shaap to Raavan
7. Raavan and Others
8. Other Stories of Raavan
9. Raavan's Discourse to Lakshman

Maharshi Pulastya Jee was one of the ten Maanas sons of Brahmaa: Angiraa, Atri, Bhrigu, Daksh, Kratu, Mareechi, Naarad, Pulah, Pulastya and Vashishth. He was married to one of the nine daughters of Kardam Rishi and Devahooti: Havirbhoo. Pulastya and Havirbhoo had two sons: Maharshi Agastya and Maharshi Vishravaa. Muni Vishravaa had two wives: Idvidaa and Keshinee (Kaikasee). From Idvidaa he had a son named Kuber, and from Keshinee he had three sons; Raavan, Kumbhkarn and Vibheeshan. and one daughter Shoorpanakhaa.

Thus Raavan was the son of Muni Vishravaa (from Kaikasee, the daughter of Sumaalee Raakshas), but better-known as the grandson of Maharshi Pulastya, and half-brother of Kuber. He had two brothers more,  Kumbhkarn and Vibheeshan and one sister Shoorpanakhaa. Because he was born with ten heads that is why Muni Vishravaa named him "Dashgreev" (who has ten Greev=necks). Vaalmeeki Raamaayan covers his life account in very detail. More than 30 Sarg are devoted to him in Uttar Kaand.

He is known as Raavan, Dashgreev, Dashaanan. He was killed by Raam. According to "The Aangiras Dictionary of the Hindu Religion and Culture" (p. 317), "The extra nine heads represented nine sins with which Raavan was afflicted. They were (1) anger, (2) arrogance, (3) cruelty, (4) dishonesty, (5) hypocrisy, (6) lust, (7) malice, (8) revengefulness, and (9) lack of faith in God. When Shree Raam destroyed the heads of Raavan, He destroyed the evils of human beings that these heads represented and showed mankind that they should get rid of these heads."

Preamble to Raavan's Birth
There was a Raakshas-Putra named Sukesh who grew up with the Var of long age from Shiv Jee and Paarvatee Jee. He got one Vimaan also from them which took him anywhere he wanted. So he started wandering around fearlessly. He was married to a Gandharv Kanyaa Devvatee. Both were very happy together. Later they had three sons named: Maalyavaan, Sumaalee and Maalee.

All three were very brave and mighty and graceful like Rudra. They grew up soon, and when they heard about the Var to their father they also went to Sumeru Parvat to do Tap and did it very earnestly. Brahmaa Jee got very pleased with their Tap and asked them to ask for any Var. They asked that they should win all their enemies and they could live long. Brahmaa Jee granted them the Var and went away to his Lok.

Now they started troubling Devtaa and Daitya all alike. One day they asked Vishwakarmaa to built a house for them like Mahaadev's house. Vishwakarmaa built Lankaa Nagaree up on the peak of Trikoot Parvat in the midst of the ocean. It was all made in gold and was 30 Yojan long and 100 Yojan wide. It was unapproachable to even Devtaa so it was very safe. Its boundary wall was very strong. The three Raakshas liked it very much and started living there.

A Gandharv woman named Narmadaa, married her three beautiful daughters to those three Raakshas. Maalyavaan had eight sons and one daughter; Sumaalee had 10 sons and three daughters and Maalee had three sons, named Anal, Har and Sampaati who became the ministers of Vibheeshan, from their wives. But the three Raakshas still used to trouble Devtaa and destroy Rishi's Yagya.

Devtaa Go to Vishnu
One time Devtaa went to Shiv Jee and complained about their atrocities. Shiv Jee said that he could not do anything because of the Var given to their father, so they should go to Vishnu for help. When Maalyavaan  heard this news he got very upset and said to his brothers - "Vishnu has vowed to kill us, so do whatever you like to do." His brothers said - "We have already won Tri-Lok, so we need not to fear Him, besides we have no enmity with Him. But let us go and kill all Devtaa one by one." So when they arrived at Dev Nagaree, Vishnu faced them and killed Maalee. Maalyavaan and Sumaalee escaped and ran to Lankaa.

Raakshas army also ran away back to Lankaa. Vishnu killed running Raakshas too. Seeing this Maalyavaan returned and said to Vishnu - "You are not ashamed to kill these small Raakshas? If you want to show your bravery then come and fight with me." but later on he also had to run to Lankaa. After this they all left Lankaa and went to Rasaatal to live there.

Later Kuber, Muni Vishravaa's elder son and Raavan's half brother, was appointed as the fourth Lokpaal along with Yam, Varun and Indra. On asking "Where I should live" Muni Vishravaa advised Kuber to live in Lankaa Puree. So Kuber started living there comfortably. Sometimes he used to go to visit his father in his Pushpak Vimaan which Brahmaa Jee gave to him.

Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Next