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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

Well, so when Shoorpankhaa reported the incident of Khar and Dooshan to him, he had already decided that he would have a fight with Raam, that is why he did not listen to anybody. In Maanas, when his wife Mandodaree advised him on every step not to fight with Raam, he always consoled her by saying something or the other. Here are the examples of two incidents which are not given either in Tulasee's Maanas or in Vaalmeeki's Raamaayan; but they are just referred to by Mandodaree in Maanas

Although there are two incidents, not written anywhere in Tulasees Maanas or Vaalmeeki's Raamaayan, but once when Mandodaree tries to convince Raavan after the visit of Angad as a Peace messenger, not to fight with Raam (in Lankaa Kaand), as he is Bhagavaan, she refers these two incidents - one is of drawing the Lakshman Rekhaa; and his own attending the Seetaa's Swayamvar. Both Chaupaaee are given here for reference :--

After Dohaa 35, 2nd Chaupaaee
Raamaanuj Laghu Rekh khinchaaee, Sou Nahin Naagheu Asi Manusaaee
Lakshman drew a very short line still you were not able to cross it,    and

After Dohaa 35, Chaupaaee 10 and 11
Janak Sabhaa Aganit Bhoopaalaa, Rahe Tumhau Bala Atul Bisaalaa
Bhanjee Dhanush Jaanakee Biaahee, Tab Sangraam Jitehu Kin Taahee
There were innumerable kings in Janak's court, you also were there who claims to be very mighty, [Raam] broke the bow and married to Jaanakee, who could win Him in the fight at that time?

He didn't listen to Maareech also who had the first hand experience of Raam's arrow, Maalyavaan (his Naanaa's real brother), Vibheeshan (his own brother), even Kumbhkarn (his own brother) when after waking up he tries to stop him from fighting with Raam; and Kaalnemi too whom he sent to kill Hanumaan.

Raavan and Maareech
As he hears the account of Shoorpankhaa, he gets ready to break war with Raam. He can't think of any other way of fighting, except to abduct Seetaa. He goes to Maareech and tells the way. Maareech should go to Panchvatee in the form of a golden deer. Seetaa will definitely get attracted to him and ask Raam to bring him or his skin. Raam will also go after him. The deer will take him very far from the hut, then he will cry in Raam's voice "Haa Raam, Haa Seetey". This will scare Seetaa and She will send Lakshman to take care of Raam. Until both come back to hut Raavan should get enough time to abduct Seetaa. Plan was perfect. It worked out well also as it was thought.

First Maareech was not prepared to go there and he tried his best to advise Raavan not to break war with Raam who is the Swaamee of Tri-Lok, but Raavan said - "If you won't go there, then I will kill you." So Maareech thought that it was better to be killed by Raam's arrow instead of Raavan's. So he agreed.

Raavan and Seetaa
The plan worked Raam and Lakshman went away from the hut. Raavan arrived there in the form of a Sanyaasee, but talked about Seetaa's beauty which opened his secret of not being a true Sanyaasee. But Seetaa couldn't do anything except to engage him until Raam and Lakshman come back. But they were very far. In the meantime Raavan lifted Seetaa, put Her on his chariot and took Her to Lankaa. Jataayu saw Raavan taking Seetaa in his chariot, he tried his best to stop him to take Seetaa away, but he could not succeed. Rather he lost his wings and Raavan left him half-dead.

Raavan brought Seetaa to Lankaa and kept Her in his best garden Ashok Vaatikaa. He had instructed his maids to take their best care of Her. He often came there to see Her and to see that She was in the most comfortable condition. When Hanumaan was hiding to see Seetaa, he threatened Her that if She didn't obey him in one month time he would kill Her. Seetaa became very desperate hearing this and wanted to immolate Herself. But Trijataa who was a Raam Bhakt and was an elderly Raakshasee, postponed it until tomorrow saying that it was very late night and she wouldn't get fire anywhere.

Raavan and Hanumaan
After meeting Seetaa, Hanumaan thought to show his presence to Raavan also, so he destroyed Ashok Vaatikaa. Guards reported this to Raavan. Raavan sent many mighty Raakshas including his youngest son Akshaya Kumaar, but Hanumaan either killed them or pushed them back. Then Raavan had to send Meghnaad to arrest him. He used Brahm Astra. Hanumaan pretended to be unconscious only by seeing it. Then he tied him with Naag Paash and brought him to the royal court.

There Hanumaan met Raavan and got impressed with his glory. He also tried to advise Raavan to return Seetaa to Raam, but Raavan was adamant on his decision. So he ordered to kill Hanumaan. With great difficulty Vibheeshan convinced Raavan that messengers are not to be killed, instead his body part could be cut and he should be sent back to his place. Raavan agreed to it so oil-drenched cloth was tied to Hanumaan's tail to set fire in it. It is said that at that time Hanumaan grew his tail so long that Lankaa's all cloth and oil were finished. Fire was set to his tail. With that fire Hanumaan burned the whole Lankaa except Jaanakee's living place and Vibheeshan's palace. Thus one monkey burned the whole Lankaa.

Hanumaan brought the news of Seetaa and after getting news of Seetaa, Raam prepared to invade Lankaa. Raavan got their information at every step since they came across the sea. At that time he said - "It is very difficult to cross the sea. Let them come here, our Raakshas will get plenty of food. And they have only monkeys and bears in their army, what do they know about warfare?"  Somebody said - "It was only one Vaanar who burned your whole Lankaa and killed so many mighty Raakshas." But still Raavan was not changing his decision.

Vibheeshan also advised him last time to return Seetaa to Raam and save Raakshas family and Lankaa, but he kicked him with is foot. So Vibheeshan went to Raam leaving Raavan. Raam welcomed him and got lots of information about Raavan and his Lankaa. Raavan sent his spies there, they were recognized and were beaten. They told Raam's army's account. They also agreed that Raam's army was difficult to win. Raavan got very angry at this and said - "You eat my food and admire my enemy?" Then Raam and His army crossed the sea. Raavan saw that army from a distance with the help of those spies. Raam sent Angad as a peace messenger to Raavan but Raavan sent him back without any result. Mandodaree tried her best but he said - "You talk with women-like nature. Talk like a wife of a brave mighty warrior." So the war broke. One by one all were killed - Kumbhkarn, Meghnaad, Raavan's other sons; and in the end Raavan himself too.

Raavan and Angad
This incident is also very important in Maanas, although not in Raamaayan. When Raam and His army have arrived in Lankaa, Raam thought proper to send first a messenger to Raavan for the last time to convey His message that if he returns Seetaa, He will go back without war. So Angad was chosen to send for this purpose. Angad goes there and tells this message of Raam in several ways but Raavan is so stubborn that he doesn't listen to him at all. Angad tells his so called attributes sarcastically - "I know one Raavan who stayed in Baali's armpit for several days, I know another Raavan whom Bali tied in his stables and children played with him, I know another Raavan who went to Sahastrabaahu, he thought that Raavan was strange animal so he brought him to his palace for fun. Then he kindly freed him on the request of Maharshi Pulastya Jee, his grandfather. Now tell me which Raavan are you among these three?"

Hearing this Raavan described all his victories. When Angad described Raam's bravery, Raavan said - "Baali never boasted like this, why do you boast?" Angad said - "If I don't take out your ten tongues out of your mouths then I am really boasting." And he stuck his one foot on the ground there and said again - "O fool, If you could move my foot, Ram will go back and I will lose Seetaa." Raavan ordered his brave people to lift him by his foot and hit him on the ground.

Hearing this Meghnaad and other mighty Raakshas got up and tried to move his foot but nobody was able even to shake it. All went back shamefully. Now Raavan got worried, so he himself got up to move it. As he wanted to touch his foot, Angad moved his foot back and spoke - "Nothing will happen by holding my foot. If you want to touch, go and touch Shree Raam's feet." Hearing this Raavan got embarrassed and went back to his throne.

Two Other Stories

The following two stories are only the heard ones, I have no proof for their genuineness. Can anybody tell how did these stories emerge?

Raavan and Raam
When Raam went to Lankaa to kill Raavan, somebody told Him that He could not kill Raavan just like that. He had to do a Vijaya Yagya for it first. Now one needs a Karm Kaandee Braahman Pandit who could perform that Yagya. Since Raavan had already killed most Braahman, there was no Braahman to be found anywhere, and especially in Lankaa where Raakshas were ruling. There was only one Karm Kaandee Braahman Pandit there, and that was only Raavan, so a messenger was sent to Raavan that "a Vijaya Yagya has to be performed, can you perform it?" Raavan said "Yes" and came to perform that Yagya. He made the preparations for the Yagya and called the Yajamaan. The Yajamaan (Raam) came there. After a while he asked the Yajamaan to call his wife. Raam said - "She is with you only." Raavan asked - "I have her? Who is that?" Raam said - "Seetaa."

Raavan was caught unaware. So he had come to perform the Vijaya Yagya for his enemy, whose wife he had abducted? What an irony? He was in flux, but he was a honest Braahman. When he had taken the responsibility to perform the Yagya, he could not have backed out from it. He patiently said - "I call Her here for the Yagya purpose only and after that I will take Her back." He called Her from Ashok Vaatikaa, completed the Vijaya Yagya for his enemy, and took Her back to Ashok Vaatikaa. Since he performed the Yagya for Her, She became his daughter, still he did not surrender Her to Raam. He bravely fought with his enemy for whom he himself performed Vijaya Yagya.

Raavan and Lakshman
There is a story in vogue that when Raavan was dying, Raam sent Lakshman Jee to learn something from him as he was a very learned and Pandit man. Although Lakshman Jee didn't like the idea, but still he went to him. He went and stood at his head and asked him to discourse him. Raavan did not speak anything, so Lakshman Jee came back to Raam and told Him that he did not speak to him. Raam asked - "How did you ask him?" Lakshman Jee told Him that he went to him and asked him to discourse, but he did not reply anything. Raam asked - "Where did you stand and how did you ask him?" Lakshman Jee told him that he went to him and stood at his head and asked him just like that.

Raam said - "That is why. You do not know how to take Gyaan from a great person. When one wants to learn something, he has to be very polite and at the ground level, then only one can take Gyaan from the Guru. You took him only as your enemy that is why you behaved in that way. You should have regarded him as a learned Pandit and yourself as his disciple. Go, and stand at his feet, bow him and greet and request him politely that you have to get Gyaan from him as he is great Gyaanee. I am sure he will surely discourse to you." Lakshman Jee went again and behaved as Raam instructed him, then only Raavan discoursed him. Read Raavan's Discourse to Lakshman.

Where are these two stories given? In which book? Anybody knows?

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