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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

Raavan and Shani Dev (Saturn)
This legend explains that Shani's lameness appears to be from the times of Raamaayan. As everybody knows that Raavan had won Tri-Lok and had obtained power over all the nine planets. When his son Meghnaad was about to be born, Raavan forced all Graha into the 11th House of Meghnaad's horoscope, thinking that his son's life would then be one success after another. The 11th House in a horoscope rules gains of all kinds. But at the moment of the baby's birth Shani cunningly extended his leg into the child's 12th House, which since the 12th House rules all kinds of losses, ruined the entire effect that Raavan was attempting to create in his son's chart. Enraged Raavan at this, chopped off Shani's foot that extended in Meghnaad's 12th House.

How Shani Afflicted Raavan
Raavan who had 10 heads and who had won Tri-Lok, even he himself was afflicted by Shani. He had gained control on all 9 Planets. He installed them face down on the 9 steps which were going to his throne. Each morning when he went to his throne to sit there, he would firmly step on the back of each of them. This was a great insult to all of them, but they were helpless.

One day Naarad Jee came to Raavan's court and found all of them lying facing down on the steps going to Raavan's throne. Naarad Jee got very sorry for all of them. Naarad Jee knew Shani's power, so he said to Shani - "O Shani Dev, You are the mightiest planet among all the planets, still you are tolerating Raavan's insult each day and you cannot do anything about it, what is this?" Shani said - "What can I do, Rishivar? He has put us facing down, I can't even look at him, once I get the chance to look at him, then you see my power what I can do to him. Ask him to turn me over then leave the rest on me."

Naarad Jee understood. He praised Raavan sky high and said - "O Mighty Raavan, Everything is very good, but there is one thing that I don't like." "What?" Naarad Jee said - "You have 9 planets lying face down here, why not you turn them over so that instead of stepping on their back you step on their chests and see the discomfort on their faces?" Raavan liked this suggestion. As soon as he turned those planets over onto their backs and arranged them neatly on his steps, Shani's gaze fell on him and his mind became perverted. Within a few months, he kidnapped Seetaa, Raam invaded Lankaa, and his all brothers and friends, army and people were all slaughtered in that war - all as a result of Shani's effect on him during his Saadhe Saatee (7 and 1/2 years).

Raavan and Ganesh Jee
The same story is given a bit differently here. It is taken from Wikipedia.

As Ganesh Jee stopped Talaasur's atrocities, he dealt with Raavan too. Raavan was the King of Lankaa. He was very strong and was doing many atrocities to Rishi, Saadhu, women and even kings. Raavan was a great devotee of Shiv Jee. Once he did an intense Tapasyaa for Shiv Jee. Shiv Jee appeared before him and asked him to ask for a Var. Raavan asked him to give him his "Aatm Ling". Aatm Ling is the reflection of Shiv Jee in the form of Ling. The presence of this Ling is as good as Shiv himself. It was Raavan's thought that if he had that Ling, the power of Shiv, he would not be defeated by anybody. Shiv Jee was bound to his words so he had to give his "Aatm Ling" to Raavan but he warned him that if he would keep it on ground even for a moment he would lose it and he would never get it back. After saying this Shiv Jee disappeared.

Seeing that "Aatm Ling" in Raavan's hand, Devtaa trembled with fear. Now they were in great danger. They did not know to who to go for help. Then they remembered their leader Ganesh Jee. They went to him and explained their troubles to him. Ganesh assured them that they should have no fear. He would not allow Raavan to have his father's "Aatm Ling" for ever. He sent them back and he himself followed Raavan to carry out his mission.

Raavan was carrying Shiv's "Aatm Ling" in his hands to his capital Lankaa. He came to west coast. By that time the evening fell so Raavan thought to do his Sandhyaa. Now what should he do? How should he do that? Because in that process he would have to keep "Aatmling" on ground, and if he kept it there, he would lose it forever.

Ganesh Jee had been following him. He understood the problem of Raavan so he appeared before him in the form of a little boy. Raavan got very happy to see that boy. He called him and said - "O boy, Please hold this Ling in your hands till I do my Sandhyaa, then I will take it back." Ganesh Jee said - "It seems quite heavy, Why don't you keep it on the ground and do your Sandhyaa." Raavan said - "No, It should not be put on the ground, so you hold it in your hands till I come back." Ganesh Jee said - "If it seems too heavy to me, then?" Raavan said - "You look clever boy, please hold it in your hands, I will come back soon." Raavan gave him the "Aatm Ling" with a warning that he should never put it on the ground and he went away.

After a while, when Raavan had started his Sandhyaa, the boy started crying out that the Ling was very heavy for him. Raavan could not have come back without completing his Sandhyaa as he had already started it, so he also shouted from there - "Please hold it in your hands for some time more. Do not put it on ground." And Ganesh Jee kept saying that it was too heavy for him. At one point Ganesh Jee said - O Raavan, I can no longer hold it in my hands, I put it down." And he put that Ling on the ground and ran away. Raavan tried to finish his Sandhyaa quickly and came back to take it but it was too late, the boy had gone and the Shiv Aatm Ling was so firmly stuck in the ground that he could not take it out. Thus Ganesh Jee helped Devtaa.

Raavan and Ganesh Jee: Another Version
It is said that when Ganesh Jee wanted to take Aatm Ling of his father from Raavan, he remembered Saraswatee Jee. Saraswatee Jee appeared before him and asked him what did he want? Ganesh Jee told her about his plan. She agreed. On the way Raavan felt thirsty, he found a river (that was Saraswatee) and quenched his thirst there. He was very thirsty and continued to drink a lots of water. He was surprised at himself that how he drank so much water. After a while he needed to answer the nature's call. When he was drinking the water, it was all right to hold the Aatm Ling, but now he had to answer the nature's call, how could he he hold the Aatm Ling in his hand while answering the call? So he looked here and there if he could find somebody to hold the Ling. And this was the moment Ganesh had to play his role. he appeared on the scene as a Braahman boy. As Raavan saw him, he asked him that he had to go to answer the nature's call, if he could hold the Ling for that period. The boy readily agreed for it. Raavan said to him - "Do not put it down till I come back." The boy said - "All right, but it seems heavy. I don't know whether I will be able to hold it for so long. Come soon." "All right." Raavan again reminded him not to keep it on the ground. At this boy said - "When I will want to keep it I will call you three times, if you do not come in time, I will keep it down." Raavan said - "All right." he thought he would come back by then, and he went.

When Raavan started his work, he could not stop it. The flow was continuous, there was so much water (of Saraswatee) in his stomach. On the other side the boy got tired of holding the Ling, so he started crying - "When are you coming back, I am tired. The Ling is very heavy for me." Raavan also shouted from there - "Just hold for a minute, I am coming, do not keep it on the ground." The bay waited for a while, and he repeated his warning. Raavan was surprised to see how much water he was passing, he never drank so much water. He again told him to wait for a while. The boy again waited for a while and again repeated his warning, but Raavan could not finish his work so he could not come. The boy did not wait another time, he said - "It is very heavy, I cannot hold it any more.", kept the Ling on the ground and ran away.

As the boy kept the Ling on the ground, Raavan finished his work, and ran towards the boy, but by the time he reached the boy, he had already gone away. Raavan tried his best to uproot it but all his efforts were in vain. In rage he started beating that Ling and beat it so much that it all went down the earth and remained only equal to a cow's ear. That is why that place came to be known as Gokarn (see Murudeshwar Temple of this Ling). He had to leave that Ling there and had to come back empty handed to Lankaa. That is what Devataa wanted.

Raavan and Ajapaal
This story comes in Bhavishya Puraan, 4/25 - "Krishn said [to Yudhishthir] - "Raajan, In olden times there was a king named Ajapaal. Once his people requested him to alleviate their sorrows, so he considered their request and did this Neeraajan Vrat. When Ajapaal was ruling, Raavan was ruling in Lankaa. Raavan had employed all Devtaa in his service. He employed Chandramaa to hold his royal Umbrella, Varun as water in-charge, Kuber as wealth in-charge, Yam to look after his enemies and Indra for counseling. Saptarshi along with Brahmaa always used to pray for his good. Gandharv used to sing for him, Apsaraa used to dance for him, Gangaa to offer good water, Vishwakarmaa for Anna Sanskaar, and other kings were always ready in the service for the city.

Once Raavan asked his gatekeeper Prashasti - "Who is present here to serve me?" Prashasti said - "Prabho, Kakutsth, Maandhaataa, Dhidhumaar, Nal, Arjun, Yayaati, Nahush, Bheem, Raaghav, Vidoorath and many others have come here, but king Ajapaal has not come here." Raavan immediate said to Dhoomraaksh named Raakshas - "Dhoomraaksh, Go and tell Ajapaal according to my orders that he should come here in my service otherwise I will kill him with my sword." Dhoomraaksh immediately went and told everything to Ajapaal, but Ajapaal sent him back and called Jwar (fever) and instructed him - "You go to Raavan and do your duty." Jwar went there and he made all of them trembled. Raavan knew that it was Jwar so he said - "Let Ajapaal be there wherever he is. I don't need him."

Raavan Had Boons Four Times
(1) Once when he did Tap for Brahmaa Jee along with his brothers (see "The Three Brothers Get Var").
(2) Another time when he wanted to kill Chandramaa, Brahmaa Jee gave him a Mantra saying that if he would pronounce that Mantra at the time of his death, he would not die [though we have not heard anything about it any time].
(3) Another time he got the Var from Shiv Jee when he lifted Kailaash Parvat (see "How Dashgreev Became Raavan?") and the name "Raavan" from him.
(4) Once Raavan did a severe Tap to please Shiv Jee. Pleased by his Tapasyaa Shiv gave him long life and a "Chandrahaas' named sword. (see Birth of Raavan and The Three Brothers Get Var)

Raavan Had Eight Curses   See   Shaap to Raavan

Raavan Was a Musician, Astrologer
See also   Raavan's Works
Raavan was a good musician. He used to play Veenaa (an Indian string musical instrument). Even his flag had a mark of Veenaa on it.

It is said that once his wife Mandodaree was doing a devotional dance and raavan himself was playing Veenaa. By chance a string broke of his Veenaa. He said - "Since it is a devotional dance, it will not stop, nor the Veenaa. So he took out a vein from his thigh and fit it in the Veenaa in the place of that string and everything went on as before.

He tried to bring all planets in 11th house of Meghnaad at his birth, but Shani Dev extended his one leg towards 12th House. Later he wrote Raavan Sanhitaa.

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