Story of Prataapbhaanu
Yaagyavalkya Jee said - "Hey Bharadwaaj Muni, There is another reason of Raam Avataar also, so you listen to that Kathaa also. Shambhoo told this Kathaa to Girijaa. There was a Kaikaya Desh where Raajaa Satyaketu used to rule. He had two sons - Prataapbhaanu and Arimardan. When the time came, he handed over his kingdom to his elder son and he himself went in exile to forest. Prataapbhaanu was a good king and his chief minister, whose name was  Dharmaruchi, was also very good. He won all the seven Dweep (islands). He did many Yagya and offered them to Vaasudev.

Once he went for hunting, there he saw a wild pig which took him very far away. Once he tried to aim at it but it disappeared and he lost it. The King was very thirsty so he got unconscious because of thirst. When he came to senses, he wandered around in the forest and saw an Aashram. 

There lived a king, whose kingdom had been won by Prataapbhaanu once, in disguise of a Muni. At that time that king accepted his defeat as his bad time, but he didn't go back to his house and he came to live here in the forest. When Prataapbhaanu arrived there he recognized him, but Prataapbhaanu couldn't recognize him as he was very thirsty. He took him as a great Muni.

Muni showed him a pond. There he took bath and drank water. It was already evening, the Muni asked - "Who are you and why are you wandering in this forest alone? You have all the characteristics of a Chakravarteee king, so I feel pity on you." Prataapbhaanu said - "I am the chief minister of the King Prataapbhaanu. I forgot the way so I happened to come this side, but it is good that I got your Darshan." Muni said - "Now it is getting dark, and your city is 70 Yojan far from here, so better you go tomorrow morning. Today you take rest here."

So the King tied his horse from a tree and took rest there. They talked for a while. Muni said - "I am a Bhikhaaree (beggar) and now I live here without any home. I have been living here for a long time, so now nobody knows me, and I also don't know anybody in the city. My name is Ektanu (one body). I know your name. Your name is Prataapbhaanu, and your father's name is Satyaketu. You may ask me anything you wish for."  Hearing this the king got very  impressed and happy. He touched his feet and said - "I am very glad to see you, but I wish that I should not get old, I should not die and nobody can win me in war. I should rule the whole Prithvi for a hundred Kalp."

Muni said - "So be it, but there is one problem. Even Kaal will bow to you but for Braahman. Braahman have a lot of power of their Tap. Nobody can save you from their anger or Shaap. If you can control Braahman then you can control Brahmaa, Vishnu and Mahesh too." The king got very happy hearing this. Muni warned him that this conversation should not be told to anybody else. Besides he should forget their meeting too. If this is known to anybody else, or you have Braahman's Shaap, then you will be destroyed. The King asked - "Now you tell me how to control Braahman, because I don't see anybody else who is my well wisher more than you."

The cunning Yogee said - "I will certainly do good to you, but you have to keep it a secret. If I cook food, and you feed it to Braahman then whosoever will eat that food, will obey you. Then whosoever will eat food at their houses, they will also obey you. In the Yagya too, whosoever Devtaa will come to take their share they will also be under your control. So you intend to feed 100 thousand Braahman with family every day for one year. Thus with a little trouble only your all troubles will be over. I will not come in this form to your palace I will take the form of your cook to stay there, and I will keep your cook in my place here. Now it is very late, so you sleep. You will find me there on the third day from today. I will call you in a lonely place and will tell you all this, then you will be able to recognize me. I will send you to your palace from my Yog power in your sleep."

The King was very tired, he slept immediately. The Muni called Kaalketu Asur who took the form of the wild pig and misguided the king. He was the fast friend of the Muni and was very cunning. He had 100 sons and 10 brothers who were all like him. The king also defeated him once, so he joined the Muni and planned for this event. Muni ordered him to take the King and lay him down near his queen. So he did in a moment and brought King's Purohit to Ektanu.

When king woke up in the morning in his palace he was very impressed with Muni's powers. There also people didn't know about his going and coming. Now he started waiting for the Muni to come there. According to his words, he came to his palace in disguise of his cook and called him to talk in a lonely place. King recognized him and got very happy to see him. According to the plan, the King invited 100 thousand good Braahman with family immediately and the Muni started cooking the food. He cooked many types of meat dishes in which he mixed Braahman's meat also.

King washed the feet of all Braahman and offered them seat with respect to eat. He himself started offering them food in their plates. Then there was Aakaashvaanee (Divine voice) - "Hey Braahman, Go to your houses. This food is unholy because it contains Braahman's meat." Hearing this all Braahman got up and the King got surprised to hear this and sad. He couldn't speak a word. Braahman spoke in anger - "You have deceived us. Go and become Asur with your family. Only Bhagavaan protected us. You will be destroyed in the middle of the year and nobody will remain alive in your family."

Hearing this Shaap, king fell on their feet to ask for their forgiveness. Then there was Aakaashvaanee again - "Hey Braahman, You did not think properly in giving him Shaap. He is not at fault." The King went to look for the cook but there was nobody. King came back and told them the whole story. After saying "Our words cannot be a lie" all Braahman went to their homes. King got very sad, so all his dependent kings attacked him and won him. The King died along with his brother. Nobody remained alive in his Vansh."

Yaagyavalkya Jee says - "Bharadwaaj, When Vidhaataa (Bhagavaan) is opposite to anybody, dust becomes like a mountain (heavy and crusher), father becomes like Yam (like death) and rope becomes like snake for him.

The same king became Raavan, his younger brother Arimardan became Raavan's younger brother Kumbhkarn and his minister Dharmruchi became Raavan's younger half-brother Vibheeshan. His children and servants were born as other Asur. Although they were born in the family of Maharshi Pulastya, still all were great Asur because of the Shaap of Braahman. 

All the three brothers did hard Tap, so Brahmaa Jee appeared before them. Raavan asked the Var of not being killed by any one. He did not mention human beings and Vaanar because he did not count them as his killers." Shiv Jee says to Paarvatee Jee - "Brahmaa and I gave him this Var myself". Then they went to Kumbhkarn. "I was surprised to see his body and thought, "If he will eat every day then the whole world will be empty in a short time.", so I requested Shaaradaa to confuse him and he asked only for six month sleep and after that one day to take food. When they went to Vibheeshan, he asked only for the love of Prabhu's feet."

Maya Daanav married his beautiful daughter Mandodaree to Raavan. There was a Trikoot Parvat in sea, on which there was a big fort built by Brahmaa. May Daanav made it beautiful and inhabited as golden Lankaa Nagaree there for Raavan. It had various pleasures and enjoyments like Sarp Lok, and it looked like Amaraavatee where Indra lives. Raavan made it his capital. It was surrounded by a very deep moat. In whatever Kalp, whosoever becomes the King of Raakshas (Raavan),  lives in that city. Earlier, there lived great Raakshas. Devtaa killed all of them in a war and Indra got Kuber (his half brother) settled over there with his 10 million guards (Yaksh - a species). When Raavan heard of it, he attacked Kuber, killed many Yaksh, won Kuber and intended to make his capital. Once Raavan attacked Kuber, won him and took his Pushpak Vimaan too. 

Once he lifted Kailaash Parvat in a playful mood and got very happy to test his strength of his arms. Now both brothers, Raavan and Kumbhkarn, started to trouble good people. Kumbhkarn slept for six months but when he woke up for one day, he troubled the whole world.

Raavan had a son named Meghnaad. He was the eldest and was also very brave. He won Indra and was called Indrajeet. He had other brave warriors also - Durmukh, Akampan, Kulisharad, Dhoomketu and Atikaaya. They were all brave like Raavan. They all won the world and brought many beautiful women. Many unethical actions increased in the world because of them and Dharm was decreasing. Nobody could speak anything because of the fear of Raavan.

So one day Prithvi went to Devtaa and Muni in the form of cow and told them her grief. Devtaa thought where to go to look for Bhagavaan. Then they remembered that Bhagavaan said - "Whosoever has whatever type of Bhakti, I appear before him in the same way." Bhagavaan is everywhere. He appears only by love. So they all prayed Him. Then the Aakaashvaanee (Divine voice) said - &qu ot;Don't be afraid. I will appear in Soorya Vansh with my Ansh (part) as human being. Kashyap and Aditi did a great Tap before, I gave them Var. They are now living as Dasharath and Kaushalyaa in Koshal Puree. I will appear there as four brothers. I have to honor Naarad's words also so My Shakti will also appear. You be fearless and go home."

Devtaa got assured and went to their Lok. Brahmaa Jee told all Devtaa to go on Prithvi in various forms and help Bhagavaan in every way they can. So Devtaa obeyed Him.