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Raam and Raavan

When Raam went to Lankaa to take His wife Seetaa back from Raavan and was camping in Lankaa, somebody suggested Him that He must do a victory Yagya to win Raavan, otherwise he would not be able to defeat Raavan, as he was very powerful and was a great devotee of Shiv. Now Raam Himself was also a great devotee of Shiv, so He also thought proper to do that Yagya.

Who will assist Him to do the Yagya? There was no Braahman there in Lankaa - either there were Raakshas and Daitya or monkeys and bears in His own army. So what to do? Then it was decided that Raavn should be invited to assist Raam to do this Yagya, so Raam sent one of His messenger to Raavan with this message. Since Raavan was a Braahman, he agreed and came to the place where Raam was staying.
Raavan asked Raam - "Who is the Yajamaan?"
Raam replied - "Me myself."
Raavan again asked - "And where is your wife to accompany you in your Yagya?"
Raam again replied - "She is with you." Since Raavan had never seen Raam, he did not know that Raaam was doing that victory Yagya for him only, and he himself had abducted His wife. But as he had already promised to perform this Yagya for Him, so no going back from his words.

Raavan said - "All right, Your wife is with me. I bring Her here for the purpose of this Yagya only. I will take Her back after the Yagya is over, and you will have to fight with me to take Her back from me."
Raam replied - "Agreed."

Raavan asked his people to bring Seetaa from Ashok Vaatikaa for the purpose of Raam's victory Yagya over himself, performed it, and after the yagya was over, he took Her back to Lannkaa.

This was the irony of both - Raavan and Raam. Raavan had to perform the victory Yagya for his enemy over himself, and Raam had lost Seetaa even after getting Her back. Both stuck to their promises.