Lakshman Rao
Upon his coronation as the sovereign of Lanka, Dasanana meticulously organized his military, forming combat divisions, assigning various battalions, and overseeing the collection and management of weapons, signifying his grand designs for a war that would challenge kings, demons, yakshas, and devas alike. Amidst his martial preparations, one day, he decided to find a suitable match for his sister, Shurpanakha.
His grandfather, ever watchful, suggested Vidyutjihva, the son of Kalakeya and prince of Asmitha, a kingdom rooted in the depths of Rasatala. On the counsel of his ministers, Dasanana embarked on a royal hunt, a customary pastime of kings in the ancient world.
While hunting in the forest, he encountered a massive man accompanied by a strikingly beautiful maiden. Approaching them, Dasanana introduced himself, declaring his lineage as the son of Visravasu and the grandson of the sage Pulastya. The stranger, impressed by this noble introduction, revealed himself to be Maya, son of Diti and Kashyapa.
Maya, with great reverence, spoke of his children—two sons, Mahisha and Dundubhi, and a daughter, Mandodari, who was of marriageable age and had accompanied him in search of a noble match. He humbly entreated Dasanana, offering Mandodari’s hand in marriage, deeming himself fortunate if the mighty king of such illustrious descent would accept her. Though his wife, Hema, a Gandharva princess, was on a mission in Indraloka, Maya expressed his wish for this union.
Dasanana, agreeing to the proposal, performed the marriage rites with holy fire, returning to Lanka with Mandodari and her family. Upon their arrival, he introduced them to his assembly, honoring Maya, whose lineage from Kashyapa was held in the same esteem as the great sages. Life in Lanka flourished with grandeur and splendor.
Meanwhile, Dasanana found a worthy match for his brother Kumbhakarna in Vajrajwala, the daughter of Bali, son of Virochana, son of prahlada and of the same noble demon lineage. Vibhishana, another of his brothers, was married to Sarama, daughter of the great Gandharva king Shailusha, a ruler of immense wealth and power, said to rival even Indra in might. Though their unions seemed blessed, unrest brewed as pride and selfishness began to taint their fates.
Mandodari bore Dasanana a powerful son whose cry echoed like thunder, earning him the name Meghanada. Kumbhakarna, ever tormented by an unnatural drowsiness, pleaded for a vast space to rest, as his wakeful state was unbearable. Maya, the master builder, crafted a colossal den for him, complete with a stone bed, spanning a width of one yojana and a length of three. Kumbhakarna thus entered his deep, uninterrupted slumber, the result of a boon from Brahma.
Dasanana, now Ravana, wreaked havoc across realms, terrorizing kings, sages, women, fairies, and demigods. His reign of tyranny seemed boundless until one day, a messenger from Kubera arrived in Lanka. Gaining audience with the demon king, the messenger conveyed Kubera’s warning. Ravana’s brother urged him to uphold the dignity of their lineage and follow the path of righteousness. He chastised Ravana for the destruction he had wrought upon the realms, particularly his cruelty toward sages and women. He reminded Ravana that his actions had provoked the gods and kings of other realms, who now sought his downfall.
Kubera shared his own experience of divine retribution, having lost an eye to the intense gaze of Goddess Parvati. After performing severe penance in silence, Lord Shiva restored him, granting him new sight in his remaining eye. Kubera, now called “Ekaaksha Pingalaksha,” cautioned his brother that the powers of the divine would not tolerate such transgressions against women. Yet Ravana, blinded by rage, slaughtered the messenger, feeding him to his rakshasas.
The following day, Ravana, alongside his most trusted generals—Mahodara, Prahastha, Maricha, Subahu, Suka, Sarana, and Dhumraksha—launched an invasion of Kubera’s kingdom. He razed the palaces, lakes, and gardens, defeating Kubera’s forces with brutal efficiency. Kubera himself resisted, but Ravana’s might prove too great, and the god of wealth was vanquished. Ravana seized Kubera’s divine chariot, the Pushpaka, as a token of his triumph. Drunk with victory, Ravana’s army went on to ravage two more kingdoms, slaying any who dared oppose them.
As they passed over Mount Saravana, the sacred abode of Mahasena, Lord Shiva’s son, Nandi, the bull-faced guardian of Shiva, stood watch. An invisible force halted the Pushpaka in mid-flight. Furious, Ravana descended, mocking Nandi’s simian features. Enraged by this insult, Nandi cursed Ravana, foretelling that monkeys and brute creatures like bears would one day play a pivotal role in his destruction.
Undeterred, Ravana, in a fit of arrogance, attempted to lift Mount Kailash itself, disturbing the divine tranquility of Shiva and Parvati. Hearing of Ravana’s brazen act, Lord Shiva calmly pressed his thumb down upon the mountain, trapping Ravana’s hands beneath its immense weight. Though Ravana struggled, the pain became unbearable, and he cried out in agony, his roars echoing through the valleys and plains. His ministers, witnessing his suffering, urged him to pray to Shiva for mercy. Ravana, with all his might, began his penance, praising the lord with unwavering devotion.
Pleased by Ravana’s sincere prayers, Lord Shiva appeared before him, releasing his hands. Impressed by the ferocity of Ravana’s cries, which had reverberated across the realms, Shiva named him “Ravana,” meaning “he who roars.” As a token of his favour, Shiva gifted Ravana the mighty sword Chandrahasa, an invincible weapon in battle, and granted him a boon: all the years he had lost due to his misdeeds would be restored. Yet Shiva warned Ravana to tread the path of righteousness from then on.
With these divine blessings, Ravana returned to Lanka, his life extended beyond imagination, his sins transformed into gifts by Shiva’s grace. Despite his victories, his ultimate downfall was written in the stars, awaiting the fulfillment of the curses and warnings he had so brazenly ignored.
