The Ten-Headed Scholar
The Birth of Arrogance
Before he was the feared demon king, Ravana was Dashanana, a brilliant scholar and the grandson of the great sage Pulastya. Seeing the power and prosperity of his half-brother Kubera, the god of wealth, a burning ambition was kindled within him. He resolved to perform the most intense penances to gain ultimate power and surpass all beings.
The Great Penance to Brahma
Along with his brothers Kumbhakarna and Vibhishana, Ravana embarked on a penance of unimaginable severity, lasting for thousands of years, to attract the attention of the Creator God, Lord Brahma.
Step 1: The Austerities
For millennia, Ravana stood amidst five fires in the summer, in ice-cold water in the winter, and on one leg for a thousand years, fasting and chanting Brahma's name. His willpower was absolute, his focus unwavering.
Devotion to Shiva
Beyond his quest for power, Ravana was also one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. His relationship with the Destroyer God was a complex one, marked by moments of both supreme arrogance and profound devotion.
Lifting Mount Kailash
Once, while flying in his Pushpaka Vimana, Ravana's path was blocked by Mount Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Angered, the arrogant king decided to uproot and move the entire mountain. As he lifted it, Shiva simply pressed down with his toe, trapping Ravana's arms underneath. Crushed and humbled, Ravana was trapped for a thousand years.
The Shiva Tandava Stotram
To appease the enraged Shiva, Ravana composed and sang a powerful hymn of praise, the Shiva Tandava Stotram. So beautiful and heartfelt was this hymn that Shiva, pleased with his devotion, not only released him but also gifted him the divine, indestructible sword, Chandrahas. It was this act of devotion that earned him the name 'Ravana'—He Who Roared.
The Age of Arrogance
Armed with near-invincibility and divine weapons, Ravana's ambition turned into tyranny. He conquered the three worlds—heaven, earth, and the netherworlds. He defeated the gods, subjugated kings, and stole Kubera's golden city of Lanka and his flying chariot. His ten heads came to represent not just his immense knowledge, but his insatiable ego and lust for power.
His reign became a dark age for the universe. The very boons that were a reward for his devotion became the instruments of his adharma (unrighteousness), as he believed no power could ever challenge him.