Ravana | |
---|---|
Devanagari | रावण |
Sanskrit transliteration | Rāvaṇa |
Affiliation | Lanka, Rakshasa |
Predecessor | Kubera (King of Lanka) |
Successor | Vibhishana (King of Lanka) |
Abode | Lanka |
Mount | Pushpaka Vimana |
Texts | Ramayana and its versions |
Genealogy | |
Parents | |
Siblings | Kumbhakarna Vibhishana Shurpanakha half-brother - Kubera |
Spouse | and Chitrangada |
Children | Indrajit and Akshayakumara (by Mandodari) Narantaka, Devantaka, Atikaya and Trishira (by Dhanyamalini) Veerbahu and Anangakusuma (by Chitrangada) Mahiravana(spiritual sons) |
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Hinduism |
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Ravana is a demon-king[1][2] of the island of Lanka and the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana.[3][2] In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikasi. He abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika.[4] Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras, launched a rescue operation for Sita against Ravana in Lanka. Ravana was subsequently slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.[5][6]
Ravana was well-versed in the six shastras and the four Vedas, including the Shiva Tandava Stotra.[7] Ravana is also considered to be the most revered devotee of Shiva. Images of Ravana are often seen associated with Shiva at temples. He also appears in the Buddhist Mahayana text Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, in Buddhist Jatakas, as well as in Jain Ramayanas. In Vaishnava scriptures, he is depicted as one of Vishnu's cursed doorkeepers.[8]
Summary by Stephen Knapp
Pankaj-2019-07-31-Stsmn
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).