Ravana's family

Ravana's family


This section deals with many members of Ravana's family. Since they are hardly mentioned outside the Ramayana, not much can be said about them. They are presented here as they are in the Ramayana, which is viewed by some as being only the point of view of Rama devotees, but is the most complete account of the story that is known.



Ravana was married to Mandodari, the daughter of the celestial architect Maya, Dhanyamalini, and a third wife. He had seven sons from his three wives:



1.Indrajit

2.Prahasta

3.Atikaya

4.Akshayakumara

5.Devantaka

6.Narantaka

7.Trishira

Ravana's paternal grandfather was Pulastya, son of Brahma. Ravana's maternal grandfather was Malyavan, who was against the war with Rama, and his maternal grandmother was Tataki. Ravana also had a maternal uncle, Maricha.



Ravana had six brothers and two sisters:



1.Kubera - the King of North direction and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older half-brother of Ravana: they were born to the same father by different mothers.

2.Vibhishana - A great follower of Rama and one of the most important characters in the Ramayana. As a minister and brother of Ravana, he spoke the Truth without fear and advised Ravana to return Kidnapped Sita and uphold Dharma. Ravana not only rejected this sane advice, but also banished him from his kingdom. Vibhishana sought protection from Rama, which was granted without hesitation. He is known as a great devotee of Rama.

3.Kumbhakarna - One of the most jovial demons in Hindu history. When offered a boon by Brahma, he was tricked into asking for unending sleep! A horrified Ravana, out of brotherly love, persuaded Brahma to amend the boon. Brahma mitigated the power of the boon by making Kumbhakarna sleep for six months and being awake for rest six months of a year (in some versions, he is awake for one day out of the year). During the war with Rama, Kumbhakarna was awakened from his sleep. He tried to persuade Ravana to follow Dharmic path and return Sita; seek mercy of Rama. But he too failed to mend the ways of Ravana. However, he fought on the side of Ravana and was killed in the battlefield. Before dying he met Vibhishana and blessed him for following path of righteousness.

4.Khara - King of Janasthan.[13] He protected the northern kingdom of Lanka in the mainland and his kingdom bordered with the Kosala Kingdom, the kingdom of Rama. He was well-known for his superior skills in warfare.

5.Dushana - Viceroy of Janasthan.

6.Ahiravan - King of the Underworld ruled by the rakshasas by Ravana and Demon King Maya.

7.Kumbhini - sister of Ravana and the wife of the demon Madhu, King of Mathura, she was the mother of Lavanasura. She was renowned for her beauty and later retired to the sea for penance.

8.Surpanakha - the evil sister of Ravana. She was the ultimate root of the kidnapping of Sita Devi. She was the one who instigated her brothers to wage a war against Rama.

Tapas to Brahma

Following his initial training, Ravana performed an intense penance to Brahma (the Creator God), lasting several years. During his penance, Ravana chopped off his head 10 times as a sacrifice to appease brahma. Each time he sliced his head off a new head arose, thus enabling him to continue his penance. At last, Brahama, pleased with his austerity, appeared after his 10th decapitation and offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Brahma refused to give, but gave him the celestial nectar of immortality. The nectar of immortality, stored under his navel, dictated that he could not be vanquished for as long as it lasted.




Ravana also asked for absolute invulnerability from and supremacy over gods, heavenly spirits, other rakshas, serpents, and wild beasts. Contemptuous of mortal men, he did not ask for protection from these. Brahma granted him these boons in addition to his 10 severed heads and great strength by way of knowledge of divine weapons and magic. Thus ravana known as 'Dasamukha' (Dasa = ten, mukha = mouth/face).

Sri Lanka's King Ravana

Sri Lanka has cultural links with India, somewhat like the rest of South Asia. Among other things, Buddhism and the story of Ramayana bring the two countries together on several platforms.








Now that the Sri Lankan government has released formal information about geological finds dating to the era when Ram and Ravan had come face to face here, in the war talked about in the Lankakand chapter of Tulsidas's Ramayana, Sri Lanka will certainly see a spate of Indian travellers visiting the country for an update.



Ramayana has become the link to Sri Lanka's past and present. Sites associated with the Ramayana are being promoted by the Sri Lankan Tourism Board.



The board has even identified the site where Ravana parked his flying machine in a cave.

On a more recent note, Sri Lanka came to my notice as I came across the announcement for a ballet performance to be directed by Pabalu Wijegoonewardane at John de Silva Theatre, Columbo on May 30th, 2008. The ballet titled 'Maha Ravana' is an exploration of the virtues of Sri Lanka's most famous ruler, Ravana.

Wijegoonewardane contends that Ravana was the only king who managed to wipe out all forms of divisions in Sri Lanka thereby uniting it.



"Every nation, strives to keep true to an icon; a national figure. The manner in which the icon is portrayed can take many forms. This is the story behind the ballet Maha Ravana," the Sunday Times reported.

Wijegoonewardane insists that:

Vimanika Shastra by Maha Rishi Bharadvaja has documented evidence of such inventions. The Vimanika Shastra (science of aeronautics) is an early 20th century Sanskrit text obtained by chanelling on aeronautics. It includes discussions of construction of vimanas, the ‘chariots of the gods’ and the mythical self-moving aerial cars contained in the Sanskrit epics.

While India idolizes Ram, the king of Awadh, it is only natural that Sri Lanka takes pride in the erudite kingship of Ravana :-)