Reading Notes: Ramayana Part A

Ravana

• Vishrava loved knowledge and gods
•  Kaikasi loved gold and blood
• Their first son, Dashagriva had ten heads and ten pairs of arms
• His son was later called Ravana
• Ravana has 3 other siblings (two brothers and one sister)
• Brahma gave Dashagriva a pot of immortal nectar  that protects him from many things but humans
• Dashagriva was trapped under a mountain 
• Dashagriva screamed and the roar impressed Shiva
• Ravana becomes follower of Shiva and sings for Shiva while playing the veena he used his own guts to make
• Shiva grants Ravana's wish of having Parvati, Shiva's wife
• Shiva made a double of named Mandodari who was Ravana's chief wife
• Ravana and Mandodari's first born son roared like thunder and was named Meghanda. 
• Meghanda used spell of darkness to make himself invisible and had invincible weapons
• Ravana was swallowed by his sisters husband and he had to offer the heir of his throne in order to be saved
• Half brother was guardian of Kubera
• Ravana takes over Lanka 
• Ravana declared himself Conqueror of death
• Ravana ate all priests and drank their blood then flew away
• Ravana's anger towards his half brother causes him to kill Kubera's messenger
• Ravana steels Kubera's flying chariot and returns it to Lanka
• Ravana rapes Rambha 
• Ravana proposes to Vadavati and is denied
• Vadavati kils herself so she can be reborn later to destroy Ravana
• Ravana fights Vali but fails
• Ravana fights Anaranya  
• Baby in the field was named Sita and Ravana buried the box with Sita in the ground far from Lanka. Janaka discovered baby inside box
• Sita married Rama and her sisters Urmila married Lakshmana, Mandavi married Bharata and Shrutakirti married Shatrughna.

Ravana Mask: Wikimedia

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Laura Gibbs, Tiny Tales From the Ramayana