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A depiction of Ravana, Hindu rakshasa King of Lanka

In Hinduism, Ravana (Devanagari: रावण, Telugu: రావణాసురుడు IAST Rāvaṇa; sometimes transliterated as Raavana or Ravan or Revana) is the principal antagonist of Rama in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. In the epic, he is the king of Lanka, and of the Rakshasas or demons, many thousands of years ago. Image File history File links Example. ... The Brahmic family is a family of abugidas (writing systems) used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Tibet, Mongolia, Manchuria, descended from the BrāhmÄ« script of Mauryan India. ... Download high resolution version (610x890, 400 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (610x890, 400 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... This article is about the demon in Hindu mythology. ... For other uses, see Monarch (disambiguation). ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages)[1] is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) DevanāgarÄ« (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... Telugu may refer to: Telugu language Telugu literature Telugu people Telugu script Telugu films Look up Telugu in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages)[1] is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... The epic is a broadly defined genre of narrative poetry, characterized by great length, multiple settings, large numbers of characters, or long span of time involved. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the evil king Ravana in the epic Ramayana. ... A rakshasa (Sanskrit: रक्षस, raká¹£asa; alternately, raksasa or rakshas) is a demon or evil spirit in Hinduism. ...

Origin

Ravana is depicted in art with up to ten heads, signifying his knowledge of Vedas and Shastras. His ten heads earned him the names "Dashamukha" (दशमुख, The ten-faced), "Dashagriva" (दशग्रीव, The ten-necked) and "Dashakantha" (दशकण्ठ, Ten Throats). He also had twenty hands, signifying greed and never-ending want. Ravana was born to the Brahmin sage known as Vishrava. His mother was the Daitya princess Kaikesi. Kaikesi's father, Sumali, king of the Daityas, wished her to marry the most powerful being in the mortal world, so as to produce an exceptional heir. He rejected the kings of the world, as they were less powerful than him. Kaikesi searched among the sages, and finally chose Vishrava. Vishrava warned her that as she approached him at an inappropriate time, their children would tend towards evil, but accepted her nevertheless. As such, Ravana was partly Daitya, and partly Brahmin. Veda redirects here. ... Shastra is a Sanskrit word used to denote education/knowledge in a general sense. ... In Hinduism, the Daityas were the children of Diti. ... In Hinduism, Kaikesi was the mother of Ravana. ... Sumali is the grandfather of Ravana the principal antagonist of the Hindu epic, Ramayana . ...

Ravana was the eldest of Vishrava's children, given the name Dashanana/Dasagriva at birth - he was born with ten heads (Some say the ten heads were due to the reflections of a crystal necklace gifted to him by his father at the time of his birth or he had the mental strength of 10 people).

His brothers were Vibhishana and Kumbhakarna. Through his mother, he was related to the daityas Maricha and Subahu. Kaikesi also produced a daughter, meenakshi (meaning: girl with fish like eyes), although later she was dubbed the infamous Shoorpanakha (the one with sharp fingernails). Nakha means nails in sanskrit.

His father Vishrava noted that while Ravana was aggressive and arrogant, he was also an exemplary scholar. Under Vishrava's tutelage, Ravana mastered the Vedas and the holy books and also the arts and ways of Kshatriyas.Ravana was also an excellent veena player and the sign of his flag had picture of veena on it.Sumali, his grandfather, worked hard in secret to ensure that he retained the ethics of the Daityas. Vishrava was the son of Brahma, the Creator, and a powerful Rishi. ... Veda redirects here. ... A Kshatriya is a member of the military or reigning order, according to the law-code of Manu the second ranking caste of the Indian varna system of four castes, the first being the Brahmin or priestly caste, the third the Vaishya or mercantile caste and the lowest the Shudra. ...

Tapas to Brahma

Following his initial training, Ravana performed an intense penance to Brahma, lasting several years. Pleased with his tapasya Brahma offered him a boon. Ravana asked for immortality, which Brahma refused. Ravana then asked for absolute invulnerability and supremacy before gods and heavenly spirits, other demons, serpents and wild beasts. Contemptuous of mortal men, he did not ask for protection from them. Brahma granted him these boons, and additionally great strength by way of knowledge of divine weapons and sorcery. Tapasya is a principle of austerity or willingness to bear suffering in Hinduism and related religions such as Buddhism and Jainism. ...

King of Lanka

Totsakanth (Ravana)'s sculpture as a guardian of Wat Phra Kaew, Thailand

After winning these boons, Ravana sought out his grandfather, Sumali, and assumed leadership over his army. He then set his sights on Lanka. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 597 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Guardian giant (Yaksha), this special one being called Totsakanth, character from the Thai Ramakien epic, within Wat Phra Kaeo in the royal palace of... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 597 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Description: Guardian giant (Yaksha), this special one being called Totsakanth, character from the Thai Ramakien epic, within Wat Phra Kaeo in the royal palace of... Western side of Wat Phra Kaew, viewed from within the grounds of the Grand Palace The Wat Phra Kaew (English Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thai: ; full official name Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram, Thai: ) is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. ... Sumali is the grandfather of Ravana the principal antagonist of the Hindu epic, Ramayana . ...

Lanka was an idyllic city, created by the celestial architect Vishwakarma for Kubera, the treasurer of the Gods. Kubera was also the son of Vishrava, and had generously shared all that he owned with Kaikesi's children. Ravana however, demanded Lanka wholly from him, threatening to take it by force. Vishrava advised Kubera to give it up to him, as Ravana was now undefeatable. Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. ... Kubera (also Kuvera or Kuber) is the god of wealth and the lord of Uttaradisha in Hindu mythology. ...

While Ravana usurped Lanka to begin with, he was nevertheless regarded as a benevolent and effective ruler. Lanka flourished under his rule - it is said the poorest of houses had vessels of gold to eat and drink off, and hunger was unknown in the kingdom.

Devotee of Lord Shiva

Ravana lifting mount Kailash - Ellora Caves, Maharashtra

Following his conquest of Lanka, Ravana encountered Lord Shiva at his abode in Kailash. Unknowingly, Ravana attempted to uproot and move the mountain on a whim. Shiva, annoyed by Ravana's arrogance, pressed his little toe on Kailash, pinning him firmly (and painfully) under the same. His ganas informed Ravana of whom he had crossed, upon which Ravana became penitent. He composed and sang songs praising Shiva, and is said to have done so for several years, till Shiva released him from his bondage. Pleased with his bravery and devotion, Shiva granted him further strength, culminating in his gifting him the Chandrahas (Moon-blade), an immensely powerful sword. Ravana in turn became a lifelong devotee of Lord Shiva. Ravana is known for his dance worship Shiva Tandava Stotra (a form of Stuti) to Lord Shiva.It is during this incident that he acquires the name 'Ravana', meaning "(He) Of the terrifying roar", given to him by Shiva - the earth is said to have quaked at Ravana's cry of pain when the mountain was pinned on him Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2540x1638, 809 KB) Summary A bas-relief panel from Ellora (Cave 29, or Dhumar Lena) showing Shiva and Parvati while Ravana tries to shake Mt Kailasha. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2540x1638, 809 KB) Summary A bas-relief panel from Ellora (Cave 29, or Dhumar Lena) showing Shiva and Parvati while Ravana tries to shake Mt Kailasha. ... Jain cave in Ellora Ellora is an ancient village 30 km (18. ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... This article is about the Hindu God. ... Kailash may refer to: Mount Kailash Kailash (journal) This site tell about the Greatest of Gods Lord Shiva and also his gift to mankind, the Holy Rudraksha Bead This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... In Hinduism, Ganas are attendants of Shiva and live in Kailasa. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Emperor of the Three Worlds

His abilities now truly awe-inspiring, Ravana proceeded on a series of campaigns, conquering humans, celestials and other demons. Conquering the netherworld completely, he left his brother Ahiravana as king. He became supreme overlord of all asuras in the three worlds, making an alliance with the Nivatakavachas and Kalakeyas (two clans he was unable to subdue). Conquering several kingdoms of the human world, he performed the suitable sacrifices and was crowned Emperor.

Kubera at one point chastised Ravana for his cruelty and greed, greatly angering him. Proceeding to the heavens, Ravana fought and defeated the devas, singling out his brother for particular humiliation. By force he gained command over the gods, celestials and the serpent races.

At the time of the Ramayana, set several hundred years later, Ravana is shown as dominating all human and divine races - so much so that he can command the Sun as to his rising and setting.

Women

Ravana kidnapping Sita and killing Jatayu - By Raja Ravi Varma

Ravana was known for his virility as well and his aggressive conquests of women. Ravana had several wives, foremost of whom was Mandodari - daughter of Mayasura and an apsara named Hema. Mandodari was renowned for her wisdom and grace as well as beauty and chastity. She is often compared to Sita, one of the most beautiful woman described in Indian mythology, for her beauty. In addition to his wives, Ravana maintained a harem of incredible size, populated with women whom he captured in his many conquests, many of them accepted and lived happily in his harem for his great manhood, power and knowledge in every direction. Ravana forced himself upon any woman who rejected his advances. Two significant encounters occurred that would shape the course of the Ramayana. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (489x694, 76 KB) Ravana kills Jathayu; the captive Sita despairs. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (489x694, 76 KB) Ravana kills Jathayu; the captive Sita despairs. ... Ravana cuts Jatayus wings, by Ravi Varma In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Jatayu (Sanskrit: जटायू, jatāyū) is the son of Aruna and nephew of Garuda. ... Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was an Indian King and painter who achieved recognition for his depiction of scenes from the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. ... Mandodari (Sanskrit: मंदोदरी) was the daughter of the King of Danavas, Mayasura and celestial dancer, Hema. ... For other uses, see Apsara (disambiguation). ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ...

The first was the molestation of the sage-woman Vedavati. Vedavati had been performing penance with the intention of winning Lord Vishnu for a husband. Ravana met her at her hermitage, her beauty enhanced by the austerities she had performed. She, however, rejected his advances. Ravana proceeded to forcibly take her, upon which she prophesied that she would return to the mortal world as the cause of his death. She then created a pyre and let herself be consumed in it. She was then born again as Ravana's and Mandodari's daughter. However, Ravana was foretold before his marriage with Mandodari that his first child would be the cause of his death. In order to save himself, he sent Subahu to kill the child as soon as it was born. Subahu was unable to kill the baby girl, and lied to Ravana that he had killed the baby. The baby was then found. Sita grew up and married Rama thus becoming Vishnu's (as Rama) wife, and the cause of Ravana's defeat. In Hindu mythology, Vedavati is speculated to have been the spirit of Sita Devi, the wife of Rama in the epic Ramayana. ...

The second was his encounter with the apsara Rambha, upon whom he forced himself. Rambha was betrothed to Kubera's son, but her plea that she was like a daughter to him did not deter Ravana. Angered at this, Kubera's son cursed Ravana, stating that his ten heads would fall off his head if he forced himself upon any woman from that point. This curse is said to have protected Sita's chastity while she was Ravana's captive for nearly a year. Kubera (also Kuvera or Kuber) is the god of wealth and the lord of Uttaradisha in Hindu mythology. ...

Assessment

Ravana serves mainly as an antagonist and villain in the Ramayana, though sometimes he was shown as a great noble man. Nevertheless, he is considered to have possessed several virtues, the foremost being his knowledge of the sacred books, medicines and sorcery. Ravana was a great devotee of Shiva and is supposed to have composed the Shiva Tandava Stotra. For other uses, see Shiva (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Legend says that being a Brahmin, Ravana performed the necessary vedic rituals (pujas) for Rama a Kshatriya before the war between himself and Rama. This was done as no other Brahmin was available at that time in Lanka.

There were occasions where Ravana has been humbled. For example, the encounter with Lord Shiva Himself as mentioned earlier. Once, Ravana is also said to have got himself tied into the tail of the mighty Vanara king Vali (while he was meditating), and Vali flew in all four directions performing his meditation, completely unaware that Ravana was stuck in his tail. When he reached his palace, he realized that Ravana was stuck there and released him. Another incident was when the king Kartavirya Arjuna (who had 1000 arms) was bathing in the river Narmada (where Ravana was also bathing). Arjuna's wives challenged him if he could hold the waters of Narmada, and he did it. Hence, the flow of water stopped at the place where Ravana was bathing and this made him angry. So he challenged Arjuna to battle and lost it. Arjuna then took him prisoner, until Ravana's grandfather came and asked Arjuna to release him. It is to Ravana's luck's credit, though, that he came out of all these three incidents much richer in alliances and friendship. Ravana also met his match when ne encountered Vali.Once Ravana called Vali for a fight when vali was doing his regular shiva puja. He took Ravana in his tail and took around all worlds. Another version holds that since vali derived half the power of the enemy he Vali accepted the compromise offer of Ravana in spite of Ravana being the enemy of his father Indra. In Hinduism, Kartavirya Arjuna (Hindi: कार्तवीर्य अर्जुन, IAST: Kārtavīrya Arjuna), was king of ancient kingdom during Ramayana period with capital at Mahishamati. ... Vali or Wali can refer to: Professor Ferenc A. Váli, the Hungarian-born lawyer, author and political analyst. ...

Ravana having know that Vali had the boon according to which anyone who came before him lost half his/her strength to Vali,Ravana caught hold of Vali from behind.At this time, Vali was performing his scared ablution.Such was the might of Vali that he clasped his arms around ravana's .Vali, holding ravana , completed his sacred bath in all the seven oceans.

In Scriptures

Ravana as depicted in Yakshagana, popular folk art of Karnataka

The Ramayana is not the only religious scripture that views Ravana as evil. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... A Yakshagana artist wearing pagaDe, one type of head-wear. ... , Karnataka (Kannada: , IPA:  ) is a state in the southern part of India. ...

In the Bhagavata Purana, Ravana and his brother, Kumbakarna were said to be reincarnations of Jaya and Vijaya, gatekeepers at Vaikuntha, the abode of Vishnu and were cursed to be born in Earth for their insolence. The Bhagavata Purana (sometimes rendered as Bhagavatha Purana), also known as the Srimad Bhagavatam, written c. ... Kumbakarna, sometimes written as Khumbhakarna, was the sole brother of Ravana, the king of Lanka in the Hindu text the Ramayana. ... The mythological story goes that the two demigod gate-keepers/dwarapalakas (Jaya and Vijaya) of the abode of Vishnu, known as Vaikunta (meaning place of eternal bliss), barred revered sages from entering Vishnus abode on counts that the lord had other preoccupations. ... Vaikunta is the abode of Lord Vishnu, one of the Trimurti Hindu Gods. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ...

These gatekeepers refused entry to the Sanatha Kumara monks, who, because of their powers and austerity appeared as young children. For their insolence, the monks cursed them to be expelled from Vaikunta and to be born in Earth. The all-merciful Vishnu agreed that they should be punished but agreed to mitigate their curse. He asked them whether they would want to be undergo seven births as devotees of Vishnu or three births as enemies of the Lord. Since they wanted to get back as soon as possible, they agreed to be born in three births as enemies of God. Catursana - The four Kumaras, sons of Lord Brahma Indian Deities believed to have appeared in the beginning of creation and are specifically empowered to distribute transcendental knowledge. ...

In the first birth, Jaya and Vijaya were born as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Vishnu incarnated as Varaha and Narasimha and killed them both. In Treta Yuga they were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna and were killed by Rama. Then in Dwapara yuga, and in their final birth, Jaya and Vijaya they were born as Shishupala and Dantavakra and killed by Sri Krishna. After the end of three births, they returned to Vaikunta. In Hinduism, Hiranyakashipu (or Hiranyakasipu) was a demon whose younger brother, Hiranyaksha was killed by Varaha, one of the avatars of Vishnu. ... In Hinduism, Hiranyaksha was a demon killed by Varaha after taking the Earth to the bottom of the ocean. ... Varaha is the third avatar of Vishnu, a boar sent to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth (prthivi) and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean in the story. ... Yoga Narasimha form at a temple in Vijayanagara, Hampi, India (man-lion) (also spelt as Narasingh, Narasinga) (नरसिंह in Devanagari) is described as the fourteenth incarnation (avatara) of Vishnu within the Puranic texts of Hinduism [1] who takes the form of half-man / half-lion, having a human torso and lower... The Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of man, in the religion of Hinduism, following the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and preceding the Dvapara Yuga. ... Shishupala or Sisupala was son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi, by Srutadeva, sister of Vasudeva; he was therefore cousin of Krishna, but he was Krishnas implacable foe, because Krishna had carried off Rukmini, his intended wife. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ...

Ravana's family

An Effigy of Ravana with burning sparklers on Dusshera. Dashehra Diwali Mela in Manchester, England, 2006.

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. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,600 × 1,200 pixels, file size: 983 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The content of this image was reviewed by Ranveig and afterwards uploaded by FlickrLickr. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,600 × 1,200 pixels, file size: 983 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The content of this image was reviewed by Ranveig and afterwards uploaded by FlickrLickr. ...

Ravana was married to Mandodari, the daughter of the celestial architect Maya. He had seven sons from his three wives: Mandodari (Sanskrit: मंदोदरी) was the daughter of the King of Danavas, Mayasura and celestial dancer, Hema. ... In Hindu mythology, Maya, or Mayasura was a great ancient king of the Asura, Daitya and Rakshasa races upon earth. ...

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 Tataka. Ravana also had a maternal uncle, Maricha. Victory of Meghanada. ... In the Hindu epic the Ramayana, Prahasta was a powerful rakshasa warrior and chief commander of Ravanas army of Lanka. ... Atikaya was the son of Lord of Lanka, Ravana and Queen Dhanyamalini, who was the second wife of Ravana. ... Akshayakumara was one of the sons of Ravana. ... Devanataka is an asur (demon) that appears in a number of Hindu legends. ... In the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, Narantaka (or Narantak) is one of the rakshas (demon) sons of the demon king Ravana. ... Trishira, that is, one having three heads, was an asura (a demon), and reference to him is found in the Ramayana. ... Pulastya was one of the 7 saint when Bhrama was Prajabathi. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Malyavan was the Chief Royal Adviser to the Emperor of Lanka, Ravana. ... Rama ( in IAST, in Devanāgarī) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... Alternate spellings: Tadaka or Thadaka Tatakā (pronounced as Taataka) was a Yaksha woman and could change her form. ... In Hindu mythology, Maricha was a demon who played a very important part in twisting the tale of Ramayana. ...

Ravana had six brothers and two sisters:

1. Kubera - the King of North direction and the Guardian of Heavenly Wealth. He was an older step-brother of Ravana: they were born to the same father by different mothers.
2. Vibhishana - A great follower of Sri 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 Sri Rama, which was granted without hesitation. He is known as a great devotee of Sri Rama.
3. Kumbhakarna - one of the most jovial demons in Hindu mythology. When offered a boon by Brahma, he was tricked into asking for unending sleep! A horrified Ravana, who 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. During the war with Sri Rama, Kumbhakarna was awakened from his sleep. He tried to persuade Ravana to follow Dharmic path and return Sita; seek mercy of Sri 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. 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.

v • d • e Hindu deities and texts
Female deities	Devi · Saraswati · Lakshmi · Sati · Parvati · Durga · Shakti · Kali · Sita · Radha · Mahavidya · more... Kubera (also Kuvera or Kuber) is the god of wealth and the lord of Uttaradisha in Hindu mythology. ... Vibhishana (Sanskrit: विभीषण, ) is a character in the epic Ramayana. ... Kumbhakarna (Sanskrit: कुम्भकर्ण, kumbhakarNa), in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was a Rakshasa and brother of Ravana. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Khara, in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was a man-eating Rakshasa. ... Kosala was an ancient Indian Aryan kingdom, corresponding roughly in area with the region of Oudh. ... Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... In the Ramayana Ahiravan was a demon who secretly carried away Rama and his brother Lakshmana to the nether-world, and consulted his friends and decided to sacrifice the life of the two divine brothers at the altar of his chosen deity with due ceremony. ... For other uses, see Underworld (disambiguation). ... This article is about the demon in Hindu mythology. ... , Mathura   (Hindi: मथुरा, Urdu: متھرا) is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Lavanasura was a demon who was killed by Shatrughna, the youngest brother of Lord Rama. ... Surpanakha is Ravanas sister in the epic Ramayana Surpanakha is Ravanas sister in the epic Ramayana. ... This article is about Sita Devi, the wife of Rama. ... Kubera (also Kuvera or Kuber) is the god of wealth and the lord of Uttaradisha in Hindu mythology. ... Vibhishana (Sanskrit: विभीषण, ) is a character in the epic Ramayana. ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... Valmiki composes the Ramayana Valmiki (Sanskrit: वाल्मीकि, vālmÄ«ki) born as Ratnakar is a legendary Hindu sage (maharishi) traditionally regarded as the author of the epic, Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself[1]. He was the tenth child of Pracheta. ... Dasaratha in Hindu mythology is the king of Ayodhya and a descendant of Raghuvamsa. ... Kausalya (Sanskrit: कौशल्या, kouÅ›alyā), in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was the eldest of King Dasarathas three wives and a queen of Ayodhya. ... Kousalya, Sumitra and Kaike are the three wives of King Dasaratha of Ayodhya, in the 24,000-verse Sanskrit epic called the Ramayana, and the mothers of the heroes Rama, Bharatha, and Lakshmana. ... Kaikeyi (Sanskrit: कैकेयी, kaikeyÄ«), in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was the youngest of King Dasarathas three wives and a queen of Ayodhya. ... In ancient India, Janaka (Sanskrit: जनक, janaka) or Raja Janaka (राजा जनक, rājā janaka) was the king of Mithila Kingdom. ... Manthara, in the Hindu epic Ramayana, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi that the Ayodhya throne belonged to her son Bharata and that Rama should be exiled from the kingdom. ... Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata (Sanskrit: भरत, IAST Bharata) was the second brother of the main protagonist Lord Rama, and the son of Emperor Dasaratha and Kaikeyi of the Solar Dynasty. ... Lakshaman (far left) with Rama (centre), Sita (far right) and Hanuman (kneeling) - Bhaktivedanta Manor Hare Krishna temple, Watford, England Lakshmana (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मण; IAST Laká¹£maṇa) was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana. Within Hindu tradition Lakshmana is considered to be... Shatrughna (Sanskrit: शत्रुघ्न, á¹£atrughna), in Hindu epic Ramayana was the youngest brother of Lord Rama. ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ... In Hindu epic Ramayana, Urmila was the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and the younger sister of Sita. ... In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Mandavi was the daughter of Kushadvaja, a brother of King Janaka of Mithila and hence a cousin of Sita. ... In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Shrutakirti was the daughter of Kushadvaja, a brother of King Janaka of Mithila and hence a cousin of Sita. ... Brahmarshi Vishvamitra (Sanskrit all-friend) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of since ancient times in India. ... Ahalya (Sanskrit: अहल्या, ahalyā) was the wife of Rishi Gautama. ... Ravana cuts Jatayus wings, by Ravi Varma In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Jatayu (Sanskrit: जटायू, jatāyÅ«) is the son of Aruna and nephew of Garuda. ... In Hindu mythology, Sampati was one of the two sons of Aruna the brother of Garuda. ... This article is about a divine entity in Hinduism. ... In Hinduism, Sugriva was the younger brother of Vali. ... In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Vali was the monkey-King of Kishkindha, a son of Indra and the elder brother of Sugriva. ... In Hinduism, Angada is a Vanara who helped Rama find Sita in the Hindu epic Ramayana. ... Jambavantha (also known as Jambavan or Jamvanta) (Sanskrit: (जाम्‍बवान) is a bear in Hinduism and believe to lived from Treta Yuga to Dvapara Yuga. ... Vibhishana (Sanskrit: विभीषण, ) is a character in the epic Ramayana. ... Alternate spellings: Tadaka or Thadaka Tatakā (pronounced as Taataka) was a Yaksha woman and could change her form. ... Surpanakha is Ravanas sister in the epic Ramayana Surpanakha is Ravanas sister in the epic Ramayana. ... In Hindu mythology, Maricha was a demon who played a very important part in twisting the tale of Ramayana. ... Subahu, in Hindu mythology was a demon who tried to interrupt Viswamitras yaga. ... Khara, in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was a man-eating Rakshasa. ... Kumbhakarna (Sanskrit: कुम्भकर्ण, kumbhakarNa), in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was a Rakshasa and brother of Ravana. ... Mandodari (Sanskrit: मंदोदरी) was the daughter of the King of Danavas, Mayasura and celestial dancer, Hema. ... In Hindu mythology, Maya, or Mayasura was a great ancient king of the Asura, Daitya and Rakshasa races upon earth. ... Sumali is the grandfather of Ravana the principal antagonist of the Hindu epic, Ramayana . ... Victory of Meghanada. ... In the Hindu epic the Ramayana, Prahasta was a powerful rakshasa warrior and chief commander of Ravanas army of Lanka. ... Akshayakumara was one of the sons of Ravana. ... Atikaya was the son of Lord of Lanka, Ravana and Queen Dhanyamalini, who was the second wife of Ravana. ... Lava and his twin brother Kusha are the children of the Hindu God Rama and his wife Sita Devi, whose story is told in the Ramayana. ... Kusha (Sanskrit: कुश), in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita (the other being Lava). ... Ayodhya   (Hindi: अयोध्या, Urdu: ایودھیا IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. ... Mithila (Sanskrit: मिथिला, mithilā) was a kingdom in ancient India. ... Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the evil king Ravana in the epic Ramayana. ... The Sarayu (also Sarju; Dev. ... The Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of man, in the religion of Hinduism, following the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and preceding the Dvapara Yuga. ... // Introduction Raghuvamsa, in Hindu mythology is believed to be a lineage/race of warrior kings tracing its ancestry to Surya. ... Lakshman Rekha (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मण रेखा), in Hindu mythology, is a line drawn by Lakshmana around their abode, to protect Sita, while he is away searching for Rama. ... The Aditya Hridayam, is a hymn associated with the Sun or Surya and was recited by the great sage Agastya to Rama on the battlefield before fighting with Ravana. ... Oshadhiparvata, that is the mountain of medicinal herbs, was a mythical mountain described in the Ramayana. ... Sundara Kanda is a book of almost unbelievable spiritual quality which is reputed by its readers to be virtually death defying. ... In Hindu mythology, Vedavati is speculated to have been the spirit of Sita Devi, the wife of Rama in the epic Ramayana. ... Vanara is a Sanskrit word literally meaning monkey or inhabitants of forests=like the primitive tribes (probably vaanar as pronounced in hindi). ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages)[1] is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Within Hinduism a large number of personalities, or forms, are worshipped as murtis. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Within Hinduism a large number of personalities, or forms, are worshipped as murtis. ... It has been suggested that Shri Vidya be merged into this article or section. ... For the Vedic river, see Saraswati River. ... For other uses, see Lakshmi (disambiguation). ... In the Hindu religion, SatÄ« (Devanagari: सती, the feminine of sat true) or Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity; she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. ... For the Harry Potter character, see Parvati Patil. ... In Hinduism, Durga (Sanskrit: ) is a form of Devi, the supreme goddess. ... Lakshmi is a common aspect of Shakti Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of Gods female aspect, sometimes referred to as The Divine Mother. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. ... Kali (Sanskrit ) is a goddess with a long and complex history in Hinduism. ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mahavidyas (Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. ...
Male deities	Deva · Brahma · Vishnu · Shiva · Rama · Krishna · Ganesha · Murugan · Hanuman · Indra · Surya · more... Image File history File links HinduSwastika. ... Within Hinduism a large number of personalities, or forms, are worshipped as murtis. ... For other uses, see Deva (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... For other uses, see Shiva (disambiguation). ... Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... For other uses, see Ganesha (disambiguation). ... Murugan (also Murugan) (Tamil: ) is a popular Hindu deity amongst Tamil Hindus. ... This article is about a divine entity in Hinduism. ... For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sÅ«rya) is the chief solar deity,one of the Adityas, son of Kasyapa and one of his wife Aditi[1] ,in Nordics Tyr he is said to be the son of Dyaus Pitar. ...
Texts	Vedas · Upanishads · Puranas · Ramayana · Mahabharata · Bhagavad Gita Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Veda redirects here. ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Purana (Sanskrit: , meaning tales of ancient times) is the name of an ancient Indian genre (or a group of related genres) of Hindu or Jain literature (as distinct from oral tradition). ... For the television series by Ramanand Sagar, see Ramayan (TV series). ... For the film by Peter Brook, see The Mahabharata (1989 film). ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ...
Hinduism · Hindu mythology · Indian epic poetry