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Among the villains of Indian mythology, the Demon King, Ravana, holds a special place. He was deadly and terrifying, but at the same time, he was a great king and polymath. The Valmiki Ramayana does not give much information about the lineage of Ravana. It can be found in the "Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra," which is the Jain Ramayana:

At the time that the Arhat Ajita was wandering (over the earth), Ghanavahana was the bulb of the Raksas-line in Lanka on the Raksodvipa in this same Bharata. He was very smart, so he gave his kingdom to his son Maharaksas. Maharaksas became a beggar at the feet of Ajita Svamin and became free. After living in the kingdom for a long time, Maharaksas gave it to his son, Devarakas. Devarakas became a wandering monk and became free. After many Raksodvipa lords had come and gone, Kirtidhavala became the lord of the Raksasas in the Sreyamsa congregation. At that time, there was a renowned king of Vidyadharas, Atindra, in the city of Meghapura on Mt. Vaitadhya. From his wife, Srimati, he had a son, Srikantha, and a daughter, Devi, who was like a goddess in beauty. The Vidyadhara-lord, Puspottara, lord of Ratnapura, asked the fair-eyed maiden in marriage for his son Padmottara. By the decree of fate, Atindra did not give her to him, though he was meritorious and distinguished, but he gave her to Kirtidhavala. When King Puspottara heard that she was married to Kirtidhavala, he, a destroyer of arrogance, became hostile to Atindra and Srikantha. One day, the daughter of Puspottara, Padma, in the form of (the goddess) Padma in beauty, was seen by Srikantha as he returned from Meru. At first, Srikantha and Padma didn't like each other very much, which was like a cloudy day for the overly bright ocean of love. The maiden stood with the lotus of her face turned up to Srikantha, as if throwing a svayamvara-wreath with affectionate glances. Srikantha knew what she wanted, and because he was in love, he grabbed her and took off quickly through the air. "Someone is carrying off Padma," the servants screamed. The powerful Puspottara armed himself and pursued them with an army. Srikantha ran straight to Kirtidhavala for help and told him everything about how Padma was taken. Puspottara soon arrived there, covering the directions with troops in solid ranks, like the ocean covering the earth with water at the end of the world. Kirtidhavala sent word by a messenger to Puspottara: "This preparation for war has been made needlessly without reflection." The maiden must surely be given to someone. If she herself has chosen Srikantha, then he is not at fault. So, it's not right for you to fight. Instead, now that you know what your daughter wants, it's time to celebrate the wedding of the bride and groom. " Just at that time, Padma sent word by a female messenger: "I chose him, myself." He did not abduct me." Upon hearing this, Puspottara was instantly appeased. Certainly, the anger of people who know correct conduct is usually easily appeased. After he had celebrated the wedding of Srikantha and Padma with a great festival, Puspottara went to his own city. Kirtidhavala said to Srikantha: "You stay here, since you have many enemies on Mt. Vaitadhya now." Not far to the northwest of this very Raksasadvipa, there is Vanaradvipa, three hundred yojanas long." There are other islands of mine, too; Barbarakula, Simhala, and others, that resemble pieces of heaven that have fallen to earth, my friend. In some of them, establish your capital and stay with me in comfort, not separated because of the close proximity. Even if you do not have the least fear of your enemies, nevertheless, you cannot leave from fear of separation from me. "

Srikantha was touched by how much he cared for him, and he was afraid of being apart from him, so he agreed to move to Vanaradivpa. Kirtidhavala put him in charge of his kingdom after he built his capital, Kiskindha, on Mt. Kiskindha in Vanaradvipa. King Srikantha saw many monkeys roving about on the island. They were handsome, with large bodies, and lived on fruit. He proclaimed that they should not be killed and had food, drink, et cetera given to them. Others also treated them well. like a king, like subjects. From that time on, for amusement, the Vidyadharas made monkeys both in paintings and plaster models and in insignia on banners, umbrellas, et cetera. The Vidyadharas who lived there were called Vanaras (Monkeys) from the kingdom of Vanaradvipa and from the monkey-insignia. A son, named Vajrakantha, was born to Srikantha. He was zealous in the sports of battle, his strength unblunted in them all. As Srikantha was sitting in his own assembly-hall, he saw the gods going to Nandisvara for a festival of the eternal Arhats. As a horse on a village road follows horses going on the highway, he, full of devotion, follows the gods. As he was going, his aerial car stumbled on Manusottara, like the current of a river on a mountain which was on its course. "I must have performed a little penance in a former birth." For that reason, my desire for the Arhats’ festival in Nandisvara was not fulfilled." When he thought about that, he became so disgusted with life that he immediately became a beggar, did hard penance, and went to freedom. Since the time of Srikantha, many kings have come and gone, including Vajrakantha and others. At the time of the congregation of Munisuvrata, Ghanodadhiratha was king. At that time, in the city of Lanka, there was a lord of the Raksasas, named Taditkesa. There was a strong friendship between these two. One day, Taditkesa went with the women of his household to sport in a choice garden, named Nandana. While Taditkesa was playing, a monkey climbed down from a tree and used his nails to scratch the breast of Sricandra, Taditkesa's chief queen. His hair standing on end from anger, Taditkesa struck the monkey with an arrow. Injuries to women are not to be endured. When the arrow hit the monkey, it went a short distance before falling at the feet of a sadhu who was doing pratima. He gave him the namaskara, provisions for the journey to the next world. Through its power, he became an Abdhikumara after his death. Since he could see into the past, he went up to the sadhu and showed him respect. The sadhu who confers benefits is especially to be honored by the noble. He saw other monkeys being killed by Tadikesha’s soldiers and at once blazed with anger. He used magic to make a lot of big monkey figures, and then he attacked the Rakaasas by throwing a lot of trees and stones at them. Taditkesa recognized that it was the device of a god, worshipped him ardently, and said, "Who are you?" "Why do you attack us?" Then, when his anger was calmed by the worship, Abdhikumara told the story of how he killed himself and how powerful the namaskara was. Lanka’s lord and the monkey together approached the sadhu and asked, "Lord, what is the reason for the monkey’s hostility toward me?" The ascetic said, "You used to be Datta, the son of a minister in Sravasti. Your father was a hunter in Kasi." One day, after you had adopted mendicancy, you were going to Varanasi. He saw you and killed you, struck by the thought, ‘That is a bad omen.’ You became a god in Mahendrakalpa and, when you fell, were born here, such as you are. He passed through a hell-birth and became a monkey. This is the reason for the enmity. "

As we read along, the Jain texts reveal an amazing fact:

One day, King Asanivega had a strong desire to be free, so he gave the kingdom to his son Sahasrara and went through initiation. In the city of Patalalanka, three sons were born to Sukesa by Indrani—Malin, Sumalin, and Malyavat. Two long-armed sons, named Adityarajas and Rksarajas, were borne to Kiskindhi by Srimala. One day, Kiskindhi made a procession to Sumeru in honor of the eternal Arhats, and on his return he saw Mt. Madhu. Kiskindhi’s mind dwelt more and more on sports in a beautiful garden, which extended in all directions around it like another Meru. He was very active, so he built Kiskindhapura on Mt. Madhu and moved there with his followers, just like Shiva did on Kailasa. When Sukesa’s sons heard that their kingdom had been taken by enemies, they, full of heroism, flamed with anger like three fires. They went to Lanka and killed the Khecara, Nirghata. Verily, enmity with heroes may result in death, even after a long time. Then Malin became king in Lanka and Adityarajas king in Kiskindha at Kiskindhi’s command. King Malin couldn't stand it when Indra, the Indra of the Vidyadharas, bragged, "I am Indra," just like an elephant in heat can't stand to be around another elephant. With brothers, ministers, and friends whose strength was unequaled, he set out for battle. Because there is no other powerful charm. Other Raksasa heroes, like the Vanaras, flew through the air on lions, elephants, horses, buffaloes, boars, bulls, and other animals. Crows, donkeys, jackals, and cranes cried out, with bad fortune as the fruit (of seeing them), even though they were on the right. There were also other bad signs and omens, so Sumalin, who was smart, tried to stop Malin from starting. Malin, who was proud of his arm strength, didn't listen to his advice. Instead, he went to Mt. Vaitadhya and called in Indra to battle. Indra rode to the battlefield on Airavana, holding a thunderbolt in his hand. He was followed by his generals, such as Naigamesin, and regents, such as Soma, who carried different weapons, as well as other Vidyadhara-soldiers. Soldiers from the Raksasa and the Indra fought each other while being scared by missiles in the air that looked like lightning storms in the clouds. In some places, chariots fell like mountain peaks; in other places, elephants fled like clouds scattered by the wind. Here, soldiers’ heads fell, causing fear of Rahu; their horses, whose one foot had been cut off, moved as if they were hobbled. Malin’s army was divided by Indra’s army angrily. What can an elephant do, even though strong, when it has been caught by a lion? Then Malin, the king of the Raksasas, attacked violently. He was followed by Sumalin and other Raksasas, like a forest elephant being followed by his herd. He, lord of the wealth of heroism, attacked Indra’s army with clubs, hammers, and arrows, like a cloud with hail. Indra rushed into battle on Airavana with his regents of the quarters, his army, and his generals all in full force. The soldiers began to fight, but Indra fought with Malin, the regent, and others with Sumalin and others. For a long time, there was fighting between them, putting each other’s lives in jeopardy. For most people, life is like a straw to those who desire victory. Indra quickly killed Malin, who was a hero, with his thunderbolt. It was like a cloud killing a lizard with lightning. When Malin was killed, the Raksasas and Vanaras were terrified and, commanded by Sumalin, went to the Lanka that is in Patala. Indra gave Lanka right away to Vaisramana, who was the son of Visravas and was born from Kausika's womb. Vaisramana then went to his own city. Sumalin, who stayed in the city of Patalalanka, had a son named Ratnasravas. His wife, Pritimati, gave birth to him. When he had grown up, one day Ratnasravas went to a charming flower-garden for the purpose of acquiring vidyas. He stayed there in a secret place, holding a rosary and saying prayers. His eyes were fixed on the tip of his nose, and he was as still as a painting. While he was standing there, Vidyadhari, a beautiful young woman whose father had told her to stand next to him, did so. Then she said aloud to Ratnasravas, "I am a mahavidya by the name of Manavasundari, and have been won by you." Ratnasravas, by whom a vidya had been won, dropped the rosary, looked at the Vidyadhari standing in front of him, and said to her: "Why have you come here?" Whose daughter are you? Who are you?" She replied: "In Kautakamangala, the home of many curiosities, there is a famous king of Vidyadharas, Vyomabindu. His elder daughter, Kausika, my sister, is married to King Visravas, lord of Yaksapura. She has a son, skilled in politics, named Vaisramana, who now rules in Lanka by order of Sakra. But I, Kaikasi, Kausika’s younger sister, have come here, given to you by my father in accordance with an astrologer’s prediction. " Sumalin's son called all of his relatives together and married her right there. He then built the city of Puspantaka and stayed there with her to have fun.

Contrary to what we know, the Jain text suggests that Ravana was both "divine and demonic" at the same time. Malin, Sumalin, and Malyavat were sons of Indrani, or wife of Indra. In Hindu texts, no such details are provided. In the Hindu texts, we don't know whether Kaikasi had a sister, but in the Jain texts she does, and her name is Kausika. She was married to Visarvas, who was the king of Yakshapura. According to Hindu texts, the daughter of Daksha, named Danu, was married to Kashyapa. Danu had several sons from this union. Notable among them were Shambara, Shankara, Ekchakra, Mahabahu, Taraka, Vrishaparva, Puloman, etc. One of her sons, named Vrishaparva, had a daughter, Sharmistha, who was married to Yayati. She had two daughters, Puloma and Kalika, who divided the lineage between two streams. The first stream was called the Poulom lineage, and the other was called the Kalikaya lineage. Even though both the Hindu text and the Jain text have many differences, they surely converge to the point that Ravana was divine.

The birth of Ravana is also different in both the texts. Let us look at the Jain Texts first. One day, in a dream, Kaikasi saw a lion, in the act of tearing an elephant’s boss, enter her mouth. At dawn, she related the dream, and Ratnasravas interpreted it as, "You will have a son who will be arrogant to all and powerful." Since that dream, Ratnasravas's wife always made offerings at his shrines and carried her very valuable embryo. From the time of the embryo’s conception, Kaikasi’s speech became very harsh and her body firm, free from fatigue. She looked at her face in a sword, even if a mirror were at hand; she began to give orders fearlessly, even in dominion over the gods. Without any cause, she spoke harshly with contemptuous expressions. She did not bow her head at all, not even to gurus. For a long time, she wished to put her foot on the heads of the wise. From the power of her embryo, she acquired cruel characteristics such as these. She bore a son who made the seats of his enemies shake, with a life-term of more than twelve thousand years. Leaping about on the birth-couch, very strong, shaking the earth, resting on his back, with a proud red lotus of a foot. With his hand, he drew a necklace made of nine rubies from a casket standing nearby, a necklace that had been a present in the past from Indra Bhima. The child put the necklace around his neck because he thought he was better than everyone else. Kaikasi and her servants were shocked. She told Ratnasravas: "The necklace which the king of the Raksasas gave to your ancestor, King Meghavahana, in the past and which has been worshipped like a deity by your ancestors up to this time, which could not be lifted by others, which was made of nine rubies and guarded by a thousand Nagas—this necklace has been seized by your child and put around his neck." At once, Ratnasravas gave him the name "Dasamukha" because his face was united with the nine rubies. He related the following: "A certain sage was questioned by my father Sumalin when he had gone to Meru to pay homage to the shrines. The person who knew four kinds of things said, "Whoever lifts your nine-ruby necklace from your ancestors will be an Ardhacakrin." Kaikasi bore another son, indicated by the dream of a sun, named Bhanukarna, and also called by another name, Kumbhakarna. Kaikasi bore a daughter, named Candranakha, because her nails were like the moon. She was called Surpanakha by the people. After some time had passed, Kaikasi again bore a son, named Bibhisana, as indicated by the dream of a moon. The three brothers, who were all sixteen bows tall, played nicely and without fear every day. The games they played were right for their ages at the time.

According to Hindu texts, it was Trinabandhu who married his daughter to Pulsatya. They had one son, and his name was Visarvas. Visarvas was married to the daughter of Bharadwaj, and they had a son named Vyashrwan. He was an amazing young man who learned all the Vedas and scriptures. He was bright, meritorious, and enthusiastic too. When his father and grandfather saw these things in him, they were so impressed that they gave him the job of Lokpala Kubera. They also presented him with Puspaka, the magical aircraft. He established his capital in the golden city of Lanka. In Lanka, there were two wealthy demons too. Their names were Hayti and Prahayti. Hayti was married to Bhaya, whose son was Vidyutkeshi. Vidyutkeshi was married to Shalaktankata, and they also had a son called Sukesha. He was married to Vedavati and had three sons: Malin, Sumalin, and Malyavat. These three brothers were mighty and bright. They built their own Lanka on the Subel mountain ranges. They were married to three daughters of Gandharva, called Narmada. Malyavat had seven sons from this union. Sumalin had eleven sons and four daughters. After being defeated by the gods, they fled to the shelter of the caves. Sumalin had a daughter who was very beautiful. Her name was Kaikasi. She was married to Visarvas. Demons, unlike gods, follow matriarchy rather than patriarchy. With the passage of time, Kaikasi gave birth to Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Bibhisana, and Surpanakha.

There was less divinity in the Hindu texts than in the Jain texts, but the relationship to divinity is evident in both the texts.

Ravana was a polymath just like the well-known people in history like Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, Issac Newton, Plato, Galileo, and others whose works have contributed, one way or another, to making the world what it is today. These men were known as polymaths because they knew a lot about a lot of different things. The term "polymath" is of Greek origin, and it means "having learned much". Polymaths don't focus on one thing and become experts in it. Instead, they learn about a lot of different things. They ignore conventional barriers and venture into different domains.

Fortunately, we can all become polymaths. Polymathy is something anyone, anywhere can learn and cultivate; nobody is born with a special ability to become intellectual. In our complicated world, where specialization has become the norm, we can choose to be generalists who work in many areas.

It becomes highly essential to know the limits of the human brain when it comes to learning and knowledge. Much of the universe and reality (whatever reality is, if it is more than a human construct) is beyond human knowledge. It goes beyond the way our species thinks, what we can feel, and what we have seen and done in time and space. Learned thinkers throughout the ages have stated this, and virtually all religions state this. The Lakota Indians called the universe and reality "The Great Mystery." Isaac Newton said, "What we know is a drop." "What we don’t know is an ocean." "Human beings have different methods of examining and defining reality and the physical world. These include philosophy, religion, art, science, psychology, and political science. Each has its particular scope, purpose, and methodology, and its inherent limits and problems. The human mind is a sensory information processor.

People only get limited information from their senses, and they use internal processes to understand and use that information. To work and stay alive, the human mind has evolved to be able to make quick decisions based on information from the senses. The mind does a good job at this. However, it is still making guesses from incomplete information, so it comes with a margin of error. Sometimes the guesses are correct, while other times they are off. Visual illusions are examples of perceptual guesses being wrong. Visual illusions demonstrate how the physical universe and the human perception of the physical universe are different things. Humans never see the entirety of an object or scene. Not only are things such as coffee cups and tree branches partially obscured by overlapping other objects, but a human doesn’t see all parts of an object at once. Even with an apple you’ve turned over in your hands, you can’t be sure whether it is fresh or rotten in the core until you bite or cut it apart. Humans live and learn in an environment where information is constantly hidden.

Ambiguity is a concept essential to understanding human beings. Caused by missing or unknowable information, ambiguity means there is more than one possible explanation for something, and the person doesn’t know, and often can’t know, which one is correct. In these circumstances, the mind picks the explanation that meets its expectations. The human mind has many mental shortcuts that help us make quick decisions when we don't have all the facts. These include cognitive and emotional biases, and imagination. These methods are useful but involve arbitrariness and can result in errors in perception.

As many of the methods are automatic and unconscious, the human being is unaware of them happening and often can’t correct them. This leads to blindspots and biases. There are different parts of the mind that do different things, and many of these parts are unconscious. Your conscious mind doesn't have anything to do with how you see these visual illusions, and knowing that they are just illusions doesn't change how you see them. Subjectivity is a part of what it means to be human, and all human perceptions and decisions are also subjective. A subjective experience is a product of the individual’s mind. Even though the experience is real and often very emotional, it is impossible for others to measure it objectively. When someone is listening to music, the music’s notes, pitch, speed, volume, and the listener’s ear vibration and heartbeat can be measured by scientific instruments. However, the listener’s aesthetic experience cannot. This experience is experienced by the listener alone. Even if asked to, the listener could not fully translate the experience to others, in part because it is beyond words and their conscious understanding.

A large range of things determine a person’s subjective perception and experience. These include genes, education, culture, personal experience, and mental and physical abilities. Never forget how much your personality and life experiences shape your political, social, and religious views of the world. Humans are subjective as a species. If they were born cats, they would have different priorities and needs, and different ways of perceiving things. Human conceptions of everything are inescapably from a human perspective. The human mind has evolved for survival, not to find objective truths and facts. An example is when avoiding instant danger. If a threatening unidentified large shape or shadow is moving quickly towards you, taking the time to gather the facts is the opposite of what you need to do. Get out of the way right away, then you can worry about identification later. This is the natural and automatic subconscious self-preservation instinct of humans.

The human mind has limited capacity, and human function can be inhibited by too much information, even if it's true. To function, the mind must ignore and suppress information. If your task is to move across a room, trying to identify and learn the history and "truth" of everything and everyone in the room would lead to you dying of old age before you reach the other side. People can focus both consciously and unconsciously, which means they can pay attention to some information and ignore other information. Humans never get or are able to get the full picture, even of what is physically visible right in front of their eyes. In addition to ignoring information, people have to use arbitrary rules, false beliefs, made-up mental environments, and even lies to achieve their goals. For an arbitrary or artificial rule or false idea to aid performance, the person must have faith in it. There are regular cases where positive achievement is achieved from a false belief. These are included in your daily life. Believing something is false, if only temporarily, is a technique we all use to remove distracting thoughts.

People don't see a direct image of the world around them. Instead, their senses and brains translate what they see. Human eyes and brains do a good but far from perfect job of detecting and processing light. When you look at a bowl of apples, the image you see is not a direct representation of the objects, but a distorted translation created by your eyes and mind. To humans, the reliability of the human mind cannot be known. A human uses its mind to judge the reliability of its mind. If your goal is to judge the accuracy of your mind, that means you do not know the accuracy of the tool used for judging (your mind).

People don't see a direct image of the world around them. Instead, their senses and brains translate what they see. Human eyes and brains do a good but far from perfect job of detecting and processing light. When you look at a bowl of apples, the image you see is not a direct representation of the objects, but a distorted translation created by your eyes and mind. Human thoughts are influenced by hard-wired survival instincts. While these instincts are important for function, they make human thought biased and myopic. Many basic beliefs, like what is good and bad, are based on biological and emotional tendencies. These include moral norms, perceptions of category and physical structure, the truth-significance of emotional or aesthetic experiences, and what is right and wrong. People often mistake feelings for objective, universal truths.

The human brain has evolved to use two simultaneous and competing ways of thinking. Think of them as offering two viewpoints and working as checks and balances against each other. Each is a particular, subjective, and limited view. However, working together, the combination allows humans to function in the world. All people have these two ways of thinking, and you can see them in yourself: the emotional and the objective, the creative and the logical, the head and the heart. Deep thinkers come to a point where they realize they cannot answer important questions because these two ways of thinking give them different and mutually exclusive answers. That right there shows the knowledge-limits of humans. The brain can give conflicting and mutually exclusive responses.

These different ways of thinking are happening at the neurological levels of your brain. The brain processes sensory information in different ways and uses different parts of the brain. Parts of the brain process and interpret information from the senses in an emotional, whole-brain way. This is a big part of how we feel, what we think, and how we see things. Other parts of the brain order, sort, label, and "intellectually" process information in their own ways and at the same time. Raw sensory information has to be given some structure, categories, and definitions to try to understand what to do with it. To do this, the brain unconsciously creates an artificial and imagined structure for the information. The standard human perceptions of physical geography, categories, identities, and time are artificial constructs made by human minds and something that is needed to function. Symbolic language is an example of an artificial cognitive construct. Symbolic language is practically useful, but a convoluted and limited translation of the things it tries to represent. Words can't fully describe a lot of things, including what people try to say with symbolic language. People tend to use both ways of thinking at the same time so that they can work and stay alive as a species. These emotions give gut reactions and intuitive opinions about things. Such feelings as love, anger, fear, a sense of beauty and awe are important drives and interpretations. At the same time, the intellectual way of thinking sorts the information into groups and analyzes it cognitively.

Understanding the workings of the brain makes it clear that while you might not necessarily become the Michelangelo or the René Descartes of your generation, the pursuit of polymathism will definitely turn your life around and take you to new heights in every facet of life. The goal of trying to become polymathic is to become a person who is flexible, well-rounded, and skilled in many different areas. All it takes is development, learning, and mastery.

What should you do to become a polymath? To become a polymath, you need to keep in mind that your goal is to become a generalist, or someone who is very flexible because they can learn a lot and find connections between things that don't seem to be related. You must be an expert in many fields. It is the specific combination of these multiple fields that gives you an edge when it comes to solving complex problems or thinking outside the box.

Let us think of a T-shape. The vertical part of the shape represents the depth of knowledge in a specific field, while the horizontal part represents the breadth of knowledge across domains. The skill profile of specialists is "I" shaped because they have only one deep skill with absolutely no general knowledge. People with T-shaped skill profiles are generalists to a shallow level, with just one depth of understanding in one field. Polymaths are able to combine skills from many different fields in a smooth way, which allows them to make breakthroughs that no one else can. The principal goal for a polymath isn't to have a T-shaped knowledge profile. Instead, the aim is to develop a profile that is pi-shaped, with two areas of depth knowledge, or comb-shaped, with many knowledge depths branching off a general knowledge base. Many polymaths even go so far as to develop skills in the shape of a star by pursuing interests that go in all directions. They keep expanding their skillset to cover the full span of human endeavor.

So, instead of focusing their whole lives on one career, polymaths try out many different fields. This is what Ravana did. It is said that Ravana mastered all 64 forms of art. What is that art?

There is a quote in Bhagatava Purana, where it says:

?????????????????????? ??????? ?????? ???? ? ?????????????????? ???????????????? ? (Within a period of sixty-four days and nights, those brothers, with controlled minds, mastered as many (i.e. sixty-four) arts and crafts (kala), and persuaded their preceptor to accept whatever he liked as his fee of teaching).

Bhavaratha Dipika quotes a work by Saiva Tantra enumerating the traditional sixty-four kalas. These are as follows:

1. Gīta (singing) 2. Vadya (instrumental music) 3. Nrtya (dancing) 4. Natya (histrionics) 5. Alekhya (painting, and drawing) 6. Visesakacchedya (painting various designs on the body) 7. Tandula-kusuma-bali-vikara (preparations of various designs with rice, flowers, etc. in worship) 8. Puspastarana (preparing a bed of flowers) 9. Dasana-vasana-angaraga (painting the teeth, limbs of the body and articles of dress with various figures). 10. Mani-bhumika-karma (paving of the floor with precious stones). 11. Sayana-racana (preparation of bed). 12. Udaka-vadya (Jala-taranga: a musical instrument with water pots), Udaka-ghata (steadying water enabling one to walk over it), 13. Citra-yoga (demonstration of miracles). 14. Malya-grathana-vikalpa (preparation of wreaths and chaplets of flowers). 15. Sekharapida-yojana (preparation of ornaments of flowers for the ears etc.) 16. Nepathya-yoga (method of beautifying the body with clothes, etc.). 17 Karna-patra-bhanga (drawing ornamental figures on the ears). 18. Sugandha-yukti (making of cosmetics and perfumes) 19. Bhusana-yojana (making ornaments of different kinds). 20. Aindra- jala (Jugglery). 21. Kaucumara-yoga (assuming various disguises). 22. Hasta-laghava (sleight of hand) 23. Citra-sakapupa-bhaksya-vikara-kriya (preparation of various sweet dishes). 24. Panakarasaragasava-yojana (preparation of drinks of various tastes and colours). 25. Sucivaya-karma (needle work and embroidery).26. Sutra-krida (Puppet-show by string-pulling), 27. Vina- damaruka-vadya (making musical instruments), 28. Prahelika (solving conundrums—like cross-word puzzles); 29. Pratimala (making replicas of things—) 30. durvacaka-yoga (uttering tongue-twisters), 31. Pustaka-vacana (fast reading of books), 32. Natakakhyayika- darsana (Dramaturgy and writing plays or dramas), 33. Kanya-samasya- purana (completion of a verse from a part—generally containing an apparently illogical statement) to make a cogent statement out of it) 34. Pattika-vetra-bana-vikalpa (Preparation of ligatures, canework, arrows), 35. tarka-karma (spindle work), 36. taksana (carpentry), 37-Vastuvidya (architecture), 38. rupya-ratna-pariksa (evaluation and testing of valuable metals (silver, gold), precious stones), 39. dhatuvada (Alchemy), 40. mani-raga-jnana (developing colours in precious stones), 41. akara-jnana (mining and mineralogy), 42. Vrksayurveda (botany), 43. mesa-kukuta-lavaka-yuddha-vidhi (arranging ram-fights, cock-fights), 44. Suka-sarika-pralapana (teaching parrots, etc. to imitate human speech), 45. utsadana (Driving out an enemy—by a mantra), 46. Kesamarjana-Kausala (hair-dressing and cleaning), 47. aksara-mustika-kathana (reading closed letters and divining what is hidden in fists), 48. mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa (reading books in foreign or barbaric- scripts), 49. desa-bhasajnana (knowledge of languages of the country, i.e., Indian languages), 50. Pusta-sakatika-nirmiti-jnana (knowledge of making a cart blossom), 51. yantra-matrka-dharana-matrka (magical formulae—with figures inscribed with letters and amulets to wear), 52. sampatya (breaking hard substances like diamonds into different shapes), 53. manasi-kavya- kriya (mind-reading in verse form), 44. abhidhana-kosa (Lexicography), 55. chandojnana (knowledge of prosody), 56. Kriyavikalpa (multiplying the number of objects by various devices), 57. chalitaka-yoga (playing tricks), 58. Vastra-gopana (showing one’s clothes as more superfine), 59. dyuta visesa (expertise in gambling), 60. akarsa-kiida (attracting remote objects = telekinesis). 61. Balakridanaka (playing children’s games), 62. Vainayiki (jugglery and practice kriya dharmas), 63. Vaijayiki (foreknowledge of victory in debate), 64. Vaitalikriya (control of goblins and evil spirits).

So, instead of focusing their whole lives on one career, polymaths try out many different fields. This widens their fields of perception and boosts their creativity. Wherever they are, polymaths use a creative mix of their skills and knowledge to find new and possibly profitable ways to do things. In our society today, we are too quick to label ourselves and stick to a certain identity. For example, you can choose which personality type, social class, political party, or religious group you want to identify with. The problem with all these labels is that they put limits on us and restrict us to particular ways of life. Because we think we belong to a specific group, we fashion everything we do in line with the identity of that group. We vote, speak, shop, and work like the people that look like us. All our choices and opinions are often based on preconceived ideas about our identity.

Ravana's identity was also overshadowed by preconceived ideas about him. He was a demon (Asura), and thus there was only one label fit for him; "EVIL". But he refused to label himself or stick to a certain identity. Legends say he had ten heads, hence he was called Dasamukha, Dashanana, and Dashgriva. What we forget here is that in order to dominate the world, we all need these ten elements.

These 10 elements are as follows:

1. Mind (Manas)
2. Intellect (Buddhi)
3. Lust (Kama)
4. Anger (Krodha)
5. Consciousness (Chitta)
6. Ego (Ahamkara)
7. Greed (Lobha)
8. Moha (Worldly Attachments)
9. Arrogance (Madha)
10. Envy (Matsarya)

Mastering all 64 arts, Ravana gave the world his own creations. Let us look at them below:

1. Rudraveena
2. Ravana Samhita
3. Arka Prakasha (Science of curing wounds)
4. Nadi Pariksha (Book on Pulse Examination)
5. Nadi Vijana (Science of Pulse)
6. Kumara Tantraya (Treatment of Infant Diseases)
7. Ravanahatha (musical instrument)
8. Shiva Tandav Strotam (Hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva)
9. The elimination of casteism and animal sacrifices
10. Widow Remarriage
11. Introduced one leader, one decision culture for faster decision making and better results
12. Piloted first flying machine, called Pushpaka Vimana

He was a great warrior, maestro, technologist, philosopher, and king. He was a polymath. Unlike Prince Rama, he was not born rich and famous. He was born poor. He was a self-made king.

Because we think we belong to a specific group, we fashion everything we do in line with the identity of that group. We vote, speak, shop, and work as if we looked like us. All our choices and opinions are often based on preconceived ideas about our identity. One of the mental traits that set polymaths apart is their adaptability. They are flexible and open to new ideas. Polymaths rarely define themselves as one thing or another. They don't reject an idea or refuse to pursue a greater opportunity simply because it's not for people like them. And by not giving in to any form of limitation, polymaths give themselves greater access to new realms.

To become a polymath, you must be resourceful and flexible in your thinking. Stay open to possibility and potential as long as possible, and don't cling to old ideas.

Polymathy is all about openness, versatility, and flexibility, as demonstrated by Ravana. When great intellectuals want to achieve a goal, they put their pride, preconceptions, and assumptions to the side. Polymaths don't put arbitrary limits on themselves. They believe that they can become proficient and excel in any field. Generally, people have preconceptions about what they believe they can or cannot achieve. They believe they can or cannot achieve certain goals. They think that they have all it takes to accomplish some goals, but that there are certain goals and dreams beyond their reach. Unfortunately, these ideas tend to become self-fulfilling prophecies that hold people back from living their lives to the fullest. This is why it is very important to believe in yourself. You have to be completely sure that you can do well at whatever you do. Polymaths believe that there is no obstacle too great to surmount. To them, nothing great in life is out of their reach. In fact, polymaths are more likely to go after a goal that seems impossible to reach.

One of the unique attributes of polymaths is that they embody a beginner's mindset. Even though they might seem like multifaceted experts, they never stop considering themselves beginners. They try as much as possible to maintain an open mind and experiment with new things.

The problem with those who consider themselves experts is that they feel like they've learned it all. So-called experts believe they know everything there is to know about a particular situation. So, when they are offered a second opinion or when anyone suggests that they could still learn more, they are filled with an intense feeling of indignation. This often causes them to miss what is right in front of them and make mistakes that could have been easily avoided.

So, every time you find yourself in a new or familiar situation, try to see it through the eyes of a complete beginner. Set aside your assumptions about the experience and treat it with curiosity and a sense of wonder. Feel free to ask "dumb" questions. By asking questions, you can make sure that everything is clear and that nothing is left to chance or your own ideas. In essence, polymaths reprogram their minds frequently and act as if they truly know nothing about their fields. By doing this, they are able to ask a lot of questions that come from curiosity, which helps them learn more.

There is a phenomenon called the Einstellung effect. The Einstellung effect is a psychological phenomenon that changes the way we all come up with solutions and impedes innovation. The Einstellung effect happens when someone's prior knowledge makes it harder for them to find the best solution. We become unable to consider other solutions when we think we already have one, even though it may not be accurate or optimal. It leaves us cognitively incapable of differentiating between previous experience and the current problem. So we may solve a problem, but we don’t actually innovate. Einstellung is a German word that translates into "setting, mindset, or attitude." The brain attempts to work efficiently by referring to past solutions without giving the current problem much thought. It’s stuck in a mindset. Instead of judging each problem on its own merits, we use methods that have worked in the past. This effect is present across disciplines and skill levels. Whether or not we know it, we all experience it. Simply put, the more you try to become an expert in one field, the harder it is to see other methods, approaches, and points of view.

Peter Hollins says that people who are good at many things tend to be very persistent and never give up. They overcome obstacles and discomfort at all costs. Thus, to become a polymath, you need to step out of your comfort zone and engage with things you don't like or find slightly annoying and uncomfortable. Just like almost anything that results in significant growth in life, polymathy takes hard work. There are no quick tricks, shortcuts, or life hacks to becoming a true polymath. We all want to grow and achieve great things in life, but find it hard to accept that the state of growth is uncomfortable.

That was probably one reason why a living genius like Ravana met a tragic death. Indian mythologist Devdutt Pattnaik blames Prince Ram. He presents it this way:

"We can read it as endorsing the knowledge of Ravana, the rakshasa-king, who was well-versed in the Vedas. Even Ram respects it. Or, we can read it to show the relationship between teacher and student. A bad student is one who does not respect the teacher. A good example of this is Lakshmana, who is standing near Ravana's head. A good student shows respect for his or her teacher, which Ram does by sitting at Ravana's feet. It can also be read as a story that contrasts the behaviour of God (Rama) and a common man (Lakshman), or a story that tells us how Ravana is so arrogant that even while dying he demands respect before sharing his knowledge. It can show Rama is manipulative and wants to get hold of Ravana’s intellectual assets, besides his material assets, and does so using humility as a technique."

All the importance of Ravana's intellectual assets was because he was a polymath, but his growth was uncomfortable to several people, including Rama.

In reality, if we want to grow and become better versions of ourselves, we have to give up our old, easy habits, be open to uncertainty, and stop looking for instant gratification. Also, people who don't have self-discipline and only live for the pleasures of the moment rarely do anything great in their lives. The key to living a productive life is to develop the self-discipline to work on things you don't enjoy or find comfortable. Pain, discomfort, and uncertainty are all normal parts of life. If you can learn to deal with them well, you will be able to thrive and achieve great things over time.

The concept of skill stacking is all about becoming proficient in multiple areas that work well together. Hence, instead of striving towards extreme proficiency, trying to put yourself in the top 1% of a certain field, all you have to do is aim to be in the top 5-15% in four or five disciplines. When you combine your own skills with your experience in more than one field, you will become completely unique. You will be able to use your many skills in ways that make you irresistible to employers and hard to replace in your social and personal life. So, if you master four different sets of skills in fields that are related to each other, your value will skyrocket much more than if you are an expert in just one field.

As great as skill stacking is, you must be careful not to gain experience in areas that have little to nothing in common. You want to make sure that all the skills you gain complement each other towards a certain end goal. For example, if your desired end goal is to own a successful restaurant, then trying to add public speaking, tap dancing, and painting experience to your cooking skills is a bad idea. Instead, you want to work towards becoming a competent chef, a great communicator, and a smart business person. You can even add in some marketing and managerial skills too.

We live in a world where specialization is highly encouraged. Our society likes to see someone stick to a career path and work their way to the top. Whenever we see people dabbling in more than one interest, expressions like "jack of all trades, master of none" start to get around.

What many people don't know is that practice expertise often leads to a dismissed problem-solving acumen. Of course, it's a good thing to learn a lot about a certain subject. However, the price you pay is usually very high. When you start to feel like you know everything there is to know about something, your thought process becomes monotonous and rigid. The only way to break this rigidity is by changing perspective: instead of doubling down on one career path while trying to become an expert, we need to broaden our horizons. We must strive to take in as much information in as many fields as possible.

To become a true polymath, you can try the following steps:

1. To develop your skill profile and ultimately become a polymath, look for ways to put yourself in the top 25% of at least four different interrelated fields.
2. If for example, you are a writer, try to achieve mastery in networking, web design, and social media marketing, so that you can create your unique personal brand.

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