RAVANA a Hero or Villain ?

Ravana was a cross breeds and had both characteristics. He was a master scholar in medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology. He has written many books like “Arka Shastra”. In Arka Shastra he has compiled every herb its usage and dosage revealing cures to some complex diseases. In one book he wrote “Eating beef cause to infect ninety eight new diseases to human beings”. The book “Kumara Tantraya” (Gynecology and Pediatric Medicine) which reveals the treatments for infant diseases was written by him accepting the request of his pregnant queen Mandodari. He has similarly written many books on astrology and also created new Raagas in Music, esp. in Sama Veda, our 4th Veda. He was such an eloquent master that he controlled Navagrahas (the nine “grahas” aspects of human Astro system). I can go on and on his scholarly pursuits. Meanwhile the Ravana having 10 heads is nonsense; he was a master in tantra and had created an optical illusion of sought while fighting his enemies. In fact in the famous Book “Ravana Samhita” an excellent compilation of his scholarly works is give,

He is said to be one of the greatest physicians who ever existed, and even authored the book Arka Prakashaya. The Bisajjya Grantha and Nadi Shasthra mentions that King Ravana and his grandfather Pulasthi Muni had graced the world-famous medical conferences held in those ancient days in Janasthan Pura near Pakistan. In Sri Lankan folk tales, it is said that king Ravana treated both Rama and Lakshmana with his own hand when they were badly injured on the battlefield.

The only King of Sri Lanka who managed to wipe out all the divisions among the Sri Lankan people was the Great King Ravana. Under his leadership, King Ravana managed to unite all the Sri Lankan tribes. Sri Lanka became a secular country not subject to or bound by any religious dogma, with no official religion, language or official yes men. Not only ruling Sri Lanka, he governed a vast kingdom with boundaries extending over South Asia – and was hence named Chakravarthi. In chronological records about Ravana, it is almost impossible to find a single battle fought against another community of people in order to invade their land or usurp their throne. Not a single ‘racial’ conflict is mentioned in any of those records written during his reign, though the chronicle of the Ramayana by Valmiki stereotyped him as the most evil human to have ever existed, providing an erroneous and biased interpretation of the Rama-Ravana war.

Well then if he was such a great scholar, why was he wrong? Well for this the first nonsense has to be cleared which is Rama and Ravana fought wars because of Sita, it was a political war which predated Rama. As mentioned, Ravana’s maternal side (Raksh Tribes) were driven out of their own land by Devtas tribes. Rama belived in a doctrine (quoted) ” The entire earth belongs to Raghu Vansh” Raghu was the ancestor of Rama. This sounds like the more racist quote of British Rudyard Kipling in which he called colonization or imperialism as a “white man’s burden”. Anyways, Ravana won back Lanka from Kuber (his step brother) and turned it into riches. Lanka was an object of envy

Ravana and Shiva propagated the greatest theory of modern humanism which is there is no greater force than human will power. “Atma so Paramatma” meaning soul is the ultimate or what Jesus has said ” father and son are one” was rendered by these two gentleman which ran odds with people who had commercialized, objectified and “branded” gods for self interest.

Ravana also debunked caste system as in Vedas and Upanishads (original ones, if you want to see original Vedas, go to Germany not India. what a pity) as nowhere caste has been mentioned.

Raksh tribe believed in nature worship and universal identity without any bias for caste or creed and gender. The other tribes had deep caste divides and wanted to keep that alive. Ravana was a master of 10 vidyas or 10 forms of knowledge another symbolic representation of his infamous “10 heads”. Ravana as a social reformer took this message deep down to other tribal areas albeit by force which were at odds with the social fabric.

He propagated “Raksh Neeti” which meant equality for all. The other rulers were ought to get distressed who wanted the demarcation to be preserved. Fast forwarding to famous Shurpanka’s episode, Shurpanka was appointed as the “Governor” of the region where Ram, Lakshman and Sita had entered. As the present norm states, an unauthorized entry amounted to aggression, unfortunately, which was taken up by Shurpanaka. The famous “enticement” which again has been demonized by popular folk lore and TV serials is silent on this issue. In “vayam rakshamah” it’s beautifully argued that Shurpanka was unjustly manhandled. Imagine a girl (who happens to the queen), in all fairness assuming asked for marriage is manhandled, beaten and have had her nose cut, it’s so unbecoming of a man. Our eye brows were raised recently when women were attacked at a pub, how about this now? Isn’t it inhuman, firstly you enter a territory which is not yours, and then you manhandle the chieftain? And that too when she is a women, where is the culture? Ravana avenged it with taking away Sita not just for this but as a political move, and please remember that he never ill-treated. My friends argue that he was cursed etc etc, where was the curse when he could lift her and take her on his “Vimana”? Another big interpretation was that he wanted to marry her. Nonsense, he actually had gone to the Swayamvar of Sita to ask her for his son “Indrajit” not for himself. He kept her with dignity in AshokVatika.

Now the famous battle scene and its little pre history.

Rama wanted to construct the famous “sethu” and needed a pandit to do the commencement puja or ritual. The only pandit nearby was Ravana, the best among all. Ravana came and performed Puja for his “enemy” dutifully and blessed him. If this arrogance, be it.

Rama wanted to pick an auspicious time to start the battle. Rama needed an astrologer. Everyone unanimously suggested none other than Ravana. Heeding to the suggestion, Rama went to Ravana to ask him a good time. Ravana as a great professional gave him the best muhurtha which (9 navaratris) and blessed him with “Vijaya Bhava”. I have never seen a bigger human being than this. Is this arrogance, then I am arrogant, i would love to be..

Finally Rama tired of all weaponry, picked up his Brahmastra, equivalent of nuclear weapon in modern age. This weapon technically was never supposed to be used in war as it was more of deterrence. Ravana had this weapon as well. But seeing Rama open this weapon, Ravana did not open his Brahmastra (which he had) because he knew that had he done that, entire humanity and ecology would have been finished, imagine 2 hydrogen bombs colliding. He opted out and gladly accepted death and defeat for the larger purpose.

In fact before his death, Ravana makes a request to Rama to protect the Humanity and Ecology to its fullest!

One of thing that I have observed in human sociology, a person who questions beliefs, assumptions and values and explores truth impartially is always painted black.

Ravana was just one of them.

No offense to anyone (religious beliefs)!

I have written as per my observation and research.