10 Reasons Why The Ten Headed Raavan Was An Absolute Genius

We learn our first lessons of right and wrong from epics and it forms the base of our character for the rest of our lives. However, as we grow up, the complexities of the epics we grew up reading and listening to attract our attention.

As grown ups, we realize that it’s hard to departmentalize the aspects of life into boxes of white and black. We look at the epics in a new light and this time, with a little less judgement. One such character of the Indian epic, Ramayana, was that of Raavan, a person whose finer sides had always been less known.

1. A scholar of Vedas and Sanskrit

Not only did he have in-depth prowess in Sanskrit, the demon king of Lanka had also authored Sanskrit classics such as Shivathandava Sthotra, Yuddisha Tantra and Prakrutha Kamadenu. He was well versed with the four Vedas, and was particularly a patron of the Sama Veda. He was also known to have mastered the art of pada patha technique, a distinctive style of saying the the Vedic chants.

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2. His contributions in the field of medicine

In his book called the Arka Prakasha, an Ayurvedic treatise, Raavan had elaborated on the various therapeutic values of essential oils. The book also contains an account of the standard operating procedures of extracting distillates from aromatic plants for internal use. He had the skills of preparing vitaminized rice balls which he had given Sita for refreshment while he carried her on his chariot. Sita scattered the rice all over to make a trail for her rescuers to follow but that’s a different story.

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3. Raavan, the poet of style and class

The poetic aesthetics of Raavan can be seen in the Shiva Strotram. He had exhibited his skills of alliteration and onomatopoeia, the art of forming words to describe sounds, in the Shiva Strotram which is one of the landmarks of Hindu devotional poetry. It was a passionate piece of poetry with the final lines having words like “when will I happy?” which impressed Lord Shiva himself.

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4. Raavan, the musician and a very passionate one at that

We like to show the blisters on our fingers after playing the guitar for too long and people like Brian Adams even play it till their fingers bleed. However, all that is cute when it comes to Raavan’s passion for music for once, he had plucked out his nerves to use as the strings of the Rudra Veena, an instrument he was really good at. He had invented the ancestor of bow violin called the Raavanhatha which is played widely in Rajasthan even today.

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5. His contribution in the field of gynecology and pediatrics

The Kumara Tantra is a complete health guide to pregnancy and child medicine of the ancient times. It has an elaborate description of causes, symptoms and treatments of over 100 diseases pertaining to motherhood and pediatrics. The book was wriitten by Raavan upon the request of his pregnant wife Mandodari.

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6. The time when Raavan actually helped Ram

Ram was supposed to perform a Yagna before he could build a bridge from the shores of India to Lanka. The Yagna required a highly qualified Brahmin priest and it also required Ram’s wife to be next to him during the time of the Yagna. There was only one person who met the requirements and upon the respectful request of the Vanars (monkeys), Raavan came to the site with Sita and performed the Yagna. When Ram asked for his blessings for his victory against Raavan himself, he replied, “Vijaya Bhava”(May you succeed in battle).

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7. When Ram Sent Laxman to learn statecraft from Ravan

Raavan was an incredibly able ruler and his subjects admired him for his just rule. It is said the after the final fatal attack by Ram, Raavan lay on the ground, minutes before his death. It was then that Ram asked Laxman to go to Raavan and request him to share some of his valuable knowledge of statecraft. Laxman did as asked and Raavan, in his last breaths, made Laxman sit at his feet, as a student would in front of teacher, and imparted some of the greatest knowledge of statecraft that he had acquired in his lifetime.

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8. Thailand’s Ramakien says Sita was Ravan’s daughter

It’s interesting to know that the Thai version of Ramayana, known as the Ramakien, accounts Sita as the daughter of the Lankan ruler, Raavan. It is said that Sita was born to Raavan and his wife Mandodari but after a prophecy that said the daughter would be the cause of Raavan’s death, the Lankan King threw her away in the water and she was finally rescued by Janak. It does make an elfin bit of sense when we wonder why Raavan never tried to sexually exploit Sita when she was in his captivity.

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9. Raavan was believed to have the power of interfering with planetary alignments

It is said that Raavan had instructed all the planets to remain in the right position to create the most auspicious time for the birth of his son, Meghnad, which in turn would result in the immortality of Meghnad. However, it was Shani (Saturn) who changed his position at the last moment which infuriated Raavan so much that he struck him with mace, maiming him forever.

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10. He did did not have ten heads – they were reflections

We all imagine Raavan in his monstrous, ten headed avatar. However, Raavan had only one head just like you and I. When he was a young boy, his mother gave him a necklace with nine pearls, designed in such a way that they created nine life-like reflections of his head. Thus, Raavan appeared as the formidable ten headed demon.

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However, it would be justified if Ravaan did need nine more heads just to carry all that intellect and knowledge.

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