In Shiva temples of South India, the carvings of many headed and multi-handed Ravana trying to lift Mount Kailash is conspicuous.
Ravana was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.
Was it from eternity?
No.
There was an incidence that converted Ravana. This carving is about that incident. This form is among Lord Shiva’s many forms conferring grace, as mentioned in agamas, and is known as Ravananugraha-Murti or Ravana-Darpa-Vinasha Murti.
Let us start with the genealogy of Ravana and the origin of his whole clan.
Ravananugraha Episode
Genealogy of Ravana
Sage Pulastya was son of Lord Brahma. He married Manini, daughter of Sage Trinabindu. The couple was blessed with a son Vishrava.
Vishrava married Mandakini aka as Ilavida, daughter of sage Bharadvaja and sister of Sage Garga. The couple was blessed with a son Vaisravana or Kubera.
Kubera worshipped Lord Brahma. His devotion pleased Lord Brahma. and He granted him twin boons. He made Kubera ruler of one of the eight directions and gifted him Pushpaka Vimana – a mindborne aircraft (meaning an aircraft that was controlled through mind).
Lanka was ruled by three demon brothers – Mali, Sumali and Malyavan at that time. Lord Vishnu waged war against them and killed Mali who was the ruler of Lanka. Sumali and Malyavan ran away and hid themselves in Patal-loka. Kubera started to rule over Lanka after demon brothers abandoned it.
After sometime Sumali returned. He wanted to rule Lanka again. However, he realized that Kubera was too powerful and resourceful and it would be difficult to defeat him.
He had a beautiful daughter – Kaikesi. She was not only beautiful, but was also intelligent, hardworking, powerful and highly ambitious. Sumali advised his daughter to seduce and attract sage Vishrava. She was successful in her endeavor and from the wedlock born three sons and a daughter – Dashagriva, Kumbhakarna, Vibhishana, and Surpanakha.
In the beginning Dashagriva had cordial relationship with his step brother Kubera. He was in awe of his step brother and his amazing Pushpaka Vimana.
Relationship between Ravana and Kubera
One day Kaikesi strongly rebuked and mocked her three sons, “While Kubera is making his mother proud by his conduct, you have done nothing about which I can be proud of”.
It hurt the ego of three brothers. They went to forest and performed austere penance. Their tapasya pleased Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma blessed Dashagriva that he would be invincible to all except human beings. Dashagriva anyway did not consider humans as real threat to him, so he was not much bothered. He also received weapons and an ability to shapeshift as a boon.
The boons given to three brothers made them super-powerful. Soon Dashagriva usurped power from Kubera and became Lankadhipati – the king of Lanka.
तीनो ने तप अखंड किया
ब्रह्मदेव को प्रसन्न किया
प्रकट हुए विरंचि बोले रावण
माँगो जो चाह रहा है मन |अमरत्व माँगता है रावण
और तत्व त्यागता है रावण
ब्रह्मा बोले अमरत्व नही
जहाँ जीवन है तो मृत्यु वँही|किन्नर गन्धर्व दानव और देव
इनसे मुझे करें अजेय
ब्रह्मा बोले ऐसा ही हो
जैसा चाहा वैसा ही हो|
From Raghunayak by Ashish Joshi
Kubera settling in Alkapuri
In the battle with his step-brother, Kubera managed to flee Lanka on Pushpaka Vimana. He tried to take refuge at several places. However, out of Dashagriva’s fear no one was ready to give him shelter. Kubera sought his grand-father Pulastya’s advice.
Grandfather suggested him to take Lord Shiva’s blessings and guidance. Kubera went to see Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva suggested him to settle down in Alkapuri near Mount Kailash. Soon the city turned into the wealthiest city on earth.
Ravana snatching Pushpaka Vimana from Kubera
When Dashagriva learnt about Kubera residing in Alkapuri, he attacked the city. His main goal was to snatch and own the Pushpaka Vimana. There was a great war between Yakshas (Kubera’s army) and Rakshasa’s (Dashagriva’s army). Kubera’s army was no match to that of Dashagriva’s. Dashagriva not only defeated Kubera but was also able to snatch Pushpaka Vimana from him.
Pushapaka Vimana’s sudden halt mid-Air
Dashagriva with an inflated ego was returning back to Lanka on Pushpaka Vimana. When Ravana tried to cross Mount Kailash, it stopped mid-air. Dashagriva realized that some invisible power was not allowing Pushapaka Vimana to move further. He was agitated. And wondered, who dared to stop his Vimana.
Curse to Ravana
Suddenly Dashagriva saw a monkey-faced Shiva-Gana (Nandikesvara). He enquired, “Hey you, can you tell me why my plane is not able to cross this mountain”. Shiva-Gana replied, “This is Lord Shiva’s abode. You cannot fly above this region without His permissions”.
His recent victories made Dashagriva an egoist. He looked down upon Shiva-Gana and replied contemptuously, “Only a monkey-faced and monkey brained person like you can think like this. You don’t know with whom you are talking. I am Dashagriva, the most powerful of all on earth. No one can stop me, and you, leave this place or else I would kick you away.
Shiva-gana was incensed at the insult. He cursed Dashagriva, “You are making fun of me because of my face. I curse you, one day you and your kingdom would be destroyed by monkeys like me, similar in strength and appearance. Even before Dashagriva can do or say something Shiva-Gana disappeared.
Ravana lifting Mount Kailash
Dashagriva was determined to prove Shiva-Gana wrong and punish him and his master. He decided to uproot Mount Kailash and throw it away from his way. He put his powerful arms around the Mount and started to lift it up.
In the beginning he was successful. The sudden movement of the Mount terrorized everyone. The animals on the Mount ran helter-skelter. Devi Parvati was serving something to Lord Shiva. Even she panicked from the sudden tilting of the mountain and embraced well-built muscular Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva enjoyed the soft embrace of panicked Parvati.
Dashagriva getting the name Ravana
Lord Shiva was well aware of the person behind all these misadventures. He took Devi Parvati in his protective embrace, assuring His frightened spouse that everything is in control. He then pressed his toe down to fix the mountain and to teach Dashagriva a lesson.
The pressure of Lord Shiva’s toe increased tremendously the weight of Mount Kailash. Dashagriva was no longer able to hold it any further. He made a huge cry. His loud cry shook three universe – Heaven, Earth and Patal-loka.
Ravana and Ravanahatha
Sages and his ministers advised Dashagriva to save himself by seeking clemency from Lord Shiva.
Dashagriva composed himself from this immense pain and started praying and propitiating Lord Shiva.
He cut-off one of his head, one arm and built a musical instrument using his tendons, veins and intestines for the string, and began singing the Shiva Tandava Strotam in praise of Nataraja (Lord Shiva). This musical instrument was nothing but Ravanahatha.
Dashagriva was also the greatest player of Rudra-Veena.
धीरे धीरे जब शक्ति बढ़ी
मन में लंकेश के युक्ति चढ़ी
लगा कैलाश उठाने हाथों से
शिव देख रहे सब आँखो सेअपने पग की शक्ति लगाते हैं
लंकेश का कष्ट बढ़ाते हैं
उसके नैनो से अश्रु बहे
फिर भी शिव का आरध्य कहेस्तुति प्रभु की वो गाता है
शिव तांडव उन्हे सुनाता है
होकर प्रसन्न शिव आते हैं
लंकापति को गले लगाते हैंकिया तुमने है लंकेश रुदन
From Raghunayak by Ashish Joshi
अब नाम तुम्हारा हो रावण
यह चंद्रहास तुम ग्रहण करो
जाओ सुत धर्म का वरण करो
Ravananugraha – Grace of Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva kept Dashagriva crushed under mountain for thousand years. Finally his prayers and songs of praise softened Lord Shiva. He understood that Dashagriva genuinely realized his mistake.
Lord Shiva appeared in front of him and named him Ravana – meaning one with terrifying cry – because of his loud shriek that shook three worlds. He blessed him and granted him Chandrahaas – an invincible sword and a powerful Atmalinga to worship.
Iconography of Ravananugraha Murti
There are no prescribed formats of carving this murti in Agamas or Shilpa-Shastras.
In most of Ravananugraha Murtis, Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati are carved seated on Mount Kailash in upper portion of the sculpture. Ravana is carved in the lower register trying to lift Mount Kailash.
Mount Kailash is carved as a simple pile of rhomboidal pieces depicting rocks, or sometimes as a simple platform and sometimes as an elaborate multi-tiered structure.
Several Gods, Goddesses, sages and animals are carved terrified by the shaking of Mount Kailash.
Even Devi Parvati appear perturbed, unaware and frightened with the sudden event. She is carved leaning towards and embracing well-proportioned and well-built Lord Shiva. In all these carvings, Lord Shiva is carved in upright, unruffled calm posture enjoying the soft embrace of Devi Parvati. He is carved pressing his toe to fix the mountain.
Ravana is carved kneeling down trying to uproot mountain with all his strength. He is shown as a mighty person depicted by the twists of his body and heads and his posture suggestive of his strong muscular energy. At the same time the impact of Lord Shiva’s pressing of toe is visible in the agony and pain on Ravana’s face. He looks crushed with his tired limbs and flabby body.
Ravananugraha Episode in Literature
Uttarakanda of Ramayana records this incidence.
It is believed by Shaivites, that Appar, a seventh century Tamil Shaiva poet-saint, in his previous birth advised Ravana to sing the hymn of Lord Shiva and saved him. Appar also mentions Ravana in all his hymns.
Campantar also another seventh century poet-saint sings the story of Ravana in the eighth verse of his hymn uniformly – except for a few cases. Read below the excerpt of his poem
The thief who stole my heart, destroyed the power
of the king of noble Lanka
Whose heroics shoulder had caused the trembling of shining Mount Kailash.
He is indeed the God who dwells in
Piramapuram of shining fame
Always appearing in the world in all cycles of
cosmic destruction when sorrow reigns.
– Campantar
Ravananugraha Episode was definitely very popular in the age of Tevaram.
This episode definitely was known and popular in Tamil region from the days of Kalittokai. In the book, Kapilar, Tamil Poet of Sangam period, compares an elephant striking its tusk against a Venkai tree from which it cannot be taken out, to Ravana placing his hand under Mount Kailash.
Significance of Ravananugraha Episode
This Episode emphasize Lord Shiva’s effortless power and forgiving grace.
It may be a result of sectorial one-upmanship among Shaivites and Vaishnavites. If the Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Rama was the conqueror of Ravana, shouldn’t Shaivites have the story of Lord Shiva effortlessly vanquishing him. In-fact according to this story the defeat of Ravana was due to Shiva-Gana’s curse.
In today’s corporate world its a reminder that how so powerful you might be, you may get an even more powerful person.
Significance of the ten Heads of Ravana/Dashagriva
Dashagriva got his name as he had ten heads. There are several theories behind the ten heads of Dashagriva/Ravana.
Ravana used to wear a necklace from childhood. Though he had only one head, the ten gems of that necklace used to reflect his face and gave an impression of ten heads.
Ravana was a great scholar and the most knowledgeable and intelligent person of his time. His head symbolized six shastras and four Vedas –
- Sankhyashastra (Mathematics),
- Yog Shastra (Yoga and Meditation),
- Nyayashastra (Law and Administration),
- Vaisheshik Shastra (Physics, Astronomy, Mechanics),
- Purvamimansa (Philosophy, Justification),
- Uttar Mimansa Shastra,
- Rigveda,
- Yajurveda,
- Samveda,
- Atharvaveda.
Incidentally, Ravana was a master of 64 art forms (चौंसठ कला) and all arts of weaponry.
On negative aspect of it, his ten heads symbolized
- Kama (lust)
- Krodha (anger)
- Moha (delusion)
- Lobha (greed)
- Mada (pride)
- Maatsarya (envy)
- Buddhi (intellect)
- Manas (mind)
- Chitta (will)
- Ahamkara (ego)
Mahabali once suggested Ravana to trust or follow only intellect and thus one head, but Ravana, a great scholar, replied to him that a perfect balance of all these characters makes a great personality.
His intelligence was equivalent to ten persons and hence the name Dasagriva – Ten-headed (दशानन).
Another theory is that he was called Dasagriva or दशानन as his orders were followed in ten directions.
Ravana is depicted as having one donkey head as well. This depiction is to mock his stupidity and how his donkey head prevailed over all other rational heads – विनाश काले विपरीत बुद्धि|
References
The religion and Philiosophy of Tevaram by M. A. Dorai Rangaswamy
Rao, T.A. Gopinatha (1916). Elements of Hindu Iconography. Vol. 2: Part I
Raghunayak by Ashish Joshi
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