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Ravana

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Ravana is the ten-headed demon king of Lanka in the Ramayana, whose abduction of Sita triggers a cosmic battle between dharma and adharma.

Detailed Definition
Ravana, a learned but arrogant ruler, was ultimately defeated by Rama. He symbolizes the corruption of knowledge by ego and desire. Poets reference him to explore the duality of intellect and morality, the consequences of lust, and the necessity of divine justice.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ravana appears in mythological poetry: "Ten heads chant Vedas— / Ravana’s knowledge vast, / but his heart craves Sita"; In tragic verse, he symbolizes corrupted power: "King of Lanka, lord of gold— / Ravana’s pride built his prison, / and his downfall"; Poets reference him in meditations on desire: "He could have ruled the world— / but Ravana wanted one woman, / and lost everything"; He embodies the danger of ego: "Boons made him near-immortal— / Ravana forgot only gods / can defy fate"; In modern poetry, he represents intellectual arrogance: "His library held all wisdom— / yet Ravana couldn’t read / the lesson of humility"; Contemporary poets reclaim his nuance: "Not just demon— / Ravana was scholar, musician, / undone by one blind spot"
Additional Notes
Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Lanka in the Ramayana, is a learned scholar and devotee of Shiva who abducts Sita, leading to his downfall. In poetry, he symbolizes the corruption of knowledge by ego, the dangers of unchecked desire, and the tragic potential of the antagonist. When using Ravana, avoid one-dimensional villainy; his complexity—great power undermined by lust—offers rich psychological depth. Related concepts include boons (divine gifts that enable his near-invincibility), kama (desire), and the Ravana Gita (his philosophical teachings); modern interpretations sometimes reclaim him as a Dravidian hero resisting Aryan hegemony.
Also Known As
The Ten-Headed Demon King Lord of Lanka Abductor of Sita
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