Râvana
The demon Râvana , king of the Râkshasa S of Lankâ - current the Sri Lanka - is the enemy of Râma in the epopee of the Râmâyana . It is sometimes named Dashânana , “ten heads” or Dashamhuka , “ten faces” because it is generally represented with ten heads and twenty arm.
Râvana is the husband of Mandodarî and the father of Indrâjit, sometimes named Meghanâda, of Trishiras to the three heads, Devântaka, Narântaka and Atikâya. He is regarded as the writer of the Kumâra-tantra .
Râvana seized the throne of his/her half-brother of Kuvera, the legitimate king of Lankâ and its flying palate, Pushpaka . Its ten heads and twenty arms are probably the symbols of the capacities which it had obtained from Shiva. Indeed, Râvana was seen granting by the god, following his prayers, an advantage: it would be henceforth with the shelter of the attacks of the deva S, the divinities, of the Asura S, their enemies, of the Râkshasa S, the demons, of the Gandharva S, the musicians celestial, of the Yakshas, the demigods servants of Shiva and other creatures celestial or magic. In its arrogance, Râvana forgot to require to be protected from the human ones.
To kill the Râvana demon, Vishnou was incarnated in Râma. Râvana captured and imprisoned Sita, the woman of Râma. Râma and its faithful commander-in-chief Hanuman led a made up army men and animals, intended to destroy Râvana and release Sita. This forwarding is told in Râmâyana.
The death of Râvana is celebrated by the festival of Dusshera (or Dushera or Dussera) during which effigies of Râvana are burned as a public.
Râvana is Thai Thotkasan in , Riep in Khmer, Hapkhanasuan or Laotian Phimmachak in , Dasamuka in Javanese.
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