Sarga 16: The Origin of Ravana’s Name

“O rama, having vanquished his brother, the supreme Lord of the Rakshasas went to the great fen where Mahasena was bom; and Dashagriva beheld that vast and golden expanse of reeds sending forth shafts of light like unto a second sun. Ascending the mountain which rose in the centre of that fen, O Rama, he observed that the Chariot Pushpaka was suddenly deprived of motion.

“Thereupon that King of the Rakshasas, surrounded by his attendants, reflected:—

‘How is this, the chariot has halted? Why is it not still moving since it was created to follow its master’s will? Wherefore does the Pushpaka Car not go wheresoever I desire? Is this not the doing of some inhabitant of the mountain’?

“Then, O Rama, the intelligent Marica said to him:—

“‘It is not without reason, O King, that the Chariot Pushpaka moves no longer. Without doubt it is only able to serve Dhanada and, since it is separated from that Lord of Wealth, it has become motionless!’

“As he spoke thus, a fearful yellow and black-hued dwarf appeared, who was extremely stout and possessed a shaven head and short arms; it was Nandi. Approaching that Indra among the Rakshasas, that servant of Bhava, Nandi, fearlessly addressed him, saying:—

“‘Begone, O Dashagriva, the Lord Shankara is disporting himself on this mountain; it is forbidden to birds, serpents, Yakshas, Devas, Gandharvas and Rakshasas to come hither!’

“Hearing Nandi’s words, Ravana, with his earrings trembling in his wrath, his eyes red with fury, leapt down from the Pushpaka Chariot and approaching the foot of the peak, demanded:—

“‘Who is this Shankara?’

“Then he beheld Nandi standing at the side of that God, supporting himself on his gleaming trident, blazing in his own effulgence, like unto a second Shankara.

“Beholding that monkey-faced One, the Rakshasa, in his contempt laughed derisively, roaring like a thunder-cloud. Highly provoked, the blessed Nandi, Shankara in another form, said to Dashagriva, who stood near:—

“‘Since you have derided me in my monkey form, O Dasha-nana, by bursting into loud laughter resembling thunder, monkeys, like unto myself in form, endowed with prodigious strength, shall be born to destroy you and your race. Armed with nails and teeth, O Barbarian, they will descend like an avalanche of rocks, and swift as thought, thirsting to fight and, proud of their strength, shall crush your great pride and your high prowess with that of thine adherents and your sons. I am well able to slay you now, O Ranger of the Night, but it is no longer necessary to put you to death since your previous acts have already overtaken you.’

“Hearing these prophetic utterances of that magnanimous God, the celestial gongs resounded and a rain of flowers fell from the sky.

Disregarding Nandi’s words, the extremely powerful Dashanana drew nearer to the mountain and said:—

“‘As it is on thine account that the course of Pushpaka, in which I was travelling, has been arrested, I shall uproot the mountain, O Cowherd! What is the nature of the power which enables Bhava to sport here continually like a king? He is not aware of what should be known to him and that the moment for him to tremble has come.’

“Speaking thus, O Rama, he seized the mountain in his arms and shook it violently so that the rocky mass vibrated. In consequence of the mountain quaking, the attendants of the God were troubled and Parvati herself, terrified, clung to the neck of Maheshwara.

“Then, O Rama, Mahadeva, the foremost of the Gods, as if in sport, pressed the mountain with his great toe and, at the same time, he crushed Ravana’s arms, that resembled pillars of granite, to the great consternation of all the counsellors of that Rakshasa. And he, in pain and fury, suddenly let forth a terrible cry, causing the Three Worlds to tremble, so that his ministers thought it to be the crash of thunder at the dissolution of the worlds!

Thereupon the Gods, with Indra at their head, stumbled on their way; the oceans became agitated, the mountains shook, and the Yakshas, Vidyadharas and Siddhas cried out:—

‘What is this? Do you pacify Mahadeva, the Blue-throated One, the Lord of Uma; apart from Him, there is no refuge in the world, O Dashanana! By hymns and prostration seek refuge with Him, propitiated and gratified, Shankara will look on you with favour.’

“Hearing the words of his ministers, Dashanana, bowing before Him, worshipped the God Whose standard bears the bull, by the recitation of hymns and innumerable sacred texts. Thus did that titan lament for a thousand years.

“Thereafter the Lord Mahadeva, propitiated, released the arms of Dashanana from under the mountain and addressed him saying:—

‘“I am gratified with your courage and endurance, O Dashanana! When you wast imprisoned under the rock, you didst emit a terrible cry, striking terror in the Three Worlds. For this reason, O King, from now on your name shall be Ravana, and Celestials, Men, Yakshas and other Beings in the universe shall call you “Ravana”—“He who causes the worlds to cry out”. O Paulastya [i.e., Mahasena—The Lord of War, Karttikeya], follow the path that pleases you without fear, you have my sanction to depart.’

“Thus spoke Shambhu to the Lord of Lanka and he, in his turn, said:—

“‘O Mahadeva, if you are satisfied, then I pray you, grant me a boon! I am not able to be slain by Gods, Gandharvas, Danavas, Rakshasas, Guhyakas or Nagas nor by any other great Beings, I do not take man into account deeming him to be too insignificant. I have been granted a long life by Brahma, O Destroyer of Tripura, but I desire a further lease of life; do you confer this upon me, as also a weapon.’

“Thus spoke Ravana, and Shankara bestowed an exceedingly bright sword upon him, famed as Candrahasa[1].

Thereafter the Lord of Creatures accorded him a further lease of life and, handing him the weapon, Shambhu said:—

“‘Never treat this weapon with contempt, if you dost disregard it, it will assuredly return to me!’

“Having received his name from that great God Maheshwara, Ravana paid obeisance to him and re-ascended his aerial Car Pushpaka. Thereafter, O Rama, he began to range the entire world subduing the foremost of warriors, irresistible in combat and those who were filled with courage and boiling with ardour, who dreamt only of war and who perished with their troops by refusing to submit to him. But those, who knew Ravana to be invincible, showed themselves to be more wary and said to that titan, proud of his strength, ‘We have been vanquished!’

Footnotes and references: [back to top]

He being a descendant of Paulastya