From being a doctor to cutting off his nine heads: Here are the top 5 lesser-known facts about Ravana

NITESH TIWARI’S RAMAYANA is set to hit theatres on November 5, 2026, and the hype surrounding the much-awaited mythological epic has been making headlines everywhere, not always for good reasons though. While the two-part series follows the widely known theme of the victory of good over evil, it is based on the Valmiki Ramayana, a Hindu Smriti epic poem. The Ramayana is often regarded as one of the most significant texts of Hinduism, following the life of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu.

The battle against evil was fought against the primary antagonist, Ravana, the King of Lanka, who is described as a ten-headed demon known for his fearlessness, wisdom, and knowledge. The epic battle between Rama and Ravana was triggered after the latter kidnapped Sita, female protagonist of Ramayana and the lord Rama’s wife. 

Ravana’s story eventually became a symbol of evil, but his defeat at the hands of Lord Rama marked the inevitable victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Ravana’s failure to distinguish right from wrong and his desire to make Rama powerless by taking Sita away from him is the central part of his story. To this day, Ramayana continues to be one of the most widely known epics of all time. Here are some lesser-known facts about Ravana.

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Ravana was a hardcore devotee of Lord Brahma, from whom he received his boon of invincibility. According to legend, he performed intense penance in the name of Lord Brahma — God of creation— for several years, which eventually paid off. There is a story about Ravana cutting off his nine heads to gain the attention of the deity, who finally appeared before him just as he was about to cut off his tenth and final head.

He initially asked for immortality as a boon but was refused. He was later granted invincibility against all of Brahma's creations, such as gods, demons, serpents, wild beasts, and heavenly spirits, with humans being the only exception, making him seemingly all-powerful. Valmiki also described Ravana as one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva.

Despite his negative traits, Ravana is often regarded as a being with tremendous knowledge of the world, making him a one-of-a-kind scholar. Legends say that Ravana was a master of 64 types of knowledge. From weapons to diplomacy, Ravana had immense knowledge of the ways of the world. One of the lesser-known theories suggests that Ravana was a doctor. He possessed knowledge of Ayurveda. 

Some stories claim that Ravana’s strength extended beyond mere physical abilities. The story goes that he possessed the divine ability to control sunrise and sunset according to his will. Another narrative revolves around the episode in which Shani Dev (Saturn) had to face Ravana’s wrath when he refused to remain in the 11th house during the birth of Ravana’s son, Meghnada.

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The Valmiki Ramayana does not mention the duel between Ravana and Bali, the King of Kishkindha, a kingdom of the Vanaras. As per legend, the only being to have defeated Ravana was Bali, who is described as a formidable warrior in the Ramayana. According to legend, Bali had received a boon from Lord Brahma that gave him the ability to take away half the strength of his opponent, making him an unstoppable force. The story goes that Ravana was not only defeated by Bali but was also imprisoned under his armpit for six months.

When Lord Rama defeated Ravana, he asked his brother Lakshman to approach Ravana and request him to share any knowledge he could impart. Ravana even asked Lakshman to stand near his feet because, at that point, he was a teacher imparting knowledge to a student. As Ravana lay on the ground, he shared his knowledge with Lakshman, including lessons from a King and other valuable advice.

_[Og/VS/RS]

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