The Ramayana

by

R. K. Narayan

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Ravana Character Analysis

Ravana is a rakshasa (demon) with ten heads and ten sets of arms, and is the king of the island Lanka. Long before Rama's birth, Ravana acquired powers from the gods Brahma and Shiva through prayer and sacrifices. Because of this immense power, Ravana became evil and now wants to destroy the world and the gods, and create havoc wherever he goes. Ravana is very lustful; he keeps many women in addition to his wife for his pleasure, though he's cursed to die if he touches a woman without her consent. His lust leads him to kidnap Sita after his sister, Soorpanaka, comes to him with stories of Sita's beauty and Rama's ferocity in protecting her. However, because Sita resists Ravana, Ravana digs under Sita's feet and picks her up from the ground she stands on—so as to not touch her—and then imprisons her with a number of women who are tasked with breaking down Sita's defenses to make her agree to have sex with Ravana. Rama finally kills Ravana by countering Ravana's evil and destructive weapons with defensive weapons that provide strength and clarity.

Ravana Quotes in The Ramayana

The The Ramayana quotes below are all either spoken by Ravana or refer to Ravana. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Heroism Theme Icon
).
Prologue Quotes

Ravana can be destroyed only by a human being since he never asked for protection from a human being.

Related Characters: Vishnu (speaker), Rama, Ravana, Dasaratha, Brahma, Shiva
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
4. Encounters in Exile Quotes

Rama's whole purpose of incarnation was ultimately to destroy Ravana, the chief of the asuras, abolish fear from the hearts of men and gods, and establish peace, gentleness, and justice in the world.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana, Vishnu
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis:
5. The Grand Tormentor Quotes

The kings of this earth whom he had reduced to vassal-dom stood about with their hands upraised in an attitude of perpetual salutation, lest at any moment Ravana should turn in their direction and think that they were not sufficiently servile.

Related Characters: Ravana
Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:

"You are the overlord of seven worlds, mightier than the mightiest. Why do you feel sad and unhappy? Go and get her; that is all. Take her. She is yours. Is there anything beyond your reach? Stir yourself. Leave this desolate mood. Go forth, snatch her, because she is yours, created for you and waiting for you."

Related Characters: Soorpanaka (speaker), Sita, Ravana
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:
9. Ravana in Council Quotes

"You have done incompatible things. You have desired to appropriate another man's wife, which is against all codes of conduct, and now you are thinking of your prestige, reputation, fame, might, and eminence."

Related Characters: Kumbakarna (speaker), Rama, Sita, Ravana
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:

"Is there anyone who has conquered the gods and lived continuously in that victory? Sooner or later retribution has always come."

Related Characters: Vibishana (speaker), Ravana
Page Number: 126
Explanation and Analysis:
12. Rama and Ravana in Battle Quotes

Rama at once invoked a weapon called "Gnana"—which means "wisdom" or "perception."

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana
Related Symbols: Bows and Arrows
Page Number: 144
Explanation and Analysis:

While he had prayed for indestructibility of his several heads and arms, he had forgotten to strengthen his heart, where the Brahmasthra entered and ended his career.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana
Related Symbols: Bows and Arrows
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:
14. The Coronation Quotes

The gods, who had watched this in suspense, were now profoundly relieved but also had an uneasy feeling that Rama had, perhaps, lost sight of his own identity. Again and again this seemed to happen. Rama displayed the tribulations and the limitations of the human frame and it was necessary from time to time to remind him of his divinity.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana, Brahma, Shiva
Page Number: 151
Explanation and Analysis:
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Ravana Quotes in The Ramayana

The The Ramayana quotes below are all either spoken by Ravana or refer to Ravana. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Heroism Theme Icon
).
Prologue Quotes

Ravana can be destroyed only by a human being since he never asked for protection from a human being.

Related Characters: Vishnu (speaker), Rama, Ravana, Dasaratha, Brahma, Shiva
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
4. Encounters in Exile Quotes

Rama's whole purpose of incarnation was ultimately to destroy Ravana, the chief of the asuras, abolish fear from the hearts of men and gods, and establish peace, gentleness, and justice in the world.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana, Vishnu
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis:
5. The Grand Tormentor Quotes

The kings of this earth whom he had reduced to vassal-dom stood about with their hands upraised in an attitude of perpetual salutation, lest at any moment Ravana should turn in their direction and think that they were not sufficiently servile.

Related Characters: Ravana
Page Number: 74
Explanation and Analysis:

"You are the overlord of seven worlds, mightier than the mightiest. Why do you feel sad and unhappy? Go and get her; that is all. Take her. She is yours. Is there anything beyond your reach? Stir yourself. Leave this desolate mood. Go forth, snatch her, because she is yours, created for you and waiting for you."

Related Characters: Soorpanaka (speaker), Sita, Ravana
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:
9. Ravana in Council Quotes

"You have done incompatible things. You have desired to appropriate another man's wife, which is against all codes of conduct, and now you are thinking of your prestige, reputation, fame, might, and eminence."

Related Characters: Kumbakarna (speaker), Rama, Sita, Ravana
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:

"Is there anyone who has conquered the gods and lived continuously in that victory? Sooner or later retribution has always come."

Related Characters: Vibishana (speaker), Ravana
Page Number: 126
Explanation and Analysis:
12. Rama and Ravana in Battle Quotes

Rama at once invoked a weapon called "Gnana"—which means "wisdom" or "perception."

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana
Related Symbols: Bows and Arrows
Page Number: 144
Explanation and Analysis:

While he had prayed for indestructibility of his several heads and arms, he had forgotten to strengthen his heart, where the Brahmasthra entered and ended his career.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana
Related Symbols: Bows and Arrows
Page Number: 146
Explanation and Analysis:
14. The Coronation Quotes

The gods, who had watched this in suspense, were now profoundly relieved but also had an uneasy feeling that Rama had, perhaps, lost sight of his own identity. Again and again this seemed to happen. Rama displayed the tribulations and the limitations of the human frame and it was necessary from time to time to remind him of his divinity.

Related Characters: Rama, Ravana, Brahma, Shiva
Page Number: 151
Explanation and Analysis: