The word Rāvaṇa (Sanskrit: रावण) means "Roaring" (active), the opposite of Vaiśravaṇa which means to "hear distinctly" (passive). Both Ravana and Vaiśravaṇa, who is commonly known as Kubera, are considered to be patronymics derived fro…

Ravana is depicted and described as having ten heads, although he is sometimes shown with only nine heads since he cut one off to convince Shiva. He is described as a devout follower of Shiva, a great scholar, a capable ruler, and a m…

Ravana was born to the Brahmin sage Vishrava and the Rakshasa princess Kaikasi in Treta Yuga. Villagers from Bisrakh in Uttar Pradesh claim that Bisrakh was named after Vishrava, and that Ravana was born there.
Ravana's paternal grandfather, the sage …