Ravana wasn’t just a villain. He was one of Lord Shiva’s greatest devotees and even composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram, a hymn still recited today.
He mastered the Vedas, Upanishads, Ayurveda, music, and astrology. In fact, Ravana wrote treatises on medicine and the stars that are referenced even now.
Ravana was a gifted musician. Legends say he designed his own version of the veena (called Ravanahatha) and played it beautifully.
Ravana was born to a Brahmin father (Vishrava, a sage) and a Rakshasa mother (Kaikesi), which made him both highly learned and fiercely powerful.
Myths suggest Ravana was ahead of his time. Some accounts claim he had knowledge of aeronautics (Pushpaka Vimana) and advanced weaponry.
His name means “the one who roars and makes others cry.” But he was originally named Dashanana (ten-headed one), symbolizing his vast knowledge and intellect.
Despite abducting her, Ravana never violated Sita. He wanted her love and consent, showing a strange sense of pride and restraint in his otherwise dark act.