# रावण (rāvaṇa)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/ravana

रावण (rāvaṇa) is a Sanskrit word meaning causing to cry, a descendant of Ravana, name of a prince of Kashmir, of various authors, name of a medical work, screaming. Its 21 recorded definitions are grouped into 6 contexts, among them Rāvaṇa, the Rākṣasa King of Laṅkā, Adjective: Crying or Causing to Cry, Patronymics and Derived/Related Names.

- **Etymology:** E. रु to cry (in the causal form), aff. ल्युट्, afflicting mankind — E. ru to cry (in the causal form), aff. lyuṭ, afflicting mankind
- **SLP1:** `rAvaRa`  **IAST:** rāvaṇa  **Devanagari:** रावण
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravana
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/ravana/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** रवाण (ravāṇa), रवणा (ravaṇā), रवण (ravaṇa), रवन (ravana)

## Meanings by context

### Rāvaṇa, the Rākṣasa King of Laṅkā (12 definitions)
- The ten-headed chief of the demons and ruler of Lanka, destroyed by Rama.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) m. N. of the ruler of Laṅkā or Ceylon and the famous chief of the Rākṣasas or demons whose destruction by Rāmacandra forms the subject of the Rāmāyaṇa (as son of Viśravas he was younger brother of Kubera, but by a different mother, Ilavila being the mother of Kubera, and Keśinī of the three other brothers Rāvaṇa Vibhīṣaṇa, and Kumbha-karṇa; he is one of the worst of the many impersonations of evil common in Hindū mythology; he has ten heads and twenty arms, symbolizing strength; this power was, as usual, acquired by self-inflicted austerities, which had obtained from Brahmā a boon, in virtue of which R° was invulnerable by gods and divine beings of all kinds, though not by men or a god in human form; as Viṣṇu became incarnate in Rāma-candra to destroy R°, so the other gods produced innumerable monkeys, bears, and various semi-divine animals to do battle with the legions of demons, his subjects, under Khara, Dūṣaṇa, and his other generals), MBh.; R.; Hariv. &c. ( Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 353 ) [ ID=177723 ]
- Ravana, a celebrated demon, king of Lanka and chief of the Rakshasas  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — णः (ṇaḥ) N. of a celebrated demon, king of Laṅkā and the chief of the Rākṣasas; स (sa) रावणो नाम निकामभषिणं बभूव रक्षः (rāvaṇo nāma nikāmabhaṣiṇaṃ babhūva rakṣaḥ) क्षतरक्षणं दिवः (kṣatarakṣaṇaṃ divaḥ) Śiśupālavadha 1. 48 [He was the son of Viśravas by Keśinī or Kaikasī and so half-brother of Kubera. He is called Paulastya as being a grandson of the sage Pulastya. Laṅkā was originally occupied by Kubera, but Rāvaṇa ousted him from it and made it his own capital. He had ten heads (and hence his names Daśagrīva, Daśavadana &c.) and twenty arms, and according to some, four legs ( cf. Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 12. 88 and Malli. ). He is represented to have practised the most austere penance for ten thousand years in order to propitiate the god Brahman, and to have offered one head at the end of each one thousand years. Thus he offered nine of his heads and was going to offer the tenth when the God was pleased and granted him immunity from death by either god or man. On the strength of this boon he grew very tyrannical and oppressed all beings. His power became so great that even the gods are said to have acted as his domestic servanta. He conquered almost all the kings of the day, but is said to have been imprisoned by Kārtavīrya for ( pb ) some time when he went to attack his territory. On one occasion he tried to uplift the Kailāsa mountain, but Śiva pressed it down so as to crush his fingers under it. He, therefore, hymned Śiva for one thousand years so loudly that the God gave him the name Rāvaṇa and freed him from his painful position. But though he was so powerful and invincible, the day of retribution drew near. While Rāma-who was Viṣṇu descended on earth for the destruction of this very demon-was passing his years of exile in the forest, Rāvaṇa carried off his wife Sitā and urged her to become his wife; but she persistently refused and remained loyal to her husband. At last Rāma assisted by his monkey-troops invaded Laṅkā, annihilated Rāvaṇa's troops and killed the demon himself. He was a worthy opponent of Rāma, and hence the expression:- रामरावणयोर्युद्धं रामरावणयोरिव (rāmarāvaṇayoryuddhaṃ rāmarāvaṇayoriva) ]
- 1. Causing to wail. 2. A ten-headed demon, chief of the Rakshasas, king of Lanka, younger brother of Kubera, and vanquished by Rama. 3. A king of Cashmere.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 254-3 ] रावण (rāvaṇa) rāv-aṇa, a. causing to wail ( g., —° ); m. N. of a ten-headed demon, chief of the Rākṣasas, king of Laṅkā, younger brother of Kubera, vanquished by Rāma; N. of a king of Cashmere : i, m. pat. of Indrajit and Siṃhanāda: pl. the sons of Rāvaṇa. [ ID=15218 ]
- 1. The sovereign of Lanka, killed by Ramachandra. 2. Noise or tumult.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 704 ] रावण (rāvaṇa) m. ( - णः (-ṇaḥ) ) The sovereign of Laṅkā or Ceylon, killed by RĀMACANDRA. n. ( - णं (-ṇaṃ) ) Noise, tumult. E. रु (ru) to cry (in the causal form), aff. ल्युट् (lyuṭ), afflicting mankind. [ ID=32286 ]
- 1. The sovereign of Lanka killed by Ramchandra. 2. Noise or tumult.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 630-a ] रावण (rāvaṇa) ( णः ) ((ṇaḥ)) 1. m. The sovereign of Lankā or Ceylon killed by Rām- chandra; noise, tumult. [ ID=31856 ]
- Name of a demon, king of Lanka, and enemy of Rama  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) (II) m. Name of a demon, king of Lankā, and enemy of Rāma. (See App. II.) [ ID=32085 ]
- 1. The demon king of Lanka, killed by Ramachandra. 2. Noise or tumult.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 604-a ] रावण (rāvaṇa) m. ( - णः (-ṇaḥ) ) The Daitya-sovereign of Lankā or Ceylon, killed by RĀMACHANDRA. n. ( - णं (-ṇaṃ) ) Noise, tumult. E. रु (ru) to cry, (in the causal form,) aff. ल्युट; (lyuṭa;) afflicting mankind. [ ID=33624 ]
- The king of the Rakshasas, who abducted Sita and was destroyed by Rama.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 0768-b ] रावण (rāvaṇa) rāvaṇa, m. The king of the Rākṣasas, the ravisher of Sīta, and destroyed by Rāma, Rām. 3, 48, 2. [ ID=12085 ]
- name of a rakshasa  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 449 ] रावण (rāvaṇa) m. N. of a Rākṣasa ( lit. causing to cry or lament). [ ID=26958 ]
- 1. Screaming, roaring, crying, bellowing, bewailing, or making lamentation. 2. The ruler of Lanka and chief of the demons, vanquished by Ramachandra. 3. The author of a commentary on the Sama-veda and the Rig-veda, and the author of the Arka-cikitsa. 4. A king of Kashmir. 5. The act of screaming. 6. A particular Muhurta.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 0844-a ] Rāvaṇa, as, ī, am (fr. the Caus.), screaming, roar- ing, crying, bellowing, bewailing, making lamentation; Page0844-b+ 77 ( as ), m. ‘the Vociferator,’ N. of the ruler of Laṅkā or Ceylon and the famous chief of the Rākṣasas or demons whose subjugation and destruction by Rāma- candra, the seventh incarnation of Viṣṇu, form the subject of the Rāmāyaṇa, (as son of Viśravas, he was younger brother of Kuvera, but by a different mother, Ilavilā being the mother of Kuvera, and Keśinī of the three other brothers, Rāvaṇa, Vibhīṣaṇa, and Kumbha-karṇa; both Rāvaṇa and Kuvera, the god of wealth, are often called Paulastya, as grandchildren of the Ṛṣi Pulastya, one of the seven or ten mind- born sons of Brahmā, and as Kuvera is king of the Yakṣas, so is Rāvaṇa of the Rākṣasas, the latter, however, are always malignant beings [see rākṣasa ], and Rāvaṇa himself is one of the worst of the many impersonations of evil common in Hindū mythology; he is the Satan of the Rāmāyaṇa as Duryodhana is of the Mahā-bhārata; he has ten heads [whence his names Daśa-grīva, Daśānana, &c.] and twenty arms, symbolizing strength; his power is described as so great, that where he is ‘there the sun does not give out its heat, the winds through fear of him do not blow, the fire ceases to burn, and the ocean becomes motionless;’ he even, by his power, defeated his own brother Vaiśravaṇa or Kuvera, and carried off his self- moving car, called Puṣpaka, the wonders of which are described in the Rāmāyaṇa; this potency was, as usual, acquired by self-inflicted austerities, which had obtained from Brahmā a boon, in virtue of which Rāvaṇa was invulnerable by gods and divine beings of all kinds, though not by men or a god in human form; as Viṣṇu became incarnate in Rāma-candra to destroy Rāvaṇa, so other gods produced innume- rable monkeys, bears, and various semi-divine animals to do battle with the legions of demons, his subjects, under Khara, Dūṣaṇa, and his other generals; see hanu-mat ); a patronymic from Ravaṇa; N. of the author of a commentary on the Sāma-veda; of one on the Ṛg-veda; of the author of the Arka-cikitsā; of a king of Kaśmīra (mentioned together with Indra- jit and Vibhīṣaṇa); ( am ), n. the act of screaming, &c. N. of a Muhūrta. —Rāvaṇa-gaṅgā, f. ‘Rā- vaṇa's Ganges,’ N. of a river in Laṅkā (called after the Rākṣasa Rāvaṇa). —Rāvaṇa-hasra, a parti- cular stringed instrument. —Rāvaṇa-hrada, as, m., N. of a lake (from which the Śata-dru or Sutlej takes its rise). —Rāvaṇāri (°ṇa-ari), is, m. Rā- vaṇa's enemy, i. e. Rāma. [ ID=39425 ]
- king of the Rakshasas on Lanka and son of Vishravas  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 595-2 ] Rāvaṇa, king of the Rākṣasas on Laṅkā, son of Viśravas (Pulastya) (originally named Daśagrīva). § 11 (Parvasaṅgr.): I, 2, 475 ( Rāmeṇa…nihato R°aḥ, cf. Rāmopākhyāna- parvan).—§ 383 (Paraśu-Rāma): III, 99, 8657 (Viṣṇu was born as Rāma Dāśarathi in order to slay R.).—§ 425 (Hanūmad-Bhīmasenasaṃv.): III, 147, 11199 ( Rākṣa- sendreṇa, had ravished Sītā); 148, 11205, 11208, 11212 ( lokarāvaṇaḥ, the contents of Rāmopākhyānaparvan briefly narrated).—§ 430 (do.): III, 150, 11279, 11281, 11283.— § 525 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 274, 15873 ( Rākṣasendreṇa, had ravished Sītā), 15875, 15881, 15882 (grandson of Brahmán and son of Pulastya (in the form of Viśravas)).— § 526 (do.): III, 275, [15895 ( Rākṣasendrau Kumbhakarṇa- Daśagrīvau, sons of Viśravas and Puṣpotkaṭā), 15898 ( Daśagrīvaḥ…Rākṣasendraḥ ), (β), 15904 ( Daśagrīvaḥ, lived upon air alone amidst five fires, standing on one leg during 1,000 years)], (γ), (15913) (Brahmán gave back to R. his heads which he had cut off and offered to the fire and granted him that he should be able to assume any form at will and never experience defeat at the hands of Gandharvas, gods, Kinnaras, Asuras, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Serpents, and Bhūtas (but only from men whom he despised)), 15922 (defeated Kubera and obtained the sovereignty of Laṅkā and the vimāna of Kubera, named Puṣpaka; Kubera cursed R.), 15928 (installed as king of the Rākṣasas and the Piśācas, etymology of the name R.).—§ 528 (Rāvaṇagamana): III, 277, 15990, 15991 (Śūrpaṇakhā excited Rāvaṇa to take vengeance on Rāma Dāśarathi, R. sought the assistance of Mārīca).—§ 529 (Sītāharaṇa): III, 278, 16001, 16005, 16006, 16008, 16015, 16016, 16031, 16035 ( Rākṣasarājaḥ ), 16042 (in the shape of a mendicant R. ravished Sītā).— § 530 (Viśvāvasumokṣaṇa): III, 279, 16046 ( Rākṣa- seśvaraṃ, slew Jaṭāyus), 16066, 16067, 16087 ( Laṅkānivāsinā ), 16091.—§ 531 (Rāmopākhyānap.): III, 280, 16097.— § 532 (Sītāsāntvana): III, 280, 16133, 16151 ( b: R. had been cursed by Nalakūbara for having violated Rambhā : he would not be able to violate any woman by force).—§ 533 (Sītā-Rāvaṇasaṃv.): III, 281, 16167 ( b: R. was the conqueror of the gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, and Kimpuruṣas, he looked like the kalpavṛkṣa of Indra and like Śanaiśvara when approaching Rohiṇī. He possessed many daughters of the gods and the Gandharvas, of the Dānavas Page596-a+ 61 and the Daityas. He ruled 140 millions of Piśācas, twice as many man-eating Rākṣasas and thrice as many Yakṣas (some are under the sway of Kubera ), in his drinking-hall Gandharvas and Apsarases wait upon him (as upon Kubera ), he was the son of the ṛṣi Viśravas, his queen was Mandodarī ), 16191.—§ 534 (Hanūmatpratyāgamana): III, 282, 16220, 16252, 16256.—§ 535 (Setubandhana): III, 283, 16320 ( °āmatyau…Śuka-Sāraṇau ), 16322.—§ 536 (Laṅkā- praveśa): III, 284, 16324 (fortified Laṅkā), 16339.— § 537 (Rāma-Rāvaṇayuddha): III, 285, 16364 ( R°ānugāḥ ), 16368, 16371, 16375 (fought with Rāma Dāśarathi).—§ 538 (Kumbhakarṇaraṇagamana): III, 286, 16387 ( Rāma-R°- sainyānāṃ ), 16395, 16396 (roused his brother Kumbhakarṇa and caused him to set out for battle).—§ 540 (Indrajid- yuddha): III, 288, 16439 (father of Indrajit).—§ 541 (Indrajidvadha): III, 289, 16489, 16490, 16496 (Indrajit is slain).—§ 542 (Rāvaṇavadha): III, 290, 16502, 16512, 16513 ( māyā…Rāvaṇasya ), 16515, 16526 ( °āntakaraṃ, sc. śaraṃ ), 16528 ( nihataṃ, Rāma slew R.).—§ 543 (Rāmarājyā- bhiṣeka): III, 291, 16531 ( hatvā R°ṃ Rākṣasendraṃ, sc. Rāmaḥ ).—§ 565 (Gālavacarita): V, 109, 3790 ( atra —i.e. in the south— Rākṣasarājena Paulastyena mahātmanā R°ena tapaś cartvā surebhyo 'maratā vṛtā ).—§ 592 (Saṃśapta- kavadhap.): VII, 23 π, 1037 ( aśvāś ca kāmagās tasya R°sya yathā purā ).—§ 595 (Ṣoḍaśarāj., v. Rāma Dāśarathi): VII, 59, 2227 ( Rākṣasaḥ, all. to Rāmopākhyānaparvan).—§ 599 (Jayadrathavadhap.): VII, 96, 3569 ( yādṛśaṃ…Rāma- R°yor mṛdhe ); 106, 3981 ( yādṛk…purā vṛttaṃ Rāma- R°yoḥ ).—§ 600 (Ghaṭotkacavadhap.): VII, 181, 8236 ( °ena samaprāṇāḥ, sc. Hiḍimba-Baka-Kirmīrāḥ ).—§ 604 (Karṇap.): VIII, 5 ζ, 143 ( yathā Rāmeṇa R°ḥ, sc. nihataḥ ).—§ 612 (Hradapraveśap.): IX, 31, 1752 ( Paulastyatanayo R°o nāma Rākṣasaḥ Rāmeṇa nihataḥ ).—§ 615 (Gadāyuddhap.): IX, 55, 3107 ( sadṛśakarmāṇau…Rāma-R°yoḥ, sc. Bhīmasena and Duryodhana).—§ 717 b (Nārāyaṇīya): XII, 340, 12953 ( tato Rakṣaḥpatiṃ ghoraṃ Pulastyakulapāṃsanaṃ haniṣye — sc. incarnate as Rāma Dāśarathi— R°ṃ raudraṃ sagaṇam lokakaṇṭakaṃ, says Nārāyaṇa). Cf. also the following synonyms:— Daśagrīva (“having ten necks”): III, 15895 ( Kumbha- karṇa-D°au ), 15898, 15904, 15915, 15920, 15927, 15928, 15930, 16011, 16304, 16400, 16498, 16501, 16515, 16519, 16521, 16532, 16535, 16612, 17467; VII, 6827 ( °samaḥ, sc. Ghaṭotkaca); XII, 13878. Daśakandhara (do.): III, 16516. Daśānana (“having ten faces”): III, 15908, 15999, 16000, 16370, 16505. Daśāsya (do.): III, 11324. Paulastya, Paulastyatanaya, q.v. Rakṣaḥpati (“lord of the Rakṣases”): XII, 12952. Rakṣas, Rākṣasa, Rākṣasādhipa, Rāk- ṣasādhipati, Rākṣasaśreṣṭha, Rākṣasa- maheśvara, Rākṣasapati, Rākṣasapuṅgava, Rākṣasarāja, Rākṣaseśvara, Rākṣasendra, q.v. [ ID=9043 ]
- 1. A son of Vishravas and Keshini. 2. A legendary king killed by Rama.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 3-078 ] Rāvaṇa — a son of Viśravas and Keśinī; 1 pleased Śiva by his praises; 2 afraid of Māndhāta; 3 heard of Śītā's beauty and set up Mārīca to display himself as a golden deer and entice Rāma away; 4 resented Arjuna-Haihaya's action in ruining his camp by blocking a river and was overpowered by him in the presence of women and imprisoned in his capital Māhiṣmatī; 5 pursued by the king of kites, compared to Indra being pursued by Vīra; 6 killed by Rāma; 7 lost his king- dom through pride of power; desire for more territory. 8 Vanquished by Vāli at Puṣkara, agreed to be his ally. 9 A description of: 10 Killed Anaraṇya; 11 also Daśagrīva; defeated by Kārtavīrya and released at the request of Pulastya. 12 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. VII. 1. 43; IV. 1. 37; Br. III. 8. 47; Vā. 70. 41-8.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. X. 88. 16.] [ Footnote: 3) Ib. IX. 6. 33.] [ Footnote: 4) Ib. IX. 10. 10] [ Footnote: 5) Ib. IX. 15. 21-2; Br. III. 32. 50; 69. 35-7.] [ Footnote: 6) Bhā. IV. 19. 16-17.] [ Footnote: 7) Ib. VII. 1. 44; 10. 36; X. 40. 20; Br. III. 8. 54; M. 12. 50; 47. 245; Vā. 88. 197; 94. 35; 98. 92.] [ Footnote: 8) Bhā. X. 73. 20; XII. 3. 11.] [ Footnote: 9) Br. III. 7. 248-67.] [ Footnote: 10) Ib. III. 8. 48-50.] [ Footnote: 11) Ib. III. 63. 74; Vā. 88. 75; Vi. IV. 3. 17; 15. 1.] [ Footnote: 12) M. 43. 37-9.] [ ID=11624 ]

### Adjective: Crying or Causing to Cry (3 definitions)
- causing to cry  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 879,1] रावण (rāvaṇa) mfn. ( fr. Caus. ) causing to cry (with gen. or ifc.; only in this sense to explain the name of the famous Rākṣasa), MBh.; R. &c. [ ID=177722 ]
- Crying, screaming, roaring, bewailing  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 0911-c ] रावण (rāvaṇa) a. [ रु - णिच् ल्यु (ru-ṇic lyu) ] Crying, screaming, roaring, bewailing
- Crying, roaring, bewailing  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) [Printed book page 611-09 ] रावण (rāvaṇa) (I) a. (f. णी (ṇī) ) Crying, roaring, bewailing. [ ID=32084 ]

### Patronymics and Derived/Related Names (2 definitions)
- a descendant of Ravana  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > patr. fr. रवण (ravaṇa) g. शिवा (śivā) दि (di) [ ID=177724 ]
- Name of a medical work  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 879,1] रावणी (rāvaṇī) f. (with चिकित्सा (cikitsā) ) N. of a medical wk. [ ID=177727 ]

### Personal Name (Other Individuals) (2 definitions)
- Name of a prince of Kashmir.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a prince of Kaśmīra, Rājat. [ ID=177725 ]
- of various authors  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of various authors, Cat. [ ID=177726 ]

### Neuter Noun: Act of Screaming, Noise, Tumult (1 definition)
- screaming  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > रावण (rāvaṇa) n. the act of screaming &c., MW. [ ID=177728 ]

### Specific Nomenclatures (Muhūrta, Compounds) (1 definition)
- The name of a Muhurta  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a Muhūrta, Cat. [ ID=177729 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

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