Since the beginning of this series in Ramayana, we take characters and incidents ad hoc that is, in no particular order. In this page we will take the incident which was the beginning of Ravan’s downfall.
It is of common knowledge that Ravana was highly educated, intelligent and a great devotee of lord Shiva. Being a Brahmin by birth, it was natural for him to study scriptures and know all mantras and stutis (prayers). After he finished his formal education, he started a tapa (meditation)) to please his beloved deity, Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is also known as Bholenath (the innocent one) and as such it is very easy to please him. But somehow in the case of Ravana it was not so easy. Now, Ravana being Ravana, continued to meditate to please his Lord for years on end. It is also said that Ma Parvati (Shiva’s consort) was instrumental in delaying The Lord’s blessings to Ravana. Parvati insisted that the Lord should check Ravana’s perseverance. But finally after years and years of Ravana’s meditation, the Lord could contain himself no more and blessed Ravana that he (Ravana)could not be killed by a demon or an animal or a devta (God), not even Mrityudev (God of death).
Out of ego and over confidence, Ravana tried to shake Mount Kailash, the very mountain that Lord Shiva was meditating on. He tried his strength against his own mentor. This disturbed Shiva’s concentration. When he learnt that it was Ravana’s deed, he pressed his toe on the side of the mountain which Ravana was trying to lift and shake. Ravana’s hand was pressed under the mountain and try as he may could not take it out. At last Ravana realized his mistake, understood the limitations of his strength against his mentor and decided to please Lord Shiva and started to meditate all over again. It took him years of meditation to please the Lord but finally Shiva relented and released his hand. It appears that this act of going against his Lord immediately after receiving the boon was the beginning of his undoing.
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