Ravan was very strong. He was endowed with the strength of moving the seas and splitting the tops of mountains. Ravana's body bore all the marks of one who had fought the devas, the thunderbolt of Indra, the tusks of Indra's elephant Airavata, and the discus of Vishnu had all scarred him.Also his immense penance and devotion to Brahma earned him the latter’s gratitude. Brahma conferred on Ravana the boon of near invulnerability, making him immune from destruction by Gods or (other) demons.
Bali
Vali and Bali were not different people but Vali was also also known as Bali, and was a Vanara King of Kishkindha. Bali had received a boon from Lord Brahma that enabled him to gain half his opponent's strength during a combat, making it impossible for anyone to win him.
Bali & Ravan
When Ravan heard the tales of Bali’s immense prowess, Ravan once came to challenge him to battle. At that time Bali was busy with his Sandhyavadan (evening prayers). Without moving from his sitting posture, Bali caught hold of Ravan and tucked him under his armpit and continued with his prayers.
Later, Bali or Vali forgot about Ravan, who stayed tucked in Bali’s armpit for six months. Disgusted with the odor of sweat in the armpit, Ravan bit Bali hard. Bali thought it was a body louse that had bit him and raised his hand to scratch his armpit.
As soon as he raised his arm, Ravan jumped out and began to run away, but Bali or Vali caught hold of him and gave him to his son Angad to play with, as a toy. Finally Bali’s wife Tara, felt sorry for Ravan and let him go. In the end, Ravan befriended Bali.
Kartavirya Arjun defeated Ravan
During the time Ravan ruled over the heavens and the earth, there lived a king called Kartavirya Arjuna, a member of the Yadava dynasty. He ruled the kingdom of Mahishmati. Kartavirya became empowered by many boons he received from Lord Dattatreya and with these boons and conquered the world with all its continents. He defeated Karkotaka Naga and made his city, Mahishmati (near Narmada river) as his capital. Kartavirya Arjuna ruled as the Samrat Chakravartin (Universal Emperor) for 85,000 years and during his reign, it is said nobody was poor, nobody was miserable and there was no anarchy. Asuras and and other aquatic creatures were afraid of the might of the king. Kartavirya could wield five hundred bows simultaneously and shoot five hundred arrows in one go.
Kartavirya Arjuna who has thousand arms
His power is popularly told in the Ramayana. He was the contemporary of Ravana. The story goes that once when Kartavirya Arjuna was having a bath in the river Narmada along with his wives, he stopped the force of the river with his thousand arms from both sides. Dasagriva (Ravana), who was singing the hymns of Shiva and praying to him, made him lose his concentration. Enraged, he challenged the former for combat. Ravan was defeated by Kartavriya Arjun and put into prison. However, at the request of his paternal grandfather Pulastya Rishi, the great Emperor Kartavirya Arjuna released Ravan.
No comments:
Post a Comment