Ravana

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A prominent figure in Hindu mythology known for his ten heads and being the king of Lanka
2. Recognized as a symbol of evil and a major antagonist in the Ramayana epic
3. Considered a complex character who possesses great knowledge and power, often depicted with both admirable and villainous traits

Etymology: Ravana is the ten-headed demon king of Lanka in the Hindu epic Ramayana, and his name comes from Sanskrit "rāvaṇa," a word whose meaning in the epic is tied to his famous roar. In the Ramayana, the name is traditionally explained as "the one who makes (others) cry" or "the roarer," reflecting how he bellowed in pain when Shiva pressed down on him with a mountain, a story that gives the name its dramatic origin. Within the epic, Ravana is a paradox: a learned scholar, a skilled musician, and a devoted worshipper of Shiva, whose devotion earned him great boons, yet also the abductor of Sita, whose kidnapping sets the epic's central conflict in motion. English took the name from Sanskrit, and it now serves as a general term for a character who combines brilliance with villainy.