why ravana is my hero and not rama

i am so glad that my first post on ravana stirred a debate which was on expected lines.  i am also glad to see views  on ravana by my good friends reinforcing views albiet traditional saying him to be a scholar but  "arrogant" , ego centric etc..

I have worked on this topic for couple of years and every word that i speak can be verified and autheticated. I have read alternate books, spoken to "genuine" spiritual masters and last but not the least self-contemplated on various modes of facts presented.  I have always  greatly believed in being an observer or "analyst" ( sounds more managerial ) in life without forming an opinion. I leave that part (forming opinions) to my esteemed readers.  Unfortunately most of the facts that people have come from the  popular folklores, Valmiki's Ramayana and TV serial !!!

Firstly I dont see these two gentleman (Ram and Ravana) as demons or gods (or avtaaras) but as mortal beings who occupied a prominent place in history during the pre indus valley civilization. while the dates are disputed but what can be inferred with their timings is some time during the famous "Atlantis" when the geogrpahical structure of the earth was different than we see at present. We all have now agreed that due to continental drift  all the continents are drifting apart. During the occurence of Ramayana , the continents were closely knit. Which means one could traverse Australia , by land itself. In the alternate perspective book on Ravana called "vayam rakshamah" debunks the myths that have been prevealent for time immemorial. For example , the "Narak" or Hell was the old name of Persia ,  "Vaikunth" was a name of a place in Iran and Rakshasas were Maritime People who primarily dwelled on Seas. "Patal" or underground as its commonlyy known was modern day Australia because it was the southern part of continental land. So who were these "devatas" and  "Rakshas".  It was a clash of races and civilizations. two specific tribes, Devtas were more "European" whitish in race as compared to Rakshaasa who were colored, and as in human social modelling , color always looses to white.  Rakshas (which means protection) were demonized permanently in history.

Their was a historical battle for the control of earth and resources. which is still on between these two races. So it was methodical and surgical way of telling your story. Please remember its the same tactics which British have employed. They systematically destroyed the Indian form of education and replaced it with that of Lord Macaulay's system of education. what we have read is British interptetion of history. Our "gurukul" for example had subjects like Logic, Grammer and Mathematics, the 3 pillars of any educational system but was destroyed. Its said that if you want to destroy any country "rewrite its history" and thats what happened. Rakshasas were hardworking and nature worshipping tribes and races who won all battles. Devtas were tactiticans who always wanted to win over through "any" means.

Ravana was a cross breed and had both characteristics.  He was a master scholar in medicine, mathematics,astronomy, astrology . He has written many books  like "Arka Shastra" .  in arka shastra he has compiled every herb its usage and dosage revealing cures to some complex dieases.In one book he wrote "Eating beef cause to infect ninety eight new diseases to human beings". The book "Kumara Tantraya" (Gynecology and Peadetric Medicine) which reveals the treatments for infant diseases was written by him accepting the request of his pregnant queen Mandodari. He has similarly written many books on astrology and also created new  Raagas in Music , esp in Sama Veda , our 4th veda. He was such an eloquent master that he controlled Navagrahas (the nine "grahas" aspects of human astro system). I can go on and on his scholarly pursuits. Meanwhile the Ravana having 10 heads is nonsense, he was a master in tantra and had created an optical  illusion of  soughts while fighting his enemies. In fact in the famous Book "ravana samhita" an excellent compliation of his scholarly works is give,

He is said to be one of the greatest physicians who ever existed, and even authored the book Arka Prakashaya. The Bisajjya Grantha and Nadi Shasthra mentions that King Ravana and his grandfather Pulasthi Muni had graced the world-famous medical conferences held in those ancient days in Janasthan Pura near Pakistan. In Sri Lankan folk tales, it is said that king Ravana treated both Rama and Lakshmana with his own hand when they were badly injured on the battlefield.

The only King of Sri Lanka who managed to wipe out all the divisions among the Sri Lankan people was the Great King Ravana. Under his leadership, King Ravana managed to unite all the Sri Lankan tribes. Sri Lanka became a secular country not subject to or bound by any religious dogma, with no official religion, language or official yes men. Not only ruling Sri Lanka, he governed a vast kingdom with boundaries extending over South Asia – and was hence named Chakravarthi. In chronological records about Ravana, it is almost impossible to find a single battle fought against another community of people in order to invade their land or usurp their throne. Not a single ‘racial’ conflict is mentioned in any of those records written during his reign, though the chronicle of the Ramayana by Valmiki stereotyped him as the most evil human to have ever existed, providing an erroneous and biased interpretation of the Rama-Ravana war.

well then if he was such a great scholar , why was he wronged ? well for this the first nonsense has to be cleared  which is Rama and Ravana fought wars because of Sita, it was a political war which predated Rama. as mentioned, Ravana's maternal side (Raksh Tribes) were driven out of their own  land by Devtas tribes.  Rama belived in a doctrine (quoted) " The entire earth belongs to Raghu Vansh " Raghu was the ancestor of Rama. This sounds like the more racist quote ofBritish  Rudyard Kipling in which he called colonization or imperliamsm as a "white man's burden". Anyways , Ravana won back Lanka from Kuber (his step brother) and turned it into riches. Lanka was an object of envy ..  

Ravana and Shiva propogated the greatest theory of modern humanism which is their is no greater force than human will power.  "Atma so Paramatma" meaning soul is the the ultimate or what jesus has said " father and son are one" was rendered by these two gentleman which ran odds with people who had commercialized, objectified and "branded" gods for self interest. 

ravana also debunked caste system as in Vedas and Upanishads (original ones, if you want to see original Vedas, go to Germany not India.. what a pity ) as nowhere caste has been mentioned.

Raksh tribe believed in nature worship and universal identity without any bias for caste or creed and gender. The other tribes had deep caste divides and wanted to keep that alive.  Ravana was a master of 10 vidyas or 10 forms of knowledge another symbolic representation of his infamous "10 heads". Ravana as a social refomer took this message deep down to other tribal areas albiet by force which were at odds with the social fabric.

He propogated "Raksh Neeti" which meant equality for all. The other rulers were ought to get distressed who wanted the demarcation to be preserved. Fast forwarding to famous Shurpanka's episode,  Shurpanka was appointed as the "Governor" of the region where Ram , Lakshman and Sita had entered.  As the present norm states, an unauthorized entry amounted to aggression, unfortunately, which was taken up by Shurpanaka. The famous "enticement" which again has been demonized by popular folk lore and TV serials is silent on this issue. In "vayam rakshamah" its beautifully  argued that Shurpanka was unjustly manhandled. Imagine a girl (who happens to the queen) , in all fairness assuming asked for marriage is manhandled, beaten and have had her nose cut, its so unbecoming of  a man. Our eye brows were raised recently when women were attacked at a pub, how about this now ? isnt it inhuman, firstly you enter a territory which is not yours, then you manhandle the chieftan ? and that too when she is a women, where is the culture  ? . ravana avenged it with taking away Sita not just for this but as a political move, and please remember that he never ill-treated. My friends argue that he was cursed etc etc ,where was the curse when he could lift her and take her on his "Vimana" ? another big interpetitition was that he wanted to marry her. Nonsense, he actually had gone to the Swayamvar of Sita to ask her for his son "Indrajit" not for himself. he kept her with dignity in  AshokVatika. 

now the famous battle scene and its little pre history. 

Rama wanted to construct the famous "sethu" and needed a pandit to do the commencement puja or ritual.  The only pandit nearby was Ravana, the best amongst all. Ravana came and performed Puja for his "enemy" dutifully and blessed him. If this arrogance, be it..

Rama wanted to pick an auspicious time to start the battle. Rama needed an astrologer. Everyone unanimously suggested none other than Ravana. Heeding to the suggestion, Rama went to ravana to ask him a good time. Ravana as a great professional gave him the best muhurtha which (9 navaratris) and blessed him with "Vijaya Bhava". I have never seen a bigger human being than this. Is this arrogance , then I am arrogant, i would love to be..

Finally Rama tired of all weaponry , picked up his Brahmaastra , equivalent of nuclear weapon in modern age. This weapon technically was never supposed to be used in war as it was more of a deterrance. Ravana had this weapon as well. But seeing Rama open this weapon, Ravana did not open his Brahmastra (which he had) because he knew that had he done that , entire humanity and ecology would have been finished, imagine 2 hydrogen bombs colliding. He opted out and gladly accepted death and defeat for the larger purpose.

In fact before his death, Ravana makes a request to Rama to protect the Humanity and Ecology to its fullest !

One of thing that I have observed in human sociology, a person who questions beliefs , assumptions and values  and explores truth impartially   is always painted black .. ravana was just one of them..