Ravana

 

Ravana was defeated only because two great forces, that of Rama and Hanuman joined. The first meeting of Ravana and Hanuman is revealing.. Ravana wonders whether, Lord Shambu or Bhagavan Nandi has appeared before him in disguise. Hanuman is wonderstruck by the splendour of Ravana.. He confesses in His mind that if Ravana had not committed the wrong deed of abducting Sita, he would have been unconquerable- according to Hanuman's thinking only adharma was going to be the killer of Ravana.. One has to read the Eulogy Rama pays to Ravana after the latter's death to know how much he respected the strength of Ravana..

Every soldier should have a Ravana in Him. - One of the bravest soldiers ever lived- greatest leader-dignified even in his death.. Rama orders a soldier's honour to Ravana at his funeral..

The battle between devas and asuras and rakshasas have a different dimension.. I have read Uttarakandam to Ramayanam too. Of course, there is discussion in literary and academic circle whether that part of Ramayanam is integrally connected to the other six Kandams. However, what I wanted to say was that devas were always out to decimate their own half-brothers and cousins that were asuras etc. Ravana for example is the half-brother of Kubera. If Ravana and his uterine brothers had not moved with sense of purpose and defeated devas, they would have annihilated them. At least Ravana and other demons left devas alive. So in a battle, we cannot escape witnessing cruelty... be it in ancient wars or even in the latest wars.. Was Hiroshima any better? I am not justifying wars but we can easily understand the actions of the warring faction in annihilating even with cruelty the rival players..

And regarding Sita in captivity, no thinking person can deny the fact that the Lady was in captivity and absolute control of Ravana for all that period of captivity, and he could have thought of anything and acted on it.. So other questions on that issue are not very relevant.