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Vishravas held a deep resentment for Vaishravana and was always looking for an opportunity to attack him. Brahma, however, was highly pleased with the services of Vaishravana or [[Kubera (कुबेरः)]] and bestowed him all the riches and rulership over ganas such as Yaksha, Kinneras, Kimpurushas and others. Making him the ruler of Lanka, he grants him the Pushpaka vimana. Vishravas begets Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Visbhishana, Khara and Surpanakha through rakshasis named Pushpotkata, Malini and Raakha.  

Vishravas held a deep resentment for Vaishravana and was always looking for an opportunity to attack him. Brahma, however, was highly pleased with the services of Vaishravana or [[Kubera (कुबेरः)]] and bestowed him all the riches and rulership over ganas such as Yaksha, Kinneras, Kimpurushas and others. Making him the ruler of Lanka, he grants him the Pushpaka vimana. Vishravas begets Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Visbhishana, Khara and Surpanakha through rakshasis named Pushpotkata, Malini and Raakha.  

==Ravana as Lankadhipati==

==Ravana as Lankadhipati==

Vishravas and his family were living on the Gandhamadana mountain. Once Kubera came on his vehicle driven by men, to meet Vishravas. On that ocassion, seeing the wealth and pomp of Kubera, Ravana and his brothers, overcame with jealousy. They decide to perform penance to gain powers from Brahma. After a thousand years or rigorous austerities, Brahma pleased with their tapas, grants Ravana invincibility from all beings and he excludes humans in his wish as he considered them very low beings. <blockquote>गन्धर्वदेवासुरतो यक्षराक्षसतस्तथा। सर्पकिन्नरभूतेभ्यो न मे भूयात्पराभवः॥ 3-275-25</blockquote>

Vishravas and his family were living on the Gandhamadana mountain. Once Kubera came on his vehicle driven by men, to meet Vishravas. On that ocassion, seeing the wealth and pomp of Kubera, Ravana and his brothers, overcame with jealousy. They decide to perform penance to gain powers from Brahma. After a thousand years or rigorous austerities, Brahma pleased with their tapas, grants Ravana invincibility from all beings and he excludes humans in his wish as he considered them very low beings.

Returning with the boons of Brahma, Ravana defeats Kubera and takes over Lanka and the Pushpaka vimana from him. Unable to challenge Ravana, Kubera leaves Lanka with his Yaksha and rakshasa ganas and goes to live on the Gandhamadhana mountain. Thus defeated by Ravana and forcefully retained of all his riches including the Pushpaka vimana, an angered Kubera spells out a curse on Ravana. <blockquote>विमानं पुष्पकं तस्य जहाराक्रम्य रावणः। शशाप तं वैश्रवणो न त्वामेतद्वहिष्यति॥ 3-275-34 </blockquote><blockquote>यस्तु त्वां समरे हन्ता तमेवैतद्वहिष्यति। अवमन्य गुरुं मां च क्षिप्रं त्वं न भविष्यसि॥ 3-275-35</blockquote>

 

गन्धर्वदेवासुरतो यक्षराक्षसतस्तथा। सर्पकिन्नरभूतेभ्यो न मे भूयात्पराभवः॥ 3-275-25

 

Returning with the boons of Brahma, Ravana defeats Kubera and takes over Lanka and the Pushpaka vimana from him. Unable to challenge Ravana, Kubera leaves Lanka with his Yaksha and rakshasa ganas and goes to live on the Gandhamadhana mountain. Thus defeated by Ravana and forcefully retained of all his riches including the Pushpaka vimana, an angered Kubera spells out a curse on Ravana.  

 

विमानं पुष्पकं तस्य जहाराक्रम्य रावणः। शशाप तं वैश्रवणो न त्वामेतद्वहिष्यति॥ 3-275-34  

 

यस्तु त्वां समरे हन्ता तमेवैतद्वहिष्यति। अवमन्य गुरुं मां च क्षिप्रं त्वं न भविष्यसि॥ 3-275-35

 

This Pushpuka vimana which you have forcefully taken from me will not carry you. It will be the vehicle of one who kills you in a war. You have no respect for me, who has to be respected by you being your elder brother. Hence very soon you will be destroyed.  

This Pushpuka vimana which you have forcefully taken from me will not carry you. It will be the vehicle of one who kills you in a war. You have no respect for me, who has to be respected by you being your elder brother. Hence very soon you will be destroyed.  

Though distressed by Ravana's behaviour, Kubera was pleased with his younger brother, Vibhishana's, character. He makes Vibhishana the commander of the Yaksha and Rakshasa forces. Ravana with his immense force, ability to take any form and travel aerially to any place as per his wish, started harassing the devatas and took away precious gems and treasures which were extraordinary from them, thus creating fear among them.  

Though distressed by Ravana's behaviour, Kubera was pleased with his younger brother, Vibhishana's, character. He makes Vibhishana the commander of the Yaksha and Rakshasa forces. Ravana with his immense force, ability to take any form and travel aerially to any place as per his wish, started harassing the devatas and took away precious gems and treasures which were extraordinary from them, thus creating fear among them.  

==Mahavishnu and Devatas take human forms==

==Devatas take human forms==

All the rshis and devatas then approached Brahma to seek help as Ravana's deeds where unbearable in any world. Brahma pacifies them saying that since Ravana is invincible by devatas and even asuras, he sought the help of Mahavishnu to take the form of a human being on earth, to control Ravana.

All the rshis and devatas then approached Brahma to seek help as Ravana's deeds where unbearable in any world. Brahma pacifies them saying that since Ravana is invincible by devatas and even asuras, he sought the help of Mahavishnu to take the form of a human being on earth, to control Ravana.

Brahma instructs Indra, to take birth on the earth along with the devatas. He instructs them to give rise to strong and capable progeny from female bears and monkeys to effectively support Mahavishnu when he takes birth on the earth.

Brahma instructs Indra, to take birth on the earth along with the devatas. He instructs them to give rise to strong and capable progeny from female bears and monkeys to effectively support Mahavishnu when he takes birth on the earth. Devatas, Gandharvas,  and Nagas took forms on the earth. Brahma instructs a gandharva named Dundubhi (दुन्दुभी) to go down to the earth to play a role in these great events of the devatas. Dundubhi takes the form of Manthara, the unpleasant maid. Thus was laid the background to build an army of extremely strong army of monkeys and bears, many of which did not even have a house to live in but lived in forests and trees.