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Ravana, mythological demon-king of the island of Lanka, is the chief antagonist in the Hindu epic Ramayana. In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikasi. He abducted Lord Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika. Lord Rama, with the support of vanara King Sugriva and his army of vanaras, launched a rescue operation for Sita against Ravana in Lanka. Ravana was subsequently slain, and Rama rescued his beloved wife Sita.
Rākshasa are a race of usually malevolent beings prominently featured in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Folk Islam. They reside on Earth but possess supernatural powers, which they usually use for evil acts such as disrupting Vedic sacrifices or eating humans.
Kubera also known as Kuvera, Kuber and Kuberan, is the god of wealth, and the god-king of the semi-divine yakshas in Hinduism. He is regarded as the regent of the north (Dikpala), and a protector of the world (Lokapala). His many epithets extol him as the overlord of numerous semi-divine species, and the owner of the treasures of the world. Kubera is often depicted with a plump body, adorned with jewels, and carrying a money-pot and a club.
Kapila, also referred to as Cakradhanus, is a sage in Hindu tradition. According to Bhagavata Purana, he is the son of the sage Kardama and Devahuti, the daughter of the Svayambhuva Manu. Kardama had nine daughters, who were very learned and went ahead to marry Marici, as well as other great sages. When he came of age, Kapila is most well-known as the founder of the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy. Kapila of Samkhya fame is considered a Vedic sage, estimated to have lived in the 6th-century BCE, or the 7th-century BCE.^ His influence on Buddha and Buddhism have long been the subject of scholarly studies. There have been accusations of orthodox Buddhists that Sarvastivadins are heavily influenced by Sankhya school of philosophy.
Narayana is one of the forms and epithets of Vishnu. In this form, the deity is depicted in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, symbolising the masculine principle and associated with his role of creation. He is also known as Purushottama, and is considered the Supreme Being in Vaishnavism.
Vibhishana is the younger brother of Ravana, the King of Lanka, in the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. Though a rakshasa himself, Vibhishana turned his back on Ravana, and defected to Rama's side, owing to his dharma. After Rama defeated Ravana, the former crowned Prince Vibhishana as the King of Lanka before returning to Ayodhya.
Hindu mythological wars are the wars described in the Hindu texts of ancient India. These wars depicted both mortals of great prowess as well as deities and supernatural beings, often wielding supernatural weapons of great power. Hindu teachings prescribe war as the final option, to be employed only after all peaceful methods are exhausted. Participation in righteous war, or dharmayuddha, was said to be honourable and was a principal duty of the Kshatriya or the warrior varna, and victory in such wars was regarded as a matter of honour.
In the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, Prahasta was a powerful rakshasa warrior and the maternal uncle of Ravana. He was the chief commander of Ravana's army of Lanka. He was the son of Sumali and Ketumathi. In his next birth, Prahasta was reborn as Purochana in the Mahabharata as Duryodhana's trusted aide and was the main responsible for the Lakshagraha incident.
In Hinduism, Jaya and Vijaya are the two dvarapalakas (gatekeepers) of Vaikuntha, the abode of the god Vishnu. Due to a curse by the four Kumaras, they were forced to undergo multiple births as mortals who would be subsequently killed by various avatars of Vishnu. They were incarnated as Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha in the Satya Yuga, Ravana and Kumbhakarna in the Treta Yuga, and finally Shishupala and Dantavakra in the Dvapara Yuga.
Shurpanakha, is a rakshasi (demoness) in Hindu epic. Her legends are mainly narrated in the epic Ramayana and its other versions. She was the sister of Lanka's king, Ravana, and the daughter of the sage Vishrava and the rakshasi Kaikeshi. Shurpanakha's role in the original epic is small, yet significant.
Svayam Bhagavan is a Sanskrit concept in Hinduism, referring to the absolute representation of Bhagavan as the Supreme God in a monotheistic framework. The concept is most commonly associated with a male deity, for instance in Hindu sub-movements like Krishnaism and Gaudiya Vaishnavism, in which Krishna is regarded as Svayam Bhagavan.
The Dashavatara are the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, a principal Hindu god. Vishnu is said to descend in the form of an avatar to restore cosmic order. The word Dashavatara derives from daśa, meaning "ten", and avatāra, roughly equivalent to "incarnation".
Vishnu, also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
In Indian religions, Patala, denotes the subterranean realms of the universe – which are located under the earthly dimension. Patala is often translated as underworld or netherworld. Patala is described as more beautiful than Svarga. Patala is described as filled with splendid jewels, beautiful groves and lakes.
Vilambā is a bodhisattva and rakshasi in Mahayana Buddhism and the mother of Maori Xingguan in Chinese folk religion. According to Volume 7 of the Lotus Sūtra, Vilambā is one of the Ten Rākṣasīs who protect the Dharma.
Matali is the charioteer of Indra, the king of the devas, in Hinduism. He also acts as the messenger of Indra, inviting Dushyanta to help the deity in his war against the asuras in the Abhijnanashakuntalam. In the Padma Purana, Matali engages in a philosophical discourse with King Yayati regarding the nature of the soul, old age, and other concepts.
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