Rawana appears as the chief character in Ramayana. Indians declare Rawana as a figure of immense moral and physical strength. His immense penance, learning, and devotion to Brahma earned him the latter’s gratitude. Brahma conferred on Rawana the benefit of near immunity, making him resistant from destruction by gods or (other) demons; by this he also acquired the capacity to change his form. He was endowed with the strength of moving the seas and splitting the tops of mountains.
Rawana was the first to discover missiles and bombs. This is proved in the Mahabharata. They were filled with venom and were called Nagashara, Agnishara and poisoned arrows. These missiles were shot with a machine like a bow. Rawana flag was the sun and moon flag with a drawing of Rawana in the centre. This flag is drawn in the Rawana Katha Ola leaf book. A copy is produced here. This flag was carried to the war front by the people of Hewaheta which belonged to then Mayarata. It was in possession of Wilvala Raja Maha Viharaya but now in the Kandy museum.
Rawana was a mighty Emperor and ruled over seven continents from Lanka. They were the modern South America, Southern Europe; Himalaya including the Hindukush mountain range and continents up to Madagascar (Dr. Suriya Gunasekara -Rivira 24.04.2007).Rawana’s deadly flaw was his arrogance. When Brahma conferred on him a boon and Rawana asked that the Devas should not be able to inflict harm on him. He did not think it worthwhile to ask for protection from men or animals as he was so physically powerful.
As a result, Vishnu had to incarnate himself as Rama, a human being and it is an army of monkeys, led by Hanuman, which assists Rama in liberating Seetha from Rawana’s clutches and vanquishing him. Rawana did not take Rama seriously, as he thought that no human being could pose a threat to him. Legend says that being a Brahmin, Rawana performed the necessary Vedic rituals (pujas) for Rama before the war between himself and Rama. This is just one of the perfect qualities he possessed.
When Rama and Rawana meet in battle, it is characteristic of Rawana to exhibit his skill, and to speak arrogantly of crushing Rama to bits. Meanwhile, Rama simply goes about his task and sends his final weapon, the "Brahmasthra" aiming at his heart. It was Vibishana’s advice that made Rama to kill Rawana. However, Rama, in recognition of the fact that he met his match and that Rawana was a Brahmin by birth, well-versed in the Vedas and boundless in his knowledge of Sanskrit, ordered that the funeral arrangements for Rawana be that appropriate for his greatness.
Rawana’s life is a typical example of brilliance gone wrong. He was given the very best instruction and was truly great in his abilities and achievements but never learnt the lesson of humbleness. His egoism and pride were boundless. Instead of following the path of Dharma, he consistently chose to break it. Instead of gaining fame for his countless good qualities, he was known for his improper behaviour. His atrocities kept growing in number and eventually became so terrible, that it took an incarnation of Vishnu to subdue him.
Most who have read Ramayana wonder why Rawana, who lusted after Seetha and kept her in captivity for years, but did not violate her. He repeatedly requested her to become his wife, but she refused his advances. Pious readers are prejudiced and prone to the understanding that Seetha’s purity made her inviolable. However, Rawana had the benefit of power, and she was his captive. It is said that Rawana’s mother Queen Kaikesi and Queen Mandodari dissuaded him from violating Seetha. It is even possible to argue that, having kidnapped her, Rawana wished to have Seetha for himself only if she gave her consent; to do otherwise was to abandon the badge of honour the mightiest carried. What an extraordinary high discipline Rawana maintained. Right beside him, subject to his great power, was a woman for whom he had a burning desire, and yet he restrained himself.
However, some interpreters, such as the 19th century Bengali writer, Madhusudan Dutt (1824-1873), were of the view that ‘Rawana displayed the qualities of masculinity, honour, faithfulness, dependability, and justice to a great extent. Though the character of Rawana may seem like a closed book, there is sufficient plurality in Indian traditions that even Rawana is capable of some recuperation.’
The Tamil Nadu countryside is exposed to folk forms that celebrate Rawana as a hero and Rama as the villain who treated women unfairly. Many Tamils know the Ramayana know it through its Tamil version, the Kamban Ramayanam. In it, Rawana is highly venerated as a Vedic scholar, an expert of music, a warrior—as an embodiment of everything moral. In short, Rawana is a tragic hero, not a villain.
Details pertaining to Rawana could be found from “Rawana Katha” the Ola Book written by Mahakappinna Wickramasinghe Adigar of Nilgala Walauwa. This book contains auspicious times and mantra’s (occult science) of King Rawana.
“Rawana was a globally reputed and valued great intellectual. He was the author of many books. However, parts of few books are found. They are the Samaveda, Nadi Prakasha, Kumara Tantra, Uddisha Tantra, Prakrurtha Kamadhenu, and Sivathandawa Sthothra and the Ayurvedic book ‘Arka Prakasha’. His superior acquaintance in Sanskrit can be evaluated from Sivathandawa Sthothra and further he was a proficient Ayurvedic Physician. The art of distilling of Arka and the preparation of Asawa was his invention states Ayurvedic history. He invented the ‘Varuni’ machine to brew Arka. Rawana was the founder of SINDHURAM medicine. These medicine cured wounds instantly. He was known as Vaidya Shiromani as he rendered valuable service to Ayurveda. He was a divine pharmacologist and a Dhayana yogi”. Rawana is the historical King of Heladiva