Sages from various places gathered and came to Ayodhya to see Rama.

Rama asked the sages about the origins of the Rakshasas of Lanka. Sage Agastya replied to Rama that he will tell the background stories of Ravana and his son Meghanada. He will also share how they obtained powers by spending years in meditation, doing penance to propitiate Lord Siva and other gods.

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Rakshasa king Sumali came out of hiding from underworld with his daughter. He saw Vaishravana (Kubera) and got impressed. Since Rakshasas cannot marry devas, he asked his daughter Kaikasi to obtain children from Rishi Vishrava (Kubera’s father), hoping they would be equal to Kubera.

Kaikasi approached the Rishi and sought children through him. The Rishi said that he cannot refuse her request, but since the time of their union is not appropriate, the first three children would be like Rakshasas and the youngest would be righteous. Thus, Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Surpanakha were born with Rakshasa qualities; and Vibhishana became righteous.

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Kaikasi lived happily in the Shleshmodaka forest along with her children. One day she saw Vaishravana and told Ravana that even though Ravana is the son of a sage like Kubera, he does not have the same prosperity. Ravana vowed to become rich and powerful through penance. He went to Gokarna along with his brothers and started performing severe Tapas, to propitiate Lord Brahma.

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Ravana undertook penance like no other. He withstood fire, cold and rain. Ravana cut one of his heads himself and submitted in the fire. He repeated this and when he was about to cut off his tenth, Brahma could not ignore him. Ravana asked that he must not face death by anyone from the Deva, Gandharva, Asura, or Serpent species, except humans. Ravana thought he would be able to defeat humans.

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Devas warned Brahma not to grant everything that the Ravana brothers were going to ask. Thus warned Brahma requested Vani, the Goddess in charge of words and letters, to control what Kumbhakarna was about to ask for. Vani Devi went and occupied Kumbhakarna’s tongue. From his tongue came out the words: "Bless me with 'Nidrathvam' meaning a severe craving for sleep, although in his mind he meant to say 'Indrathvam' meaning the position of Indra, the king of Devas. Brahma said: "So be it."

Vibhishana on the other hand asked Brahma for a boon to always adhere to Dharma and devotion.

In Valmiki Ramayana there is no reference to Nidrathvam or Indrathvam.

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Lanka was originally a city of Rakshasas but was granted to Vaisharavana (Kubera) after Rakshasas abandoned the city. Hearing this, Ravana wanted his brother Vaishravana to give the city back. Kubera was ready to share it with Ravana, but Vaishravana’s father cautioned him that Ravana is wicked and not trustworthy. He asked him to give Lanka to Ravana and shift to Mount Kailasa. Kubera followed his father's advice and moved from Lanka, settling in Alakapuri. Ravana became the ruler of Lanka.

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Ravana took over Lanka after Kubera left for Alakapuri. Ravana spread havoc arrogantly in the three worlds. Vaishravana heard about his brother's atrocities and decided to advise him reluctantly as he was part of his family. Vaishravana’s messenger and Vibhishana advised Ravana but Ravana killed the messenger in a rage.

Adhyatma Ramayana mentions that the Karma that Ravana gathered by killing a messenger had the consequence – Ravana’s downfall was also caused by the messenger Hanumanji.

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Ravana decided to fight Kubera and defeat him, before fighting with the rest of Devas. There was a fierce fight where Ravana’s brothers and army inflicted heavy damage on Kubera’s army. Kubera decided to fight himself. He advised Ravana before the fight that people had got boons based on their penance in the past also, but all of them are dead. So Ravana will also die. Good and bad karma will follow him. All the benefits of Ravana’s tapas will be over within this life period.

Ravana and Kubera fought. Ravana resorted to a magical warfare and that made Kubera fall unconscious. When Kubera woke up, Ravana had taken control of the Pushpaka Vimana.

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