SexViolHist Bib: Cases: Mythological Cases: Rapes by Rāvaṇa

»According to the Hindu epic, Ramayana, Ravana was a king of the island of Lanka, in which he is the chief antagonist and is considered to be a Rakshasa (demon). In the Ramayana, Ravana is described as the eldest son of sage Vishrava and Kaikasi. He abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and took her to his kingdom of Lanka, where he held her in the Ashoka Vatika.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

G e n e r a l K e y w o r d s

I. Chronological Index: Acnient History: Ancient India | II. Geographical Index: Asia History: Indian History | III. Topical Index: Types: General: Rape; Offenders: Biological Status: Demon; Circumstances: Serial Offender; Victims: Biological Status: Nymph; Social Status: Noblewoman

Rape of Vedavatī

I n f o r m a t i o n

»Vedavati was the daughter of Brahmarishi Kushadhvaja, who was the son of Brihaspati, the guru of the devas. Having spent his life chanting and studying the sacred Vedas, he named his daughter Vedavati, after the texts, born to him as the fruit of his bhakti and tapasya. (...)
Ravana, the king of Lanka and the rakshasa race, found Vedavati sitting in meditation as a tapasvini and was captivated by her incredible beauty. He proposed his hand in marriage to her, and was rejected. Ravana, firmly rejected at every turn, grabbed her hair and tried assaulting her. The furious Vedavati cursed Ravana that she would be born once more, and would be the cause of his death. She subsequently leapt into the ritual havan that was present in her vicinity, immolating herself. Vedavati would be born again as Sita, and as proclaimed, she was the triggering cause of Ravana and his relatives's death, though her husband Rama would be the agent.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

B i b l i o g r a p h y

Literary Texts: Rāmāyaṇa

Rape of Rambha

I n f o r m a t i o n

»Ravana is regarded to have once caught sight of the apsara Rambha and was filled with lust. Even as the apsara resisted his advances by asserting that she was his daughter-in-law, he raped her. When she reported this to her husband, Nalakuvara, he cursed Ravana to be unable to cause violence to any woman who did not consent to being with him, his head splitting into a number of pieces if he did so. This incident is stated to explain why Ravana could not force the abducted Sita to submit to his desire.« (Extract from: Wikipedia)

B i b l i o g r a p h y

Literary Texts: Rāmāyaṇa