Story of Ravana’s previous birth

We all know how Lord Vishnu’s advisors Jai-Vijay were born as Ravana and Kumbhakarna due to a curse.
,
Today we will know the story of Ravana’s previous birth which very few people know. This story is given in Shri Ramcharitmanas. This story starts from the 152nd couplet in Manas’ Balkand and ends at the 175th couplet.
,
According to this story, there was a king named Satyaketu in the country of Kaikeya who always ruled righteously and took care of the people in every way.

,
He had two sons – Pratapbhanu and Arimardan. Seeing that Pratapbhanu was the eldest and very fair, Satyaketu made him the king and himself took Vanaprastha.
,
Arimardan was the strongest warrior in the world who made his brother’s kingdom free from his might.
,
He had a very wise minister named Dharmaruchi who always gave him right advice.
,
Pratapbhanu himself was Mahavira and due to the strength of his younger brother and the policies of his minister, he attacked and conquered the entire earth.

,
The one who did not accept his supremacy died. Ultimately he conquered all the seven islands and became the Chakravarti Emperor.
,
The entire earth was under his control and he started ruling this earth with justice like Indra.
,
It is said that he performed all the types of yagyas mentioned in the scriptures 1000 times each. Under his protection the entire people were happy and safe.

Once he went to the forest for hunting where he saw a wonderful boar which was actually a demon named Kalketu.

,
The king ran after him to hunt him, but the monster in the form of a pig ran away from there with agility. Pratapbhanu fired many arrows but the boar kept running away dodging everyone and finally hid in a cave.
,
The king did not find the prey but he got lost in that dense forest. For a long time he kept wandering in that forest suffering from hunger and thirst.
,
Suddenly he saw an ashram in that wild forest. When he reached there, he saw a very bright Mahatma.

,
In reality he was a king whose kingdom was snatched away by Pratapbhanu and he had to flee the battlefield. Now he lived like an ascetic in this forest.
,
Due to his disguise, Pratapbhanu could not recognize him but the king recognized Pratapbhanu. He considered this an opportune moment to take revenge for his insult from Pratapbhanu.
,
He sent the king to take bath in the nearby lake. When the king had finished his tiredness after taking bath, the ascetic gave him food and water.
,

After the meal was over, when the king asked the ascetic for permission to go back, he said that it was night and the city was 70 yojanas away from here. So today you take this rest.
,
The king believed whatsoever was said by him. Then the ascetic asked the king for his introduction. The king did not consider it appropriate to give his real introduction to an unknown person and he said, “O Mahatma! There is a king named Prapabhanu, I am his minister Dharmaruchi.”

,
That ascetic knew that the king was lying, that is why he said – “I don’t know how you became a minister, but looking at the line of your forehead, I can tell that you should be a Chakravarti emperor.”
,
After hearing this truth, Pratapbhanu started considering that ascetic as a trikaldarshi. That ascetic also deliberately told everything about him that he knew.

,
As a result, after a short conversation, Pratapbhanu became a devotee of that ascetic.
,
When the king asked the ascetic about his introduction, he said, “We are saints and have always lived in this forest. Till date, we have not seen anyone except you, but after seeing you, our heart became happy. Our name is Ekatnu. ”
,

Then the king asked him the meaning of his name and he deceitfully said – “When the creation began, Lord Brahma himself gave birth to me. From then till today I have not assumed another body, that is why I have this name.”
,
As time passed, the king’s devotion and trust towards that ascetic was increasing. Then the ascetic said, “I am very pleased with you, that is why you ask something from me.

,
Don’t doubt. All the desires which the Trinity can fulfill, I can also fulfill. So feel free to ask me whatever you want.”
,
Pratap Bhanu was very happy to hear this. He said to that ascetic – “Lord! It is my good fortune that you considered me worthy of the boon.
,
If you are happy then grant me this boon that my body becomes free from old age, death and sorrow. No one can defeat me in battle and I may rule the earth for the next 100 Kalpas.

,
That deceitful ascetic was very happy. He again said deceitfully – “Amen! From today onwards you are inviolable even for the Trinity.”
,
Hearing this, the king devoutly fell at the feet of that ascetic. Then the ascetic said – “But always remember one thing that harm can happen to you only at the hands of Brahmins.
,
If you bring all the Brahmins under your control, then Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh will also become under your control.”

On this the king said – “O Lord! You are my teacher. Now tell me how I can bring the Brahmins under my control?”
,
Then that deceitful ascetic said – “I can prepare such a dish that if anyone eats it without knowing, he will become your slave.
,
I never went out of this forest but because of my love for you, I will come to your kingdom. Now you sleep, with my penance I will take you along with your horse to your kingdom.

,
In three days I will change my form and come to your kingdom and will tell you this story so that you can recognize me.” The king bowed his head at her feet and fell asleep.
,
At that very moment Kalketu, the boar who had misled the king, arrived there. He was a friend of that deceitful ascetic.
,
When the ascetic told him the whole story, he also became very happy. He said – “Today this evil man tried to take my life. Now I will destroy him with your plan.”

,
Saying this, with her magic, she sent Pratapbhanu along with his horse to his kingdom. When the king woke up the next day and found himself in his kingdom, his faith in the ascetic became even stronger.
,
Three days passed like three eras for Pratapbhanu. On the third day, the demon Kalketu abducted the king’s priest and approached him in his disguise.
,
When he told the entire incident to the king, he believed that this was the same Mahatma who had come to save him.
,

On his request, the king invited 100,000 Brahmins for a feast and on his invitation all the Brahmins came to eat.
,
On the other hand, that demon in the form of a priest sat down to prepare food and mixed the meat of Brahmins with many animals in the food. Unaware of this, the king himself started serving the food with his own hands.
,

As the Brahmins wanted to eat it, the demon Kalketu himself said in the sky, “O Brahmins! Do not eat this food. Along with animals, the flesh of godlike Brahmins is also mixed in it.”
,
Hearing this, all the Brahmins left their food and got up. When the king himself inspected it, he found that the voice from the sky was true.

There was meat mixed in that food. Seeing this, the Brahmins got angry and cursed the king – “O king! Today you have abandoned humanity and have acted like a demon. Therefore, go and be born in the next life in a demon clan along with your family.
,

Within a year from now your entire clan will be destroyed.” When the king heard such a curse, he fainted with fear.
,
The demon went there and gave this news to the ascetic. He gathered all the defeated kings and attacked Pratapbhanu together.

,
The king’s strength was of no use and he died along with his family. All the kings returned to their respective kingdoms and that ascetic king became the master of Pratapbhanu’s kingdom along with his kingdom.
,
Due to the curse of the sages, Pratapbhanu was born as the demon king Ravana in the next life. His younger brother Arimardan was born as the great warrior Kumbhakarna.

,
His minister Dharmaruchi also suffered the consequences of the king’s sin but being innocent, he was born as Vibhishan, a devotee of Shri Hari..!!

Jai Shri Ram