In our previous episode, we witnessed the extraordinary rise of Raavan. We saw the terrible penance of Raavan, Kumbhakarn, and Vibhishan, and the very different boons they received from God Brahma. We watched Raavan take control of Lanka, marry Mandodari, and begin his conquest across the worlds. His growing ambition eventually brought him against his own elder brother, Kuber. Raavan defeated him and seized the magnificent Pushpak Vimaan. But his journey then took him to Mount Kailash, where his pride brought him face to face with Nandi and Lord Shiv. We saw Raavan attempt the impossible by trying to lift Mount Kailash itself. Trapped beneath the mountain by Lord Shiv, he turned from arrogance to devotion and praised the Great God for a thousand years. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Shiv freed him, gave him the divine sword Chandrahas, and gave Dashagreev the name by which the worlds would forever remember him. Raavan.
In today's episode, Raavan will continue his conquest across the earth. But with every kingdom he enters and every person he challenges, he will unknowingly begin to create the path towards his own destruction. In a quiet Himalayan forest, Raavan will encounter the beautiful ascetic Vedavati, a young woman who has devoted her life to obtaining Lord Vishnu as her husband. Raavan's desire and arrogance will lead him to dishonor her, and Vedavati will make a powerful vow. She will return in another life and become the cause of his destruction. And that woman will one day be born as Sita. But this raises an important question for Ram. If Vedavati was destined to become Sita and marry Lord Vishnu, why was Ram chosen as her husband? To discover the answer, Sage Agastya will take us further into Raavan's conquests. We will follow him to the ancient city of Ayodhya, where he challenges King Anaranya of the Ikshvaku dynasty. On the battlefield, the dying king will speak a prophecy that reaches far into the future. A prince named Ram, the son of King Dashrath, will one day be born into his dynasty and bring about Raavan's destruction. And finally, we will witness Raavan's encounter with another king of the Ikshvaku lineage, King Marut. There, in the middle of a great Yagya attended by the gods themselves, Raavan will once again mistake restraint for weakness and walk away believing that he has achieved yet another victory. Join us as we discover how, long before Ram and Sita were even born, Raavan's own actions were slowly bringing their destinies together and setting the stage for the great events of the Ramayan.
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